Beating the heat doesn't mean staying inside

While most folks were busy last weekend trying to stay cool, Bob Meyers and wife Betty were enjoying the weather and staying cool.

Meyers said, "When I saw the weekend forecast with temperatures hovering around the 100 degree mark, but the temperature in the 60s in the Eleven Point River near Alton, it wasn't too hard to make a decision to load up the canoe and head for Oregon County." Meyers is a veteran canoeist having floated most of the clear Ozarks streams and landing fish from trout to goggle eyes, but his favorite spot is near Greer Springs where he landed two rainbow trout over 18 inches earlier this year.

"I would rather spend one weekend on the Eleven Point searching for big trout than spend a month at the state trout parks. Its a different world. Our family vacation is usually spent camping and floating the river," he said.

When the Meyers returned to their home in Harrisonville Monday morning, with all the heat and traffic, Meyers said the memory of the cool waters of the stream brought cool thoughts. "My feet got cold from being on the canoe floor and it felt like we were in air conditioning."

Besides finding a cool spot in the dog days of August, Meyers also was able to catch enough fish for dinner. Using a dark jig, the goggle eyes couldn't resist, he caught six nice ones just a short distance from their campsite.

Meyers said, "The high cost of gas isn't going to stop us from going back to the Eleven Point this summer. By tent camping and using the canoe, we save money on our vacation. We planned on taking a trip to the Boundary waters up north this summer, but with the high gas prices and after a great weekend, we decided to stay closer to home this summer."

This section of the Eleven Point is classed as one of the Wild Trout Management Areas in the state. These waters hold populations of streambred rainbow trout and include a portion of the Eleven Point north of Alton. Other Wild Trout Management areas include Blue Springs Creek, Mill Creek and Spring Creek near the entrance to Ft. Leonard Wood.

Fishing for trout is limited to artifical lures and the limit is three trout 18 inches or longer, The stream is open year-round. Anglers will need a state permit plus a trout stamp if you plan on taking any trout home.

Wally, Debbie and Jeff Meeker, Fair Play, recently floated the Eleven Point near Alton and were impressed with the scenery along the stream. Jeff said, "It felt like we were in air conditioning and the water was too cold to swin in for very long." Debbie said, "It is one of my favorite streams in the state to fish and float. The scenery, including several springs and caves, makes it an interesting float."

Tom Grant, Warrensburg, has floated nearly every Ozark stream over the past 25 years and said, "Almost any of the clean Ozark streams are great to float, but if I had to pick my top three they would be the Eleven Point, North Fork and the Gasconade. On my last float on the Gasconade, the day started out right when I stuck my nose out of the tent I heard a tremendous splash near our campsite. As I shot the canoe out the fish jumped out again, it was a whale of a bass. A long cast with a topwater lure brought a strike that nearly bent my rod in two. In the next 15 minutes, I had fought this four pound smallmouth which was slapping the bottom of the canoe. It was the largest fish we caught all week. I have also caught some nice fish in the North Fork and Eleven Point. All three are different, but offer a great float. Just to be on a cool, clear stream in the middle of summer is my idea of time well spent." More and more people are in agreement.