St Joe River Trip

Penobscot

Penobscot

Just Hatched
Heading there in 2 weeks, but worried about runoff/ high water.
Anyone ever fish the smaller stuff around there, including the NF CDA if staying in Avery?
I have reservations at Cabins on the Joe so changing locations isn’t really an option.
 
Thanks Cliff, yeah, I talked to Dan’s Daughter.
Hit me up when I get back for info.
I’ll be there from 6/21- 6/26.
All new area for me.
 
Penobscot said:
Thanks Cliff, yeah, I talked to Dan’s Daughter.
Hit me up when I get back for info.
I’ll be there from 6/21- 6/26.
All new area for me.
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You've love it. Did you get one of the larger cabins or the singles? Nice place.
 
Penobscot said:
Heading there in 2 weeks, but worried about runoff/ high water.
Anyone ever fish the smaller stuff around there, including the NF CDA if staying in Avery?
I have reservations at Cabins on the Joe so changing locations isn’t really an option.
Click to expand...
I will be there fishing the NF of the Coeur D Alene 6/17 - 6/20. I will be at the Big Hank campground #7. I will be floating the river in my pontoon each day. The river is up above the average for this time of year but should be very fishable. I have been checking the river flows at Prichard and the river is currently at 1380 CF per second and dropping. the mean for this time of year is about 837. I am praying the dropping trend continues.
 
Dan at IFFC said to hope it drops, currently at 9,000
ideal is 1200, fishes decent at 3,00-4000 or we float the lower section in drift boats at 4,00-5,000.
 
Penobscot said:
Dan at IFFC said to hope it drops, currently at 9,000
ideal is 1200, fishes decent at 3,00-4000 or we float the lower section in drift boats at 4,00-5,000.
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It is my understanding that the St. Jo is a bit more unstable this time of year with run off and rain being big factors affecting the flows. The NF Coeur D Alene is a bit more stable and predictable this time of year. I will with you wishing mother nature cooperates and the water drops over the next few days. $$ for fuel for this trip is going to be painful enough.
 
I fished the CDA on a rainy day in April. To many 12" to 15" cutts to count.
The next morning the CDA was over it's banks in full flood.
But all the other times I have fish the St. Joe, NFCDA, or the CDA have been in late summer early fall.
 
I live over here and have been on the NF all week. It always comes into shape earlier than the Joe. I will be on the Joe for 3 days next week. I'll let you know how it goes.

Both watersheds have lots of tributaries that are fun to poke around. We are supposed to get a 1/2 inch of rain today and based on what I' seeing out my window right now they underestimated that.
 
Coach Potter said:
I live over here and have been on the NF all week. It always comes into shape earlier than the Joe. I will be on the Joe for 3 days next week. I'll let you know how it goes.

Both watersheds have lots of tributaries that are fun to poke around. We are supposed to get a 1/2 inch of rain today and based on what I' seeing out my window right now they underestimated that.
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Coach

Thanks for the update and will look forward to a quick report/update next week, if you don't mind. Cannot beat first hand local knowledge. Very much appreciated!
 
Coach Potter said:
I live over here and have been on the NF all week. It always comes into shape earlier than the Joe. I will be on the Joe for 3 days next week. I'll let you know how it goes.

Both watersheds have lots of tributaries that are fun to poke around. We are supposed to get a 1/2 inch of rain today and based on what I' seeing out my window right now they underestimated that.
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Just curious, if it is not too much info, but are you fishing down towards the mouth of Marble Ck this time of year? I usually fish the Joe above Avery but thought I may go up a bit early this year because of road closures farther south.
 
