Phil Lilley

Friend of mine sent me this report for the Spring River - I went a long cold ride up the Spring R. Did not have much time, and I wasted the 1st 11/2 hours fishing next to the other boats where I only caught 1 small white. Then I moved to alittle shallower water, about 10-12 ft deep and commenced catching. It was a real nice day 46f, water39f.. I was using smoke swimming minnow. If it is windy it makes it alot more difficult to catch. As is the case this time of year I could not feel any of the fish tap the jig. It was more like picking up on the rod tip and there was weight. Because it was like that, I missed several during the 30-45 minutes that I was on them. They were so cold they did not put up much of a fight. I was alone when I caught them, the other boats had packed it in and were gone by 4:30.

Thread midges don't usually have bead heads. I use copper wire on the red and black but also use red wire on the black body. Some of the black have silver wire- got to have a variety to throw at them. I also do well on the rusty zebras. Got out the drifted the bluff bank in front of the resort from 4:30 till 5 minutes ago. They liked a sculpin/peach 1/8th oz jig pretty well but didn't jump all over it. Caught 6 rainbows and one 3 lb smalley. It's amazing how many small mouth I catch on that bank.

The winter trout season has officially started here on Lake Taneycomo. Table Rock Lake turned over the first part of December so that water released from there to Taney was and is rich in oxygen once again. Actually, this fall season wasn’t all that bad as far as low oxygen levels so it didn’t figure into our fishing as much as past years. Why? Not sure. Generation has been spotty as best. Most mornings we’re seeing anywhere from one to three units running till about noon-1 p.m., then no generation through the afternoon till dusk when they turn at least one unit on and run it through the night. Weekends are the exception though. They’ve been leaving it off all day and all night on Saturday and Sunday nights but if temperatures drop into the teens, look for that pattern to change. Colder temps means higher power demand and we are more apt to see generation even on weekends. Table Rock Lake’s level is low, over 5 feet low right now. But that hasn’t stopped the Corp from running water when they need to. We see midge hatches almost every day in the winter here on the lake and that means our rainbows are ready and waiting to munch on the little flies as they swim up from the bottom and hatch on the surface. So we’ve been keying in on using zebra midges lately and it’s paid off. You can fish these flies anywhere on the lake—fish them under an indicator, depth varies. Zebras size #14 to #16 in red, black, olive and primrose/pearl. Need to use 6x or 2 lb tippet when using flies this small. If rainbows are close to the surface and you can see them dimpling the surface, feeding on midges, set the depth from 6 to 24 inches. If they’re not, set it 24 to 48 inches deep. You can also tie them in tandem- two flies about 18 inches apart. Fish jigs the same way but we generally fish them 48 to 60 inches deep. We’re using micros in olive, brown, black or tan. Also using 1/125th oz in sculpin, brown/orange head and brown/orange head. If the water is running, we’re throwing 1/8th oz sculpin, black, white, olive, ginger/sculpin or gray jigs and working them off the bottom slowly. Below Fall Creek, we’re drifting night crawlers on the bottom and doing very well on larger rainbows. If the water isn’t running, inject some air in the worm and float it off the bottom. Gulp Power eggs is ok using white/pink or white/yellow combinations. Down in the Cooper Creek area they’ve been throwing silver or gold Cleos or yellow Rooster Tails and catching some very nice sized rainbows, best when the sun is out. Wading below the dam – down in the Rocking Chair area, rainbows feed on midges almost all day. This is a great place to wade and target feeding rainbows as they cruise the shallow water. Where the water is moving like at Rebar and up by the outlets, use a San Juan Worm, #14 in pink, red, worm brown and tan as well as scuds size #14 to #18 in varied shades of gray, olive, tan or brown.

