Phil Lilley

If someone from, say, New York, wanted to talk to some Ozarkians about our way of fishing down here, where would be a good place to go?

"Keyboard Warriors" - like that.

Babler said he and others had an extremely hard time today on TR. He's guiding again tomorrow so he won't post till at least Friday.

In a perfect world, you're probably right. But it's not perfect and there will be situations when gilling a fish may have to be done to control the fish. May be the action won't be premeditated. . . but what gilling the fish may keep it from could be worse. Gilling a fish is not a death sentence. It certainly isn't good for it and could easily kill it but it's not automatic. I wouldn't do it on purpose and wouldn't do it unless it was a big fish and circumstances warranted it.

That's the nature of forums, unfortunately. When a forum gets as big as this one, you've got all kinds of people who believe different ways and some aren't afraid to say so. I have seen a move away from posting on forums, especially fishing guides who are on the water more days than most, who see fish patterns and who's knowledge is invaluable to the common angler. But they get bashed by a few who don't like guides, they make too much money, they lie about their reports, la di ada da... Then you don't see them (the guide) posting anymore (look at Table Rock). They post on facebook and get only a fraction of the exposure they would on this forum, at least from outside their realm of patrons and friends. There's no easy answer here. Honestly, the way I see it is that guides who want to and continue to post here or any other public forum have to have thick skin and take what a few dish out while others who APPRECIATE what guides do here thank them over and over as well as drowning out the negative posters with positive comments I am in the process of getting OA completely redone, and there will be a place where contributing guides will be able to post reports without comments from members. The forum itself will not change. This will be in addition to the forum.

Did for mine either. Not sure why.

Got our webcam up and hopefully running. But need for others to check and see if it is on their machines. Right now, should be able to see it using firefox and ie. We're working on Safari. http://www.lilleyslanding.com/live-cam and http://ozarkanglers.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=283&Itemid=102

Fished from 8-noon with Mark Tobin. Nothing huge at all - alot of dinks. Caught them mainly on 1/16th oz sculpin jigs and I threw a olive micro under a float for a while too and did just as well. Fished from Lookout down through the Narrows. Some wind now and then. Neosho has been stocking almost all of the rainbows here in Taney in January and February which speaks to the size of the stockers we're seeing. We caught alot of 6-inch rainbows today. We did muster 2 rainbows about 18 inches but none between 18 and 13 inches. I know some days you just don't see many larger rainbows and then all of a sudden that's all you're catching. Today was "dink day".

Just across from Berrier Cove.

Wasn't me was it? I thought I was in a meteor shower.

That was Thursday... they were pretty full Friday through the weekend. It was a good weekend.. everyone was enjoying being outside, frying fish and Bar-B-Q'ing last evening. Besides all the piles of snow, it felt alittle like spring.

Just a reminder of the meeting this Saturday. This really should be interesting if you're a Taneycomo fan.

Annual Shawnee Boats, Inc. Trout Tournament Hosted by: Cotter Area Chamber of Commerce Saturday, March 26, 2011 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM at the Cotter Ramp on the White River Entry Fee — $100.00 per Team (2 People) Entry fee covers 2 meal tickets per boat for cookout after Tournament and one (1) entry in the Shawnee Boat Drawing. Extra meal tickets are $10.00 each and can be ordered when entry fee is paid. Limited to the first 125 paid entries. Open to all makes of boats. Extra entry forms – CotterArkansas.Com PRIZE FUND (Pro-rated based on 100 entries) 1st Place: $1,000 - 2nd Place $800 – 3rd Place $600 4TH Place $400 -5th Place $300 – 6th through 10th $100 ea. SEPARATE BIG FISH POT - $25 Entry (Based upon 100 entries – Payout $2500) SPECIAL BOAT DRAWING (Only Tournament Entrants eligible – must be present to win) A New 2011 Shawnee Deluxe Boat, Trailer and Seats (Donated by Shawnee Boats, Inc. – Motor available at cost) Valued at $6900

I didn't get any flags...

Talk to a corp guy who's been out of town this week. He heard that they put in at Indian Point today with some trouble. State Park should be clear- they blade it. Thought Kim City ramp would be ok since it's not real steep and it faces south. Other ramps- it did hit 40 today so I bet they might be icy in the am but good the rest of the day.

