Phil Lilley

Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think there's ANY PLACE in Missouri where there's a hook restriction, at least barbless.

What I'm most thankful for is the home plate umpire not calling the last few outside pitches strikes... he sure could have. They were outside the "box" but those pitches had been called strikes earlier in the game. Yes they were close but they were NOT strikes and the crowd didn't like the calls. But to end a game on a called strike 3 when it was not a strike would be very sad... kinda like the last play in basketball. Let them play!

Yea- I didn't crop him out... He's a good one!

This is the midge I had on when we were fishing (video) This is a p&p but with a red tint. I'm going to have Jeremy Hunt describe the materials exactly because I'm not 100% sure I'll get it right.

I know what you can do instead of watching the debate!! Listen to the new podcast - Ozark Trout Bum! Just released today. http://www.ozarkanglers.com/blog/2012/10/11/ozark-trout-bum-october-2012-podcast/

Trees along Lake Taneycomo are starting to turn their fall colors. Some have said we may not have a colorful autumn because of the low rainfall this summer but I don't think so. It's looking like the beginnings of a beautiful fall season. Very little generation lately. Mild temperatures dominate our days and colder our nights. Feels like brown trout season which normally happens later in October and November. Speaking of brown trout, we have seen a few nice browns in the upper lake, mostly small males but a few larger trout holding below Lookout. No reports of anyone catching any browns at night below the dam... yet. No generation means easy access to wade anglers below the dam. Lots of places to find trout and many ways to catch them. Hatchery outlets always will have a lot of trout holding in their flow but outlets will be crowded. Rebar chute will also be a hot spot. Anywhere there's flow, fishing should be better. Scuds from size 14 to 24 will work. Other flies to try are San Juan worm, white or brown, thread or zebra midge size 18, rusty, p&p and olive. If fishing slower or dead water, drop in size and use thread midges, wd40's, loop wing or RS2's, #20 - #24 in red, olive or black. I use palsa indicators because they drop on the water quietly and are pulled under easily. Choppy water, strip a soft hackle #18 in red, black, olive or copper or a crackleback #16 in red, yellow or green or a wooly #14 in olive, brown or black. One suggestion: Look before wading in. You'll probably see trout feeding very close to the bank, even in very shallow water. Scuds are known to swim along the edge of the water in big schools and fish know this. Stand and observe before wading in. If the upper end of the lake below the dam gets too crowded, boating up, getting out and wading is a great deal. You can get out and wade the island at Lookout, behind the island or get out and walk/wade the shallow side of the lake down to the narrows and then on opposite side almost to Fall Creek. Good midge fishing in the shallows and site scud fishing a little deeper out. Depending on the day, conditions and fish-bite, jig and float is working fairly well. The best jig has been a half micro, ginger. I saw Buster Loving's client catch quite a few rainbows on a ginger micro this morning while on a guide trip. But I have heard that at times it's been tough catching up there on jigs. Most days we've had a good chop on the water making it better but this morning it was dead calm and the fish bit really well. I got out a couple of times this week so far. The other morning they kicked the water on for about an hour. I noticed the trout were midging hard up on the shallow side so I took the boat over and set the motor in the gravel as an anchor. I fished a #18 primrose & pearl midge under a palsa 6 inches and caught a dozen rainbows. None very big. They dropped the water on me and I had to get out and push the boat off the gavel. Almost had to pitch and tent and camp! This morning I got out and fished. Started at Lookout on the bluff bank. Trout were midging in close to the rocks on the bluff bank. I tried several dries - elk hair, black ant and stimulator with no takers and the trout were still feeding like crazy. So I tied a #18 ugly zebra midge (olive body, black bead) under the stimulator 6 inches deep and targeted the rising trout. They didn't go nuts over it but I did start catching rainbows. Ended up with a couple of dozen before heading in about noon. they wanted it no more than 3 feet from the edge of the bank, in shallow water. I've talked to several guests and guides and all say, as far as bait goes, night crawlers rule below Fall Creek. But most of our guides are fishing a jig and float below Fall Creek because they maintain they can catch more trout using jigs than using bait. There are a few "hot spots" I can share. Out in front of the River Pointe Estate boat ramp down to the mouth of Short Creek has been good. From Trout Hollow down to where Sun Valley used to be. The Cooper Creek flats and between the bridges and below the last bridge to the "Fish House" is holding a lot of rainbows. Some have done well trolling the old cow bells with a red worm. Bill Babler and I this evening. Very calm, flat water, trout were midging but not real interested in what we were offering. But still caught a few.

Yea- this topic had it's day and I'm closing it. But in the future, calling people an "idiot" is uncalled for and will get a topic shut down every time.

Great trip report. Love it.

The hook may have been in the mouth and the line wrapped around the body or tail but it was brought in tail first. At no time did the fish's nose turn towards the angler. It happens.

Yea- and as they go by, they wave with a big, friendly smile on their face. I know them well.

