JOURNEY DOWN CASTOR RIVER PROVIDES VARIETY OF SIGHTS

FREDERICKTOWN -- On Amidon Memorial Conservation Area in northeastern Madison County, clear waters cascade through granite shut-ins. These are the headwaters of the Castor River, one of Southeast Missouri's most scenic streams.

This scene can be found off Madison County Road 208 about a mile east of Highway W. It is not unlike what you might see at the better-known Johnson's Shut-ins State Park on the Black River 40 miles to the west. After coursing downstream about 30 miles, the pristine waters of Castor River undergo a curious metamorphosis into a slow-moving, somewhat muddy river. Then they swing abruptly to the east and leave the natural river bed to follow a man-made ditch across the Bootheel to the Mississippi River.

Amidon's pink granite is a favorite site for sun-worshippers, but it's not wasted on anglers, either. Castor River's crystal waters are home to smallmouth bass, shadow bass (or goggle-eye as they are commonly known), sunfish and suckers.

Those wanting to experience fried sucker in the spring can test their skill at grabbing -- using a hook to snag their prey.

Sucker grabbing season runs March 15 through May 15. During the rest of the year, you can take suckers from Castor River with small (No. 10) hooks baited with worms and fished on the stream bottom below riffles.

A favorite local fishing method for suckers includes daylight gigging as well as traditional after-dark forays. The river's shallow upper reaches allow gigging while wading. Gigging is legal between 10 a.m. and midnight from Sept. 15 through Jan. 15. Only non-game fish may be taken by this method.

Black bass season on the Castor begins the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and ends the last day of February. Bass must be 12 inches long to be kept legally, but catch-and-release fishing is catching on, perhaps because it can be enjoyed year-round.

Amidon provides easy stream access for anglers. Wading may be the preferred means of travel. Floaters are welcome, but need to know that during most of the year they will have to rely more on footwork than paddling skill. Floatability improves as you descend the Castor. Commercial campgrounds, some with canoe liveries, are available to accommodate floaters.

The Missouri Department of Conservation's Marquand Access, located off Highway DD in Madison County, does not allow camping but provides an opportunity for bank fishing. The area has a canoe launching area and parking lot.

Castor River's appearance begins to change below Maple Flats Access near Zalma, but it continues to provide good fishing. Depending on what you're after, it may actually improve. The scenery, while no longer steep, stony woodland, is still something to behold. You may find yourself wondering what this river was like around the year 1725 when French adventurers first plied its water. They noticed that it supported an abundance of beavers, and named it for the animal, whose scientific name is Castor canadensis.

For those interested in hiking, hunting, bird watching or other less aquatic endeavors, Castor River Conservation Area has 9,123 rugged acres of forest west of Highway H in Bollinger County. The area only touches the river in one isolated area, but upland opportunities are many.

Two conservation department accesses lie below Highway 34: Sweetgum and Maple Flats permit boat-launching and bank-fishing, but not camping. A third access is available at Dark Cypress Swamp Conservation Area. This area north of Highway C in Bollinger County is the last stop on the Castor. It provides much more than just a boat ramp and parking lot. Dark Cypress Swamp's 460 acres are virtual reality of what those French adventurers must have experienced. No need to use the imagination here. Cypress trees, swamp rabbits and otters are just a few of the area's drawing cards.

From this point the river begins its eastward trek down that engineering feat known as the Headwaters Diversion Channel. Constructed in 1913, the channel carries the Castor's waters 34 miles to their confluence with the Mississippi River.

The diversion channel has some good fishing and receives heavy fishing pressure.

The conservation department has two accesses on the channel. Block Hole Access on Highway U in Southwest Cape Girardeau County is scheduled for development in 1995. Headwaters Access is south of Cape Girardeau off Interstate 55. Good catches of crappie, catfish and carp make this stretch popular.

At the right time of year, an afternoon outing or overnight float trip on the Castor provides excitement, splendid scenery and great fishing. Floating is usually practical upstream from Marquand only during spring high water. During the summer, floating between Marquand and Highway 34 may involve frequent wading and dragging.

There is an abundance of public land to enjoy within the Castor's watershed. Make it part of your outdoor agenda.