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How low is too low for a raft on Smith River?

11K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  spider 
#1 ·
Have a launch for the Smith River this coming Tuesday and the water level is currently 163 CFS. We have a 14 ft hyside and a 16 foot aire, are we screwed?
 
#6 ·
What might be the bigger issue is the weather. Snow Tuesday and cold nights in the 20's. We bagged a trip a week ago due to same stuff. I don't like dragging my boat in the snow.
 
#7 ·
Just got off the Smith yesterday. Put in Thursday at about 120 cfs. First 5 miles were okay, but miles 5-12 to our first camp were brutal. Probably dragging/pushing 100 times or more in that stretch. 14ft boat, pretty good gear pile...not so fun. Warm weather and some feeder creeks definitely helped reduce the dragging days 2-4 as flows prob hit 160 or so at Eagle Cr. yesterday.
 
#9 ·
Low water better than high. I went a few years ago when the epic flood hit. I took out at over 6000 cfs. Not as much fun, no fishing, but I can see the attraction of the float. Hope to do it again sometime at normal flowsl We did have the river to ourselves....
 
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