camping on the caney fork.

[stik]

there is an island accessable from hiway 141 that we fished around last friday. is camping allowed on this island? if not, are there any places besides the dam to camp? i like to enjoy a cold beer around the fire in camp and it's not allowed at the dam.

 

[trealtree]

I have heard of people camping at the confluence of the smith fork and the caney below bettys island.

 

[gil1]

I have heard of people camping at the confluence of the smith fork and the caney below bettys island.

Oooh, we need input from Brian Dunnigan on that one. I had heard he got run out of that area when he got stuck because of generation.

 

[trealtree]

Yeah I suppose the generation schedules would come into play there.

 

[trealtree]

Who ran him off?

 

[gil1]

I don't remember the story, but I think he got stuck on the wrong side of the river when they generated and had to hike it across someone's property to get home. I think he almost got his azz handed to him for it. I was thinking it was at the Smith Fork junction or near it. We'll let him tell it cause I can't remember.

 

[bowriter]

Camping on any island on the Caney can be risky. If they for some reason go to full gens, most of those islands flood. Except for the campgrounds, all the land on either side is private and few if any of the landowners will allow you to camp.

You have to do some advance work. That means find out who owns the land and then ask for permission to camp. I have places that have always allowed me to not only camp, but park my truck with all the equipment at the site. But I got that permission years ago. It probably is a lot more difficult now.

Camping at the Caney/Smith junction often turns into a horror story. I have heard many accounts of disaters there.

 

[trealtree]

I have camped in the danger zone before "back in the day".

 

[B.D.]

I was fishing not far from the Smith Fork confluence, but the place where I got run off from was upriver from there. I had walked upriver a good distance before I got confronted.

The place where everyone camps is right where the Smith Fork comes together with the Caney, just below the island. As far as I know, I've never heard of anyone getting in trouble for camping at that particular spot. However, I don't know who owns that land. Could be the same person for all I know - if so, I'd prefer not to run into them again.

bd

 

[B.D.]

Camping at the Caney/Smith junction often turns into a horror story. I have heard many accounts of disaters there.

Why? Rising water or shotgun-toting landowner?

bd

 

[Tubakka]

I was told something to the extent that due to the proximity to the train tracks that that land at the confluence on that gravel bar is public land?...this true? We camped on it and didn't have any problem....except our boats got dry docked, haha....fun stuff.

 

[bowriter]

Brian- Generation. I recovered one canoe and a couple sleeping bags for a couple guys and have of some other incidents.

 

[bowriter]

I don't know the name of the island. It is the one right before the old iron bridge at Stonewall. But there was an old lady who claimed she owned it. She fished right on the point a lot and always had a scattergun with her. I believe she would dam sure shoot you, too.

I guess she died, haven't seen her in several years.

There are a couple places up and down the river you could camp and not be bothered even by 4-Gens. But you would have to have all your stuff in the boat with you. The places I am talking about are for sure on private land and I'm not encouraging anyone to trespass, but as long as you didn't build a huge fire, no way they would know.

Of course, there's always the cave.

 

[stik]

cave?

 

[bowriter]

Stik- Just above Betty's Island is a pretty large cave on the left bank coming down. Lots of camping(partying)takes place there.

 

[trealtree]

Just watch out for the timber rattlers.

 

[bowriter]

Seriously, that is a consideration. I think the biggest rattleback coppertones I have ever seen were along the Caney.

Back during prohibition, there were some great stories about that cave and another few people know about.

 

[B.D.]

I don't know the name of the island. It is the one right before the old iron bridge at Stonewall. But there was an old lady who claimed she owned it. She fished right on the point a lot and always had a scattergun with her. I believe she would dam sure shoot you, too.

Based on that experience I had, I'll say the landowners on the Caney Fork are certainly a little pointy with their scatterguns, fo sho.

bd

 

[bowriter]

LMAO- Yes, Brian, you could say that. They a tad testy, aint they?