Kayaking at Okmulgee Lake
Oklahoma was blessed with some relief from the Summer heat this week. Kayaking conditions are still too dry on the area rivers to enjoy much floating. Because the prospect of a cool morning was too inviting to pass up, I decided to enjoy some flatwater paddling at Okmulgee Lake. I hit the water at about 7am, but I really should have gotten there an earlier. The morning light was golden and lovely reflecting off the mists and water.Okmulgee Lake is within Okmulgee State Park, so there are no additonal city fees to kayak on Okmulgee Lake. Paddling from the base of the Dripping Springs Lake dam down Salt Creek and taking out at the Boat Ramp at Hickory Point campground on Okmulgee Lake is a safe and shady flatwater trip.
I only stayed out paddling for a couple of hours this Saturday, but it was quite pleasant crossing the glassy waters while the early light came pouring through the trees. I was glad to see that I was not paddling the only kayak on Okmulgee Lake Saturday morning. When I returned to the Hickory Point boat ramp, I saw two more kayaks had just landed.
Hopefully, the Fall rains will come along soon and raise our rivers back up again.
In other Oklahoma paddling news...
Oklahoma City's ban on water skiing on Lake Hefner and the Oklahoma River was expanded to include banning tubing after the OKC city council members approved the change on Tuesday.
Kayak paddle upgrade choices.
Mothership Kayaking Deep Fork River Style
Dianne has had some elbow pain lately, so she decided to run this weekend's catfishing limblines via motorboat. I figured it would be a good time to try and expand my summertime paddling range by doing some 'Mothership Kayaking' - where you move your kayak on a motorboat to cover more distance. I've read about kayaking vacations in Alaska and Canada that use bigger boats to take paddlers deep into some of the most scenic waters in the world. We were only going a few miles up the Deep Fork River, but it would give me chance to try moving my kayak upriver, launching my recreational kayak from the motorboat and re-boarding the motorboat from my kayak.It takes a shallow running, but very stable boat to chase catfish in the Deep Fork River during the late Summer. Dianne's Generation III Pro Shadow is a 15 foot flatbottom and it works well on these narrow, curvy and shallow Oklahoma rivers. There is room onboard to haul my Swifty 9.5 Sit-Inside kayak, but we found it works best to just tow the kayak on a rope tied to the stern of the motorboat. I tried towing the kayak both empty and while inside the kayak and towing it empty works the best by far. Tow the kayak empty and it follows along behind you like a little puppy. We drive our little fishing boat quite slow, so it was not a thrill ride to get towed in the kayak, but it is still difficult to keep the kayak traveling on a safe course.
Once we got upriver, much farther than I would have paddled on this hot day, it was easy to slip into my kayak off the back of the flat-bottomed boat. While Dianne set out some fishing lines, I paddled around taking pictures as usual. After the day got hot, I eased back into the motor boat and we started towing the kayak back to the boat ramp. Dianne even caught catfish, what a perfect first attempt at Mothership Kayaking...almost.
Did I mention that neither of us have much experience piloting motorboats?
About two thirds of the way back to the boat ramp...we ran out of gas. That is when I got to try my hand at 'Fathership Kayaking'- where you tow your motorboat using your kayak. I predict that Fathership Kayaking will not take off with the popularity of Mothership Kayaking. Mostly, this will be because of the backbreaking labor involved... and the slow progress... even going downstream.
Eventually, we decided it would be easier for her to park the Shadow Pro and fish while I paddle back to the boat ramp and go buy some more fuel. Yes, my old Perception Swifty Kayak saved the day proving once and for all...that simpler boats are better for fool's like me!
Kayak Fishing Gear
Kayak Nevada: Bet You’ll Love to Paddle Reno’s Downtown Whitewater Park
Kayak Nevada: Bet You'll Love to Paddle Reno's Downtown Whitewater Park. A whitewater kayak park in the middle of downtown Reno, NV? Well why not, that's what the Reno / Lake Tahoe area is all about - endless ways to have fun in the wild, wild west!Kayak Virginia: Chesapeake Bay, Mathews Blueways Water Trail Paddle
Kayak and Canoe 90 miles of saltwater trails through tidal rivers, creeks and wetlands fronting Chesapeake Bay.Kayak Kentucky: Warren County, KY Blueways Water Trails Paddle
South Central Kentucky is a kayak and canoe paradise! Paddlers of all experience levels will find fun and adventure on the rivers of Warren County and adjacent counties.Oklahoma Summer Kayaking on the LMF River
This Sunday, I dropped my son off at Hale Boy Scout Reservation in Talihina, Oklahoma. Since he didn't have to be there until 1pm, I decided to sneak in a paddling trip on the Lower Mt. Fork River in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. These days, I rarely find an opportunity to break out the Sprayskirt and ride the current. The LMF is typically the only whitewater paddling to be found in the Oklahoma summertime. Don't be surprised if you AT&T phone doesn't work anywhere in Broken Bow, mind didn't. Luckily Ambush Adventures is right at the take-out and they shuttled me and my boat back to the put-in for a mere five dollars!
