# float fishing on the buffalo national river



## ihuntgsps (Mar 10, 2008)

Planning a short float trip on the Buffalo National River in Arkansas soon and curious if anyone here has tried that yet?

It is a blue ribbon small mouth bass stream so hoping to do a little fishing during the float and maybe some fishing on crooked creek also while down there.

Would love to hear about anyone else's experiences with fishing or floating in that area.

We are thinking of buying a couple heavy inflatable rafts instead of renting canoes. The wife thinks her and the kids would tip over too often in canoes and it would be more comfortable in a raft.


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## Elevenpoint (Nov 17, 2009)

ihuntgsps said:


> Planning a short float trip on the Buffalo National River in Arkansas soon and curious if anyone here has tried that yet?
> 
> It is a blue ribbon small mouth bass stream so hoping to do a little fishing during the float and maybe some fishing on crooked creek also while down there.
> 
> ...


Put in at Ponca and floated to Hasty I believe, Buffalo will get very shallow in a dry summer. Very good small mouth stream. Know where Crooked Creek is but did not fish there. We went up to Eureka Springs area and floated and fished Kings River, another nice smallmouth stream, one of few north flowing streams. Also fished White River below Beaver dam, excellent for rainbow, brown, cutthroats, and brookies too. Can't run out of fishing down in that area.


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## ihuntgsps (Mar 10, 2008)

Just back from a great week in Southern Mo/Northern Arkansas.
The Buffalo river is very low so had to put in at Pruit and out at Hasty. Ponca to Kyles landing is the "go to float" for beauty but pruit to hasty was also beautiful and fun.
We didn't fish at all but spent the day floating (and paddling a lot due to low water flow). Kids enjoyed the swimming holes and jumping off the boulders/etc.
I would recommend staying away form the inflatable boats/rafts and stick to canoes or kayaks as they are much more aerodynamic and faster in the water. 
If anyone is thinking about going I would say do it in April or May or wait until fall. The river in mid June was very low in many spots.


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## joejeep92 (Oct 11, 2010)

As ihuntgsps said, this time of year I'd stick with a canoe or kayak. Low water right now. Always had luck with pumpkin or other orange colorization (don't know why) on smallmouth in the Buffalo. Have family in the area so I go down several times a year for fishing or hunting. Outside of the boat, Richland Creek near the Richland Creek Campground has decent fishing and some swimming holes as well as some cool waterfalls if you aren't dead set on floating. Primitive camping but long low-maintenance road to get there so don't bring the Cadillac. Eat at the Ozark Cafe in Jasper if you get the chance.

Edit-Just realized that ihuntgsps is the post originator and has already been. Whoopsy...


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