Lake of the Ozarks’ Tournament Strategies By John Neporadny Jr. This is the first part of a two-part series on tournament winning patterns at the Lake of the Ozarks. Part One will focus on how to pattern bass throughout the spring from pre-spawn to post-spawn, while Part Two will discuss the top patterns for summer and fall tournaments at the lake. Under its disguise of luxurious condominiums, million-dollar homes and dock-to-dock shorelines lies one of Missouri’s top bass tournament lakes. Although younger reservoirs appeal more to the bass angler’s eye with all the flooded timber and undeveloped shoreline, the Lake of the Ozarks entices bass tournaments with its hidden charms. Numerous tournaments ranging in size from 10-boat bass club events to 150-boat national circuit contests are held each weekend at this 58,000-acre reservoir from February through May. With this sort of attention, the lake receives plenty of fishing pressure, yet still yields heavyweight stringers of bass to tournament competitors. Since Lake of the Ozarks is such a popular site for bass clubs, charity benefit organizations and regional and national circuits to hold tournaments, let’s look at the best springtime patterns to help make you a winner on this massive reservoir. Pre-spawn Tactics The Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League (formerly Red Man) circuit usually gets the early jump on the Lake of the Ozarks tournament season by holding events in February. As the days get longer and warmer throughout this month, bass begin their pre-spawn staging on secondary points. These pre-spawn bass move close to the bank on sunny days but overcast weather causes the fish to suspend in deeper water. Some of the heaviest stringers of the year are taken in late February and throughout March, as big bass become active after a long winter’s slumber. Jerking a Suspending Rattlin’ Pro Rogue or other weighted stickbaits on 8- to 10-pound test line produces best in the clear-water sections of the lake, including the North Shore, Gravois, Grand Glaize, Big and Little Niangua and the lower half of the Osage arm. The most productive stickbait colors are clown (yellow, red and white), silver/blue, silver/black and fire tiger. On calm, sunny days in the early spring, a 1/4- to 3/8-ounce jig and an Uncle Josh number 11 pork frog or plastic crawfish trailer dragged along the rocky points and creek channels take quality bass. The best color combinations for the jig-and-trailer include black/brown, black/blue and black/chartreuse. Slow rolling a ½-ounce white-and-chartreuse spinnerbait along bluffs produces pre-spawn bass if early spring rains turn the lake turbid. When the lake remains clear, slow rolling the same spinnerbait through shallow brush in the stained waters of the upper Big and Little Niangua arms takes heavyweight bass on sunny days. When the water temperature climbs above 45 degrees in March, a brown crawfish Storm Lures Wiggle Wart crankbait becomes an effective lure for catching a quick limit of bass. This lure works best along the flat gravel banks inside coves on the Osage arm above the Hurricane Deck Bridge. While the crankbait pattern produces good numbers of fish throughout late March and early April, most of the major tournaments held during this time are won on jigs. Allen Armour won the April 1994 Missouri BASSMASTER Invitational flipping a Lunker Lures Rattleback Jig and Riverside Big Claw plastic trailer to shoreline cover along creek channel banks on the Osage arm. Takahiro Omori captured the April 1996 Missouri BASSMASTER Invitational by working a Hula Grub on a 1/8-ounce jighead along main lake points and chunk-rock banks on the Grand Glaize arm. A couple of Central Pro-Am Association events held in the spring were also won with a jig. Jim Eakins won the March 1998 Lake of the Ozarks Pro-Am pitching a homemade brown 3/8-ounce jig and a brown Gene Larew Salt Craw to chunk rock banks in the back of creeks around the Hurricane Deck bridge area. His son, Troy Eakins, took first in the April 1999 Lake of the Ozarks Pro-Am using the same homemade jig and a green pumpkin Zoom Critter Craw, which he pitched to ledges in the backs of cuts and shallow boat docks on the Osage arm and the mouth of the Niangua. Perennial tournament winner Bruce Gier earned one of his biggest victories on his home lake by relying on a brown 3/8-ounce jig and a number 11 Uncle Josh pork frog during the April 1992 Lake of the Ozarks Pro-Am. The local angler moved back and forth from shallow to deep water along sandy, gravel areas in pockets of coves in the North Shore area. Spawn Techniques The number of tournaments at the lake declines and the winning weights drop sharply by late April and early May when bass move on the nests. Bass spawn anywhere along pea gravel banks in pockets, but the biggest fish usually build their nests behind boat docks where cables, walkways, pillars and sunken brush piles offer protection from the wind and nest intruders. Targeting docks in the backs of coves is a key to finding spawning bass. The back ends of main-lake condominium docks also attract bedding fish in latter stages of the spawn. On the upper Osage and other stained-water sections of the lake, pitching or flipping with heavy line (20- to 30-pound test) and flipping tackle behind the dock cables produces the best fish. A ½-ounce jig and jumbo trailer or a Texas-rigged 8-inch plastic lizard usually triggers strikes from bedding bass in water less than 3 feet deep. Sight fishing can be a productive pattern in the clear sections of the lake throughout the spawn. Aggressive fish can be taken on a brown ¼-ounce jig and number 11 pork frog or double-tail plastic grub worked on bait-casting tackle and 10-pound test line. If nesting bass shun jigs, these same finicky fish can be tricked into biting a variety of soft plastic baits tossed on spinning tackle and 6- to 8-pound test line. Top lure choices for tournament anglers include 6-inch plastic lizards and small plastic crawfish imitators rigged with either little or no weight to create a slow fall. In the May 1995 BASSMASTER Invitational, George Cochran won the event by catching most of his keepers on a Texas-rigged purple Riverside Air Worm that he threw on spinning tackle and 10-pound test line. He found spawning fish next to shallow laydowns at the mouths of pockets in the Grand Glaize arm around the Public Beach No. 2 weigh-in site. Since quality fish locked on beds can be difficult to reach sometimes, keying on cruising bass provides an alternative method for taking kicker fish. Run down the pea gravel banks and make long casts with Zara Spooks, 5- to 7-inch soft plastic jerkbaits or 6-inch floating worms. Retrieve all of these lures at a steady pace and move the lure faster if a dark shape starts following the bait. Bigger bass also tend to spawn deeper—especially in clear water. The best lures for these spawners are 6-inch plastic lizards worked on Carolina or split-shot rigs. Drag these lures on the bottom along the front or sides of docks at depths of 8 to 10 feet. Post-spawn Tricks The winning weights continue to drop by late May when bass are recuperating from the rigors of spawning. During this time, catching a limit of 3-pounders usually ensures a high finish in most tournaments. A variety of patterns pay dividends in the post-spawn stage. In the early mornings and late evenings, quality fish can be taken on Zara Spooks, Excalibur Spittin’ Images, and propeller topwater lures worked along flat main lake points. Twitching a pearl or shad-colored soft plastic jerkbait along the same structure also tricks hungry post-spawn bass on the points. Topwater action can last all day when the skies remain overcast. A problem tournament anglers must contend with during this time of year is increased recreational boat traffic. The wakes from pleasure boaters makes the surface choppy and curtails the topwater bite. So competitive anglers resort to tactics that allow them to probe deeper water. The most consistent pattern for taking bass during this situation is dragging a Carolina rig along main lake points and humps. After the topwater bite ends, try dragging a rig in the 8- to 10-foot depth range and eventually move out to depths of 20 to 25 feet. The best lures for dragging are 6-inch plastic lizards, double-tail plastic grubs and the new creature-type baits (Zoom Brush Hog, Riverside Lures Wooly Hawg Tail, Berkley Power Hawg and the Gene Larew Hoo Daddy). The most productive colors for all of these lures are green pumpkin, watermelon, watermelon/red flake, pumpkinseed and pumpkinseed/chartreuse. Components for the Carolina rig should include a ½- to ¾-ounce slip sinker, plastic or glass bead, swivel and a 3- to 4-foot leader line tied to a 3/0 hook for the plastic lizard or 4/0 to 5/0 hooks for the plastic grubs and creature baits. After catching a limit of bass on the Carolina rig, you can try for a kicker fish in the backs of creeks. Head for the last docks on each side of the creek and pitch a plastic worm in back and down the sides of the dock. Bluegill are plentiful around the docks and are a post-spawn bass’ prime forage. You should mimic this bait by using 5- to 6-inch ring worms in bluegill hues, such as camouflage, pumpkinseed/chartreuse, green pumpkin or rootbeer/green flake. If the water is murky on the lower end, post-spawn bass remain behind the docks throughout May. These shallow fish can be taken on 5/16- to 9/16-oucne jigs and Uncle Josh number one pork frogs or plastic crawfish pitched behind the cables. The upper Osage arm also produces winning catches during the post-spawn. The best pattern for this area is flipping black-and-blue or black-and-brown 3/8- to ½-ounce jigs and plastic craws or 10-inch plastic worms (pumpkinseed, red shad, electric grape or green pumpkin) along the sides of docks in the coves. The bigger fish will be holding at depths of 6 to 10 feet. On windy days, plenty of keepers can be taken by running a 3/8- to ½-ounce chartreuse or white spinnerbait with willowleaf blades through the shallow brush. Night tournaments usually begin in May on the lower end of the lake. Sunken brush piles in the 8- to 10-foot depth range along secondary and main lake points are ideal spots for working a Texas-rigged plastic worm after dark. The most productive plastic worm for this pattern is the 10-inch Berkley Power Worm in dark colors (blue fleck, black/blue, red shad, electric grape, black and tequila sunrise). 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.

