Phil Lilley

Bill and I started early this am- 6 am up and at 'em (that's 9 am for most of you all). But sunrise is at 7 something. We were on the water early- beat everyone to the good spot. Silvers everywhere. But they weren't biting as well as last evening. Not at all. By 10 am they shut off completely but we had 9 to the boat averaging 10 pounds- much larger than last night. Man these guys can pull!! And most of their fight is out of the water- all over the place. This evening hooking was dead. Again they were tough. One hookup and he was foul hooked. We didn't stay out long- cold, windy and rain. Will try again tomorrow. Duane took a bunch to Margot- tons of Char up to 32 inches. And lots of bears. Tomorrow he and 9 clients are flying to Ugashik Narrows for huge char.

Quick note on before Phil got here. Worked for the camp for three days guiding clients from Georga. These boys could fish and we averaged 5 bows over 24 inches per day, with char and other various critters on the fly. Pinks are still really hitting any type of fly when around them and my clients all hooked kings. If you are wading, it is just about impossible to get one in. They will just flat put the hurt on you and your gear. One jumped at least a dozen thundering jumps before breaking 20 pound tippet. It is amazing how small a fly these fish want. Size 10 seems to be the best. For these big fish in alaska, it is hard to find a quality hook in that size that will tolorate the kind of prussure they put on the steel. I am having a really tough time with the silvers. Hooking them but having them come off, on the tiny flys. Lost 9 straight. That will burn your britches.

Well- we're here. Bill and I rented a cabin from Pike Lake just a couple of miles up the road from Lake Camp Acess and Jim's camp on the Naknek River. We're here for the next month. Brian Ellis from St Louis will join us on Saturday and Tom Knox and group will the following Saturday. Silvers are still numerous and fresh. It's amazing how late they are running. They were starting to come in the river when I left back in late July. Bill and I fished late yesterday and landed 8, losing twice that many. They were taking #10 black or purple woolies on the drift. Some were as small as 5 pounds up to 14 pounds. Lots of jumping and blowing around- hard to handle. Weather is good- 60's yesterday and upper 50's today and some rain. We're going to limit on silvers early this am and then head into town and look around some. As soon as I get my laptop online, I'll post pics. I'm working off Jim's laptop presently and can't upload pics from here. P&B

You do not need anything from the USCG. Nothing really that I know of except good insurance.

Getting too personal guys. Stop attacking each other and address the issues. Don't shoot from the hip- it belittles your stance. I'm leaving this in Dan's hands for the next 24 hours. He has my blessing to do whatever to keep this civil.

CORPS SETS WORKSHOPS, SEEKS COMMENTS ON DRAFT EIS FOR WHITE RIVER MINIMUM FLOWS LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Aug. 21 --The Army Corps of Engineers' Little Rock District is seeking public comments through Sept. 22 on the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the White River Minimum Flow Reallocation Study. The Corps will also hold two public workshops to explain the findings of the draft document and gather public input. Both workshops will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The first will be Tuesday, Aug. 26 at the Taney Center at Kisse Mills Junction in Forsyth, Mo. The second will be Wednesday, Aug. 27 in the McMullin Lecture Hall at Arkansas State University Mountain Home, 1600 S. College Street, Mountain Home, Ark. Copies of the draft environmental document are available for review at several locations. They can be viewed between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Corps’ Mountain Home Project Office at 324 West 7th St. in Mountain Home or the Corps’ Beaver Project Office at 2260 North 2nd St. in Rogers, Ark. Copies are also available for viewing at the Corps’ Table Rock Project Office at 4600 State Hwy 165 in Branson, Mo., the Greers Ferry Project Office at 700 Heber Springs Road North in Heber Springs, Ark., or the District Office in Room 7403 of the Federal Building at 700 W. Capitol Ave. in Little Rock, Ark. Copies are also on hand at the following libraries: Forsyth Public Library at 162 Main St. in Forsyth, Mo.; Taneyhill Community Library at 200 S. 4th Street in Branson; Baxter County Library Gassville Branch at 6469 Hwy 62 in Gassville, Ark.; Baxter County Library Main Library at 424 West 7th in Mountain Home; Central Arkansas Roosevelt Thompson Library at 38 Rahling Circle in Little Rock; and Central Arkansas Main Library at 100 Rock Street also in Little Rock. The document can also be viewed on the Internet at http://www.swl.usace.army.mil/planning/wrminflow.html. Written comments should be addressed to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Little Rock District, Attn: Mike Biggs CESWL-PE, P.O. Box 867, Little Rock, AR 72203-0867. Comments must be post marked by Sept. 22 to become part of the official record. For more information call Biggs at 501-324-7342.

I haven't weighed in on the election but you might guess where I stand... I believe over the years our gov't has grown to be a monster steered by power-hungry men and women who care little about "the people"- that goes for either party with few exceptions in both. Three of the four candidates fit this profile no question. Not sure about the forth- no one probably at this point knows. But party machines behind each candidate will dictate for the most part what they do or don't do after being elected. I believe in less gov't. Less involvement in business and the markets, less business in welfare as we know it, less business in many of the areas it has screwed up in the past. It should defend our borders, help other countries in peril when possible and build and maintain our infrastructure. I think welfare should be privatized. I think education should be privatized. I believe churches should care for the widowed and poor. Gov't should get out of much of the business it's in... but I'm not a fool. I know that will never happen. That being said- our gov't should protect freedom. That includes the unborn starting at conception. The abortion issue is one that is of the foremost importance to me. It supersedes even my love for the outdoors.

