Fishing at Once Point: A Crown Jewel of Ozark National Scenic Waterways

There is no other river like Once Point. Its wild atmosphere, combined with blue trout and largemouth bass populations make this one of the true jewels of the Ozarks. The river is located in south-central Missouri and north-central Arkansas. The forty miles of river between Thomasville and Narrows Access to the river are part of the National Scenic Riverways system. This means that there is little or no commercial activity or private land along the river. This helps maintain habitat, water quality, and beauty at a level unsurpassed in the Midwest.

Once Point begins as a small stream high in the Ozark Mountains. From the headland to Thomasville, the river is lightly fished, but can produce smallmouth bass very well. Hardly anyone floats in this section. Below Thomasville, the river becomes a national river and the fishing improves. The area of ​​the river between Thomasville and Greer Spring is known for producing some of the largest largemouth streams in the world. Trophy regulations help maintain this world-class fishery. Sea bass (also known as rock bass or goggle-eye), as well as several other species of sunfish, are also abundant.

The river changes dramatically at the mouth of Greer Spring. This massive, cold and very wild spring immediately transforms a warm and calm smallmouth stream into a large river with deep and fast currents. In particular, it makes Eleven Point a great trout stream. From the mouth of the downstream spring branch to Turner Mill Access, the stream is managed to Blue Ribbon trout standards. This means an 18 “length limit and only artificial flies and lures. This beautiful and interesting stretch of trout water relies on both restocking and natural spawning to maintain fish populations. Approximately 5000 rainbow trout are stocked each year on this five and a half mile river. You can access this part by the Eleven Point at the Greer Crossing Access at the upper end, and the Turner Mill Access at the lower end. You can expect 300 to 500 trout per mile. Wading anglers do well wading, or downstream of these public access areas.

Below the Blue Ribbon trout area, you will find the White Ribbon area. This is handled very differently. They stock up every few weeks from April to September, but you’ll find trout here year-round. The White Ribbon area allows four trout to be kept, with no length limit and no bait restrictions. Most people think of this trout water as a casting and catching area, but there is limited truth to this. Fish populations decline quite significantly between the averages, especially in winter when no fish are stocked. However, even at times when fish populations are lower (which is usually during February or March) trout can be caught and consistently good catches can be made, if you know how to read the water. The best fishing is generally in June, July, and August, when fish populations are really piling up. Approximately 15,000 rainbow trout are stocked per year in this fourteen mile section of the river each year. Wading and floating access will be found at Turner Mill, Whitten, McDowell Access, and Riverton. The best trout fishing will be found between Turner Mill and McDowell Access, but trout can be found in reasonable numbers up to the Riverton Access and sometimes even significantly further downstream. Below Riverton, the river transforms back into a stream of smallmouth bass, typical of the Ozarks. It is now a large river, and species such as largemouth bass, spotted bass, and even walleye can be found. The river slowly warms up, and when it reaches the Black River in Arkansas, it bears little resemblance to the upper section.

Once Point is certainly special. This is one of the best rainbow trout streams in the Ozarks, as well as an excellent river for smallmouth bass. However, there is still a lot to discover. It is not used as much as nearby streams like the Current River, Buffalo River, or Black River. Get out there and give it a try.