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I wrote a fishing report on the 28th of December trip we took but left out a part. We ran into a trapper that runs the Current and 11 point and who lives in Van Buren. He had put in at Riverton and had ran his traps all the way up to Greer. We talked for a while because some in our group of three were fishing and he did not want to mess it up for us by jetting by. (and that is what he would have had to do!) He said he had seen fish below Whiten to Riverton and above Whiten to Turner, but had seen a lot of fish from Greer to Turner. Thought that was a good sign! On the negative side, he mentioned that otters were getting our fish. Trappers are only getting around $11 for one, down from $100 or so from years past, and that no one hardly traps otters nowadays. Should otters be much of a concern on the 11 point river to the fishing? I am hoping not!

We did better below Whiten, but, it was walking in. The group camping at the first shoals above Whiten were wading in also and had been catching fish also by wading up river as far as possible. Stinking Pond upriver to the first shoals below Turner has always been good for us.

My 17 year-old son, Todd, and I left at our usual time, 8:00AM, for our first December fishing trip on the Eleven Point River.We crossed the St Francis,the Black,the Current, and the Eleven Point rivers to get where we were going. The St Francis and Black were up and moving real fast. The Current looked normal and we were worried about the water level for the Eleven Point. Crossing the 160 bridge, Todd was looking upriver and thought it looked high. I looked downriver and had no idea. We arrived at our cottage and waited for Del, who was coming from the other direction, to arrive. The plans were to drive to Whiten and wade across the river at one of my favorite and familiar fishing spots. When Del arrived, we loaded up my Dakota and headed for the river. In ten minutes, we were at Whiten. We crossed the river and left Todd at the top of the hole. Del and I went downstream and set up at a place where when we camp and where I always catch fish. We were not camping and I was not catching fish! The rock that always seemed to produce fish was not. The river was moving fast but seemed to be at the level I am most familiar with. The fish were biting softly...more like nibbling...but not taking the egg pattern I use most. I started thinking that this December trip might have been a mistake. I left Del at the rock and moved to the bend in the river where the river gets deeper and is considerably slower. I changed weights to allow the pattern to bounce the bottom. The fish were still only nibbling but the slower water must have allowed the fish to stay with the pattern easier. The first two casts netted two nice 15 inch rainbows. I moved up and down the hole and had caught plenty of fish within the hour. At this point, the hands were numb, so I turned th hole over to Todd and Del and they continued to catch fish. Todd had caught a couple of small ones at the top of the hole. He has been at it since he was 7 year old and has learned a few tricks. He went with 4 weights to get it to the bottom and keep it there. Any time I ever went with that many weights I was standing in the river putting a new hook on. I worked at getting a fire started but the wood was too wet. I had a little gas heater that worked well enough to thaw the hands. While we were fishing, a beagle pup followed us around. It had a collar but would not let us get close to it. After a couple of hours of good fishing, we started to leave. The pup followed us but would/could not cross the river. There were some locals hanging out near our truck who had been rabbit hunting. Del asked them if they had lost a dog. They had not but were interested in seeing the pup thinking it might have belonged to a guy right up the road. Del crossed the river again and got the dog to come to him. He carried it across the river and handed it to the hunters. That dog was way lost. The owner was from Birch Tree! Del said his wife would have killed him if he hadn't went back for the pup!!! I think he should get a medal from the humane Society!!! The next day we headed north of Whiten to an area we had never been but thought was there. It was a good thing I took the 4 wheel drive vehicle because we needed it. We came across some campers(brave souls). We pulled up to the river. The sun was shining but the truck said it was 37 degrees. Del caught two nice rainbows while I was piddling around trying to get a fire going. We got the fire going but by that time the fish had shut down. The sun was shining over the water and was right over the top of us. There was no shade on the water and to me that means nothing but exercising my right arm. The fire was burning nicely but since this was just going to be a quick trip and Todd and I needed to get back home, we packed up and luckily made it out of the river bottom. We probably fished a total of three hours between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning but all agreed it was a another good trip on the Eleven Point River.

thanks Brian! another question I neglected to ask! Do they spawn in only shallow water or could one accidently be fishing through a bed in deeper or fast moving water? thanks again before your response!

How long do the trout usually spawn and do they spawn more than once in a year? For example, I know you can see bluegill on their beds and then a few weeks later, you can find them on the beds again.

Deepdiver??? It is a beautiful river...might have trouble getting a pontoon through the first shoals though!!!

...Sounds like a good time upriver !!! Down stream, the fish were biting also. Caught many fish, some 10 inches ( recent stocking I believe) most around 13....and Mark caught one 18 inches. Egg patterns bounced off the bottom worked well. It was the first trip for Joel, Cape Girardeau area, and he loved the river and the area. We had no Brians/Bryans or Matts in our group of four and got back to the cottage after dark each night.

Mark knows about Bardley!! He is afraid of getting rained on and maybe melting!!! Let it rain!!! The fish seem to be more active!!!

.....My honey hole??? Too hard to fish at the right time of the day unless camped there!!! I do like it though because from front to back it presents all kinds of fishing opportunities...if waded...fast water, real fast water, long deep hole, boulders, I've told you before that it ls like having your own trout park..without the people!!!

