Eleven Point, Dec 30/31

[David Bell]

I thought I would take the time to post a note on the Eleven Point

after two days of Canoe and flyfishing.

I had not fished this stream or been on it in probably 30 years. My son

and I hooked up with Brian Sloss and did two one day floats Dec 30/31. The second day was absolutely not memorable at all. We put in, the river was up due to rain probably 6 inches or more and it was already high. The river rose along the day and fishing was absolutely miserable.

However, the trip was fun, the day breezy with interspersed blue skies behind clouds with the sun peaking through a bit.

Saturday was a different story. The day was drizzly and and cold all day. Fishing, however, was very good. We caught 30+ on Saturday(we caught some very small fish as well as larger) and some very small smallies. The water was up so seeking out runs which held fish was a challenge. Fishing the channels along side the top three islands below the Greer Put-in was good, with the run on the East/North side of the 3rd island, prolific.

The trout were hitting the stonefly supurbly--We picked up a few, with the black stone hooking most all fish. Crayfish and Buggers accounted for a few more while scud took a couple of fish.

Of those caught and released on Saturday, 16 very nice trout between my son and myself that ranged between 12 and 15 inches. Francis caught one very nice Bow which went 16. We did not hook up with anything larger(that we netted).

I don't know which pattern of Stone Brian carries, the Kaufman stone or one like it.

I tied 20 Brooks Stone Flies(Black), and they did as well or better than the more realistic pattern; Frank fished those while I fished the patterns I tied. We lost a lot of flies due to obstruction, and hang-ups, especially on Sunday. The water was colored with a lot of trash coming down from up-river.

When the river gets down I would look for good fishing in January and I have not fished the river at its normal level since the early 70s.

Thanks to Brian for all his advice.

Note to anyone floating the river...There are obstructions due to the rain and heavy run off at the stone boulders just above the take-out point --the channel which is usually favored on the right was impassable on Sunday.

I am curious as to the trout...reproducing? Some of these fish appeared to be streamborn and very strong. We did not kill any to figure that.

best regards,

David Bell

[Brian Sloss]

David,

Just got back in town. Glad your Sat went well anyway. Yes there are wild trout in limited numbers. Island 3 below greer being one of the likely areas to catch them as are Mary Decker shoals (the boulders) and Little Huricane shoals. Winter is a great time to be here as the fishing is ussally good. By late summer the better fishing is below Turner Mill, but then the blue ribbon picks up around Oct again through the winter. Of course the fall stocking really helps in that regard. Hope you can get down this way again.