Phil Lilley

I saw that. He listed the lure as a ZinkerZ. Is that what everyone calls a varmint? Caught 17 rainbows in 17 casts.... that's quite a feat!

http://confedmo.org/senate-bill-56-substitute-addresses-non-resident-permits/ Legislation that would have eliminated fees for resident hunting, fishing and trapping permits has been replaced by a substitute version of Senate Bill 56. The new version of Senate Bill 56 addresses non-resident landowner permits. Senator Brian Munzlinger, the sponsor of Senate Bill 56, offered the substitute after learning Missouri would lose nearly $20 million in Federal reimbursements tied to the sale of permits. The new version of Senate Bill 56 states, "Any United States citizen, business, or corporation who is not considered a resident of Missouri but owns at least seventy-five acres of real property in Missouri shall only be assessed fifty percent of the non-resident fee for any hunting, fishing, or trapping permit for use only on the real property owned. The cost of such non-resident permit shall apply toward the cost of any other non-resident hunting, fishing, or trapping permit fee. If a business or corporation owns the requisite amount of real property, only one person within the business or corporation shall be eligible to use the non-resident fee reductions specified under this section." "This change will provide greater incentive to those that pay property taxes in Missouri to stay longer and hopefully spend more money in the state while enjoying the outdoors on their own land," said Senator Brian Munzlinger. The Missouri Department of Conservation is working on a fiscal note and analyzing the impact of the bill.

I think he was referring to the weapons, not the value of the game. Agents are people just like the rest of us. They make mistakes. I don't think you can fault MDC for something an agent did, said or mannerisms. MDC policy is another matter. One can find issues with policy and that's what this conversation should be about.

We are looking for a full time person here at Lilleys's Landing. Front desk: Reservations, merchandise ordering and stocking. Dock work, housekeeping. Fishing knowledge a must. Send me a PM and I'll send out a job description.

That's what I gathered after talking to my state rep yesterday. He did say something about the land MDC buys - that land is taken off the tax roles I guess and the state loses taxes because of it.

Jealousy over money and accountability, and I'm sure there's some personal grudges there too. They are mad about the deer/farm bill that was defeated. The flood of bills started coming after its defeat.

I loved that old red wood dock at Fall Creek, but it basically fell apart. FC Campground was for sale in 1981 for a cool half mil. There was quite a bit of property on both sides of the creek. If I were to have bought it for that, I knew I would have to go in and built lodging units, condos or cabins or something. The campground wouldn't have paid for a 500k loan. Simple economics. And that's why FC has now condos and a big dock. Whether we like it or not, change happens. A place like Branson, where lots of people like to go and do many things, changed- because people wanted to visit. Now on the reverse, if you like the banks of Taneycomo reverting back to the way it was, look at the old Sun Valley and Riverlake resorts. The bank along Foggy River Rd where they've taken out quite a few houses and put the ground back to grass, no docks.

SB 56 is dead and by default HB710. These bills would have made permits free(56) or treated non resident landowners as residents(710).

Just got this - SB 56 is dead and by default HB710. These bills would have made permits free(56) or treated non resident landowners as residents(710).

Thanks, Al.

Changed it.

Yea- and Darren (Troutgnat) gets all the credit! He showed me this marabou. I ordered a ton of it yesterday. Thanks!!!!

Here's a report video I did yesterday afternoon.

Generation patterns on Lake Taneycomo have remained about the same. They follow our weather, or at least our night time temperature range. If it's pretty cold at night, in the mornings, they're running 3-4 units until about 10 a.m.. If it's not too cold, they run 1-2 units will about 9 a.m.. Weekends are a crap shoot. Water could be off or could be running a half unit all day, and night. No way to tell until Southwest Power posts the online schedule on Friday. Trout fishing has been pretty good, really all winter so far. There's a good number of good sized rainbows in the lake, above and below Fall Creek but we've noticed lately there's a ton of smaller rainbows, what we call "silver bullets". My guess is that they were trucked over from the Neosho Federal Hatchery. We get a load from Neosho in the winter and they are usually smaller with little color to them, unlike the rainbows stocked from our local state hatchery. Early mornings while they're running water, if the water is high enough and you can boat to the dam, start fishing at the cable (upper boundary of Lake Taneycomo) and throw an 1/8th ounce jig and work it off the bottom. I cast out to the side of the boat toward the bank and work the jig sideways to the current. Good colors have been sculpin, brown, black, olive, ginger, white, sculpin/ginger or brown/orange. Four-pound line is plenty light for working these jigs. I'd fish these jigs all the way down to the mouth of Fall Creek, staying either on the deep bluff side or the middle of the lake. When the water is off, jig or fly under a float is working as long as there's some chop on the surface of the water. If there's not, go with something pretty small like a Zebra Midge or Trout Magnet. Fish seem to hit these fairly well when there's no surface movement. But if you see chop on the surface down the lake from where you're fishing, pick up and move!! Colors: Pink, white, pink/white, chartreuse or purple Trout Magnets. Sculpin, brown, ginger, pink, black/chartreuse, ginger for marabou jigs. Sculpin, olive, gray or ginger Micro Jigs. If the water isn't running, use 1/125th or 1/50th ounce marabou jigs and micro. If the water is running, use 1/32nd ounce marabou and full Micros. Add a Zebra Midge as a trailer below the jig for a better chance to success. I'd try a #16 or #18 P&P, red, black, rusty or ugly (green) Zebra. Below Fall Creek, minnows have been hot this past week, either drifting them on the bottom when the water is running or just straight line when it's not. Night crawlers are good too along with garlic scented Powerbait, orange, sunrise, salmon or white color. Good areas have been around Short Creek down to Cooper, Monkey Island down through the bridges.

Well... let's just hope the Spirit River order comes in. Duane had one package of this marabou in his stock- that's all we have right now. We'll be tying all night if they come in. OR bring your vice! I have plenty of jig heads.

Here's a pic of a similar jig I was using, except the one I was using was a 3/32nd ounce jig.

Every city has homeless people. Branson has its share. Might even have more than it's share. We're on a major north/south route - they pass through frequently. Some have moved here in hopes of an easy job, and there are jobs, but most are unskilled, minimum wage pay and people just don't know how to manage their money, let alone their lives. Branson has more than their share of ministries that try to help these people. But it's a very tough task to educate, or reeducate people who are used to have things given to them. It's a vicious cycle that's now several generations deep. It's going to get worse.

I'm trying...

Duane's big rainbow 2/19 before the One Cast - John Johnson - 19 inch rainbow caught above Fall Creek this morning on a scud. Paul with a nice brown caught off the dock this morning. What most of our trout are coming on - One Cast

Duane Doty has been trolling on upper Bull this winter with them, Sam.

Cooper Creek and downtown ramps are clear