Three of us floated Turner North to McDowell the 30th and 31 of July and caught lots of fish. The float was only around 3 miles and this allowed us to take our time and fish water we had never fished before. It worked. We stopped and waded every potential trout spot catching many 15 inches. We also caught a small beautiful bow that had to have been born and bred in the stream. Stockers just don't look like that! It was also the first visit to Turner Mill North. What a neat place! I had no idea a spring ran out of a cave at this site and the wheel from the old mill is massive! Standing in the spring where the water falls out of the cave feels like a cold whirlpool with all the bubbles moving. Neat story about the name Surprise for Turner North. Fish were caught on rooster tails, egg patterns, and maribou jigs.

Good trip Rap...you are right on about the beauty of this river. To clarify, Halls Bay and the tree that catches canoes are two different spots. The route to the left of Halls Bay is still there, and in my opinion, more treacherous than the dropoff and white water an Halls Bay! Unless, you walk around it!!!That is the safe route with gear. The "Fisherman's Hook" is before you get to horseshoe bend/McDowell Access...again, looks harmless...check earlier description...I am for lowering the horse power of jet props on the 11 point...25 horse is not needed on that river....and ...from my observations the last 11 years...some of these boat operators are crazy to run as fast as they do.

Rap...the fishing got real good late last week...according to two of my friends who spent a couple of days on the river. I live south of st louis and we got lots of rain...called them up to see if they got washed away and they said they only got sprinkled on a little bit. I would say the 11 point would be in great shape...maybe Brian or Ryan can give you a better idea before you leave.

...not for sure if that is what the locals call it...was told "fisherman's something"...acted like a hook to me!!! ...a spot below stinking pond and before horseshoe bend where the river moves a bit to the left and it is shallow. A pair of big trees or angled over the water on the left bank...water is about 4 foot deep but swift. There is also a small gravel bar on the right...was told it catches a lot of canoes head on for those who are novices and do not know it is there....looks harmless...hope this helps!!!

Lower portion looks and floats good. Floated Turner to Riverton Monday and had to work hard to catch trout. Very few fish above Whiten, a few more below. Lots of fallen trees in the water. Had three in the canoe, wife and daughter, and had trouble getting the back of the canoe past the tree at "fisherman's hook"??? or whatever it is called. Am still married though, the wife handled it pretty well. Have tipped a canoe twice in the past 10 + years and both times at this spot. I knew when we drug we were in trouble!!! Plenty of water still flowing...maybe they will stock before the 4th so Rap can catch plenty of fish!!!

I vote for brown!!!

Sounds like a good time. All of the gravel bars we talked about will have plenty of room for your group. There was also lots of firewood to be had. I just wish the group that started the fireplace below whiten would have placed it on the big rocks instead of on the sand...they took up a campsite...can only get 4 tents comfortably instead of 5 tents...for those who snore in our group.

Steve, your welcome!!! The second spot actually had two springs seeping through! How many will be in your group?

Plenty of nice gravel bars first week of June from Turner to Riverton. The first shoals past Turner, across from the bluff and on the right side of the river, was in great shape. The shoals at Horseshoe bend, again on the right side of the river, was probably even in better shape. My favorite spot below Whiten allowed us to walk barefooted...lots of sand....I think the gravel bars are there for you ...take your pick!!!

I have never caught a grass pickerel before or have I ever seen one. Definitely would not try to eat one! I would like to fish for them some trip on the river, could you tell me what would be a good bait/lure to use??? I understand that the best place to fish for them is the growth that lines parts of the river. Thanks! and your welcome on the boy scout incident!

I need to add that a canoe from the boy scouts from Dallas tipped at the shoals and helped them gather their stuff. As we were talking to one of the leaders, he mentioned that they had caught a "pike" earlier in the trip. He said it was about 18 inches long. I asked if he had eaten it and he said "yea. but it was real bony". I knew that was coming!!! Got a good laugh out of that one.

Great report Ryan! We spent Tuesday through Saturday AM on the river,most of it spent at the campsite below whitten wading the hole at the back and the shoals from the site to the top where the logs catch all the canoes. Caught many fish, 15-16 inches, many 13 inches, and some at the lower end that measured 11 inches. Maribou jigs and egg patterns seemed to work the best. Saw the drift boat go by and my camping partner, in awe, said what was that??? I had to laugh, knowing it was the drift boat from pictures seen on this forum before. Floated Turner to Whitten on Thursday and the highlight, besides having my 16 year old son fall in love with a particular hole, was helping a 12 year old girl, the daughter of a friend from Memphis, catch her first trout...she ended up catching more...The weather was great and looking forward to the next trip to the 11 point.

Hank...that is the way I read it too!!!

It is a wonderful law!!! Glass breaks...aluminum does not!!! I would think that being between Turner and Whitten with a cut foot would be a miserable experience!!! As far as littering, I think that is still against the law and subject to fines. If you would like to drink wine on the river, like me, it can bought in those boxes/bags.

Same camp site as Mark...what was really bad was when a small group of boys were towing a canoe upstream past our site after dark with a young lady in it who had dehydrated. An hour or so later, a boat identifying themselves as the sheriff's department passed us apparently going to their campsite to check things out. Kind of broke up the peacefulness we were enjoying ...and of all the times there....had never seen anything like it. One does not realize what all containers are made of glass when one spends a week at one site. Some I had and did not even think about were my cigar holders and an empty jar of power eggs that I keep my special flys in. Have since put the 'gars in zip lock bags and flys the same.

Glad you had a good trip! I see the cows are still there. Did you catch any goggle eyes or were they all smallmouth? We arrive Tuesday and will stay until Saturday but have no plans to float and fish thom to cane...will have to give a report early June!