Caught on a gold rapala in the trophy are this morning. Released.

Hey MO- who else carries TMC besides Wapsi?

Gosh Chief, is that the best you can do

After hearing her speech today, I'd like to see her and Sen Clinton go toe-to-toe.

Water was still high late this morning. Vince said he called early and it was 701.5

Water was up 18 inches higher this morning than yesterday. Not sure what power pool level is at this point. I did notice the stump at Short Creek this morning was barely out of the water and yesterday it was 2 feet out. So they may have sucked the water down from Powersite yesterday or it's high today- no matter I guess. Went upstream to take pics of the gravel bars above Fall Creek after the fog lifted. Of course the area looked alot different because the water was higher. To the naked eye, it looked the same as before the floods. But I took pics anyhow and here they are. Looking up from Lookout Island. The island itself. The cut between the island is deeper. The gravel point below Andy's house. The point doesn't go out in the lake like is used to. It's deeper. Looking downstream- you can see the exposed gravel along the left bank- didn't used to be there. Looking down at the bar at Dry Wash. See the gravel below along the left bank. It's real shallow below the bar out past the middle of the lake- really filled in.

Wanted to post this- it's the dock below the Riverpointe Ramp. High and dry. Will try to have more later today.

Rig away... FC's dock wasn't destroyed at all. The store area was and there was a buckle on the downstream end but otherwise it was not damaged. Of course the support-stiff arms were mangled and needed to be replaced. Have no idea why they took it out. Should have least tried to sell it to someone on the lake.

No- they still don't know if they'll rebuild. If they do, it'll be next year.

6 am I'll be on a plane to AK... will miss doves again this year.

I didn't get up to Lookout. But you can drive into Pointe Royal- if they let you in- and down the bank there. Stay in the water and you'll be fine. It private property if you're on dry ground. Also can go thru Fall Creek but I don't know the path there or where to park. It's private also though, not sure if anyone will say anything. Best to stop and ask. Otherwise- have to boat it.

I boated up past Fall Creek this morning for the first time during down water. It was foggy, not too bad. Made it up to the great wall (this is a new landmark- where the tennis courts are, the home owner has built a huge stone wall along the lake- can't miss it). I immediately noticed a change on the west or shallow side of the lake. The water's edge used to be close to the dirt bank and very gradual going in but now the water's edge is 15-20 feet out from the dirt bank and kinda steep. The gravel bottom comes on out to mid lake, then drops off like it used to BUT it's more shallow. As you head down- same thing only more so. Essentially, the lake is narrower and more shallow in this whole area. From the gravel bar at what I call "dry wash" down (where the ditch from the golf course runs into the lake), the bar extends down from here instead of just being a bar. We've lost 60-90 feet of lake here on down to the narrows. At the narrows, we've lost 50 or more feet. There's even a pile of gravel exposed on this bar in the middle. It's not that the gravel from mid lake has piled up on the sides, it's gravel that's come off the banks and filled in and lays over the shallow side of the lake. At the narrows, the channel drop is more prominent. The upper channel seems to be shallower. The lower channel seems to be deeper. The east bank of the narrows is cut and much steeper and deeper. There's a cut at the very lower east bank that's very deep- 8-10 feet deep and extends down quite a ways. The gravel bar on the east side down past the ramp is really different. It's not uniformed but has holes and cuts- great for holding trout. I would have taken pics but the fog just wouldn't lift. One other mention- below the Riverpoint Estates ramp, the gravel has piled up on that shallow side leaving the first dock high and dry. The closest water to that dock is 30-40 feet. Has 2 boats sitting on dry gravel. Wonder if the Corp will let them dredge it out. Fish- rainbows were all over the shallow edge of the lake feeding I bet on scuds. The scuds are riding the dropping water out to the edge and that's where the rainbows are targeting them. Saw a small rainbow run up on the bank after a scud, then wiggle back in just before a heron took notice. I caught some by running a #14 gray scud from dry gravel into the water- they would just hammer it. No size but beautiful colored up and strong rainbows. Saw a good number of gar. No dry action on the bluff bank. Babler said they were active a couple of days ago- had my hopes up for some dry action but alas, none. Will take pics tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Beeping could mean it is over heating, fan out- but you say it isn't running? The battery could be shot and needs replacing.

Thanks Thom

Be nice Thom

I think MDC has deemed this impossible. Upper Taney will not support that many big fish at one time. If you thin out the lower end too much you're not going to get 15-18 inchers. The 12 was established because that's about the size of a stocker. They're immediately protected when stocked. If they are allowed to be taken before hitting the lower slot, the rule won't work. The question therefore is how many would survive the 6-12 months to grow from 12 to 15 inches?

Hard to say. I'd think they would apply to the whole lake if that's what they'd do. What I meant was any changes to use of bait and/or slot on rainbows below Fall Creek.

How these things usually work is- one state tries something and if it works, the other state will follow suit. Case in point- trophy areas. Taney implemented it's trophy area in 1997 and Arkansas followed with multiply areas on the White and other tailwaters. I think MDC will explore widening the present lengths on Taney at some point. But as far as changing anything below Fall Creek, that I seriously doubt.