Phil Lilley

Here ya go! If you want, just find a picture that shows spawning redds if you have one. Gearing up for the annual brown trout run on Lake Taneycomo, the White River and the Norfork Tailwater It’s getting to be that time of year again when fly fishers are counting the days until the brown trout run starts in earnest on the White, Norfork and Lake Taneycomo. I never encourage fishing for trout that are actively spawning, but there are ways to ethically take advantage of this annual event without compromising one’s ethics, and this particular topic will be covered in the “guides tips” section later on in this newsletter. Currently, scores of big browns are starting to move upstream to stage on Taneycomo and the Norfork, but it will be at least another month before pre-spawn activities start on the White. When the brown trout on the Norfork and Taneycomo start to move upstream as a part of their “procreation process”, anglers are privy to unique opportunities to go after these behemoths in a setting that is void of the typical crowding that goes along with any opportunity where big fish are susceptible. Pounding actively spawning fish is not representative of anglers who take the wild trout potential of these rivers seriously, and most ‘true’ fly fishermen would rather forgo the chance at catching a big, beat up brown amongst the masses in lieu of having some water to themselves. That said, there are methods and techniques that are not detrimental to our beloved fisheries when wetting a line during the spawn – the issues arise when groups of fishermen hoard certain spots and basically harass trout that are in shallow water. Please feel free to contact me jeremy@flysandguides.com if you have any questions about fishing the runs on the Norfork and Lake Taneycomo, and I am more than eager to share some of the knowledge I’ve amassed over the course of fishing these rivers for many years. The Norfork is already loaded with browns, and they are also starting to move into the lower trophy area on Taneycomo. This year promises to be one of the best in recent memory, and if the region doesn’t see any more significant rainfall over the next month, there should be plenty of low-water opportunities for those who prefer to wade. 　 　 Guide Tips: How to fish during the spawn without damaging a trout fishery It is no secret that it is hard for anyone to pass up the opportunity to cast at a 25-inch brown that is stationary in shallow water, but this is exactly the type of behavior that needs to be discouraged by ethical anglers of all types. When spawning, many huge trout will congregate on and around redds (spawning beds), and at these times, feeding is the last thing on these fish’s minds. Instinct dictates almost all animal behavior, and there is absolutely no reason that any “educated” fish would put themselves in a compromising position unless it is for the greater good of their species. White River Basin trout are subject to pressure 365 days a year, and as sportsmen, it is important to realize that fishing over spawning trout does not constitute a “fair chase”. Many of the fish hooked on redds are often snagged, and when they do bite a fly or lure, it is often to protect the nest or out of aggression. I can see how this practice could be deemed acceptable in situations where salmonoids ascend the rivers of their birth from a huge body of water, but as mentioned, trout in the Ozarks never get a break, and fishermen (and their techniques) keep getting more proficient with each passing year. During their runs, White River Basin trout throw caution to the wind in an effort to pass on their superior genetics to the next generation, and this is why most of the REALLY big trout (over 12 pounds) found in Arkansas and Missouri are completely wild. Over-fighting or harvesting a spawning fish is not only narcissistic; if that fish dies of exhaustion, a part of the river’s prolific history is lost forever. I don’t expect anglers to put up their gear just because there is spawning activity going on, but with a little bit of observation and diligence, it is possible to fish at these times without potentially damaging a fishery. The first step is to avoid the redds at all costs. This means being exceedingly aware of where you are walking. Spawning beds are cleared out areas that range from the size of a car’s hood to the size of an SUV, and eggs will remain in these spots for over seven weeks before they hatch, so avoiding the redds is important long after the last fish has spawned. On Lake Taneycomo, hoards of fishermen fish elbow to elbow in the hatchery outlets, and this practice epitomizes everything that is wrong with fishing during the spawn. Greed, egos and hoarding have no place in the world of trout fishing, and only the most insecure of anglers would even think of fishing the outlets during the brown run on Lake Taneycomo. 　 Keep in mind that just because one can see big fish on redds and in hatchery outlets does not mean that these are the only trophies in the river. Fishing in deep water below the spawning beds is not only ethical, it also offers up the chance at catching a “fresh” fish that doesn’t have egg patterns stuck in their tails and backs. I won’t pretend to be an expert in coldwater biology, but from what I’ve gathered, trout spend far more time staging below the beds than they spend actually spawning – this means that the majority of big fish are NOT on the redds or in shallow water at any given time. Another way to target big browns during the spawn is to fish key areas during high water. Although releases tend to be on the lighter side in October and November, there are still days when the dams will run water all day, and this provides a prime opportunity to fish ‘blind’. Personally, this is my favorite scenario for fishing during the runs because you never know what you might hook into. There is nothing quite like the feel of a big fish that takes a fly in an area where you know they are stacked up. Finally, fishing at night is a blast when it comes to working water where big trout are holding, and because browns are primarily nocturnal feeders, there is no better time to target these fish because they are not as spooky. 　 