What do you guys use to float your fly line?

My son and I had a great time fishing the mild 50 degree weather on Monday and Tuesday. We waited for the water to drop on Monday so we could wade below the dam. We got on the water around 11 AM. We avoided the small crowds in the outlets and I headed to Rebar. I spoke with a guy who said the fishing was outstanding on Sunday, but things had slowed considerably on Monday. It seemed we all had to work hard for the fish we caught. I landed eight rainbows all on a #18 gray scud under a #16 olive scud. Color didn't seem to matter as much as size, but I was too lazy to retie! A guy near me landed a beautiful 27 inch male rainbow. The fish were there as always, but it wasn't my day to land one. Adam tried something different and he went BIG. He threw a floating Rapala on his ultra light. He fished from the cable to Big Hole and landed 15 rainbows. The largest was 19 inches. It just goes to show you don't have to fly fish to be successful. On Tuesday we decided to use one of your boats instead of waiting for the water to drop and it was the right decision. They ran water all day and fishing from the boat was good as usual. We started with 1/16th oz maribou jigs from Rebar to the old KOA. They worked well if you could get them down to the bottom which was tough in the deeper water. We switched to small egg sinkers with white streamers and woolly worms and the was the answer. We landed forty fish by lunch time. After lunch we went downstream to Monkey Island and threw the jigs as they had slowed the water to one generator. We randomly caught fish, but they were mostly small stockers so we headed up to Lookout Island. The fishing was better with more fish and better size. We threw jigs on the shallow side all the way down to Fall Creek. White/gray and the white/tinsel jigs we bought in your shop, on 2lb line was all we used. We were consistently catching fish and had no reson to change. We ended the day with over 70 fish landed and released. Of all the fish five were in the 18-19 inch range. Suprisingly we didn't catch any browns. It wasn't our best trip in terms of numbers/size of fish caught, but it is hard to beat a day on Taneycomo in December with the temperatures in the 50's. Especially when we watched a Bald Eagle fly down 100 yards away and pick a fish off the water! We are looking for the next break in the weather so we can make a return trip in January! Thanks, Bill

