Phil Lilley

Man- I'm not going to post anymore of the Corps reports... I think the only thing you can count on is that they are going to be wrong. They are still running 28k cfs.

Lamar... that means ALOT more water for us! Blessings!!

We've seen this same thing in the past in a tough economy... people will stay closer to home and take shorter, less expensive trips. We get most of our people from within a 500 mile radius and this is what we hear, from say people in KC, taking a trip to Branson instead of Orlando because of gas or other higher costs.

Yea - I've never gotten my lisc simply because I've never really guided "officially". I've taken a few paid trips of out necessity. I know of at least one guy who let his expire and he had to go thru the process again.

They lied to us again. Still Running as I type. Same level. I don't repeat rumors but what I hear the Corp say on the radio. They also said they are going to TRY to drop Table Rock 8 feet by Memorial Day... where are they going to send the water? Here it come Arkansas!! I'll believe that one when I see it. For the businesses on TR it would be a great thing.

Not sure in AR but in MO you can net them but can't use a gill net.

For me personally... this debate is way down my list of things I defend as truth. I think it's interesting but I wouldn't trade a friendship over it, nor would I let it keep me from fishing with someone who has a differing opinion on this or any other subject I may see eye to eye on. Life is about more than that.

Now in saying this- I am not taking on the science world and trying to over throw the system. I think as science advances, the truth will come out but what I hope for is that all scientist will have a honest and open mind on BOTH sides of this issue and admit they are wrong- because one side is wrong and the side is not.. in a nutshell.. kind of. I don't think it will change our personal beliefs about life and God... I will not even try to do that on a forum. It's not the place because it is impersonal and not based on friendship and relationship and only if you know someone would you want to live like his example. Sorry for rambling... just don't want this to become a bash session on each other's belief cause that won't accomplish a thing.

Sorry Al, I kinda set you up. I visited this site you're referring to in 1978 during a retreat while attending college in Dallas. One of the human prints was inside the heal print of a 3 toed "something", can't remember the name of the beast, but it was a large print about 30 inches from tip to heal. The human print was kinda buried and sunken into the mud to where you could make it out as a print but you couldn't see the toes or the print itself clearly. BUT I took my foot and wiggled it into the print and it fit- perfectly. I could feel the toe prints and heel and arch. There were other prints... small ones and large ones. Some were kids and one was about 14 inches long. That one was on top of the mud and clear as can be. There were some that were questionable but many that were not. So, it doesn't make any difference to me what any scientist says about these human prints... I have seen and touched them and they are human- no doubt.

Bill fished the dam area on Table Rock today. His clients caught 19 bass with 5 keepers which isn't the greatest day on the Rock but it's better than the previous week or so. Other guides called Bill and said they had the same kind of day... may be a bit better. Tim Paige has 20+ bass with 11 keepers and I heard Pete Weeners had a very good day up in the James Arm on crank baits - probably Wiggle Warts. Babler's fish, and most of the other guides, caught their fish swimming a grub in 4 to 12 feet of water. "Any place you could get to the bank without having a bunch of trees keeping you from the magical depth of 4 to 12 feet, you'd catch fish," Babler said. His fish were all smallmouth but Wenner's fish were largemouth. Babler spotted spots and largemouth on beds in Big Indian Creek Arm today too. Water temps are in the mid 60's and the water is clearing in the dam area, 6 - 8 feet of visibility. Grubs: 4-inch Chompers in salt-n-pepper and watermellon and 4-inch XPS Copper Flake on a 1/4 ounce jig head. James River is clearing but the White Arm is still very stained and not fishing well. Long Creek is clearing and of course, is warming up nicely. No reports from Long but I bet the catfish are full of worms back in the back of Yocum and the white bass are about done spawning in Long, Cricket and Blair. But they still should be around on points for weeks to come. Crappie: Absolutely no reports at all. We usually hear rumors at least from our tight-lipped crappie fisherpeople but nothing! They should be going great guns on the banks but this high water has baffled anglers. I'm sure they're deeper than normal but they still should be able to be found... by someone! I'm going out the first of the week and give it a good try- will report back.

Word is that the flood gates will be shut down tonight sometime. Table Rock crested this morning at 5 am at 931.95 ft. The generators will remain open similar to what they were running prior to the gates.

I'm studying for my Captain's lisc. Have to take it next month cause my app will expire in June. Jumping thru all the hoops isn't fun... but that's gov't for ya. The test really scares me. I ordered a deal from National Captain's Institute on the net- a syllabus with hundreds of test questions that has really helped me. Also bought Chapman's Piloting, best book on the market for boating. With those tools and google, you can find about everything you need to know... alot more than you'll ever need in guiding for sure.

Ever hear about the dinosaur prints along side human foot prints in a creek bed in Texas?

Went up to Fall Creek to take some pics of the dock for management. While I was up there I just HAD to troll up in the creek (Fall) and see what was up there. Good color. Lots of water too. Went up about 200 yards. I like the cover- hoped to snag a crappie or bass. Caught 3 rainbows on a olive 3/32 oz jig and a 19.5 inch beautiful smallmouth on a white 1/8th oz jig. He came towards the back of the creek. Pics and released. The rainbows were about 13 inches and had big bellies. George Steffen (twosets) is out with his kids fishing. He said they did very good at the dam on white jigs, catching some real nice rainbows. They went back up... and it's pouring down right now. "Oh dad!!!" He's gone.

