I am thinking about making this a day float. Can anyone tell me about the river through this area? I am not looking for honey holes mostly just what will this section be like. I am planning to float it with my inflatable pontoon boat. It looks like there is some fast water in this section.
My son and I are thinking about making this the last float of a three or four day trip. This trip will mostly be a float trip but I will be fishing. Cats and Sturgeon will be the targets. Ron
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I often float from Swan Falls to Celebration Park in a 16' Lavro. (same stretch of water that you are talking about) There are few class II waves that will get you a little wet but you should not have any significant issues. The biggest issues are the never-ending-wind in that canyon and the round-a-bout drive for the shuttle.
We often slay the smallies. Few are more than 15" but there are some surprises. I've pulled a few catfish while throwing crankbaits along the rip-rap. Any kind of smallmouth lure will work on this stretch. The standby is the 4" tube in any color you can imagine. While rowing I throw a steelhead bobber/jig set up so I still get to fish. It gets hit often.
The last fun lure of choice were weedless rigged flukes in the baby bass pattern.
The float is worth doing often. Don't spend too much time on the upper 4 miles. Focus on the rock gardens downriver of where the road ends on river-right.
The float is 10 miles and I'll let you in on a secret. The whole stretch is a honey hole if you are looking for
little river smallmouth.
Happy floating!!!
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Thanks for the info. We will be focusing one the Cats and Sturgeon. How long does it take to float this section? I know that will depend on how much a guy stops and focuses on an area. I want to focus on Sturgeon if anyone has a hole in mind[fishon]
The Class 2 waves sound fun My son is stocked about this float.
Would you recommend to get out at Celebration Park or Walters ferry? I am thinking that if we want to focus on some sturgeon we might do the shorter trip so we can spend more time fishing. Will the wind slow us down a lot?
Thanks for the info. Ron
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I'd get out at Celebration. It's a long ways to Walter's Ferry. You can start sturgeon fishing pretty much as soon as you put in. I've caught two in the last few weeks right next to the island right under the dam (a little one and a decent one) look for the main chanel pretty close to the bank there. Then you can fish in the first deep pool you come to (theres a nice beach along the bank there) From there you can fish just above and below the rapids (Ranch House rapid I think). I don't know the river very well from there down. Good luck, either way I'm sure you guys will have a great time.
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I would second getting out at celebration and I would get on the water at first light. I've done this section in my drifter and when the wind kicks up in the afternoon its a total nightmare.
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Thanks guys. I appreciate the help. Ron
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