Like other Ozarks streams, Current River's clear, cool waters flow over a gravel bottom.  It is the most spring-fed of all the famed Ozarks rivers and, as the name implies, has more current than most, prompting the French name "La Riviere Courante" and the Spanish "Rio Courante."  While not a white-water stream, Current River has a variety of stream conditions with stretches of steady, moderate current intermingled with deep pools, swift shoals, and occasional rootwads in precarious locations for the boater or canoeist.  Such conditions have contributed to descriptive local names such as "Bay Nothing," "Buggerboo Bay," "Hell's Half Acre," and "Harry's Root."  It's tree-lined banks are interspersed with steep bluffs and numerous open gravel bars, the latter being popular stopping points for camping, picnicking, swimming and other activities of people using the river for recreation. 
Sport fishing is popular on Current River with smallmouth bass being the most sought after fish and goggle-eye (rock bass), jack salmon (walleye), catfish, largemouth bass, and sunfish being other popular game fish.  The Missouri and World record bigmouth buffalo fish was caught in Current River near Doniphan in 1971.  The paddlefish, one of the oldest fishes with fossil records dating its first appearance at 300 to 400 million years ago (about 50 million years before the first dinosaurs appeared), is also found in the free-flowing waters of Current River.  Fish gigging is an Ozarks tradition and nowhere is it better than on the clear waters of Current River.  Using hand-forged gigs mounted on long poles, local fishermen venture out on fall nights in search of sucker, redhorse, buffalo, and carp.  A successful outing often means a nighttime fish fry on a gravel bar.  For the dedicated fisherman, jack salmon fishing on Current River is at its best in the dead of winter, but few try their luck at this time of year.

Current River has always been a central part of the lives of most residents of Ripley County.  Early European settlers and residents used the river for transportation, commerce and recreation.  The wooden johnboat evolved into the preferred means of transportation on the river, first by "poling" and later by gas powered outboard motors.  For well over half a century the Ozarks wooden johnboat reigned supreme and Current River boat makers were at the forefront of its development and evolution.  It is also probable that the first aluminum johnboat was built for use on Current River when Doniphan welder Joe Schober made a johnboat from surplus aviation aluminum in 1946.  Mr. Schober's johnboat is on display at the Pioneer Homestead in Doniphan.  Prior to the widespread use of automobiles, larger steam-powered paddle wheel johnboats once traveled between Van Buren to the north and Arkansas to the south transporting people, livestock, and merchandise.  Gristmills were located along the river where water provided power to grind grains into meal.  During the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, sawmill operators floated logs and railroad ties downriver to mills and the railroad at Doniphan (the photo on the right is a railroad tie raft float re-enactment done in 1998).

By the late 1800's the Ozarks streams such as Current River had become known for their beauty, wildlife, and fisheries.  Ozarks "float fishing" became popular.  Sports- men came from St. Louis, Kansas City, and other areas to fish the rivers and hunt on nearby land.  One such person was U.S. Senator Harry B. Hawes (1927-33), who owned a clubhouse on Current River (1920's photo on left).  The clubhouse is still being used.  

Today, Current River still flows clear, cool, and free, its noted current unrestricted by the dams and reservoirs that have tamed other rivers.  Any summer day finds people enjoying their favorite water activity, be it fishing, boating, canoeing, sunbathing, inner tube floating, picnicking on a gravel bar, or just cooling off in the water.  Visitors call it Current River while local folks mostly refer to it simply as "the river."  Most who have experienced it agree there are many rivers, but there is no other river like Current River.

Current River, Ripley County Today