Dogsnfish said:
Just curious, if it is not too much info, but are you fishing down towards the mouth of Marble Ck this time of year? I usually fish the Joe above Avery but thought I may go up a bit early this year because of road closures farther south
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It's been a few years since I have fished the Joe and honestly, I don't have a ton of experience on it. I used to do a float or two in April/May every year (pre-runoff) with a buddy who has a place over there. We fished pretty low, like way below Marble. The plan for next week is to stay at Spruce Tree and fish around that area.
Jim Allen said:
Coach

Thanks for the update and will look forward to a quick report/update next week, if you don't mind. Cannot beat first hand local knowledge. Very much appreciated!
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I will post a report. There is a chance we have to audible and fish the N. Fork. The flows at Red Ives were 1610 last night and that's about perfect but as of now they are 1900+. We have been getting pounded with rain today and there's some rain in the forecast every day for the next 4-5 days.
 
Coach Potter said:
It's been a few years since I have fished the Joe and honestly, I don't have a ton of experience on it. I used to do a float or two in April/May every year (pre-runoff) with a buddy who has a place over there. We fished pretty low, like way below Marble. The plan for next week is to stay at Spruce Tree and fish around that area.

I will post a report. There is a chance we have to audible and fish the N. Fork. The flows at Red Ives were 1610 last night and that's about perfect but as of now they are 1900+. We have been getting pounded with rain today and there's some rain in the forecast every day for the next 4-5 days.
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Okay, thanks! I usually fish the NF of the CDA for a week, then move down to the Joe for a week or two, then end up down in the Clearwater drainage and tribs for the rest of the summer. I have been staying at Turner Flat the past few years, but at Spruce tree and the big open space just after you turn off of the main road before that. Reason I ask is that a buddy said he stays at Huckleberry early in the year and floats that, which was the same thing the guy at Silver Bow told me a week ago. I have never fished down there.

Good luck to both of you!
 
Dogsnfish said:
Okay, thanks! I usually fish the NF of the CDA for a week, then move down to the Joe for a week or two, then end up down in the Clearwater drainage and tribs for the rest of the summer. I have been staying at Turner Flat the past few years, but at Spruce tree and the big open space just after you turn off of the main road before that. Reason I ask is that a buddy said he stays at Huckleberry early in the year and floats that, which was the same thing the guy at Silver Bow told me a week ago. I have never fished down there.

Good luck to both of you!
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That sounds like the stretch I have fished early in the spring. Silver Bow guides fish that stretch quite a bit as it’s drift boat friendly.
 
Not fishing the Joe next week. We have been receiving a 1/2“ of rain almost everyday and that trend is supposed to continue for the next few days.
 
Penobscot said:
Heading there in 2 weeks, but worried about runoff/ high water.
Anyone ever fish the smaller stuff around there, including the NF CDA if staying in Avery?
I have reservations at Cabins on the Joe so changing locations isn’t really an option.
Click to expand...
It seems that everyone missed your question about staying in Avery and fishing the NF CDA. That is going to be quite a drive. I not familiar with a way over the mountain from the Joe to get to the NF, so you would have to go all the way back to St. Maries, go North and then East on I-90 that's about 100 miles to the turn off between Cataldo and Pinehurst that takes you up to the Little NF CDA. Better part of a 2 hour drive.

There is a bunch of Creeks that dump into the Joe, Marble Creek (already mentioned) but is West going back to St. Maries (about 12 miles and the only creek I've taken the time to fish), all have Cutthroat in them.
 
FlyGuy said:
It seems that everyone missed your question about staying in Avery and fishing the NF CDA. That is going to be quite a drive. I not familiar with a way over the mountain from the Joe to get to the NF, so you would have to go all the way back to St. Maries, go North and then East on I-90 that's about 100 miles to the turn off between Cataldo and Pinehurst that takes you up to the Little NF CDA. Better part of a 2 hour drive.

There is a bunch of Creeks that dump into the Joe, Marble Creek (already mentioned) but is West going back to St. Maries (about 12 miles and the only creek I've taken the time to fish), all have Cutthroat in them.
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moon pass was reported driveable a few days ago, but it was reported as muddy and needing a 4wd.
 
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