birdman

Thanks alot for the info it is greatly appreciated! Hopefully I'll have a good fishing report around the first week of July!

Will be at LRR the last week of June. Need any advice on fly fishing, wade fishing. Access points, flys and hopefully they won't be generating much. Have been reading up on the river, we have fished MO trout parks (Bennett) and some out west (NM & CO) but would appreciate any and all tips. Will have two newbee fly fishermen too. Looks great and we are looking forward to standing in cold water!!!!

CNR you're right, his dad is awesome! My younger brother and I were fortunate enough to be family friends in the early 70's and we made many trips to Bennett with XP-590 and his family...wonderful memories. More imporantly is the impact it has made on our lives, my family has made many trips to Bennett and the love of fishing and the outdoors has impacted my daughter and son, I know my grand children will have the same experiences (don't have any yet). Since we live in western Oklahoma we split time between the mountains and Tanney/Bennett/R River. One thing we have done is to invite one of my son or daughters friends to come along with us so they can experience trout fishing like I did as a kid. If it weren't for the kindness and patients of XP's dad I don't believe my brother and I would have ever experienced trout fishing and I know for sure we would not be the men we are today without those childhood experiences (lessons) we had with them. The years and miles seperated us but XP and I have recently reconnected and spent a few days at Tanney last year, plan on doing alot more! Thanks Pop!

Returned last evening from LIR and I just want confirm to everyone that the hunting/fishing community is without a doubt the most friendly, helpful group of people on the planet. Thanks to the people on this forum sharing info and to the people we met on the river our trip was outstanding. We caught alot of fish and we made some new friends too! Watching my son turn into a man and to see his passion for fly fishing grow as well is the icing on the cake, hard to explain. Thanks again S.T.

I think without a doubt newcomers are welcome here! Just returned from a two day trip to the Lower Illinois river with my son and it is official...the hunting/fishing community is the friendliest most helpful group of people on the planet!!! Thanks to the people on this forum and the incredibly friendly people we meet on the river our trip was outstanding. Before we even left the river my son was asking when we could come back!! I grew up in Audrain co. MO. Mexico, MO. Beautiful country, miss it at times but NW OK has it's own beauty very different though. Left Mexico in 1981 for NW OK oil & gas industry.

Awsome, thanks for the help. Decided to go today and stay til Tues. can't wait to get in that cold water!!!

Do they sound a horn like at tanneycomo? Will they be generating through one turbine or more? How many do they have? Can it still be fished while they're generating? Is it worth trying to fish during generation? Sorry about all the questions but I don't know what to expect. Thanks

Thanks for the help Zach, we'll be trying it Monday.

Thanks for the info Paola, water clarity this time of year is probly close to gin clear?

I'm heading to LIR Monday afternoon, I've gotten good info from the forum but I haven't heard anything about tippet/leader size and lenght for trout. I would like to dry fly and soft hackle fish. Heading down with my son (12), little too hot for camping, any recommendations on a decent place to stay? Also on the soft hackle fishing is anybody using sink tip line or just using a split shot? Any info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

Not a whole lot of trout in NW Oklahoma but I was raised in central MO and started going to Bennett Spring when we were just kids 9 or 10 so needless to say trout swim in my blood. Being way out west family vacations tend to go to Colorado/New Mexico but I try to make one trip a year to Bennett, I have ruined my son to trout fishing too which is awsome to watch, at 12 he is a mini me. I am also a die hard bird hunter, decent quail hunting here and GOOD pheasant hunting an hour north into Kansas. I'm new to forums so I'm sorry for my ignorance in advance!