While my Wife & Son slept in, I hit the LMF River at about 6:30am and practically had the river to myself for a few hours of pure serenity. At this time of day on the Lower Mt Fork, the river is misty and quiet. The herons hold court as the morning light slowly changes from gray to green to golden. As the sky cleared, the heat & humidity rose too late to spoil a perfect morning of paddling. More of our LMF kayaking pictures in this Flickr photoset.
The water flow was nice at around 35-400 cfs, so the Rock Garden section was a bit bumpy, but loaded with great eddys to 'park' the kayak in and take pictures. The narrow bit before the falls is the most exciting part of the paddling. The current is strong here and the rocks and snags are many. However, if you go with the flow and only use your paddle to keep your bow pointed downriver and to brace when you bump something, you should get through it fine. If you want to avoid the falls, you can cut hard to the right at the end of the narrow section. This will allow you to 'park in an eddy' and take pictures or pick the best spot to go over the falls.
The one downside of paddling the LMF River so early in the day is that I didn't get to photograph the usual fleet of strangers picking their own way down the three-foot Presbyterian Falls. You can capture some very honest emotion on the faces of folks when that ice cold water hits them in the lap as the go over Presb. Falls. On my way home, at the end of my latest Mt. Fork River float trip, I saw loads of people lining up to enjoy the ride. I think Broken Bow offers the 'most fun four miles in Oklahoma' - Kayaking The Lower Mountain Fork River. Don't miss it this summer.
As usual, no kayaking t-shirts were available for purchase. So, I bought myself this kayaking t-shirt online.
There were two major problems on this trip. I hesitate to bring them up, because I prefer to keep my trip reports positive. However, I must warn you that my AT&T cell phone had no signal anywhere in or around Broken Bow, Oklahoma...total deadzone. All the local folks apparently use Verizon. This caused me some issues. I had gotten a kind offer of shuttling from the folks at Broken Bow Canoes
Also, upon arrival at MicroTel in Broken Bow, OK I was informed that despite my so-called "Reservation" and "Confirmation Number", they were full up. The clerk seemed pretty amused by the whole thing. She had they same wry expression on my previous visit to this very flophouse, where they failed to honor the deal we had reserved online. Luckily, someone built a brand new hotel right next door. I did not waste more than a couple minutes in the Microtel and next time I will waste even less.
Kayak Virginia: Paddle the Blueways of Franklin County Virginia
Just 20 minutes from Roanoke, VA, Franklin County in southern central Virginia offers a variety of blueways, rivers and water trailsKayak, Canoe Rhode Island Blueways this Summer
There are a few more organized paddles left for kayaker and canoers who want to explore the rivers, ponds, and bays in southern New England.Kayaking & Canoeing in Minnesota
If you’re looking for a challenging place to paddle your kayak or canoe, then you need to check out the Mississippi River Challenge in Minnesota. The Mississippi River Challenge is a 44-mile, 2-day paddling event on Saturday & Sunday, July 24th & 25th, 2010. According to their website: This event is run by the Friends of the Mississippi [...]Bayou Kayaking at Caddo Lake in Texas
Caddo Lake in Uncertain Texas
If you have ever visited our Kayak Texas page then you know I have long wanted to visit Caddo Lake. Caddo is an old, natural lake that is more like an elaborate river system than a lake. It flows down from the Big Cypress Bayou in a series of interconnected fish laden, tree-lined canals, ditches, ponds and shallow lakes. This lake offers more shade than any other body of water I have ever seen. We just got back from a two night stay on Caddo Lake. We did a little bit of fishing, a whole lot of kayaking and we even shelled out the doe for a guided boat tour. If you enjoy the Cypress trees on the Lower Mountain Fork River in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, visit Caddo Lake soon. This shade-tree paddler was in flatwater heaven.
