The Eleven Point River in far southern Missouri and northern Arkansas is considered by many the most beautiful waterway in the Ozarks. And for some anglers it is a very productive trout and smallmouth venue as well.
On 6/28/23 Steve Darr and I, Al Harper, undertook the drive down south to float and fish the river. I have floated fairly long stretches of the river for three successive summers. Steve hadn’t been on it for many years. I like its remoteness and beauty but never really caught many fish there. As I and a couple of other FATC members fished it and became more aware of the Eleven Point’s potential, we decided that seeking the services of a guide would be the best way to learn how to be successful there.
Justin Spencer, of Eleven Point Fly Fishing, is perhaps the most knowledgeable professional currently guiding on that river. Steve and I were fortunate enough to hop into his fiberglass drift boat to see what we could land and learn.
We got an early start on this overcast weekday morning and the river appeared majestic and
devoid of other anglers. Justin rigged up marabou jigs under indicators and a streamer rod as well and we began our float 21 miles down from the river’s origin near Thomasville, MO. We promptly landed trout as we got the feel for how the jig drifted into holes and through riffles.
That technique set the pattern for most of the day with Justin adjusting the depth of the indicator, occasionally changing the fly color and adroitly maneuvering the drift boat to allow us to fish the most likely spots.
The Eleven Point is designated a National Wild and Scenic River and drifting quietly down it with the abundant hardwood forests along the shore makes for an enchanting fishing experience.
At times the incredible scenery made it difficult to focus on the indicator but the substantial bows we started hooking provided a strong incentive. Justin recommended this stretch of the river because while his clients often caught higher numbers of trout closer to the large spring that provides millions of gallons of cool, clear water to it, the fish lower downriver are generally larger.
Both the size and numbers of trout Steve and I caught were more than satisfactory to us this day and the action intensified just a mile or so down from our put-in. One picturesque head riffle we drifted into held at least six very healthy bows full of fight. One I had the good fortune to get a solid hook set on turned out to be about 21” in length.
He took the fly in about two and a half feet of water downstream in a strong current. A deeper trough ran along an opposite bank and if the big bow had reached it and mounted a strong run the 5X tippet I had on might well have reached its limit.
During the fight, Justin was calculating where to best position the boat and how he would accomplish the netting job. Driftboat fishing is a partnership between the angler and the person at the oars and both should feel a sense of pride in a good catch. Throughout our day, we appreciated not only Justin’s boat handling and in-depth knowledge of the river but his advice about fishing techniques in general.
Another factor in driftboat fishing involves the element of stealth and surprise when drifting down to feeding trout. A good boat handler factors this in, of course, and works hard to avoid spooking fish and providing plenty of fishable water to both anglers. Yet it’s still a reality that being in the front of the boat often is an advantage. Steve and I tried to mitigate this by switching places during the float. There were also many stretches where we were able to cast on each side at the same time. The “upfront” advantage can usually be overcome in a number of ways.
At one point, a john boat floated down with large inner tubes strapped to its sides containing stocking trout. The boat’s occupants were MDC employees who reached over with nets at strategic places on the river to introduce the trout to a new environment. Justin and the stockers confirmed during a brief exchange as they came alongside that the new fish wouldn’t feed for a while after the trauma of their release.
We enjoyed a long, productive and peaceful float. As on previous trips made this spring and summer, I didn’t keep an accurate count of fish landed but after reconstructing the day on the long drive home that evening our best (conservative) estimate was that we got about 40 trout in Justin’s net. And all but a few of them were what I consider large; a size that most anglers I’ve had the pleasure of fishing with consider very good fish. We lost a few as well, but that’s to be expected in a brawny river with its share if obstructions and natural structure.
Most importantly we gained some valuable insight into fishing this great river and landing some of its terrific inhabitants. I should add that with only a few exceptions, the Eleven Point just doesn’t lend itself to wade fishing. If readers of this report want to contact Justin Spencer about a float here is his website: https://www.elevenpointflyfishing.com/