Fishing the brown trout runs on the White River Basin is not about pounding browns in shallow water. In fact, this type of fishing should not be encouraged if you are at all concerned with the possibility of increased numbers of wild fish in the system. The tips and techniques listed above can be an absolute blast, and I remember one particular day when I caught one brown after another on small dry flies just downstream of a mob of anglers fighting to get a drift in outlet #1 at Taneycomo. Spawning trout deserve to “do the deed” with as little disruption as possible, and by thinking outside of the box, it’s possible to catch a fish of a lifetime while having no significant negative impact on the fisheries. Guide Secrets: Hot spots for ethically fishing the brown runs on Taneycomo and Norfork It’s one thing to talk about ethically fly fishing during the brown runs on Lake Taneycomo and the Norfork Tailwater, but without a little “inside” information, it’s easy to revert back to the temptation to drift egg patterns over the redds. In this section, I am going to specifically describe the techniques and spots that I like to fish during the brown runs. It’s doubtful that any other guide would publish this type of information, but I think the world of my subscribers, so I want to give you all the best chance at having a successful day on the water if you make it to the Ozarks this fall. The Norfork Honestly, there really aren’t any places to wade in Quarry Park (Norfork Dam) during low water without possibly stepping on spawning beds, so I would skip this area all together and leave those fish for the ‘amateurs’. Instead, focus on the deep water below the small island, and there are always loads of staging browns from the downstream boundary of Quarry Park to the bottom of Gene’s Hole. Egg patterns do work well in this spot, but for whatever reason, Zebra Midges in a variety of colors seem to appeal to these slow-water fish when the river is dead low. I like to use tungsten patterns because they stay down more effectively than those tied with regular beads. Do not wade past Gene’s dock unless you have a way to get back to the park if the water comes up, and the rest of the river is inaccessible until you get to the Handicapped/Ackerman Access. If you do have a boat, focus on areas like the Long Hole, the area where McClellen’s Shoal slows down, and all around the island below the waterfall/plunge pool. I would avoid Gulley’s Shoal, but the deep water below there is another prime spot for staging browns. When walking into the Handicapped/Ackerman Access, head upstream towards the islands. There is a great spot below the island where a huge rock sticks out of the middle of the river, but do not expect these fish to be pushovers. Tiny egg patterns and nymphs are the ticket in this area due to the fact that this is the ‘smallest’ water on the Norfork and it also receives a ton of pressure. Avoid the narrow (Charlie Cooke’s) side of the island, as there is no way to fish ethically in the flat water below the short riffle. There is nothing wrong with hitting the main channel on the other side, though, and there are some great sight-fishing areas where the water starts to slow down. The majority of fish are going to be around the upstream islands, and there are very few spots downstream of the access/parking areas that are worth the effort of getting into position due to the lack of accessibility. Lake Taneycomo For those unaware, the brown run at Lake Taneycomo is a little different than what transpires in Arkansas. Part of this has to do with the fact that this tailrace is comprised of very slow water from Table Rock Dam all the way down to Powersite Dam when there is no power being generated. This means that conditions are not exactly ideal from a low-flow perspective for trout to spawn successfully on this stretch of water. This doesn’t mean that the fish don’t try, and with the help of hatchery personnel who collect spawning browns from outlet #3, the “Taneycomo Strain” is a ‘virtually’ wild fish with the potential to grow very large. Please try and avoid fishing near any of the outlets during the run, and instead focus on the area downstream of outlet #3 down to the Point. Although this information is hardly a secret, most fishermen cannot avoid the temptation to slam the resting and ‘spawning’ browns near the dam. Another strategy when fishing Taneycomo during the brown run is to “let ‘em have it”. What I mean by this is that even though the majority of browns are going to be congregated from the Point up to the dam, that is also where there are hoards of people. Sometimes, I like to take the “road less travelled” and fish from the Rocking Chair Hole down to Point Royale. I still catch the occasional brown, but my intention is to find some solitude and have fun with some less-pressured, fat rainbows. The derby mentality of fishing the reaches of upper Taneycomo gets old, but if you’ve never seen it before, it’s worth checking out just to witness the spectacle of it all. In Conclusion… Be assured that I will be out scouting our local waters virtually every day, and I promise to keep everyone updated regarding the latest conditions. The browns are starting to move around and stack up on the Norfork and at Lake Taneycomo, but I expect that this activity will increase exponentially over the next couple of weeks. Be sure to check out my latest report on the Web site where I will rehash my adventures of a nighttime float in Arkansas in search of some really big browns. This type of experience is available to my clients, so if you are interested, just drop me a line. I hope that everyone gets to experience the thrill of Ozark fly fishing in the fall this year with all the beautiful fish, gorgeous scenery and near-perfect weather. Big fish should not only be caught once!! Jeremy Hunt 417-294-0759 www.taneycomotrout.com jeremy@flysandguides.com

