Phil Lilley

I explained it further in my initial post.

Guess the date when the counter turns over to 10,000,000. Deadline to guess is April 8th at midnight. One guess per person. Two people can't pick the same date so check each post before guessing. If there is a duplicate, the first one to post gets the date. If there's a tie we'll split the prize evenly. Tie - If two people are equally close to the date it turns, it's a tie. For example, Jones picks June 1 and Smith picks June 3 and it turns on the 2nd. The prize- $100 cash. Have fun.

It was fun- great idea. Could be more terms though...

Here's something that'll help- http://ozarkanglers.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=15060

I told Bill to post the report cause he's much better at it than I. He knows the bass lingo. We put in at Shell Knob and headed up the White River Arm. Hit some of his banks- most were secondary points- gravel and ledge rock banks. Started with stick baits and quickly changed to a Fish Dr carolina rig and caught fish on every stop. Water temp was 52 when we started and 54 when we stopped (9 am-3 pm). Wind was TOUGH! Fish were anywhere from 6 to 19 feet deep and they drug the bottom with the rigs. But Bill did catch some on a spinner bait, a grub and the stick bait. 40 bass total with 3 mean mouths- 10 keepers. Mostly spoted and a few LM's and a couple SMJ's. Darrel and Rolland had a great time and I had fun being the first mate. I learned alot.

One other thing... if you think he looks alittle gaunt, Bill's lost 35 pounds in the last 2 months. Good for you, buddy!

I love this boy... but sometimes I think he's alittle nuts. Took this with my cell phone today. He got these in the mail. Can't even tell you what they are but he's was giddy... going on about the purple on their tails. He can tell you what they are. I guess they can catch bass. He said he got a "deal" but I'd buy a nice fishing rod for what he paid for one of them. Funny guy.

Leaving town Thursday for 10 days... bad time to go but going to a nice place with my sweetie!! Costa Rica. Save me some!

Can't post this on the main page for some reason so I'll post it here- Boy, it's been tough figuring out our generation patterns lately. It looks like we're entering our first spring rain period where about every 3 or 4 days a front and shower move through the area. Man I feel for the people up in North Dakota... we were there just about a year ago. This year though our lakes are at power pool levels -- a good place to start out a possible rainy spring. Our water has been running alot more than it has not been running the last week. Fronts and showers (and painful memories of April, 2008) are keeping the managers at the Corp second guessing whether they should run alittle today -- or alot! Just like today: their on-line schedule said 3 units in the morning dropping to one unit in the afternoon. In reality they ran 3 units all day... they must have thought, "We better run more water cause we may get more rain than what's forecasted for tonight!" Total speculation on my part. It is frustrating for us guides who have to try to make a plan for the day's trip but we make do. With the water and wind, fishing- or catching- has been alittle tough. I've seen some anglers in boats anchored in the mouth's of some of our creeks doing rather well. Fall Creek has been a popular place the last few days. I'd say they're tight-lining night crawlers behind the boat. You can tie to or anchor in some of the eddies on the side of the lake or in the mouth of a creek but be extremely careful to think out any possibility that you could come undone and swing into the current. That or your anchor could drag and you could find yourself in heavy current, still with an anchor our. Fast current and anchors lead to serious possibilities. Drifting into downed trees in heavy current is equally as bad. Be very careful! I have drifted flies on the bottom in the trophy area my last 3 guide trips including 2 full day trips Sunday and Monday and did fairly well. We drifted them two ways... one is straight-line using either a #4 or a 3/0 removable split shot 4-5 feet above the first fly and a second fly tied on in tandem 18 inches from the first. We're using a #12 scud, gray, brown or olive and a #14 red or black zebra. They hit the scud more than the zebra so sometimes we're using two scuds. The other method is under a float. We're fishing the flies 10-12 feet deep. We're also using a pink micro jig, chrome head. There's only one good area we're finding fish that will bite. This is pretty weird considering I know there are rainbows all over the place in the trophy area. The best drift is over the flat at the Narrows. The Narrows is where the channel swings from the east to the west side of the lake, about a half mile above Fall Creek. There is major bank improvement work being done at this spot- can't miss it. Some of the construction guys cheer us every time we drift by and catch a trout. We drift on down to Fall Creek, picking up one or two on the east side of the lake, off the gravel bar. We're catching alot of rainbows under 12 inches -- so if you're having trout catching 4 to take home and eat, buy you a few scuds and head up to this area and drift a fly instead of power bait and you'll do ok. We did land several over 15 inches too but not many. Over the weekend, our guests did catch trout below Fall Creek mainly on minnows, night crawlers and gulp power eggs- chartreuse best color. Roark Creek proved to be a great spot to go and get out of the current and catch rainbows too. Jig and float- use a jig head (1/32) and put an orange gulp egg on it and fish it 4 feet deep. You'll do well!

