smbass43

Great Thanks. Can't wait. It looks like a cool place to fish. Thanks for the info.

Thanks for the info. Quick question, what is a shellcracker?

Has anyone fished Council Bluff Lake in the middle of July? Heading there in about a month and was wondering what to expect. Mainly fishing for largemouth, but if they aren't bitting we wouldn't mind pulling in some crappie and blue gill.

Well the weather was about 60-degrees and rainy, but we had a blast. The river in this stretch is beautiful and great to float. The water was a little stained from the recent rains, but still pretty. Fishing was actually great. Caught a bunch of smallmouth and rainbow trout. Biggest were around the 16 to 17" range. The highlight of the trip was seeing 2 Bald Eagles take off from a branch 10 feet above our heads, incredible. We took so long fishing above Welch Springs that we had to paddle through good fishing holes from Welsh to Akers. We will definitely be back for this trip, but not during the summer. I'd imagine that there are quite a few people that float this section of the river. Thanks for all of the advice.

With the forecast for this week, I think we'll be doing more drinking than fishing; if we get on the river at all. When checking the river levels what CFMs and feet would make the river too high and fast to float?

Strictly catch and release with this group, unless we accidentally gut hook one

Thanks guys, I'll let you know how we do. Any regulations that we need to be aware of? I think the artificial lure requirements stop after Cedar Grove Correct?

I'm heading down to the current on May 15th to do some canoeing and fishing. I beleive we are starting at Cedar Grove and going to Akers. Can anyone tell me how the smallmouth fishing is in this stretch? Also, how is the river for canoeing (I.E. fast, narrow, portages)? Also, how is the traffic this time of year? Any and all info would be much appreciated.

We're heading down Wednesday and Coming back Saturday. Does that change much?

Getting pretty excited about our annual trip to the eleven Point next week. It looks like the river is down below normal right now, is that true? Also, the forecast is not looking too great for us right now, so we are going to keep our fingers crossed. One question: how much rain would it take to make this river rise and make our canoe trip undesireable?

Brian, I think we've decided to go Greer to Riverton this year. We haven't been down that far in years and 2 in our group of 4 would like to also fish for trout. Again we are coming down June 10th thru the 13th (wednesday - Saturday). Hopefully we don't see too many people. We will need a shuttle so I'll plan on calling you a couple days in advance to set things up. Thanks!

Thanks 2sheds. Where exactly is that take out point?

I agree, but we will be heading down on a wednesday and taking out on either friday or saturday. We are either going from Cane Bluff to Whitten or Greer to riverton. Just wondering what stretch is better for big fish.

Really? I always thought that section was slow deep and full of jet boats.

We are coming down the second week of June so hopefully the river will be lower by then. We usually start up around Cane bluff, but we were thinking of going down towards Riverton becauase we never do. Does anyone ever get into a lot of smallmouth past Turner's mill or is it mainly trout?

I'll be heading down with a couple buddys to the EP in a couple of weeks and was wondering what everyone thought about where "Big" Smallmouth bass are located on this river. Usually we target the upper stretches since the water is a little warmer, but would it be beneficail for us to float down past Whitten? We were thinking of floating either Cane Bluff to Whitten or Greer to Riverton... What are your thoughts?

Al, That makes sense, and thanks for the explaination. I am assuming that this holds true year round?

We always catch and release, unless we seriously injure the fish. I will try the jig at the end of the pools. Thanks. Anyone else have luck in these pools above Greer?

So this will be our 4th year visiting the Eleven Point and every year we have great sucess fishing moving water. WE have noticed that the long deep slow moving pools, which seem like great places to fish, don't produce. Maybe we are fishing the wrong lures/presentation, but I wanted to ask some of you experts if you encounter the same senarios. If you do have success, do you use different bait/lures for these waters? I will say that on occasion I will throw on a spinnerbait and seem to catch a couple Grass Pickeral... Any info would be appreciated!

Man...I hope that never happens on this river. That's one of the reasons why we go down to the 11pt every year...stay away from the party barges. This year was the first year we have run into a large loud group of partiers on the river and I hope that is not a sign of things to come.

Superfly, Thanks for the info. Just curious, do you know how much the ticket was for? Also, I heard that some of the agents will take your gear away. Anyone know if that is true. Nonetheless, good rule for managing that stretch of river.

How do you think the canoe traffic will be this Memorial Day weekend on the upper stretches (compared to years past)? I know the Eleven Point doesn't get nearly as much trafffic as most of the spring fed rivers in Missouri. Hoping most floaters put in down river @ Greer.

Thanks for the update Brian. Do you think the portages and the access roads will get better by Memorial Day Weekend?

Thanks for the info and yes I primarily fish for smallmouth, but love to catch trout as well. Looks like we'll be hitting the upper stretches this year. Never put in at Thomasville because of mixed reviews; hows the gravel bar situation up there for camping?

Brian, Any early prediction on when the river is going to turn back to normal conditions? Hopefully by the last part of May, but it seems like the river is taking for ever to drop.