Where Are The Best Fly Fishing Spots?

[kc300c]

Hello all. My 15 year old son and I will be floating the 11 Point in late October and plan to do a lot of fly fishing for trout along the way. Could someone answer the following for me? Thanks in advance.

1) What is the best stretch to fly fish for trout? We want to start at Greer and float no further than Whitten access.

2) Does the Blue Ribbon area offer the best opportunity to catch trout? (not looking for the biggest trout, just want to get the most fish we can on the line)

3) Where are the best campsites along the route?

4) What are the best flies?

5) What are the best lures if we decide to go for small mouth.

6) What is the weather like in late October down there? Hi/Lo temps?

Thanks again. Any other advice would be very welcomed.

[Nortrad]

Good inquiries. Tito and Brian S. would be the experts, along with some others. I'm also heading down on 16-17. Just my two cents for fly choice: crayfish/crawdad patterns, see the other posts. Also, big, weighted stonefly nymphs.

[Gavin]

Greer to Turner is usually the best stretch for numbers...Paddle up from the put in to the spring branch and start fishing from there down...Youll find plenty of good runs to fly fish, and lots of deep holes that are better suited to spin fishing or drift fishing. Its usually good around any island, or fast run.. but the fishing usually slows down after you get past Mary Decker Shoal.

As for camp spots...There isnt much gravel on the 11pt...there is usually some gravel around Little Hurricane and Big Hurricane creek, but most of the time I camp in the woods near Mary Decker Shoal...in the woods on river right between L. Mary and Big Mary, or on river left by Big Mary. Bring a shovel to bury your poop...Nothing worse than a woods littered with toilet paper bombs. Cheers.

[eric1978]

Smallies may be hit or miss at that time. I might start with some kind of wobbly crankbait to cover lots of water. If they're not going after that, I'd try a brown hair jig or tube. Try a Senko. Suspending pointers can be productive in October. If we have a really mild autumn, you may still be able to get some on topwater if the water temps stay above 60, but probably not likely.

[Mark]

Heading down also on Oct. 16-17. Isn't that the annual Fall Fly Flingers deal at 11 pt. Canoe Rental? We'll stay in White Ribbon area, so if you pass us, give a hollar. The best time of year to be on the river!!! Hopefully the jet props won't be flying up and down the river. I HEAR THERE IS A NEW PILOT NAMED SKIPPY WHO IS QUITE THE DAREDEVIL!!

[kc300c]

Greer to Turner is usually the best stretch for numbers...Paddle up from the put in to the spring branch and start fishing from there down...Youll find plenty of good runs to fly fish, and lots of deep holes that are better suited to spin fishing or drift fishing. Its usually good around any island, or fast run.. but the fishing usually slows down after you get past Mary Decker Shoal.

As for camp spots...There isnt much gravel on the 11pt...there is usually some gravel around Little Hurricane and Big Hurricane creek, but most of the time I camp in the woods near Mary Decker Shoal...in the woods on river right between L. Mary and Big Mary, or on river left by Big Mary. Bring a shovel to bury your poop...Nothing worse than a woods littered with toilet paper bombs. Cheers.

Thanks for the input. I am not very familiar with the river. Where is the Mary Decker Shoal and can you describe it? Here's a map I found. If you could try and point it out, that would be great.

[Gavin]

http://www.ozarktrail.com/maps/eleven_big.jpg

You can find Mary Decker on the map up here...Little Mary is just a short distance below L. Hurricane creek, youll see the creek coming in on river right...and a shoal with a bunch of big rocks and a ledge on river left...thats L. Mary.

Big Mary Decker is impossible to miss...Its the remnants of an old logging bridge...Big rocks all the way across the river. Hurricane creek comes in about 3/4 of a mile below...Make sure you take a hike down to Greer Spring on your way in or out...its well worth the 1.5mile round trip. Cheers.

[ozark trout fisher]

Thanks for the input. I am not very familiar with the river. Where is the Mary Decker Shoal and can you describe it? Here's a map I found. If you could try and point it out, that would be great.

There are good gravel bars to camp on all along the river. Not so many as the Current or Meramec, but plenty where finding one to camp on shouldn't be a problem.

[Brian Sloss]

If floating Greer to Turner, I'd camp on the gravel bar at Little Huricane shoals, just accross the way from Little Hurricane creek. If going Greer to Whitten, I'd camp at Stinking Pond float camp or the gravel bar accross the river from it. Less than a mile downstream from Turner (first bluff on left with slough in front of it). Stoneflies and crawdads fished deep

[Mark]

We are heading to Stinking Pond gravel bar on Oct. 16 to camp. Hope that doesn't mess up kc300c's plans (or ours). Sounds like kc and son will be staying in Blue Ribbon area. We like it because it is close to access and can easily haul any camping supplies (guitars!!) we don't want to float with back up to the vehicles.