You didn't get down as far as Snap did you? Did see a couple of boats go by us. I heard last night that in some places down lake the crappie were being picky--- they were only taking small jigs if they were drop straight down and vertical jigged, no swimming action at all. That may have worked for you all. I didn't try it where I knew crappie were over brush. We were getting bit short too but they were blue gill. Lost lots of tails off the swimming minnows. We'd catch a white and I'd think - here they are!! But not so... Great day to be out!!! Can't complain about that!

Can't ban Ness... he's my future hunting buddy.

No ducks... just fish.

It's not closed... is it? I don't keep up with these threads honestly. I skim over them when the pages start adding up and see how tempers are doing. Or I'll get an email from Dan or someone else - you know one of those red button alerts. I really try to get you guys every chance to keep it constructive and I do have to say for the most part 95% of you do. That's why I don't close threads right a way - I don't like to. I'd rather them close themselves with members agreeing to disagree and go on. Good night!

Nice crappie, Bill!!

Bill and I wanted to get out before the holidays and before it got cold again so we headed out this morning about 9:30. Put in at K-Dock and headed up to Snapp. Fished the drop off the flat. The flat is 2.5 feet deep and it drops off to 30 feet real quick... stumps lined all the way down, just ask Bill. How many did you lose??? 20? I lost my share. Caught a couple of whites, 8 crappie, 1 keeper walleye and some blue gill - assorted bass, small. No chop most of the day. Did try down off the flat out from the ramp and caught a couple of crappie and small bass. Smoke swimming minnows caught most of the fish. Bill jerked a stick bait and caught 3 of the biggest crappie- 2 pounders. I did the best using 1/16th oz jig heads instead of 1/8th. The fish came off the flat and the drop both places. Lots and lots of shad. Water was 47 degrees and slight current. No- not out of town... fishing!

Is this the other one?

At least one for now...

Back to fishing... this thread has run it's course.

Actually, we've talked and written about feeder creeks off Taneycomo many times. Turkey Creek in Hollister is a great place but hit by locals pretty hard. Most aren't catch and release so they get caught out early. On up in Turkey can be good. Bull Creek is great. If you can find other access to other creeks they should have trout in them in the winter. If you find others... we're open to suggestions.

I stripped a big streamer in the big, fast water and did real well. The bigger the riffle the better. It amazing how big trout will hold in that fast water. If you get tired of watching rainbows refuse your dries in the slack water... try the big, fast water. I love the SJ... you should do well this time of year. The fish should be well rested.

I guess so.... !

I'm sure it did. Those are the indicators.

I let it go because I thought it might be of some interest. When I validated him, I saw his domain and thought, "What's a guy from California interested in a fishing site in the Ozarks if only to sell his product". I thought I'd give him a shot. It's not a bad idea... You guys could have blasted him but you didn't. I'm not against someone coming on and selling something on the site, esp if it has something to do with fishing.

This is a rarity... I've never heard of Kris or his service. There's nobody down here doing what he's doing - it's a great idea for sure. Sounds like he has Taneycomo down pat. Thanks for sharing!

I could BELIEVE they went ALL the way to the top and then STOOD UP on TOP of the light. At every point where you'd think they stop, they'd keep going. It takes a very special person to do this.

<object width="450" height="370"><param name="movie" value="http://www.liveleak.com/e/07b_1284580365"></param><param'>http://www.liveleak.com/e/07b_1284580365"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.liveleak.com/e/07b_1284580365" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" allowscriptaccess="always" width="450" height="370"></embed></object> This gave me the willies just watching. Oh man. Unbelievable!! Or go here - http://www.liveleak.com/mp53/player.swf?config=http://www.liveleak.com/mp53/player_config.php?token=07b_1284580365%26embed=1 You need to make it full screen to get the full effect.

Hilarious! You don't go to hell for telling stories like that. Even Jesus loves a good story.

You have some fantastic fishing in your state too! We'll be glad to share- thanks for joining.