Join me and my buddies, Wes & Grey, as we paddled and camp down 49 miles of the Jacks Fork River near Eminence, Missouri. We start at the Prongs and float about 19 miles to our first camping spot. #camping #kayaking
As a child, before Ozark Scenic Riverways I would go with my dad walking and fishing all up and down the Jacks Fork. Many times at night, using a Jitterbug on an old level wind reel. That river is so etched into my memory. Oh yes! 5 lb. Smallmouth and huge Goggleye (Rockbass) were pretty much the norm back then.
That's so cool! :-) We were in absolute awe of the beauty of that river! I hope I get to do it again someday! The Current was fabulous, too! Love that whole area!!!
I’m adding that place to my list for sure. I’d like it to be twice as deep though. Less scraping. Have to do me some research on it. Now that paddle choice is interesting. I started out when I was younger in kayaks and moved on to a canoe when my joints required it. I never once considered using a kayak paddle with the canoe. I actually find the canoe paddle to be very versatile after time spent learning how to use it in many different situations. Still more to learn ofcourse. Song of the paddle as well as the way of the paddle are classics to watch and learn techniques. Need to bring a machete on the next trip I see. Ha ha. Great video, thank you for bringing us along.
Thanks, Bro! The Jacks Fork will NOT disappoint! And yes, we were on the low end of the comfortable paddling range. For sure wouldn't do it any lower, but it was still a great trip. I've been trying to improve my canoe paddle techniques. I really enjoy using it, but if there's wind or big miles to cover, you can't beat having a blade in the water twice as fast. I also enjoy the challenge of using just a canoe paddle...just like some deer hunters enjoy the challenge of bow hunting. Oh, and I almost always have a folding saw in my boat...lol!! That thing has saved me more than once!! :-D
Really nice canoe camping rivers there. Ya might want to upgrade your canoe. I have an ancient Royalex Mad River Explorer that I used to paddle white water with back in the seventys. Those are really good all around canoes. Found a Dagger Demention that might be a better boat the Explorer for canoe camping. Have a Mad River ME that is good on class three stuff and can still carry a ton of gear for camping
Yes, I've kinda got my sea legs (so to speak) on the Saranac, but I am ready to up my canoe game. I do like the tracking of my canoe, but I need to paddle a nicer whitewater canoe before I make my next purchase. I do a fair amount of flat water paddling, but try to avoid large open water areas.
I have a Bell Majic I paddle flat water with. Light weight and very fast. Have been caught in Pamlico Sound in a thunder storm and that was the most Scariest situation I have ever been in@@SouthernPaddler
Great vid, I actually like the Jack's and Current a little better than the Buffalo. The Buffalo has the best bluffs out of any of them, but in the summer it gets low and is rain dependent, and when we were there it was like bathwater with lots of algae, but again it's still very nice.. I just find these rivers are much cooler and refreshing and have good fishing all year due to the cooler temps. If you haven't, you should check out Akers Ferry to Two Rivers, the Cave Spring is quite a sight to see. The Current is a bit easier than the upper Jacks, which is a lot of class II rapids. Was this around September?
Yes, I agree that the bluffs on the Buffalo are so stunning! The remoteness of the Jacks Fork is what one me over (and the beauty). Those 2 guys and myself had actually just finished 5 days on the current the day before we started this trip. We did Baptist to Big Spring. It was amazing. All three of those Ozark rivers are kind of the standard that I judge other rivers by now!! :)
LOVE THIS video and I want to research this area more for a possible trip. But I'm completely confused about some of the info. The description says "Van Buren", but this area is nowhere near Van Buren. In the video, he says they stopped to camp in "Dark Hollow". The only Dark Hollow I can find is on the Current River and significantly north of this area. Any help?
Hi and thank you very much! Glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks for the correction on location name. The day before this trip we finished the Current River and stayed in Van Buren, but I've updated the description on all 3 videos to say "near Eminence, MO". As for "Dark Hollow", I think you have to be zoomed in pretty close on Google Maps to see it. Search for "Bunker Hill Ranch" near Mountain View, MO, and then go downstream from there. It was in that area. Hope you get to do this trip because it is an amazing river (just make sure it's not too low).
What a gorgeous River!! Love all of the rock formations! Betcha its even more spectacular with leaf color in the Fall! Nice to see Wes and the Yukon Expedition. Very cool cave along the way and a NICE campsite to end the day! Jeff
After watching this one a couple times I’ve been getting suggestions for other videos on the Jackson fork and I think I’m gonna have to plan this one out for next spring. Just amazing.
Lol- that seems to be the norm for me! Ha, ha! The water was getting on the low side and a few places were narrow, so we were just trying to avoid dragging...although there might have been one or two bad reads in there. :-D
Love this float always try to make this is first one in the spring. Seen some crazy rapids on that spot you said was spicey 😆 gotta try north fork of the white river of you haven't already
@@SouthernPaddler The North Fork of the White is a great river with some fun riffles! The very upper part has to be floated in spring only or when water levels are higher. There are several low water bridges . Easier to float from Hebron or Twin Bridges on Hwy 14 down. 49.5 miles from top at Hwy 76 access to Tecumseh take out on Norfolk Lake.
@@losttime6949 Thanks so much for the info!! I've heard some great things about the North Fork. I know anything in the Ozarks is going to be beautiful!!
