Wabash River Fishing Spot

• Elevation: 705'
• Last Modified By: vinny60 on 09/10/09 12:25 PM
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The Wabash River is a 475 mi (765 km) long river in the eastern United States that flows southwest from northwest Ohio near St. Henry, Ohio across northern Indiana to Illinois where it forms the southern Illinois-Indiana border before draining into the Ohio River, of which it is the largest northern tributary. The Wabash River runs through mostly agricultural land, and canoeing the Wabash would properly be described as a rural rather than a wilderness experience. The relatively gentle gradient of the river (averaging only 1 foot per mile throughout the section described here) and moderate year-round rainfall in the region provide for dependable easy floating with few or no rapids. Location & Canoeable Mileage -- Pittsburg, IN to Mt. Carmel, IL is a distance of either 220 or 238 miles (depending on which source you consult), a trip of 10-12 days depending on flow and your energy level. In the upper reaches of this run, the Wabash is already a fairly large river (up to 300 feet wide in places). The lower Wabash becomes a very broad and open river as it nears the Ohio. There are many good intermediate access points, so you can choose a trip of whatever length suits you. You might even consider starting your trip on the Tippecanoe River and floating the last 18 miles of that small tributary into the Wabash near the town of Lafayette, then continuing on down the Wabash. March and April are usually the highest water months, with average flow tapering off through the summer until October, then gradually building up again over the winter. The farmland and small communities of Indiana that lie along the Wabash are typical of America's Midwest, and offer a pleasant backdrop for an extended float trip. Many of these can be visited on foot from the river. The river is lined with mixed hardwood vegetation, including silver maple, cottonwood, and elm. George Rogers Clark National Historic Park, in Vincennes can be visited from the river. While acknowledged as one of the major float streams of Indiana, the Wabash has not experienced significant development for recreational canoeing, so shuttles will likely need to be of the self service variety. There are some remnants of old lock/dam structures, and some of these have debris and rocks that need to be negotiated carefully. Camping -- There is little or no public land along the river -- all the land is in private ownership, and it is mostly agricultural. Under Indiana law, the riverbed up to the bank is considered public land, so camping on islands, sandbars and low banks is customary. Because of the silty nature of the water (due in some part to agricultural runoff and soil erosion), many banks and landings will be muddy, and good primitive campsites may be scarce in some areas. There are several private campgrounds and public parks along the way. At least 93 of Indiana's 211 species of fish inhabit the Wabash River. The former state record blue catfish was caught in the Wabash River in Gibson County by Dennis Hoehn and Steve Carner in 1996. It weighed 75 pounds. Mike Latoz of Covington, Ind. set a new state record for shovelnose sturgeon in May of this year. The sturgeon was caught in the Wabash, it weighed 14 pounds, 8 ounces, and measured nearly 44 inches in total length.

The Wabash River is a 475 miles (764 km) long river in the eastern United States that flows southwest from northwest Ohio near Fort Recovery, Ohio across northern Indiana to Illinois where it forms the southern Illinois-Indiana border before draining into the Ohio River, of which it is the largest northern tributary. From the dam near Huntington to its terminus at the Ohio River, the Wabash flows freely for 411 miles (661 km) which makes it the longest stretch of free-flowing river in the United States east of the Mississippi River.[citation needed]