Phil Lilley

I thought about not posting it but you really can't tell who it is- face is too blurry. I guess you could if you knew him. It's all in fun.

Thanks for the update, Gene. But still... I'm not sure the blue doors will grow enough The dock, though, is amazingly constructed- one of the sturdiest I've seen. The company that owns Fall Creek has spent a ton of money on both bank stabilization projects as well as the dock, that's for sure.

I will next time. Last minute deal. Heard there were whites to be caught on rattle traps off Combs Ferry Point after dark but nothing. Talked to Rasnick - he said I was ok last night. The note was wrong. As long as you buy the $4 tag, you're fine at night.

Put in at Moonshine about 11 pm tonight. Fished for a couple of hours- got a hot tip but it didn't pan out. Bought a "day pass" but got a note saying I needed to buy an annual pass to park on Corp property after 9 pm next time. Not sure I understand the reasoning . . . may be my ranger buddy Jeremy Rasnick will enlighten me tomorrow when I call him. They got my $4 and I placed the tag in the window. I do understand why they call it a "day pass" but to make someone pay for an annual pass to use their ramps at night seems extreme, especially if you're from out of town and/or if you're only using the ramps a couple of times a year (me). One thing I will say . . . the rangers are on the stick. That's a good thing.

Taneycomo's generation pattern has held consistent this past week which is nice for anglers who are heading to the lake and are counting on fishing a certain way, ie. boating, wading, fly fishing or bait fishing. It helps to know what to buy and pack for the trip. Catching continues to be very, very good for most regardless how you fish. There has been no generation in the mornings with one to two turbines kicking on in the afternoon about 3 pm and continuing till about dark. Water temperatures vary from 43 to 50, depending on where you are on the lake. The trophy area has been by far the most productive area on the lake but it's been hit pretty hard by anglers, especially fishing guides who have been very busy with trips. Our water is very clear right now so dropping to 2-pound test in a must, especially when using small flies and jigs. Spin fishing- tie on 36 inches of 2-pound tippet using a triple surgeon's knot (make a loop with both lines laid over each other and pass the tippet and main line through the loop three times, pull tight). Guides fishing from boats above Fall Creek are using several jigs and flies to catch rainbows: Turner's micro 1/265th oz olive or tan jigs, #16 red, black or rust zebra midges or gray #14 scuds are by far the best. Fish these under a float--depths depend on the water you're fishing. Jigs and zebras need to be fished off the bottom but the scuds need to be fishing on the bottom, twitched or moved to make them look like they're swimming off the bottom. Move around if you're not getting bit. Rainbows are schooling together up there and there's areas where there's no fish. Below the dam, you'll find slow moving and fast water. Fast water, you can get away with using heavier tippet (5 or 6x) but the slower areas you may have to use 7x and smaller flies. Scuds are the best because that's the main food they're seeing. If it's sunny, use a scud with a little flash or glimmer in the dubbing. If it's cloudy and rainy, use an olive or brown scud. Need to drag a scud on the bottom, either using a weighted fly or split shots to get it down. San Juan worms work great, especially after a shower. In the riffles, strip a soft hackle, Crackleback or small woolly. Our trout are starting to look up a bit . . . when the water is dropping out in the evenings (generation is slowing down), use a Big Ugly or Chernobyl Ant - something big and something our trout haven't seen before. Night fly fishing is very good, stripping big streamers like black and purple Hibenators and big leeches and woolly buggers. Below Fall Creek, air injected night crawlers are still catching the larger rainbows while Gulp eggs are catching alot of good rainbows. Again, if you want to catch more fish, use smaller line. Four-pound is fine and you will catch trout but, for a challenge and to catch more fish, try tying on alittle 2-pound tippet. Jig-and-float technique is working well in the deeper water too. For micro jigs, use 2-pound line. For marabou 1/125-ounce to 1/50-ounce you can get away with 4-pound line. Set your floats at 5 to 6 feet deep. Move the float every 10 seconds to give the jig action and watch for the slightest movement. Rainbows usually just come up and mouth the jigs, taste it. You'll need to be quick on the set. Good colors are olive, tan, black, black/yellow, sculpin with an orange head. In the evenings when the water is running, try an 1/8th oz marabou jig and work the bluff banks from Fall Creek down. Using white this week, I've hooked some nice rainbows and browns up to 22-inches long and seen one brown about 34 inches come up and chase a small rainbow. I guess you could have a big rainbow colored Rapala in the boat ready to throw is you find yourself in that situation! It's rare but it does happen.

