I had a float trip on the south fork planned to take my dad and brother out in a couple of weeks (just before the 4th) while they are in town and my friends who were going to take their drift boats have had to cancel on me. because I don't have a boat myself I was wondering about the potential of taking a couple of canoes down some stretch of water in an effort to at least get them out. I just don't really know where to take them. Any suggestions on where might be safe and still produce some fish would be much appreciated.
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Look at the North fork from Warm River to ashton lake. Then from below. Ashton lake down to Chester resevior. These are fairly canoe friendly. You need to always watch the water if you have never floated it before.
I would day say the Warm river stretch would be the best to catch some fish
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You might look at the Henry's Fork area. Warm River to Ashton Bridge. Maybe up the hill to Island Park. The Res or the Buffalo. The water is still roaring on the Southfork and lower part of Henry's didn't check the flows today but were still getting rain here today in Idaho Falls. The Preston area might be an idea as well. The small lakes are all somewhat small boat friendly. Good Luck!
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Thanks a lot for the suggestions. I guess a lot depends on the water flows in the next couple of weeks as well huh?
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"Safe" canoeing is all relative. I had three broken bones in my hand and a broken foot to prove it when i misjudged the flows in the box canyon.
I would say the Warm river to Ashton float would be the best. You can get out and wade in the good looking sections.
You might also consider canoeing at horseshoe lake. You can slow troll flies. We usually catch a ton of small fish.
It depends on the flows but I canoe several sections of the Teton. I will PM you some info.
Windriver
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If you have inexperienced paddlers in the canoe, another option would be the water trail from near Big Springs to Macks Inn, or Coffeepot Campground. The first part (from the railroad bridge to where the Henry's Lake Outlet joins the river)is no fishing, but it's not very far. It's a beautiful, slow float, with the chance to see moose and other wildlife, as well as chucking a spinner or a worm in the deeper holes. Take your camera.
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be carful witht he coffie pot float that you don't get into the rapids i watched that rapuid eat a canoe and severly injure a person
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you guys are great. i appreciate you steering me in the right direction and the pointers as well.
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[quote thebug]be carful witht he coffie pot float that you don't get into the rapids i watched that rapuid eat a canoe and severly injure a person[/quote]
I'll clarify a bit. Float from Big Springs to Macks Inn or to the Coffeepot Campground, but no further. It's still a gentle float below there for a mile or so, but there aren't any readily accessable takeouts before you hit the Coffeepot Rapids, which you don't want to take in a canoe, even if you have experienced paddlers. While fishing just above the rapids a few years ago, a man and his 12 yr. old daughter came floating down in a 12 foot aluminum boat, and I warned them not to go further. They talked to some other people afterward that told them it was OK, so they did. Not long after that a young man came hurrying up the trail asking everybody for a piece of rope that they could toss to the girl stranded on a rock in the middle of the river. Her dad got out, but the boat was munched. Not long after that, here came three teenage boys in another boat. Everybody else had left the area, and when they got near, I told them that if they went on that they were going to die, and there wouldn't be anybody around to help them, cause I was leaving. Someody upstream was giving out bad information.
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thanks for the heads up!
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Warm River to Ashton stretch is good. Some mild bumps, but not too bad. Fishing and scenery are often great through there as well! I would suggest from the Irving bridge to Chester dam as well, but from what I hear all that is pretty muddy and the fishing isn't to great at the moment, but the whole float is smooth from what I remember.
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