Caruthersville to Memphis: Introduction

LBD 850 - 737 Options For Paddlers in the Caruthersville Stretch Caruthersville Area River Routes Caruthersville is located midway down a series of tight looping river bends followed by long straightways with islands that offer a plentitude of paddling routes, including a number of day trip options above and below the city. It is the ideal launch site for for canoeists, kayakers and stand up paddleboarders in the Lower Missouri Bootheel/Dyersburg, Tennessee area. For the long distance expedition, Caruthersville is the best re-supply/R&R stop between Cape Girardeau and Memphis,with a friendly riverbank downtown and all of the amenities a paddler could want. Above Caruthersville: 1) Main Channel: The fast water goes left bank after swirling around Kennedy Point/Lee Towhead, and then converges into a wide tongue of water in between Robinson Bayou dikes and Island 14, and then erupts downstream middle river into Little Prairie Bend. Watch out for tow traffic entering and exiting the Caruthersville Harbor. 2) Robinson Bayou Back Channel: After coming through the bend around Kennedy Point/Lee Towhead, paddlers can stay right bank for a quick run through the Robinson Bayou Back Channel. Good flow in medium and high water levels, no flow at 15 Caruthersville Gauge, closes off around 10 CuG. 3) Is 14 Back Channel: After coming through the bend around Kennedy Point/Lee Towhead, paddlers can stay left bank for the long run behind Island 14 with great opportunities for bird watching and other wildlife. Opens at medium water with good flow in high water. Back channel sandbars, inlets and side channels throughout. Watch for fleeted tows after exiting and starting around Island 15.

Below Caruthersville: 1) Main Channel: The fast water goes right bank past the Caruthersville Harbor and then edges mid-river for a fairly straight seven mile southeasterly run and then slides left bank around Linwood Bend for easy access to Booth’s Point Boat Launch or continuing on downstream under bridge. 2) Caruthersville-Linwood Bend: Around 15 CuG (on the Caruthersville Gauge) the water begins to pour over the dikes behind Caruthersville-Linwood Bend and by 30 feet there is a strong flow. Hug the bank RBD for beaver and river otter sightings and possible views of the American bald eagle. There are several bald eagle nests built in the high forks of some of the big trees along this bend. If you stay right bank all of the way around the bend you will float over a series of 10 dikes, each with its own turbulence and eddies and boiling waters. Keep as close or as far out as your time allows. As you come around the bend you will be facing the hulking monolith of the Caruthersville Bridge. If you are pulling out at Booth's Point/Linwood Bend Boat Ramp make your crossing whenever possible as soon as you see bridge. If you are keeping downstream follow any river line under bridge. 3) Blaker Towhead Back Channel The back channel of Blaker Towhead opens up in medium water (approximately 15 CuG) around a beautiful big-grain sandbar with slow current. As the river rises the entrance steadily enlarges to become a yawning mile-wide opening with generous flow pouring behind island in high water (above 25 CuG). This 3-mile long island is edged by possible medium water campsites both top end and bottom end, but all sand disappears at flood stage. Back channel re-enters main channel and then tumbles over a couple of short dikes