Probably shouldn't do that... google is set up to notice a big increase in clicks. Might get me in trouble... You can't get much over on google anyhow. Not aiming to get rich doing this site --- just love doing it.

When I first posted the google ads on the site, members pointed out to me a lot of the ads were for singles... and then I started seeing them too. Funny... I had a lot of ad hits back then! I went in and changed some of the preferences and also changed my individual preferences by clicking the corner of the banner ad on the site. There you can somewhat control what you see and don't see. I wish I didn't have to have google ads on the site... when I get time I'd like to find an alternative... but for now the extra $400 a month helps pay the bills.

great report

Some terms I don't quite understand, Ken. "Sow Bugs on cruise control." Stripping them? "Bungee Jumpers." Always moving around? Lots of small rainbows in the lake right now- everywhere.

Nice fish.... very nice story. Thanks for sharing. Chuck is one of the finest angler in these parts.

If you walk through water almost anywhere below the dam, you could say you're "shuffling" cause you can't walk on gravel and not move bugs. But the term used as an adjective to mean someone kicking up bugs so that he can catch those fish attracted to your feet is what we call a "shuffler". The article and it's writer - I wouldn't jump to conclusions. I always give people the benefit of the doubt.

by John Neporadny, Jr. Selecting lures can be tough sometimes, but the decision becomes easier in the fall at Lake of the Ozarks if you pay attention to a bass' autumn diet. Since shad become a favorite meal for bass then, any lure that imitates this baitfish will produce for you. Crankbaits, spinnerbaits and jigs are three of the top fall lure choices for catching bass from this reservoir. If the wind is blowing, burn a spinnerbait along bluff ledges and main lake points. The size of spinnerbait depends on the type of cover you target. If you're concentrating on shallow cover, try a 1/4-ounce spinnerbait with a single number 5 or 6 chrome Colorado blade. When keying on main lake structure in windy conditions, switch to a 3/4- to 1-ounce spinnerbait with tandem willowleaf blades (numbers 5 and 7). Combine chrome and gold blades for clear water-cloudy day conditions, and select a copper-and-gold blade combination for dirty water situations. Favorite spinnerbait skirt colors of the local anglers are white and white-and-chartreuse. The single spin works best when burning the lure up to the cover then stopping it. Use a fast, steady retrieve on the larger model and you can also catch fish early on calm mornings by waking the blade bait across the surface. When the fishing gets tough and bass hold tight to cover, try the crankbait around any wood or brush piles you can find in the backs of shallow pockets or along shallow flats. Although the lure works best in wind, a crankbait also produces when the lake has a slick surface. A shad-pattern, shallow-running, Mann's 1-Minus or a Bagley's B-I in shad colors are good lures for the fall at Lake of the Ozarks. If the water is off-colored, switch to a black-and-chartreuse crankbait. Vary the speed of your crankbait retrieve, but always makes sure to bang the lure into cover. If the fish are really holding tight to the cover, burn the lure and bang it right into the cover Sometimes you might have to run the lure three or four times alongside a log to trigger a strike. When bass suspend under docks at the Lake of the Ozarks, swim a jig along the foam. This technique produces because you can drop the lure to spots in a dock well that are unreachable with other baits. While a jig is often used for sluggish bass in cold-front situations, the lure in this situation is used for active bass hiding in the shady areas of the docks. To detect the subtle strikes that usually occur when swimming a jig, use a heavier lure (1/2 to 3/4 ounces). A white jig with a white Gene Larew Salt Craw or a black-and-chartreuse model with a plastic chunk in the same colors work well for this tactic. Throughout the fall, a variety of lures will catch bass, but you can simplify your lure choices at the Lake of the Ozarks by trying a spinnerbait, crankbait or jig as a shad imitator. For information on lodging and other facilities at the Lake of the Ozarks or to receive a free 162-page vacation guide, call the Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-800-FUN-LAKE or visit the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitors Bureau web site at funlake.com.

