Phil Lilley

Table Rock Lake located here in Branson, Missouri is still producing nice fish. Up in the Shell Knob and Kings River areas the bite is really good on mega bass and spro McStick jerk baits. From Baxter to the dam, there are several patterns producing. First, the Alabama rig is a top producer when rigged with any kind of white swim bait or grub. Bluff ends, and 45 degree rock banks have been key. Second, as the wind gets up spro mcstick jerk baits in various colors have been key. Main lake and some secondary points with timber have been prime locations for us. There is starting to be a wiggle wart bite on rock transitions. Crawdad patterns fished in 6 to 10 feet of water has been best. Also there is starting to be a decent bite swimming and scratching the bottom in 8 to 15 feet of water with a chompers 4” and 5” milky white grub. Gravel points have been key for this technique. The crappie fishing has turned on again. We are catching these tasty morsels on flats and around timber up in the long creek and cricket creek areas as well as in the upper James River as well. White/chart 1/16 oz crappie jigs and blue ice and pearl swimming minnows have been the go to bait. There is also some nice crappie being caught in the Baxter area of the lake off of boat docks as well using jigs tipped with minnows. For the trip of a lifetime on Table Rock Lake, come take a trip with us at Branson Guided Fishing Trips in Branson, Missouri. CATCH FISH GUARANTEED! http://bransonguidedfishingtrips.com/'>

Cold weather might hurt bass, crappie and white bass fishing, but it doesn't affect trout fishing. They like the cold! It was amazing how many anglers braved the snow and cold last week -- but they were rewarded catching rainbows and a few browns. Generation, again, has been sporadic. Today one half to one full unit ran all day, but most days there has been no generation. No real rhyme or reason when and why they run so it's hard to predict. Table Rock Lake has come up from its winter low levels to just 2.5 feet below power pool and with rains in the forecast, we may see more generation in the month of April. So if you're wanting to wade and fly fish below the dam, you better come soon to take advantage of the low water. If the water is running, it's not running very hard at all. You can drift but you'll need to use very little weight or you'll get hung on the bottom. I'd use just a split shot above the hook a couple of feet, may be a #7 or #3/0. Wind makes a difference, too. If it's windy, you may need to put a #4 split on the line. Below Fall Creek, night crawlers or minnows are doing the best, catching bigger rainbows and a few sub-legal brown trout. PowerBait Gulp eggs, using one white and one either pink or chartreuse on a #6 hook are good, too, but we're catching a lot of small rainbows. There are nice ones out there, believe me; you just have to work for them. Above Fall Creek, drift with an egg fly, #12 gray scuds or a pink san juan worm. Jig-and-float is working regardless if the water is running water or not. A brown, orange head 1/125-ounce jig if the water is not running or a 1/32-ounce jig if the water is running have been the best. Fish jigs four to seven feet under a float. I'd for sure try the shallow side of the lake from Fall to Short Creek. This side doesn't get a lot of pressure and it does hold trout. Micro jigs are working, too. Trout Magnets below Fall Creek when it's windy have been effective as well. I fished this afternoon from 4:30 until 6 p.m. The water was running at 25 megawatts with one half unit generating. I drifted from Lookout Island down to the Narrows. The wind was blowing pretty strong out of the west, so it was pushing me towards the bluff bank. I held the boat's nose to the west and upstream, letting the current move past me. This helped me keep track of the jig better, casting with the wind towards the middle of the lake. One of my "netted" rainbows, about 15 inches long. I used several colors--sculpin, sculpin/peach, white and olive and did best on the sculpin. I started with an 1/8-ounce but went to a 3/32-ounce when I figured out I didn't have to be right on the bottom to get bit. I probably boated more than 30 rainbows. Five rainbows I had to net because they were too big to lift (probably rainbows longer than 14 inches) and the rest were small, less than 13 inches. This flow is my favorite condition for throwing jigs. This rainbow is about 12 inches long. One nice thing about most of the trout I caught is that their bellies seemed to be full. So they're getting plenty to eat. Fly fishing below the dam when the water is off has been pretty rewarding. Again, there are a ton of rainbows in the lake right now, but most are small, less than 12 inches long. Typically, the smaller trout are more aggressive and bite more quickly. You have to catch a bunch of trout to get one or two nice ones. Our usual fly picks are doing well, such as scuds in different shades of gray, olive, tan and orange. I'd use larger ones in faster water (outlets and rebar), #12's, and smaller ones in slower water, #16 to #20's. In the flat areas, try a zebra midge under a float -- P&P's, rustys, uglys, reds and blacks, in #16 and #18's. If it's really calm, go to #20's. Set the indicator depth where you think the trout are holding. If it's windy, strip a soft hackle, cracklebacks or wooly buggers. Also try a pine squirrel, white, olive or black in the rebar area where the water is the swiftest.

