What is the smallest stream you have float fished?

[River Otter]

I have a pretty good idea what the minimum stream size threshold is for float fishing. I just wanted some input as to what are the smallest streams you have float fished. I am planning to assemble a list of streams that can be floated in NC and Va once there is some consensus minimum thresholds. Me thinks that section II of the Mitchell is about as small as one would care to float but I am all ears. Streams in the central Piedmont will be ranked by basin size while Foothill and Mt. streams will be ranked on average cfs.

The purpose of the list proposal is to drag some obscure streams that are good streams into the light of day such as the First Broad, Jacob Fork, Ivy River, Big Rock Creek, Richardson Creek, Third Creek, Lanes Creek, Watauga River, Sandy Creek.

[Double Haul]

Why would you want to drag small obscure streams to the light of day?? One of the best things about those streams is that not many people know about them.

[River Otter]

Why would you want to drag small obscure streams to the light of day?? One of the best things about those streams is that not many people know about them.

Everyone and there brother are aware of the small steams that are local to me. It would not hurt for the love to be spread elsewhere. I would not doubt that some streams I mentioned above have not been fished in 10 years.

[wetinaline]

I would not want info on my small creeks for every troll to see. No problem sharing with fellow riverbassers. I ran into a couple guys hammering a nice section of shoals Saturday with a stringer tied to them. I asked him if he was going to leave some for the rest of us, he said he only keeps 4 or 5 every time he go's. That's cool I guess, then he said he would rather eat Shoalies than any other fish,UUUHHHHGGGGG! Gotta protect smaller flows and share with like minded people who will protect the resource.

[ncclimber]

Straight from the forum rules:

"Discussing specific locations is prohibited on trip reports. Small rivers and streams and even big rivers when specific locations are mentioned can be overun with people when this info is mentioned on a public forum. It is just not polite to post this specific info publicly out of respect to others that call that stretch or small flow their “home water.”

It is OK to discuss specific locations when simply seeking river access, but we still encourage those conversations to happen on the private forum for only our members to see. The main thing is that we want to keep everyone happy, including you who may not realize what mentioning a specific spot in a trip report can do, especially if it was a good trip report. We also encourage using the private message system that all registered members have access to when discussing more specific info."

Just something to think about. If people want info on these flows they can PM you.

Matt

[LowHybred09]

Yeah, just to be safe and follow the rules I wouldn't mention any names of anything smaller than a major river that runs a long distance. A LOT of people get upset when people name drop locations, especially smaller creeks because they just can't handle the pressure they might get if mentioned on a public forum. Not neccisarily by the members but there are a lot of people who use these sites just to find potential dinner getting locations. I am all for spreading the love but when you do, use private messages so others don't get upset. I learned that lesson the hard way havIng several of my first posts being deleted by moderators for that very same reason.

But man I do love a small creek or tributary. Those fish act as of they have never seen a life in their lives.

[Gavin]

Just depends on the character of the creek, and how much you want to drag & portage...Figure it takes around 60-100cfs of flow to float without dragging a canoe or kayak much.

[turkey]

never understood why you would want to tell total strangers about such wonderful places...not knowing what kinda jack leg they might be. share it with family and friends...keep the small resources safe from the irresponsible folks.

[Catawba]

There are two very different perspectives on the subject of increased access to rivers and creeks. The river I fish close to my home is heavily used by recreational kayakers, tubers and increasingly kayak anglers. A new launch ramp is being installed and I expect to see an increase in power boats on the river as a result. The increased use and subsequent access improvements are the result of many years of growth and development in this area. I have become somewhat desensitized to seeing a lot of folks on the river. I might actually benefit from increased access to other rivers in the area taking some of the pressure elsewhere.

That said I do enjoy the road trips I have been very fortunate enough to take where I experience a more tranquil setting than what I am used to at home. Folks who have fished secluded areas for years are concerned that they will lose what they have come to love and appreciate.

It is not likely we can slow the number of folks looking for new places to fish. I have proposed restricting access to these forums to paying members only. Maybe even membership by referral only, however I understand that with commercial sponsors paying for the support of this site, restricting access is not likey to happen.

Bottom line is increased access to rivers and web sites has both winners and losers.

[River Otter]

We can argue whether or not increased traffic will degrade fishing in certain streams and accomplish nothing. What is needed is some type of stream-keeper system wherein responsible folks float obscure streams to keep an eye out for illegal activities such as undocumented homes with sewage pipes dumping in streams, same for RVs. Eyes are also need for illegal ag practices, over harvesting, etc. Such activities obviously will not be discovered if no eyes a river. Some the worst violations I observed have been on the most obscure streams.

