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Is there anywhere in MS you can still throw a canoe in a river, float down, park on a sand bar and camp over night? Dad and I used to do this when I was a kid on the Bogue Chitto and Strong Rivers. Would love to do it with my son too.

I wish I knew the answer to this for sure. But I think folks camp out on the pearl river sandbars still?

Wouldn’t this be the actual definition of “inside the main river channel” definition of public use of a navigable waterway?

probably, but it will get hairy when you get out of the water onto dry land.

My first thought went to the Okatoma (sp?) River out from Seminary. There are a couple of canoe/kayak outfitters that might know if there are any sandbars you could camp on the stretch of the river they use.

Yeah, when you get out of the water you will be on private property. Could research who the landowner(s) are and ask their permission beforehand. I wonder if some landowners are ok with their sandbars being used in respectful a manor? Kind of like the public using their sandbars just comes with owning River frontage? I’m sure there are some that won’t allow it all, and those can probably be picked out by the number of Posted signs nailed to the trees.

For $25-$100 plus court costs you could camp, hunt and fish wherever you want in Mississippi. You would only have to pay that if you got caught. Not that I’m recommend doing this.

Dang Scott!!

The biggest concern I would have floating streams in South Mississippi is whether or not you were in a dry county.

Speaking of that. Wasn’t there some proposed legislation that would convert all counties to wet by default and the individual counties would have to vote to go dry if they wanted to?

Did that ever make it through?

Yes Andy that is correct . You can now possess alcohol even in counties that do not sell alcohol.. bout time we stepped into the 20th century.

Joel. I think on the Pearl River between low head damn and hwy 43 bridge that on either side of the river their is a boundary that goes up into the woods just a little ways. Heck, from Ratliffs ferry all the way down to the 43 everything on the north side of the river is wma.. What I’m trying to say is that the sandbars themselves would fall under ownership of the Pearl River valley water supply district (prvwsd)

Biggie, there aint no way I'd canoe down the upper pearl river in the summer. Some drunk in a $100K ski boat would run smooth over me. Or at the very least dump me with a wake.

Hopefully you can find a place. That sounds like a fun little time.

Black creek from Brooklyn to Janis Landing or a couple other down river public access locations is a great option for a one or two night canoe/kayak trip.

When the water is right, there are Plenty of sandbars along the way on National Forest lands.

Also, if you are using your own canoe, for a fee, the outfitter there in Brooklyn will pick your vehicle up from your put in place and deliver it to the designated take-out location so you don’t have to worry about two vehicles .

Yea GPS4, Black Creek is looking like one of the best options for public access / camping. I may have a way to do it on Bogue Chitto by staying on a friends family land sand bar. I haven't put plans in stone yet, but I may go with the Bogue Chitto.