March fishing

[creek wader]

Mark, Thanks for the info. How's the smallie action? ... Creek Wader

[Brian Sloss]

If we warm it early this year and the water temps are up, it could be good, though it really peaks more toward April and May. If it is cold, fish near the springs where the water temps are warmer in colder weather and you should find some active fish.

[Mark]

We're mainly trout fishermen on the Eleven Point, but Mike Jones, a part time guide from Hufstedler's store in Riverton, swears by the smallmouth fishing as some of the best in the state, particularily from the HWY 160 bridge access at Riverton south to the Arkansas line (the only stretch I haven't floated.)

[Flysmallie]

We're mainly trout fishermen on the Eleven Point, but Mike Jones, a part time guide from Hufstedler's store in Riverton, swears by the smallmouth fishing as some of the best in the state, particularily from the HWY 160 bridge access at Riverton south to the Arkansas line (the only stretch I haven't floated.)

I've floated that stretch a few times. It is great for the smallies. Lots of nice healthy fish and the occasional pickeral.

[steve l]

And while I hate to post comments like this, you hardly ever see anyone down there.

[snap]

Is that good or bad Steve??? I have been Thom'ville to Cane Bluff and experienced the same thing. I see that as being one of the positives of this river. I also think there are lots of smallies in this stretch...they seem to be very skittish up there though. You have to be sneaky because they can see you coming. I think the reason you do not see a lot of people on this river is because it is hard to get to from the East side. I like the lack of signs of commerce or homes (like the lower current or white rivers) and have had many camping-on-the-river trips where we did not see another sign of human life for 18 hours...or very little!!!

[steve l]

Oh, that's a very good thing. Ideal trip is to see as few as people as possible, and usually past 160 we see very few. My guess would be the trout are upstream and the distance from 160 down to 142 rules out most day trippers - it is a pretty good haul.

It's just hard to get away from people. I remember floating as kids (late '60s) and hardly seeing anyone. But with the population ever growing I sometimes wonder what it will be like in another 10, 20 etc years.