And here, we're praying for a breath of wind...

Super- thanks for posting!!! See when you get home.

We had frost the first morning, otherwise mid 40's. Day was in the 50's.

<a href=" title="PICT0003 by phillilley, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4147/4999443035_f2ee8620cf.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="PICT0003" /></a> I just opened this Flickr account and haven't mastered how it works yet but you can click the image, go to the site and see the rest of 105 pictures from the trip.

Not sure what that book would have been. There's a book that's out of print that may be it - Ozark Trout Tales by Steve Wright.

A gentleman from St Louis said he left a Powell 9' 4/5 wt fly rod against his vehicle today mid day by accident and when he returned the rod was gone. Now someone may have taken the rod someplace and turned it in to keep someone from stealing it - hope that's what happened. The rod wasn't worth that much, but to this angler it does. It has sentimental. Call our office at 417-334-6380 if you have any info. Thanks

Thanks guys. I tried to capture our trip on video and images the best I could to bring home and share the experience. I truly understand not many people can do such a trip although it wasn't real expensive. I couldn't have done it without Bill, his knowledge and experience and his camping equipment. That's where most of the costs come from - buying good quality equipment that won't fail in the bush. Thanks

I thought we weren't supposed to do politics... I'm not going to read all this - I've read Al's last statement and that's all I need to close this thread. There are other threads that step over the line too. And basically it's the same crowd that keeps pushing the limits further and further. It's like kids seeing how far they can push the parent's limits, although I'm NOT the daddy. Actually, sometimes I'd like to shut the whole thing down but there's still alot of good things being posted on this forum so I'll keep on keeping on. If you can't control your fingers, don't post. Go find another forum that allows bashing and leave us alone. If anyone takes this personally, don't. I'm just trying to keeps lines in place. BTW - good post, Al.

I didn't get to do everything I wanted on these but it's close. Still have some video that I can't get to till I get home. <object width="800" height="470"><param name="movie" value="?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1"'> ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1"></param><param'>?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1"'> ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1"'> ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="800" height="470"></embed></object> Link to Video #1 - <object width="800" height="470"><param name="movie" value="?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1"'> ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1"></param><param'>?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1"'> ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1"'> ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="800" height="470"></embed></object> Link to Video #2 - <object width="800" height="470"><param name="movie" value="?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1"'> ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1"></param><param'>?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1"'> ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1"'> ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="800" height="470"></embed></object> Link to Video #3 - <object width="800" height="470"><param name="movie" value="?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1"'> ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1"></param><param'>?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1"'> ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1"'> ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hd=1&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="800" height="470"></embed></object> Link to Video #4 -

Fogged in Kodiak all day yesterday. No planes in or out including ours. So far it's cost us 24 hours and $400 each - another day on the car rental, lodging one night and extra airfare. Leaving Anchorage tonight and getting in Fayetteville in the morning. I guess it's not uncommon to get fogged in at Kodiak. Sometimes for days we've been told. So we're grateful to be out of there and sitting in Anc airport.

We stayed at the Olds River Inn here on Kodiak. If you come, you should consider staying here. Nice cabins and they're building a brand new restaurant and bar. There's NOTHING within 25 minutes to buy anything out this way- not even a coke machine so their place will be the center of activity. Fred and Mary are great hosts, fun to visit with and will help you in whatever way they can to make your stay a nice one. Fred felt bad about the fishing conditions- he took Bill and I over the pass on his ATV's to the Saltery River which has a good run of silvers. Quite a ride- beautiful views. Anyhow their restaurant will be done and opened next spring.

