Brian Sloss

The water conditions are improving along with the fishing. Greer Spring is starting to put out more clear water, rather than the chalky stuff, and levels are coming down a bit. Fishing has been getting better. Rubber leg stones (Pats is doing best), Don's crawdad, eggs,and marabou jigs are catching fish. Being deep is key, though I saw a couple rises last night on caddis. Wouldn't count on dry fly fishing though.

If any one finds a white American Bulldog, let me know and I'll get you in touch with the owner. Lost just downstream of Turner.

If anyone lost a Choc. Lab on the upper Eleven Point between Thomasville and Cane Bluff, a friend of mine found it and would like to return it home. Let me know if you lost this dog.

You can camp at the Morgan spring float camp right before the 142 bridge. This is the area with the springs you mentioned. Most of that land is private, though there are some easements through there. You will be fine on a gravel bar down there. Have not ever had land owner problems on that stretch.

One of the reasons I mentioned the Eleven Points upper reaches is that you won't see any crowds. If you are on a week day, you won't see many people on any part of the river. Our Sats can get busy, but nothing like the Current or Niangua. You can still fish here. I don't know anyone who rents canoes that you can haul anywhere you want.

I can understand that. You should be able to find some smallmouth down there and maybe even get a walleye to boot, which you probably won't get in Missouri.

I doubt it. This time of year there is better smallmouth fishing on the upper part of the river in Missouri around Thomasville and Cane Bluff.

You could come over here to the Eleven Point. You could definitely float Cane Bluff to Riverton (27.5 miles) all inside national forest. There is smallmouth and trout fishing on that stretch. If you come this spring while the water is higher, you could start further upstream at Thomasville to add another 9.5 miles of prime smallmouth water. My web site is www.11pointcanoe.com for more info.

That is an absolute pig! Nice job.

There is a nice gravel bar at Little Hurricane shoals accross a deep hole from where Little Hurricane creek puts in that you could spend a couple days at.

You could do just as you suggested, but instead, I would just shorten the float if 20 miles was too far. You could do Cane Bluff to to Turner (13 miles) and get a taste of smallmouth and trophy trout. You could do Greer to Whitten (12 miles) and get Blue and white ribbon trout. I would get a little stir crazy fishing one or two shoals for 3 days, but that is just me.

There is mostly private land down there, but pretty good smallmouth, goggle eye and walleye in Arkansas. I've used the Dalton access before which is good enough. Long boat ramp though. Here is a link of a map with access points. http://www.arkansas.com/outdoors/canoeing-rafting-kayaking/waterways/map_detail.aspx?m=elevenpoint&w=Eleven+Point+River

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Cane Bluff to either Turners or Whitten depending on how far you want to travel. Day one float to big gravel bar just above Greer spring fishing smallmouth with the outside chance of a trout. Day 2 do 6 more miles to Turner Mill fishing the blue ribbon area, though it is fishing a little spotty now. If you want to travel further, continue 6 miles further to Whitten where you may find a few more stocker trout. Bring jigs (marabou in different colors) in 1/16oz or bigger. 1/16 oz can be thrown on fly rod and you can fish it under an indicator. Smallies love it and so do bigger trout. Bring some soft plastics (tube baits) crank baits and spinners. Remember Greer Spring to Turner, no soft plastics, live bait, power bait, corn etc. Also, heavy sonefly nymphs (Pat's rubber leg stones have done well lately), Don's crawdads, San Jaun worms, squirrel nymphs, eggs and anything big and meaty that can be bounced along the bottom. Lots of caddis lately, so some caddis pupae may work.

I go the route that Cricket says as it is the shortest route. 19 is very roller-coaster like though. If you want straight roads, you can go 44 to Rolla and 63 to West Plains and then 30 miles on 160 east. The last 30 miles will be a little like the roller coaster. It is about 30 miles longer. You can also go 67 to Poplar Bluff and 60 west to Winona and 19 south to Alton, which is good roads all the way with the last 30 being a little twisty, but it is also at least 30-40 miles longer as well.

It never opens before May. That being said, it will be closed again this year. Just talked to the forest service yesterday about it.

The last post is correct for catching fish. There will be plenty of caddis and small mayflies flying around. There can be very big morning hatches in April, but they are largely ignored by the fish. There is too much going on near the bottom for them to look to the surface. Not saying you can't catch something on the surface, but you may be in for a long day if that is what you are looking to do. If you don't lose a few flies to the rocks on the bottom, you are not getting deep enough. That is the rule of thumb on the Eleven Point. A caddis pupae can have good days in the spring. I usually drop one off a stonefly nymph when I fish one.

Very similar idea to what salmon and steelhead guys do up in Michigan that is often referred to as "chuck and duck". www.fishbaldwin.com is a web site in Michigan where lots of guys use this system. You could probably get lots of good advice there. Also, when I fished with Phil Lilley, he was using this set up and could probably help you in this regard.

Just got back from Greer. It looks fine with a slight green tint right now. The guage at riverton 20 miles downstream is still going up, but I don't think it will get too high, unless we get another good rain. It may get murkier if water from way upstream is muddy and is coming down. All and all, it will probably be fine.

Fianlly this should show the big fish from the other day.

I am going to the browse button hitting it and then entering the pic I want and hitting open. Then I write my text and add reply. No pic shows up. Any ideas why?

Hope this is it.

Took my buddy Mike fishing today. The number of fish caught were off today, but got one real nice one on the fly rod though.

You won't come across any catfish on that float.

Take 412 east from mtn Home to Salem. Take a left on hwy 9 and follow to Mammoth Spring and you are there. At the intersection of Hwy 9 and 63 in Mammoth is the Spring River fly shop, you can see the river from there. Mark will probably have maps and can give tips as to where the best fishing is that day and what to use. If he doesn't have river maps, the tourist center across the street does. His web site is www.springriverflyshop.com. Hope this helps.