John Berry The Southern Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers is holding its Fly Fishing Fair this week. The event will be held on October 4, 5 and 6. The activities on Thursday will take place at various locations in the area and most of the activities on Friday and Saturday will take place at the Fairgrounds from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. What is a Fly Fishing Fair? All of the old timers like me still refer to it as Conclave, which has always been an annual major gathering of the members of the Federation of Fly Fishers in the Southern Council. It regularly draws over a thousand fly fishers from Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. The idea is to open it up a bit to anyone that is interested in learning more about fly fishing. Toward this end the entry fees have been reduced. You can get a single day pass for just $5.00 or a family day pass for $10.00. Fees for admission for both days is $10.00 for an individual or $15.00 for a family. That is inexpensive entertainment for the family. Disabled veterans are free. For me, the big draw has always been the fly tiers. There are around one hundred fly tiers that will be tying on Friday and Saturday. Some of these tiers are true artists. I could sit and watch for hours. However once again I will be tying on Friday and Saturday myself as will my brother, Dan. My wife, Lori, isn’t as interested in the fly tying. She is usually outside at the casting pools either trying out the various new rods or helping new anglers learn to cast. A big attraction for many of the attendees are the commercial exhibits. There are several rod manufacturers with everything from hand crafted bamboo rods to the latest Sage graphite. There will be loads of fly tying materials, Dave and Emily Whitlock will have a booth featuring Dave’s artwork and books. Local artist and guide Duane Hada will also have one featuring his outdoor art. A new exhibitor is Cabela's. There are several local guides will be there. I will have a booth across from Sage. Stop by and let me tie you a fly. The featured speaker will be Dave and Emily Whitlock who will speak about fly fishing the Texas Hill Country at 6:00 PM on Friday evening in the main conference hall of the Ramada Inn. On Thursday night T. L. Lauerman, Sales Manager at Wapsi will speak on the introduction of the Bear Creek Bonneville Cutthroat Trout in the Norfork River at 7:00 PM in the main conference Hall at the Ramada Inn. There are currently 58 seminars scheduled for the Fly Fishing Fair. Several are to be held offsite on Thursday. Duane Hada will have a class on Plein Air painting. There are several fishing seminars to be held on the water that day. One that comes to mind is my wife, Lori Sloas’s class Seven Simple Steps to Help You Catch Fish. There is a fee for these and the other classes held that day .On Friday and Saturday there will be classes held at the Fairground that cover a variety of fishing and other related subjects. I will teach one on Nymph Fishing on Saturday at 4:00 PM and Lori has one at 9:00 AM on Friday and Saturday. There are also several classes for the non fisher including a great Dutch Oven Cooking Class led by Dennis Slane. There is a welcome dinner on Friday night at the Ramada Inn sponsored by my old fishing club, The Mid South Fly Fishers of Memphis Tennessee. There is a free pizza dinner along with an auction at the Ramada Inn on Friday at 6:00 PM and an awards banquet at the same place at 6:00 PM. Don’t forget the Youth Conclave or the casting games. As you can see there is something for everyone. I hope to see you there.

I think the pressure is on Atlanta. They haven't been in a playoff game in a while, St Louis has nothing to prove - by all rights, they haven't played well enough to be there (new format only puts them there). Atlanta I would think may choke and not hit well. We'll see. I think they'll beat Atlanta 4-2 and then get by the Nationals in 4 or 5. Again, inexperience will hurt Washington. Cincinnati... not sure. I St Louis they have a good chance there too.

Fair enough. I thought that's what he meant.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/AV8kzzDNQ-U" frameborder="0" width="500" height="281"> Generation patterns on Lake Taneycomo have stayed the same for months. Most days the water is off for most or all day, but some days it's running a half unit to one full unit all day until midnight. Which days that will happen is just a guess, so it's best to check the SPA online schedule before heading to the lake. Our trees are starting to turn a bit on the big bluffs along the lake. It looks like we're going to have a pretty autumn season. Leaves in the water means trout are looking for bugs around them. You'll see schools of rainbows midging the surface along the lines of leaves that form as the breeze picks up during the day. We used either a spin or fly rod and throw a zebra midge or a micro jig under a float anywhere from 12 to 36 inches deep. This pattern will continue through November. I got out and fished with my grandson, Jeriah, yesterday. We used night crawlers, injecting them with air and floating them off the bottom, with four-pound line and #8 hooks. I anchored the boat in three feet of water right in front of the mouth of Short Creek and tossed our bait out no more than 25 feet ("Snoopy" rods -- Jeriah's actually features Mater from Cars -- can't cast very well). Jeriah caught eight rainbows and one brown trout in a short amount of time. I didn't realize he wanted to keep and "eat" his fish, so we threw back the first few before I caught what he was saying. Our guides report doing very well using the jig-and-float method using micro or marabou jigs or a trout magnet. There's been a few days when the wind has really kicked up and created a good chop on the water for just this type of fishing. The best micro jig colors have been olive, olive with orange head, gray with chrome head, ginger and black. Marabou colors that have produced are brown with orange head, sculpin or olive. With Trout Magnets, the favorite colors have been pink, sassie or bison. Berkley Powerbait Gulp eggs have been good, too, using white and orange or white and pink. Fly fishing below the dam has been fair. We have seen a few small browns moving up but mainly males. I fished less than an hour this morning and was surprised to see a lot of male rainbows sparring in the Rebar chute. I caught a few on a #18 rusty midge and a #12 mink scud. Didn't see any trout longer than 20 inches, though.

JoeD - I'm not sure what you just said.

What about geocaching? I don't do it... not sure if it's still popular.

Not chasing anything- not even feeding. I've heard may be it's females loosening their eggs but I've seen males jump too. May be it's a spawning thing...

If you post more stuff on your blog, I'd love to post something on the main site. Wonderful pictures. Yea I'm jealous!