I would think they are throughout the lake.

We were using spin cast. Add 12 inches of #2 Vanish to our #4 Trilene. Slip on a carrot float. Tie on a #14 or #16 grey scud - actually a tan scud worked best early but we had only one tan scud- Coy had it and was catching 4 to the boy's one trout. Then the sun rose over the bluff and the grey did better. We were fishing such shallow water (24-30 inches) that no need for a split but you could use one to get it down. Set the float about 4 feet but shallowed it up when we were fishing in less than 30 inches. The trout were bunched up is areas. You had to keep moving if you weren't getting bit. Last week, the trout were hiding in the shadows of the bluff but today they were out in the sun- on the flats.

<object width="500" height="405"><param name="movie" value=" name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="405"></embed></object> This is why our rainbows are so big. Constant running water for, what, 3 years now have been good to our bugs. You see sow bugs floating (can't swim) and scuds swimming. This was taken in about 12 inches of water at the Narrows. Could not believe the number of rainbow schooling on the drop at the Narrows today. And they were taking our gray #14 scuds like candy. Coy lost a pig - 20+ over 5 pounds - at the boat. I boated this nice rainbow at the Narrows. Rainbow head under water- just playing.

None- he was kidding.

Mine. Lilleys. We carry all the colors I think. Thanks for the great report. Isn't it great fishing!!?? These rainbows have shot up past 20 inches this year. We're finding them all over the lake right now. Had one to the boat this am below Lookout - about 5 pounds. Gonna have to get up and night fish real soon.

I could have fixed that.

In Arkansas for instance, it's illegal to disturb the stream bottom for the purpose of attracting fish to catch. I think I have that right.

I had to video this guy. He needed some instruction on how to shuffle - well at least manage his line, as we fly fishermen say. <object width="500" height="405"><param name="movie" value=" name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="405"></embed></object>

It was a event. About 200 people showed to fish in the pond for hybrid blue gill (the catfish didn't bite). MDC cut a lot of the cool exhibits- especially the simulated stream bed which I think it very educational. Not many even stopped at the tents - just went fishing. But it was good fishing for the first hour- then they shut down (the fish).

At the top of each page here on the forum is a link to SPA Generation Schedule. There- you will find the schedule. Early and late- best times.

Good discussion- thanks for keeping it respectful. I agree with smallie - we should concentrate on cleaning it up and quit playing the blame game. Media plays the drama card far too often. And we all get caught up in it.

Cut prices down. I WILL sell these benches. Next stop- EBAY.

The ramp was poured short so you can't back a trailer in without backing it off the edge. No way to fix it really without spending a ton of money. They may fix it, seeing how much $$$ they've spent on the back work and dock. Who knows. On another note: They painted the doors on the dock shop navy blue. Colors were nice till they did that. Now . . . well it clashes real bad. Must have been a guy who picked out the color- color blind no less.

There's been a dock at Fall Creek for as long as I can remember. Don't think it will cause problems. Closest ramp would be Cooper Creek or the dam. The ramp there is closed.

Yea- it's a very expensively built dock. But not practical. The deck is almost 3 feet off the water's surface. The floatation is too thick. I assume they're going to do something with the metal dividers in the middle of the double stalls cause most boats will float underneath them they're so far above the water and no padding - ouch! The bait shop looks first class with a big cleaning room but they're going to have issues with the long drain pipe - it's only a 3-inch pipe. It's going to get clogged with fish pretty quickly. Ours is 4 inch- straight down and it gets clogged. Their line run horizontal about 15 feet. The landscape and walkway is first class too. They spent a lot of money there. They aren't letting anyone on the dock until it's 100% done which should be pretty soon.

I like catching big fish just as much as the next fellow but stopped using sculpins because I killed too many fish. Anything that would help mortality would be great!

Sounds like you have a lot of good times ahead of you . . . fishing with grandkids! I have one of those myself!! Welcome.

Funny . . . glad you remembered your password! Welcome back!

If you're catching the fish deep and not fizzing them (releasing air), that might be a problem. Most of the time it's low O2 I'd think. They make additives for livewells to help. What was the temp of the water you're fishing? Ice helps too.

Will add . . . big browns eat a lot of rainbows. Mostly dead or dying ones caught and released by fisherman. They also visit fish cleaning areas at night. The article is right on.