Hope the operation is minor and won't knock you out of any white bass catchin' days.

By then at least the roads will be clear, if they aren't already. 45 today and 50's tomorrow and Sunday.

From MidCurrent.Com - http://www.midcurrent.com/news/2011/02/chuck-tryon-dies.html Author, fly tier and wildland hydrologist Chuck Tryon died on February 7 in California. Gary Soucie sent us this tribute to Chuck, which describes his many accomplishments: "Chuck (Charles) Tryon had been a career wildland hydrologist with the U. S. Forest Service, mainly in Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri. He and his late wife Sharon founded Ozark Fly Fishers and co-authored such books as Figuring Out Flies: A Practical Guide; Fly Fishing for Trout in Missouri; and All About Flies: Everything the Flyfisher Knows About Flies. A few years after Sharon succumbed prematurely to cancer, Chuck wrote 200 Missouri Smallmouth Adventures. Chuck Tryon was the originator of the BUBfly, a weighted fly with rubberleg tails and antennae and a palmered hackle, which is a great fly for trout, bass, and good-sized panfish. I've even used it successfully in salt water. Originally black, with a grizzly hackle (BUB originally stood for Big Ugly Black), Chuck started tying the fly in many other versions, as long as its new name began with the letter B (Blue, Bloody, Brindled, Banana, etc., in front of BUBfly). The BUBfly was featured in an article by Chuck ("The Big, Ugly, Bodacious BUBfly") in the September/October 1997 issue of American Angler. For a few years, Chuck tied BUBflies for Ed Storey's Feather-Craft Fly Fishing in St. Louis, MO, until he decided he's rather spend his spare time fly fishing. In addition to stalking trout and smallmouth bass in Missouri waters, Chuck also enjoyed such annual forays as gar fishing with friends in Illinois. Along with Sharon, Chuck was actively involved for many years with the local chapters of Trout Unlimited and the Federation of Fly Fishers. Among Chuck Tryon's many other attributes, he was a great fishing companion. As I, Joel Vance, Gary LaFontaine, Spence Turner, and many others knew, fishing with Chuck Tryon really made a fishing trip in Missouri. I shall miss him." -- Gary Soucie

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/pMD_eL3a4w8?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <p> <iframe title="YouTube video player" width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cn9zwFOefyo?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

You're right on the barbs - no restrictions. But if you're catching and releasing, it's easier to release fish if you do mash the barbs. What you use and how you fish depends on what kind of fishing experience you're looking for. If you want to kick back and relax on the dock and throw some bait, you'll catch some trout and have a good time. If you want to work alittle and see some of the lake, get a boat and putz around... you'll catch more fish probably. But if you want to be more aggressive and fish like you do for bass, throw some stick baits and cast some jigs... you probably will catch more and larger trout but it will be more work. Like Duane said, watch the reports and lake conditions closer to the time you're coming. Conditions will dictate alot of what you'll do here.

"What?!" That was my reaction. "And you put it in the Conservation Forum???" That was my second reaction. It needs to warm up so we can talk more fishing.

The Wheelers are dominating trout fishing so far this year. Their jig fishing technique is hooking nicer rainbows for sure. Not as many nicer rainbows than last weekend. Conditions mirrored last Saturday - high sun and little wind but there was some wind which should have been better and I think it was. Alot of guys reported catching quite a few smaller rainbows, especially down lake close to the Landing and Scotty's. The Rogers team said they caught 50 rainbows but nothing big enough to weigh.

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Xv55fr1EL8o?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

When choosing a jig, I think you have to look at the colors offered, shape of the head, type of metal used (lead or alloy) and how they're tied. The shape of the head affects the drop of the jig. Some jig heads are made oblong and will fall at an angle. The flat heads, the jig will fall all different ways. Some jigs are tied with collars, some are not. The collars gives the jig body more... body. Type of metal isn't as important unless you just don't want to use lead. My #1 go-to color is sculpin. I use it for trout and bass, either one. I also like combo colors, mixing sculpin or dark earth colors with light colors for contrast. Plus- one other thing to consider is how well the jig is made. If you use a particular jig and it falls apart after catch a couple of fish on a regular basis, I wouldn't go back to it.