Floyds Fork/jon boat/returning to launch area

I am newbie when it comes to fishing in a boat on anything other than a farm pond.

I have my hands on my first registered boat and I am thinking about taking a trip down floyds fork.

My question is how do you all get back to where you launched from and where your vehicle is parked.

I was thinking about launching from Aiken Road and and pulling out/turning around in fisherville. (if I remember correctly, I wrote everything down at home but I'm at work now)

I guess do you all just turn around and traverse back up the stream to get where you launched from or do you have a second car at the spot where you are pulling out at.

I guess I'm confused on how everyone else does it and how they return to their vehicle.

Is it feasible to just turn around head back the way you came?

Thanks for any info you might be able to provide.

When I fished the Fork it was down by Mt.Washington to the KOA in Sheperdsville...not real familiar with the area your talking about But, as a rule of thumb fishing from a boat I allways went upstream incase of motor failure.....alot easier going down stream to get back to the ramp area. The Fork is full of little surprises and like the big river isn't to forgiving if the water is up and running. Chuck

I never thought about heading up upstream after launching.

Much like what you said, if you have a motor failure or battery goes dead,all you have to do it just float down stream.


I knew there was something I was missing and that appears to be it.

We do this a lot up in Ohio when we fish the smallmouth streams. We'll use two trucks - stash one truck at the take out spot and ride together to the put in spot and it's a piece of cake...of course up there that's about the only way to do it due to rapids and such unless you're the hulk and enjoy dragging a jon boat up stream.

With only one guy/truck I would definately only go up stream and fish back to the boat.

I believe you will run into some places where you'll have to drag your boat because the water is too shallow. I have only waded Floyds Fork but I know there's a good stretch of water just upstream from the Fisherville ramp where a boat would bottom out unless the water was up.

From my experience you will have a very hard time going upstream in Floyd's. It will either be too shallow and you will have to drag the boat or moving too fast and you will be washed out. Best bet is to have a second car parked downstream and get out and drive back.

I appreciate the tips fellas (and ladies).

I will have another person with me in boat maybe two at all times.

I was worried about certain spots being to low to pass and having to get out and drag the boat

But in all honesty I'm just getting cabin fever and I want to go fishing, and I want to go fishing in the jon boat that I just bought myself. (not with tax money, it was with the old school way of working and saving up)

I don't like wishing my life away but I wish spring was here.

Bad idea

I have Kayaked and Canoed several places. One there is not a good place at any of the places I have fished (Aiken Road Stretch and stretch between Miles Park toward the east several miles and from Miles Park to Floyds Fork Park). You will be very frustrated by the end of the day and will also have beaten your boat up a lot. Further West and South West beyond Floyds Fork Park I don't know; but I have looked at it between Floyds Fork Park and Bardstown Road and the only reason I have not tried to fish that stretch yet is I have not found a place where I can pull my canoe or Kayak out. As they improve the parks around there, there may be a place.

Neither of the places at Miles Parks and Floyds Fork Park have a place you drive up to. You have to drag it about 25-50 Yards at Miles Park; you have to drag it about 150-200 Yards at Floyds Fork Park. I would not want to try that with a John Boat. And if you were to head east from Floyds Fork Park; you would need to drag it off and on for about a mile. There are also some very narrow spots you would have to get through.

If you want to fish a stream in a John Boat; I would pick something off of the Ohio River. You can go up aways in a John Boat on Harrods Creek.

It has been a long time since I canoed Floyd's Fork but the way I remember it I would not put a boat with a motor in there. As stated it gets shallow in places. Also there is a low overhead dam down stream from where you are planning to put in. It was barely noticable the time I was there. If you do go though, be safe.

I did a float trip about 12 years ago there is an area around broad run people call munchkinville, there is a little road next to the fork, we got permission to park a truck there and went about 5 or 6 mile up the fork and put in at an overpass and just floated, it took a whole day, the creek is very shallow in spots and there is a place where there is a long slick waterfall like area, it was a great trip, caught a lot of smallmouth and largemouth and bluegill and other various fish, there is a park being built off of shelbyville rd with a canoe or small boat put in area with plans for other boat put in and take out areas, looks to be pretty awsome when it is finished, if you want to do a trip in a boat with a moter I would do the salt at the parokett landing and go back towards mt washington, that area stays somewhat deep, if you try to go the other direction it gets shallow right before the bridge at preston hwy, go luck.

I fish in my 10ft jonboat in floyds fork, yeah there are alot of places i have to get out and carry over the rocks but most of the time my draft is shallow enough i can let it float over the shallow stuff while hanging on to a rope tied to the front carry handle. I wouldnt recommend using a trolling motor or any other sort or powered propulsion as i believe the parklands prohibit them. If you have a rowing set up like i do in my jonboat you will be fine! pic for proof! [ATTACH=CONFIG]15996[/ATTACH]