I can assemble a list of streams that are floatable for the Mountains and Piedmont regions of NC and Southern Va but someone else needs with more experience than I needs to tackle the Coastal Plain. The next step is to have Riverbassin volunteers to select streams that they can inspect for assessment purposes. All information gathered can be share by PM. What do you all think?

[Catawba]

We already have river keepers organizations for I think all the river basins in North Carolina. What you are proposing sounds a little redundant. We also have state agencies responsible for enforcement. Anyone can report violations. Were you not able to get action on the violations you observed or could you not find the right people to file a report?

[Catawba]

This seems to fit well with the project boykinsbuddy has posted recently under the "Piedmont's Little River" topic. I think most smaller rivers and streams have limited public access unless they are managed trout streams.


...The purpose of the list proposal is to drag some obscure streams that are good streams into the light of day ...

[River Otter]

State enforcement can be iffy, especially if illegal aliens are involved. One gentleman recently chased some illegals seining Little Fisher River for trout. He was packing heat and chased them off. I should also mention that I have been doing the stream thing for 26 years and have only been seen one warden in my entire stream fishing career. This encounter was on a heavily use trout stream.

I doubt that the Riverkeepers hit the smaller streams very much. I may be wrong but the Yadkin basin needs some serious help.

I can find the right people. The NCDWC will request GPS coordinates which can be problematic.

There are also river safety issues such as debris in rapids, barbed wire, hostile landowners. American whitewater posts hazard alerts on the site.

[Jim]

The last sentence does indicate the value of an info clearing house. Perhaps some sort of PM system would have some value. All three issues noted can be extremely dangerous.

[blake]

30 cfs in a float tube with a kayak paddle, never leaving the tube and seldom touching bottom. Even lower using kayak or tube has a platform to hold gear as I wade and to ford deeper areas.

[Flyfisher]

State enforcement can be iffy, especially if illegal aliens are involved. One gentleman recently chased some illegals seining Little Fisher River for trout. He was packing heat and chased them off. I should also mention that I have been doing the stream thing for 26 years and have only been seen one warden in my entire stream fishing career. This encounter was on a heavily use trout stream.

I doubt that the Riverkeepers hit the smaller streams very much. I may be wrong but the Yadkin basin needs some serious help.

I can find the right people. The NCDWC will request GPS coordinates which can be problematic.

There are also river safety issues such as debris in rapids, barbed wire, hostile landowners. American whitewater posts hazard alerts on the site.

I know this is going to be somewhat off topic from your thread but this is one of the most ignorant/irresponsible thinkgs i have heard.

First off how do you know they were illegals, did you check their papers and he was packing heat and chased them off? Sounds like the exact opposite of everything i have learned with regards to safe firearms usage.

I really hope i never run into anyone like that on the obscure streams i fish....

And for the record, i am with catawba on this one. No matter how hard we try, we cannot keep our spots to ourselves. If there is alot of access on alot of streams i would think that overall fishing pressure would be spread out better. We as river fishermen have a duty to teach those that are willing to be taught on how to keep a river safe and clean. This topic has been ebat to death on here many times and there is no right answer unfortunately.

[River Otter]

Why would you want to drag small obscure streams to the light of day?? One of the best things about those streams is that not many people know about them.

I would both agree and disagree. A resource can only be valued if it's existence is known by those who may value it. Otherwise such resources will likely be abuse or neglected.

I fished a very obscure smb stream recenly and observed two miscreants dumping RV sewage just a couple hundred ft. upstream of me. They were not aware of my presence.

A surveyor buddy of mine was working on a tract of land on a very nice tributary(Upper Little) of the Cape Fear and found open barrels of herbicide concentrate laying about in a ravine. The owner on the land was reported to the proper authorities.

These kind of incidents are not likely to happen on a popular river such as Eno River near Durham NC due to so many eyes observing the surroundings. For those who are not familiar with this river, it is probably the most heavily fished small stream in NC, contains the rare Roanoke Bass. And despite being heavily fished it is still one of the most productive streams in the Piedmont of NC that I have fished.

[River Otter]

I know this is going to be somewhat off topic from your thread but this is one of the most ignorant/irresponsible thinkgs i have heard.

First off how do you know they were illegals, did you check their papers and he was packing heat and chased them off? Sounds like the exact opposite of everything i have learned with regards to safe firearms usage.

The behavior mentioned above is a bit over the top. So please advise us all how to inform non English speakers on how quite breaking the law in such an extreme way. What would you do if you were fishing for native brookies @ in the Tuck highlands and ran across several people seining wild brook trout? At some point some form of communication must take place...or does one walk away and do nothing?

[DixieMaddog]

There are two absolute certitudes regarding your prized fishing grounds and techniques.
1. Never share specific details with anyone you do not know and trust.
2.