417-335-0357

That's one of our questions... it's battery operated. Ryan said it didn't make any noise hardly. What you see is what moved down the road. Whatever powered it is the long thing in front of the trailer. It was operated by one of the people standing there. He was holding a remote box with a cord leading to the ... long thing in front of the trailer.

My nephew Ryan took this today. It's an electric driven trailer pulling a piece of equipment heading to Table Rock dam. Trailer is strange, different. And the payload must be very heavy. Was escorted by Highway Patrol.

Water levels are running at 375 cfs at the spring and water clarity has been clear. The trout have been big and plentiful. Brownies, Guppies and Y2k's have been hot, hot. Candy corn and hot pink trout magnets are doing great also. The trout have really been biting good. It's just that the weather has been misreable. We need a warm up to get over these winter blues......

http://www.ozarkanglers.com/table-rock/maps/

Alright... is it time? Is it warming up and fishing should start getting good, finally. This topic has run its course.

Something sounds "fishy"... pellets?! Small head, large belly/body? The fish appears to be dry laying on the scale. Probably post several pounds before the record weight.

Here's something that may help. It's from the forum. http://www.ozarkanglers.com/jacks-fork/2013/03/25/jacks-fork-information/

Only in trout parts... no where else.

by Ned Kehde For the past several years, several Midwest finesse anglers and member of the Finesse News Network have been moaning about the plethora of algae blooms that have been besmearing some of the flatland reservoirs in northeastern Kansas. Recently, while we were in San Antonio, Texas, taking a respite from our wintertime angling endeavors and relishing a visit at the home of our youngest daughter and her family, we were disheartened to learn that the algae plague is also tormenting anglers who ply the southwestern sections of Lake Erie around Cleveland and Toledo, Ohio. <<< READ MORE

What a wonderful time we had this afternoon. Rain held off and really all it's been is a drizzle. A little cool but no one noticed. Very nice to meet some "old friends", shake their hand and visit. We need to do this more often!

417-336-5083 It works this morning. It must be a circuit issue.

This is just me.. I don't want to throw the A-Rig. I'm the type person who would rather catch fish MY way or not catch any at all. I like throwing jigs, swimming minnows, a small sluggo and a rebel. An occasional rattle trap but that's the biggest lure I'll throw. Not knocking the A-Rig. Glad you're catching them.

Guys and Gals - I'm not going to let a little cold and moisture ruin a good afternoon/evening cookout. We are going ahead as planned. I'll have a grill, fryer, smoked chicken, beans, baked potatoes and some drinks. Should be there between 3 and 4 pm. I'll also have some hot coffee.

They were! Males don't color up like this one was. Wanted to get a better underwater shot but he wouldn't cooperate and my hands were cold.

Updated Link

Awesome. Thanks for sharing.

http://www.swl.usace.army.mil/Media/NewsReleases/tabid/7165/Article/11796/usace-little-rock-launches-water-level-app.aspx

It's fine for me.

Forecast: Temperature keeps dropping (45) and participation keeps increasing (60%). Wind 12 mph but that's not bad, and not really a factor. We do have a shelter reserved. I'd like to wait and see the hourly weather forecast for Saturday - later in the day. If the rain % isn't too bad, I'm inclined to go ahead.

This should get your spring white bass/crappie fever going...