Well- we head back to Missouri tomorrow. Our Kodiak week was a learning experience. We leave with 3 silvers plus whatever we buy in Kodiak before we leave tomorrow. It's hard to put a finger on this place. It's like Colorado with a seascape and salmon. Because of the improvement of the road coming out this way, there's more people fishing at the bridges than there used to be and because we couldn't fish above the bridges, it crowded everyone up real bad. Plus low water and low fish count, everyone was beating on the same fish... and I mean beating. Most throw big spinners and they snagged fish on every cast. They seemed to find pleasure in this, kicking the decaying pinks and chums back in the water. They were good about releasing the silvers they foul-hooked except for one guy and his wife this afternoon. Long story short- he barked at me when I tried to give him some advice and then promptly snagged a silver, drug it up on the gravel and put a knife in it's gill to bleed it. At that point, I had to leave. I had had enough of the circus. I'm painting a poor picture of our Kodiak experience. IF they'd had more rain and IF we could have fished above the bridges, it may have been different. I did have my chances at landing more silvers... but I think for every ten silver one normally hooks, you don't land but a couple because there's too much to go wrong... these fish are big, wild fish and they fight hard. But there's too many other places here in Alaska and beyond to find good fishing holes. We leave tomorrow evening for Anchorage and then fly all night to get back to Branson Tuesday afternoon. I counted 13 different flights on this adventure... 9 down and 4 to go. I think you'll like the Kelly River video. Can't wait to share it.

We took a ATV ride today. The owner of the cabins we're staying in took up over the pass and down to the Saltery River. This only can be accessed from the ocean (boat or float plane) or by ATV trails. There's a couple of lodges on the river and the river has alot of silvers in it- more than most rivers right now so you know where most of the anglers are fishing!! We got there fairly early and rode in, Bill and I on a Ranger (2-man vehicle) and Fred and Snappy on single rides. It was 15 miles over the pass and down to the river and the trail was challenging to say the least. It took us an hour. The beach area was beautiful. Not many fish. So we headed in and found people already on the best holes. So we went on up and found some water and silvers but they weren't interested in much. Fred caught 2 quick silvers on a spinner. I had one on for a short time, purple/pink fly. We worked up to a lake where I caught 2 nice silvers on the same fly. Bill hooked a couple but no meat. Caught a bunch of small dollies on an Elk Hair Caddis on the lake- every cast. Reminded me of brookies in Colorado- plentiful, small and dumb. Great day... but "done that, never again". The river was "used". The banks were well worn by bears but mostly anglers. Crowded. Not real pretty. Lots of dead salmon and smelly. So far, Kodiak has been a disappoint. I understand "fishing" - bad conditions, blue bird skies, low water and so on but there's lots and lots of people trying to catch silvers. Too crowded for traveling to ":Alaska". Alaska to me means getting away from the crowds and seeing beautiful rivers and streams and not beat-down banks with fishing line, packaging and empty drink containers all over the place. But we have a couple more days. We may find a new place that will be better.

There were a couple of guys camped at the mouth of Wrench one night that said they saw a mom and cub walking the beach and a muskox. Locals said they are walk the river valleys. Wish we would have spotted one. Some bear sign, wolf tracks, fox tracks and moose tracks. But there weren't enough salmon in this river to feed many bears, thus there wasn't any to see, at least while we were there. It was amazing how this area was void of animals. Guess there's not much out there for many to survive and the winters I'm sure are extremely rough. There's caribou up there but not in that area. They were NE of where we were but would move through the valley in a few weeks.