Super duper... you guys have fun!!

Example I gave- it blew up in my face today. 3 units all day today. No change in level. Wind blew from all directions, mostly downstream. Again, the hottest drift was over the flats at the Narrows (where they're working on the bank). Dual scuds, #12's in several grays, brown and olive. Had to stand on the trolling motor pointed upstream to keep the bugs on the bottom. Did ok on numbers but the size was small till the last couple of drifts. Table Rock tomorrow.

Got another trip today. We're staying on Taney. Next time.

I look at them more now than I ever used to. Yea- they're off sometimes but sometimes they are not. Today they ran 2 units most of the day- ran alittle more this am and less in the pm. I see tomorrow they say 3 units first thing, then down to 2 and then 1 unit. I bet that's close- fits the pattern. Wish it wasn't... I'd like to see 1-2 units all day instead of 3 early. That's just me...

I might have been right on... but I didn't believe myself. I took a couple of guys (clients) this pm. Trolled above Swan for a while, boated down to Barker and looked for some deep crappie, drifted with minnows again above Swan for walleye and then ended the evening in Swan. Caught one male at Barker, 3 male whites below the bridge in Swan plus 2 smallies. Saw one guy on the bank leave with maybe 8-9 whites on a stringer (bet it took him most of the afternoon to get those). Few boats out today considering... they knew something I didn't. But I had to try. Trout on Taney was slow and I had an itch. I think NO WIND was the biggest draw. Tomorrow's another day! Good luck Sam.

"> " type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344">I videoed Sara telling Megan the news... we knew we'd get a good reaction from Megan.

Our oldest daughter Sara informed us Wednesday that she is expecting our first grandchild in September. All our family and close friend know now so I have permission to post it here. It was so much fun the first time around... we're really looking forward to the second time. Kids are a blessing!!

Honestly... if there's any fish to be caught it would be out in the main lake after this very cold rain. I wouldn't think any whites would be in Swan or Beaver. I could be wrong though.

Taste great or less filling?

Oh my gosh! Is this a jab at fish and game? Now that they have sales tax money, some people evidentially think they have TOO much money and should NOT make residents pay more than $2 to do anything- hunt or fish. The disturbing part about all this is legislators getting involved in the fish and game biz. They need to STAY OUT of it. What a disaster it would be- just look at California!

