Eleven Point Everything

[Smallmouthmama 4]

I've never been, but really want to do some fishing on the eleven point river! What do I need to know? 

Good places for a float and camp?

Best sections for Smallmouth fishing? 

Which sections have the Chain Pickerle? 

Any scenic spots that are a must see? 

 

Thanks!

[TroutRinger 114]

Following

[Al Agnew 2,829]

Smalllmouth--Thomasville to Greer (if there is enough water), and Riverton to Arkansas (there is also a lot of good smallmouth and spotted bass fishing in Arkansas).  The Greer to Riverton stretch has smallmouth, too, but not nearly as good a population as the stretches above and below.  But from this time of year through the winter, you can find some smallmouth in the bigger pools.

Chain pickerel--there are a lot of them in the trout section from Greer to Riverton--more the closer you get to Greer.  Scattered throughout the rest of the river.

The Eleven Point has fewer gravel bars than most Ozark streams, so if you're looking for gravel bar camping, you are limited and have to start looking for a camp early.  There are float camps--cleared campsites up in the bottoms--at decently spaced intervals between Greer and Hwy. 142...go to the Forest Service Eleven Point National Scenic River website--they have a pretty good map of the float camps.

Absolute must see before or after you float is Greer Spring.  In my opinion the most beautiful setting of all the big Ozark springs, because it's all wild and natural.  The river itself has a few other nice springs, but there aren't really many spectacular scenic spots--not a lot of huge, impressive bluffs, etc.  It's just ALL really nice because it's wild and there aren't all that many signs of civilization.  And the water is gorgeous.

[jdmidwest 1,534]

1 hour ago, Smallmouthmama said:

I've never been, but really want to do some fishing on the eleven point river! What do I need to know?  Alot.  Bunch of Drug Crazed Hillbillies will steal your lunch money.

Good places for a float and camp? All of them

Best sections for Smallmouth fishing? Used to be good till they dumped trout there.

Which sections have the Chain Pickerle? Gone, trout eat them all.

Any scenic spots that are a must see? Flood took that out last year.

 

Thanks!

 

[Gavin 2,387]

Fishing is good. Never know what you might catch. Chain pickeral like slack water & weeds. You can find them anywhere that occurs. Suggest that you float it. Figure 4th in terms of scenery in MO, so absolutely wonderful. Bigger water, if you can cast a heavy fly rod bobber rig 50-75’ you will do really well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mark 96]

Read the pinned thread above your thread - Float Trip Planning Questions - to answer many of our questions. Be advised - the river is extremely low right now. Expect to have to get out of canoe and pull thru some low sections. While not an abundance of gravel bars to camp on, at this time of year you will not have much problem finding a place to camp as long as you start keeping an eye out early.

[TroutRinger 114]

15 hours ago, Gavin said:

Figure 4th in terms of scenery in MO, so absolutely wonderful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What your top 3?

[Gavin 2,387]

The Current, Jacks Fork, and Gasconade.

 

 

[Terrierman 2,739]

3 hours ago, Gavin said:

The Current, Jacks Fork, and Gasconade.

 

 

Must not have ever been on the Big Sugar.  It's just pure Ozarks.  Or at least it was.

[Gavin 2,387]

I have never floated the SW Corner of MO. The James, Big Sugar, Elk, & Sping look interesting but have not been there. I need to change that.