I'm not going to start at the beginning and write a blow-by-blow account of our trip so far - that comes later when I have time to do it. But I wanted to report something to bring you all up to speed what we've done, what we've found and what we're doing now. Floating the Kelly River was something else. We learned real fast that Alaska rivers and fishing isn't anything like Missouri - it's nothing like the Naknek and other rivers we've fished either. There's very little about the river on the internet, only that there were some BIG sea run arctic char swimming in it. We were to float about 30 miles from up in the headwaters down to the mouth of the Kelly dumping into the Noatak River but when we only found fish at the mouth of a creek 5 miles into the float and then at the mouth and in a creek 10 miles down further, we decided to stay there and finish out our week. We found the largest char at the first creek. The pilot said the creek was called "no name" but we called it Maggie Creek. We spent 2 nights at the mouth and fished 3 days. Downstream, we found more char at Wrench Creek, a larger creek than Maggie. Char and grayling both make their way to these spots and spawn in the fall. We are convinced neither spend much time in the Kelly - the char running back to the ocean and grayling probably back to the Noatak. Did see many small forage fish - some sculpins - and hardly any insect hatches, nothing rising to them when they did hatch. Regardless to say, we caught nothing on dries. We caught our fish on big black leeches at Maggie Creek with a bead pegged above the fly. The water wasn't deep- 4 feet the deepest. Same at Wrench. At Wrench, we caught all our fish on beads. Numbers - I caught about 50 char and 35 graying. My largest char was a male about 38 inches. Bill's was 36. At Wrench our male char ranged from 24 to 32 inches and the females ranged from 20 to 30 inches but the males were consistently larger. Grayling - we caught alot of 20-22 inch fish. I've had a terrible time uploading pictures here at our cabin. Very slow internet and when I put a load on it, it all but stops. I didn't want to just post a fish pic - wanted to give you the whole float experience which was incredible. The country is so vast and awesome, pics and video can't capture it. I'll try to upload a few here before we head back out to try to find some silvers.

Thom- very sorry to hear your news. I'm sure it's a bitter sweet time for you and your family. This time, though, is a blessed time to spend with family and friends. Make the very best of it - cherish life and relationships. Will lift you all up in prayer. Be blessed!

I need to post an ad to try to sell more... I really haven't sold that many. It'll just take time to get them out.

We made it. Great flight. We're at the Micro Tel Motel tonight. Pick up out Sat Phone tomorrow and fly out to Nome and then Kotzebue at 11 am. Last night in a real bed before hitting the river... and a shower Can't wait.

Bill and I are laying over in Denver right at the moment. Our flight out of Branson was flawless. We have 2 hours to kill before our 5.5 hour flight to Anchorage. It's hard to believe we'll be on the Kelly River tomorrow. Air flight in this day and age is amazing. The Healing Water Event kept us hopping. We both were 99% packed since Thursday and it was a good thing. Coordinating guides and meals for the guys has a full time job. But it was all worth it. I'd been packing, or thinking about what to take, for the last 3 weeks. I'd run through potential problems and situations on the river and think... what would I need. Add it to a small list and then run to Walmart and pick up stuff. Made a couple of trips to Springfield, Sams, Bass Pro and Lawrence Photo among other places. I made trips to other outdoor outfitting places but couldn't shell out the bucks for the real good stuff. The weather in Kotzebue has improved the last few days. The forecast for Monday-Wednesday is 55 and partly cloudy!! Oh man is that going to be nice!!! As Bill put it, that's great picture-taking weather. We were told the area had gotten quite a bit of rain so we were afraid the river would be high and muddy. Nothing we can do at this point but we think we'll be ok now that the weather is better. We get in Anchorage at 10:45 pm which is 1:45 am at home. We won't be calling our wives till in the morning. Our flight leaves Ted Stevens Int at 11 am tomorrow. We have a 1.5 hour layover in Nome which is going to be cool. Hopefully we can get out and walk around alittle. This might be the last entry until we get off the river and back to Anchorage on 9/6.

It was fun. The guys had great weather and fairly good fishing. Early morning fishing was slow but as soon as the wind kicked in, the bite was on. Chuck Gries - what can I say. He flat puts people on fish. This is proof that catch and release works. Gene Collins caught the 27 inch rainbow drifting an egg fly in the trophy area. This same rainbow was caught up closer to the dam on July 6th and released at our dock. The reason I know- it has a bend in the middle of it's back. I commented when the fish was caught in July that it looked like a Naknek, Alaska rainbow. It was released this time at the same place- at our dock.

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3 CSR 10-10.768 Sales and Possession of Wildlife Parts and Mounted Specimens PURPOSE: This rule authorizes the sale of certain wildlife parts and mounted specimens. (1) Subject to federal regulations, legally obtained feathers, squirrel pelts, rabbit pelts, groundhog pelts, turkey bones, turkey heads and deer heads, antlers, hides or feet may be bought, sold or bartered when accompanied by a bill of sale showing the seller’s full name, address and the number and species of these parts, and the full name and address of the purchaser. Legally taken wildlife and wildlife parts, after mounting or tanning, may be bought and sold.