Rapid Action Needed: http://www.friendsoftherivers.org/ Threat to AGFC's Independent Status ... could end the independent authority to protect fish and wildlife and fund itself Since 1944, Arkansas voters have had the wisdom to give the Game and Fish Commission independent authority to “wisely manage all the fish and wildlife resources of Arkansas while providing maximum enjoyment for the people.” Now, Arkansas Senate Joint Resolution 11 (SJR-11) proposes to repeal provisions in our State Constitution to eliminate this protection and allow the legislature to control the agency and redirect it’s resources. Friends believes this would have serious implications for conservation in Arkansas, and strongly opposes this bill. "Members and interested advocates should take action now, before it is too late to stop this," said Jerry Weber, Friends' president. Opposing this measure: Friends of the North Fork and White Rivers, Trout Unlimited (White River Chapter), National Wildlife Federation, North Arkansas Fly Fishers, Upper White River Basin Foundation, Arkansas Conservation Coalition, and many many more. (See below for organizational statements.) Strategy The bill is currently assigned to the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs. Friends believes that every effort should be made to stop it there and urges concerned citizens to express their opposition to the members of both the Senate and the House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committees. What: * Call, visit mail or email members of the committees (see details in right panel). Calls and letters are best. * To prepare for your contact, see summary "Talking Points" at right. When: * If possible, contact the committee members over this weekend while they are at home. * If that is not possible, send a letter immediately, and call them on Monday (this issue could potentially be on Tuesday's Senate committee agenda, April 1) What's At Stake Jerry Weber, President of Friends, believes it is a wrestle over money, not authority. "I believe this is a direct attempt by a few of our the Legislator's to grab the funds AGFC is entitled to as a result of the natural gas leases it signed, and the royalties it will receive from Chesapeake Energy,” he said. “And despite the specific language in Amendment 35 which states these funds are AGFC's, the agency has agreed to share this windfall with the Oil and Gas Commission and ADEQ. The legislature just can't resist trying to take control of these funds," he added. AGFC gave $3,000,000 to ADEQ to provide more inspectors to monitor gas drilling operations. Mountain Home's newspaper, The Baxter Bulletin, in an article published March 24, raised the prospect that if passed, the State's funding for implementation of Minimum Flow on the White and North Fork Rivers might be lost, because it could be diverted by the Legislature for other purposes. What Groups Are Saying Friends believes that this measure would seriously reduce the effectiveness of the AGFC. Right now, Arkansas has one of the nation's premiere agencies. "AGFC's constitutional status is the envy of other states. That status gives AGFC continuity in scientific management, seasoned administration and career professionalism," said Steve Wilson, a Friends board member and former AGFC director. "Imagine the chaos if the control of these resources were transferred to the General Assembly -- especially with term limits in play. Imagine different game and fish regulations in each legislative district; imagine a legislator's pet project being imposed on the AGFC budget regardless of scientific merit," Wilson added. The National Wildlife Federation agrees. "In 1996, Arkansas taxpayers passed Amendment 75 to the state constitution directing nearly $26 million annually to wildlife protection and management in Arkansas," said Ellen McNulty of the NWF. "The citizens of Arkansas have always helped support AGFC's mission to wisely manage all the fish and wildlife resources of Arkansas. Adding another layer of politics for dedicated natural resource professionals to wade through would weaken the quality and effectiveness of this agency," she said. North Arkansas Fly Fishers' President George Peters said, "For over sixty years, this constitutional arrangement has greatly benefited the fish and wildlife of Arkansas. Letting the legislature add a huge element of politics will never be beneficial to the natural heritage of Arkansas." Dr. John Moore, Executive Director of the Upper White River Basin Foundation, says Missouri and Arkansas are similar in that both states' agencies are constitutionally independent of the Legislature. He said it is crucial to defeat this measure. "If Arkansas places their conservation programs under the partisan politics of legislative control, the state will begin a long downward slide in the quality and effectiveness of fish and game," said Moore. "My hope is that, to paraphrase Mark Twain, the legislature in the Natural State 'will do the right thing -- gratifying some people and astonishing the rest',” Moore concluded.

4 units this am and a north wind... tough combination. Had a trip with a couple of guys from St Louis. Wanted to jig fish and fly fish. We started with 1/8th oz jigs at the dam. White caught 4 on 3 drifts. They were nice but not enough to keep our attention. Started drifting from Andy's down on the shallow side- jig and float 12 feet deep with a pink micro. Caught a few but as Babler says, "we didn't get rich". Break for lunch Back out- corp drop the water to 2 units and manageable. Wind wasn't as bad but still pesky. Tied on a zebra dropper under a pink micro and also tried a scud/zebra combo. They stated hitting the midge pretty good. There were hot spots we kept drifting hitting over and over and did ok. Nothing big but pretty rainbows.

Cold rain tonight might shut them down. But they will still be in the main lake. Water temp there won't change.

Liked that last second, heave-ho, buzzer-beater shot from 70 feet!

Just talked to Duane. He said whites were caught all day today in the park at Swan. Waves of whites- big sows and males- were schooling up in and out of the creek. People were lining the banks, all filling their stringers (some over and over). Didn't matter what you were throwing- sliders, swimming minnows, small crank baits, rooster tails. Cold front didn't hinder their run at all.

Wack... have you registered on our new forum yet? http://midstatesanglers.com Need anglers/guides like you over there taking about the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. Thanks for posting! Phil