Phil Lilley

Big trout still live in Taneycomo... they're getting educated. We registered almost another 100 "catch-n-release trophies" in September and that's not counting a ton of 20+ inchers that were not reported to us, mainly by people fishing below the dam, I'd say. Then there were the ones caught and kept. If you boat up above the Narrows you'll see them swimming all over the place. But with the water down, they're easy to get to and were easy to catch... till they weren't. I can't blame the slow fishing on just over educated fish... the little ones are being cagey too. Everybody wants to blame water quality but it's not that bad. Every time I check it it's over 4 ppm. Not great but they still gotta eat! Most of the fish I do catch fight hard, not as hard as they did this summer but they don't just roll over and come in. Had a couple take me to my backing this week so far. The water color and clarity is off too. Water temp is 55-56. There are good days though. The guides are catching most of their "eaters" on night crawlers and the pink worm under a float, mostly early - before 9 am. I've heard the fly fishers below the dam are having a hard time hooking numbers. They are getting big fish though. But nothing like they should be. I've been fly fishing mainly. Boating up to the trophy area and messing around with shallow fish feeding with fins out of the water. And targeting cruising trout on the flats. Mainly using #14 or #16 scuds with 7x tippet. We've had some days with good wind so the zebra midge is working. The other day when the wind REALLY blew I thought we'd clean up in the trophy area but not so. Disappointing, along with fly fishing, wind related frustration - you know what I mean! Fishing is tough, but rewarding. I don't have to have big numbers - just one nice trout to the net every hour. And a couple of misses and break offs. That's a good afternoon.

Babler is in. @duckydoty ?

I grew up with Doug Nygren... and he's coming to visit in a couple of weeks. I'll ask him about it.

I’ll be there Thursday and Friday for sure with at least one other person. We will pay for 3 nights regardless how many we stay. I’ll bring a boat unless the river is too low for a prop.

That’s Bakker. Not enough k’s.

Was thinking about it last week when Blake and I were down there. I plan on it. I bet we have a crowd this year.

Sorry. 14 scud.

Clint (hatchery manager) says brown numbers of good. Up the ladder.

No, the ladder has worked each year. I have an email in to see what the numbers are like presently. They have been running 7,000 cfs - that's plenty of rise to get fish to the base. Yesterday they can almost 10,000.

MDC is now housing a new brown strain. I believe they got the eggs early this year so we're looking at next fall for stocking. It's the same strain that are in the White River. They aren't as migratory as the strain we have here now.

It's Jeff's birthday today! Thanks for all you do for OAF and all us fish junkies!

Definitely less browns. We keep losing them to BS. But hopefully with the new strain of browns, that will change. That's going to be a while though. Water temp isn't bad. Last fall I believe the water temps were warmer. DO has been good below Lookout -- I don't know about below the dam. I need to get up there and gage it.

Love that spot!

I believe so

SOLD

Travel rod case. $20

This is the only place I'm posting them for a while... If you think some of these rods are priced too high, let me know. I'm going off Ebay and other sources. Not trying to get top dollar... just fair for the guys and their charities. I have lots of nice clothing in the shop, all XXL.

I have some items from 2 different estates that I’m trying to move for those families. I have them in the shop now and I think I have them priced to sell fairly quickly. Some items it’s hard to figure out how much they’re worth. I’ll be adding items so check back. Nice Orvis vest. It’s a heavy material so good in cold weather. xxl. $100 Simms vest. Mesh, nylon. xxxl $100 Orvis Vest xxl $50 Orvis HLS 2 powerhouse rod. 9’ 8 wt 2 piece $125 orvis trident TLS mid flex 9’ 6 wt. $80 orvis Clearwater 2 107-4 tip flex $75 Sage 586 ds 8’ 6” 5 2 piece wt $250 Sage 379 rp 7’ 9” 3 wt $250 Winston 9’ 6” 2 piece $500 ————— This one I can’t find out what it’s worth… rare find I think. Any help would be great.

I’m sure it was a ton of hard work. Congratulations!

I've never heard of them in Taney...

Stuck on one of the rainbows we caught. Saw several but this one hung on till we pulled him off. Chestnut Lamprey

Only one guide up there. May be 6 boats total all morning. For a Friday... crazy.

I did real well this morning, fly fishing, shallow water tactics. Fished the shallow side of the lake, Andy's down to Narrows. So shallow the fish's backs were out of the water at times. #12 grey or tan scud weightless. 7 x tippet but probably could have gotten away with 6x. Small float and 12 inches deep. It was FUN!

Yes sir. Should be well attended this year, barring bad weather.