Guided Boat Tour
Normally, Dianne and I won't consider spending our outdoor time enduring the noise and odor of a motor boat. It is one thing to watch them pass by, but being out the water without hearing the birds holds little charm for me. However, Caddo Lake is vast and varied and our time was short. We decided to take the one-hour lake tour at the last minute. To my shock, Billy Carter's Go-Devil® Tours was the highlight of our trip to Caddo Lake. I wish we had taken it earlier in our trip and I will definitely take the tour again upon our return to Caddo Lake. The river guide was able to show us the oldest most scenic areas in this ancient flooded forest.
Caddo Lake is an ancient flooded forest of Bald Cypress trees. The huge water trees are 'curtained' with thick garlands of Spanish Moss that capture moisture from the early morning air. As the moisture evaporates, it has a cooling effect. The tea-colored waters are teaming with unusually large Catfish, Bass, Sunfish and Crappie. Lily pads abound on the Caddo. Lovely white water lilies and bright yellow Lotus border small tree lines in some places and fill lakes in other area. On Caddo Lake you can paddle your kayak into a 'field' of thousands of water lily blooms. Caddo Lake is paradise for fishermen and photographers.
Caddo Lake Lodge
We spent our two fabulous nights at Caddo Lake Lodge, in the small town of Uncertain Texas. The Wells family was nice enough to offer us a discounted 'press' rate to facilitate of first trip to this paddler's paradise. The lodge offered plenty of room for Dianne and I plus our son Dylan and Dianne's mother. The house has ceiling fans everywhere, cold A/C, a large, deep, soaking tub, spacious deck and other luxuries. The large dining room was great at mealtime. The Caddo Lake Lodge website has pictures of the rooms, but my favorite feature was the private canoe launch and fishing docks. The height of luxury in the perfect location. The dock is located on a narrow section of Caddo Lake called Clinton's Chute. We paddled our kayaks a short ways down to an even more narrow and shady branch called Clinton's Ditch. This part is too narrow and shallow to appeal to the speeding Bass boats.
Photopaddling on Caddo Lake
The mix of land and water on Caddo Lake is unusual. It allows you to slip silently through the forest in your kayak. Paddle quietly and you are sure to sneak right up on a wide assortment of interesting wildlife. Such a wealth of trees is of course ideal for Dianne because she loves to set and run limb lines for Catfish and Bass. For the photopaddler, Caddo Lake offers filtered light on the brightest of days, loads of reflections and a unique blend of light and shadow that is like nothing I have ever seen before. Taking the guided tour earlier in our trip would have improved my photopaddling success as the guide took us to see several more ditches through the bayou. On future trips I hope to launch from a few different boat ramps to see more sections of this amazing lake.
I expected the swampy bayous of Caddo Lake to be stinky and crawling with snakes. I surprised to find neither was the case. I only saw one snake the entire time I was in the area and it was being carried away by a hawk at the time! The smell of Caddo Lake was lovely during the hot, muggy season we visited. I have never spent so much time on the water and still avoided sunburn. Dianne and I both bought short-term fishing licenses, but as usual Dianne did all of the fishing, I was too busy exploring the boat lanes, duck blinds and 'bayou architecture'. It is like the Lower Mountain Fork River, but with much larger Cypress and much flatter water.
Kayak Fishing in the Bayou
Neither Dianne nor I have ever found a spot that was so ideal for limb lining. The large amount of cover on Caddo Lake allows the fish the time to grow enormous and there is always a handy limb to set a hook. The trees are often surrounded by very deep water, which is excellent for fishing or very shallow water which is excellent for catching bait. Catching limb line bait just takes a Minnow Trap, Seine or a few minutes with the casting net. You can also buy bait at a number of places like: Jonhson's Ranch, Crip's Camp and other fine local establishments. Dianne had no trouble catching a whopper Bass at Caddo Lake, but it takes a mighty big one to get the record...over 16lbs the last I heard!
Uncertain, Texas is a very economical travel destination for any Oklahoma paddler who is eager to explore water trails that have more in common with a rain forest than with the Great Plains. Check out Caddo Lake photoset on Flickr to see more of our pictures from this great road trip.
I can't wait to go back!
