Little J Float Trip

[Houli]

Hello all,

I'm headed to Altoona to visit family over Labor Day Weekend and plan to fish at least one day. I'm not familiar w/ the gorge section from Spruce Creek to Barree but I'm interested in floating it with the kayak. Anyone have any input/advice?

What cfs/height is too low to float and too high to be safe?

I most likely will be solo w/ my truck only ..... how is the walk back from Barree bridge to Spruce Creek Church? Can i safely take the train tracks back (looks to be an old tunnel ..... is it passable?)?

Anything anyone is willing to share would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Ryan

 

[nymphingmaniac]

estimation of flows for floating:
http://www.littlejuniata.org/article.php?id=17

walking back- the tracks are posted against trespassing by NS. I've been told they are serious about it. I know people do it from time to time, but you might be conspicuous carrying a kayak.

 

[Houli]

Thanks for the flow info - perfect. Wouldn't be carrying the boat - my plan was to either tie the boat up at the church and drive the car to the bridge and walk back and float down ...... or float down and tie the boat up at the bridge and walk to retrieve the truck. Sounds like either way i'd be rolling the dice. Any other alternate routes to walk this stretch? I'm trying not to enlist/inconvenience family members to shuttle me down early in the AM.

Thanks.

 

[gfoledc]

I live in Tyrone and I dont think we are doing any thing that weekend, I will pm you my phone # and I would be happy to take you back up to the church.

 

[troutbert]

Houli wrote:
Any other alternate routes to walk this stretch?

Not really. The rr tracks are posted and patrolled. Same with the private land above the state forest land.

The roads go way up and around. You can see these on online maps.

 

[dryflyguy]

There is a pretty decent trail that runs up from Baree along the right side of the river - and you can take it all of the way up to the lower end of the old espy farm property. Once there however, you have to stay within the high water mark of the river the rest of the way to spruce creek - or risk getting arrested for trespassing.
And you're talking a total distance of around 3-4 miles.

I would take gfoledc up on his generous offer. And leave your vehicle at the lower end of the gorge by Baree. That way, you could take as much time as you want on the float - and not have to be at the lower lot by any certain time.

 

[Houli]

gfoledc wrote:
I live in Tyrone and I dont think we are doing any thing that weekend, I will pm you my phone # and I would be happy to take you back up to the church.

Thanks so much for the offer - awful nice of you. If the weather works out and the water looks navigable I'll take you up on it. I'll PM you my number as well.

Thanks again!

 

[PennKev]

You probably won't have much trouble floating it in a kayak regardless of flow. In fact, that may be the ideal craft to float from spot to spot. However, you probably want flows above 150 CFS. Not sure how it will work out if you plan to fish while floating.

For fishing, flows around 200-250 CFS are ideal but it can fish well down to 100 CFS or so, but that is getting pretty low. Wading is increasingly difficult as you get above 250 CFS. 350 CFS is about my limit for wading the LJR. I fished the lower river once when it was slightly above 400 and it was very difficult and many spots were out of reach.

Kev

 

[Houli]

My game plan was to float and either find gravel bars to pull off or drop an anchor (3lb dumbell). what is the avg depth in that stretch if it's running 150-250 cfs?

Anyone else float this section in a kayak or canoe have suggestions?

 

[bam]

There's one big long deep slow pool in the gorge and another long slow pool towards the end. You can probably ID them on google maps. Other than that, you should be able to park your yak and wade just about anywhere around 200 cfs.

 

[Houli]

Hello all. My plan to float the gorge Saturday looks all but dead at current flows ...... still plan to get out and really appreciate all the help. If you're out Saturday i hope i get a chance to meet up and chat - great bunch of folks on this forum.

Thanks again - Ryan

 

[Houli]

Change of plans - I'll be fishing Friday instead of Saturday .... let me know if you're out and about.