First Trip to the 11 Point

[budman]

For the last 18 years we have made a spring time camp/float trip on the Buffalo. We have floated every section several times. The only thing we haven't done is a thru float, but will one day. This year we have decide to try something different so we will be checking out the 11 Point. We will leave May 2 and camp at Greer Crossing. We plan on camping on the river two nights and taking out at Riverton. I know this is only about 20 miles but we hope to be able to do lots of fishing. We will be in kayaks and will have both fly rods and spinning rods. Any advice on the river and fishing would be great since we have no ideas. Is it only trout fishing in this upper section and smallmouth the closer we get to Riverton? Also are there sites we should make sure we stop and see along the float.

[jdmidwest]

Turner's Mill wheel and spring branch on east side of access.  Whites Creek cave, closed but can hike to it below Whitten on east side.  Boze Mill and spring branch before you get to Riverton on the east side.  Be careful navigating Mary Decker Shoal between Greer and Turner and Halls Bay Shoal a mile before Riverton.

[Terrierman]

Be aware that the 11 point has very few gravel bars.  The USFS float camp sites are great though.  So be sure to check them out before you go.

[Mark]

 Read the pinned thread above your thread "Float trip planning questions" to get a good brief description 

Also keep an eye on the "river levels" also pinned above. It's at 1500cfs today. IMO that is at the upper level of being fishable. I prefer under 1000cfs but I like to wade.. I camped and fished with 3 others for a couple nights 2 weeks ago at 1200cfs. Fishing was slow, very peckish bites, be ready to set the hook.  We fished hard for 2 days out of jetboat, only a handful of fish daily. It's due for the spring stocking. Locals use minnows!

Scenery wise.. it's absolutely a beautiful river....a hidden jewel in MO..... so ssshhhh HA

[budman]

Thanks for the information. I read about the lack of gravel bars along the river and wondered about the float camps. Are there more than one camp site at each and are they on the river, marked, or do you have to hike into them. Also we plan on getting out of our kayaks a lot to fish, so do we need to pack wader for the section below Greer or can we wet wade?

[Gavin]

The water is pretty deep and cold, so you will probably want waders unless your visiting during the heat of summer. I've always found small gravel bars to camp on. The float camps are close to the river. They are marked with small signs in the trees sometimes, toilet paper balls in the woods most times. You should plan some time to hike down to Greer Spring. Its about a mile and a half round trip from the top of the trailhead, just up the hill to the south from the 19 bridge and Greer campground. You might consider some shorter trips instead of one long multi-day. The Jack's Fork is just to the north of the Eleven Point. and the Upper Current is just north of that. All three are great floats.

[Mark]

You won't have a problem finding a gravel bar in early May, esp on weekdays. Just don't wait too late in evening assuming you'll find a good one for several tents. I don't care for the float camps back in the woods. I much prefer a gravel bar on the riverbank.

Another tip - fish deep!! 

[budman]

If we are going to try an target some pickerel with a flyrod what should we use. Areas, flies and leaders? I have never fished for them. I am guessing heavy leader since they are toothy.

[Ham]

CP typically are going to avoid current. Look at the grass beds along the shorelines. The dead water areas when the river switches back or corners where a creek runs in. 
They hit all sorts of lures so you would like to think most flys would work. I found they like pistol Pete flys. White streamers should would too. I want a fly I can see and watch for follows. A chartreuse over white Clouser catches everything. I don’t want an overly large fly. Like a 4 or 6. 

in theory, a heavier abrasion resistant leader is a good idea, but the reality is that it’s a crap shoot. If the CP gets super aggressive and engulfs your fly and some inches of your leader, It’s over.I’d try to use a 10 lb or higher fluro leader, but Thursday I caught 3 of the 4 I hooked on 2 lb mono. I was try for Flier. 

[tjm]

Pickerel back east where I used to catch them always hung out in quieter water and preferred weed beds , though many experts  recommended wire bite tippet I caught many pickerel while fishing for largemouth with 6-8# nylon. And one magazine article about 1979 recommended tippet fine enough to "floss" the teeth, that worked as well as heavier tippet did. I fished parallel to weed bed edges with bucktails and featherwing  streamers or plop in the middle of a weed bed with a hair frog. I suspect I caught more pickerel on the Mickey Finn than on any other fly.