Good point. When people REALLY understand what the aux spillway is about, the obvious question is why??? Can you guess how much MORE rain we'd have to get for there to be the possibility of using them? Although our gates have been opened to record levels, the percentage would surprise most people. I bet it's less than 5%. They let a 4 inch rain in the whole region thru with 5% of the gates open at Table Rock. - Alright, 10%, 20%... I concede I may be wrong on the % but I've made my point. I'll try to find out what % and let you know.

We're staying as far away as possible to the word "professional". If we set the standards too high, we'll have to keep them up... and I don't need that kind of pressure. Besides, consider my partner.

yea- youtube I still haven't figured out how to make it better quality.

You can see it on the homepage of ozarkanglers.com

I would be up for it if there was enough interest. Any way to promote the forum in that area so it does get play?

Bill and I attempted to prove the nasayer wrong and set out about 11 am for the dam with camera in hand. We fished in outlet #1 for a while and didn't do as well as I had hoped. I hooked a big fish I think was a walleye and Babler did hook one but both of use didn't bring them in. Caught a few nice rainbows, then headed out in the current. Drifted a couple of time with minimal sucess- all the while using white 1/8th oz jigs. I felt like the trout were getting their barrings... every time there's a change in water level/speed and this time temp, they seem to take a day to get used to things. Today was the off day. But we did catch several nice rainbows, one spot bass and another Bill & Phil Video. Ended up at Roark after lunch and then drifted up from the Landing and caught a couple. Nothing in Roark. Video should be up later tonight. Water - only 28,000 cfs. Level and speed of current isn't bad at all. Ramps, of course, are clear and OPEN. We can still get on our dock. Barring more rain we should have a great weekend.

With more rain soaking northwest Arkansas and southwest Missouri the past two days, the Army Corps of Engineers has again opened the gates of Table Rock Dam to release water downstream into Lake Taneycomo, but the amount is much less than two weeks ago when high water flooded homes along Taneycomo. Branson Emergency Management Director Carl Sparks was notified early this morning by the Corps that up to 28,000 cfs of water would be released through Table Rock Dam starting at 3:30 a.m. Two weeks ago, the Corps’ peak release reached 46,500 cfs. Sparks said his department actually began notifying residents Wednesday evening along Shore and Sunset streets to be alert to news and weather reports throughout the evening concerning water release from Table Rock. “I was contacted Wednesday afternoon by the Corps that additional rain throughout the night could cause the gates to open early Thursday morning,” said Sparks. “We felt it important to do a precautionary notification to those 28 residents along the lake, campers in the city’s RV Park and Branson Landing that the possibility exists for high water.” When Sparks received word from the Corps early Thursday that the release was coming, he and his firefighters retraced their steps along the lakefront advising residents to voluntarily evacuate. Of the 28 homes, about 10 are vacant due to restoration from the flood two weeks ago or out-of-town ownership. Sparks said of the remaining residents along the lake, only two evacuated while the rest stayed. At the city-owned Lakeside RV Park, the first two rows of campsites have been evacuated and utilities shut off. The rest of the RV Park remains open. All businesses and restaurants at Branson Landing remain open as the water is flowing more than 18 inches below the lakeside boardwalk. “The water this time has not risen to the levels of two weeks ago” said Sparks. “No homes or businesses are flooded, and in fact, the water levels have not reached the back yards of the homes along Taneycomo. “The only structures underwater are the ramps leading to two public fishing docks at the RV Park.” All businesses, theaters, attractions and restaurants that make Branson a popular vacation destination are not impacted by the increased water flow and are open their normal hours for the fun, recreation and enjoyment of visitors, according to Sparks. Right now the Corps has kept the release at 28,000 cfs, and it will notify emergency management directors downstream of any additional releases. “As always, we will monitor the weather and Corps releases throughout the day and take the appropriate actions to protect our citizens should the situations deteriorate,” said Sparks.

Not sure if they stop biting after the spawn. Maybe for some but I doubt if they stop eating. It's reasonable to assume that these white would stay in the flood creeks because everything, including whites, are spawning and spawning breeds little fish. The creek should be absolutely full of little fish so why head out to sea when all the food is right there. Couple this reasoning with my experience of catching whites when the water is high in the creeks as late as the first of June and I may say the assumption is correct. I've never followed them to the lake. I wish I had time to keep track of them like that. You can go up Beaver 6-7 miles??? from the main lake, may be more. I'd say start close to the top of the impoundment and work out when looking for them. The flooded fields along the tree lines... You might think of Beaver as a lake unto itself and see how that works.

Bill and I will be up there shortly.

They're running 28,000 cfs. They were opened at 3 am. In comparison they ran 46,500 the last time. My ramps to my dock are still out of the water. Right now I'm sure not even the Crop knows if they will have to run more BUT I see more rain back in Oklahoma so... your guess is as good as mine. I guess this will replenish the walleye population for those fishing in and above outlet #1.

Just got a call- they are predicting Springfield area is going to get 1-2 inches of rain. If they do get it, they will release up to 40,000 cfs tonight at Table Rock. Nothing was said about the southern watershed or the Beaver Lake watershed. The most they ran was 46,500 cfs the last time. No details on when or for how long. My guess, depending on how much rain and how widespread it is - it may be off or back down by the weekend. But that's a hopeful guess. It more than likely will be Sunday or Monday. But everything rides on the weather.