Phil Lilley

Went out with Vince and helped him with his guide trip this afternoon. We had 4 clients on the pontoon. Headed to Roark Creek- where all the other guides were fishing including Chuck Gries, Bret Rader, Bill Beck, Tim Paige, Eric Prey, Mr Babler and others I didn't know. I counted 20 boats at one time in the creek. Water is still off colored and the rainbows are a chalky color... but nice by average. Most of the ones we kept were 14 inches. Fished with a jig and float and either a gulp power egg, minnow or a piece of night crawler. NC did the best for us, minnow this morning Vince said. No problem getting 16 for their limits. Saw several boats coming back in to do a little double dipping. Heck they may have made 3 or 4 trips today. Knowing our agents, they could get a room in the Hilton and watch the crowd from comfortable rooms with room service. Not to be mistaken... they like to watch fishers from a distance, hidden with long ranged glasses. Chuck Gries looking for white bass- caught quite a few trout and blue gill. Our best bait. Two nice limits. New construction at the Landing... shops on the water and a cruise ship.

Jim Turner said he's ready to go out with us with 2 cameras and mics us and everything... I told him if we did that it would raise the bar way too much! Right now I want to keep it simple. I do like the idea getting the video up in good time after it's done, esp if it shows where the fish are biting and how. If I can get this editing and rendering down it'll be up the same day!!

Just wanted to let all you forum people know we posted our lastest video on the front page of ozarkanglers. Had to edit it down quite a bit to fit on google.

Water continues to move... We were at the Branson Belle yesterday morning where I noticed the water there was really stained and of course high. I thought why weren't we getting this stained water over the top of the dam? Well my wishes were granted... so to speak. When I returned home our water was stained just like the lake. Good thing? Bad thing? I think it's good cause slightly stained water is better than clear water in most cases when fishing for anything. We have a big company group in this week and they are using Bill, Vince, Buster and Tim. Most of them have been going down to Roark and limiting on rainbows using jig/gulp and float. That's a gulp egg on a jig head under a float 4-5 feet deep. Vince took his group up to Lookout and drifted the shallow flat using egg fly/san juan fly on a drift rig and doing well too. They're catching quite a few 16 inch rainbows vince said were colored up beautiful and fat. No one is going all the way to the dam. I would think by now they'd be keying in on white jigs but I don't have a boat to head up to try it. Mine is rented out and so are all our other boats. I'm landlocked! Drifting power eggs in the Monkey Island area down thru the bridges is pretty good too and the rainbows are good sized. But you have to get whatever you're using to the bottom cause that's where the fish are.

Babler failed to mention on the forum about the full story on the catfish in Yocum. He talked to a couple of guys who were camped out and did nothing but fish for cats. They were fishing with liver/limb lines and doing very well. Interestingly, the cats were chuck full of worms, lizards, mice and other field animals from the flood. One cat had a ball of worms in his belly as big as a man's fist.

This is a difficult question even for the guides because THEY don't know where the fish are on Table Rock right now- that's why they're all fishing Taneycomo or Beaver and Swan Creeks for white bass. Under normal circumstances they'd and others would be all over your question but these are not normal circumstances. Good thing as far as your tournament is concerned is that everyone is in the same boat, so to speak.

Don't see anything unusual in your profile. The person you are Pming- their inbox may be full.

Honestly, I think most if not all the rivers and creeks in southern MO will have settled back to almost normal by then, except for the tailwaters and lakes which hold most of the water from those rivers and creeks and are having to dump gradually. I wouldn't change your plans too quick. Give it a few days and see what anglers find this weekend.

Last evening from 5-dark they were catching whites up further than we were in the am- in the Tea Tables area. The friend who went up there caught their limit and then caught and released alot of big sows on white sliders. The bite stopped at dark. Only 5 boats on the creek. Last night I understand Charlie Farmer was on KY3 and announced whites were being caught in Beaver Creek on white swimming minnows. Today the creek is bank to bank according to Bill Beck. It's a madhouse he said. If you caught a white you were swarmed by boats. Take my advice- be there at daylight and try to enjoy the quiet and fishing until the crowds arrive. Best thing- white bass are starting to show up in other places like Swan, James, Sac, Long Creek and the Kings... and many others probably. It'll spread out the folks.

I heard they're catching whites at the Blunk Hole. No other details.

My internet connection is giving me fits when I try to upload my video. Keep getting kicked off which has never happened.

Few places to bank fish. Water is just too high. May be someone who lives over that way can help.

Water was perfect for fly fishing up at the tea tables. You can drive in from the east MAYBE- if the fields are dry and not flooded. You can wade those gravel bars on the upper end of the straight but with the lake level rising everyday, the access road thru the field may not be driveable for long. I've gone up there as late as June and caught whites off those gravel bars. Also- see my report on the Beaver Creek Forum

Started there and worked down. They're not going to be in the same places every day and will even move during the day. You have to move around alot till you find them- that's what we did. We spent too much time upstream though... it just looked too good, too perfect not to hold whites but there weren't that many up there this morning. That's not to say they won't be up there this evening.

Was told something I hadn't heard before. When the daytime and night time temps add up to 90, plus a good soaking rain, it's time for morels. Seems little low to me but this person said they found some already.

I've heard they're starting to show up. Better start looking and let us know if you see any.

Oh yea... seeing the weather forecast it's not going to heat up real fast- 50's 60's day time for the next week. Water won't warm up too fast. Eggs weren't bloody. Whites will stay in creek for a while after spawn anyhow. I'd say another 2-3 weeks.

Quick report before I have to run... Caught I don't how many whites this am at Beaver. Put in at 160 bridge and went up. Found flowing water and worked down. Caught males till got down to 12 feet of water above bridge. White jigs on the bottom caught sows. Released 20 2-3 lb sows and kept a few smaller sows and a bunch of studs... may be 20 total. Haven't cleaned them yet. One keeper walleye and one short. Video coming later today. Ate at Danna on the way back.

Just been told you can launch at the 160 bridge off the road on the side. We may switch and go to Beaver if this is true. I didn't want to put in at the park and make the long run.

I like your avatar.... Happy B day Flatlander

Talk to someone who fished from 3 till dark today in Swan- caught a few males early in the field across from the park and then basically nothing the rest of the evening. One boat with 3 guys caught 14 sows early too but it shut down about 5 pm for them and most everyone else. They caught their whites on white rooster tails. They must have been talking to the whites in Beaver. Lake level is up to the 2nd bend past the old dam and water is gin clear at that point. Mike said he did catch fish there but all trout. The road leading back behind the old motel and along the bluff is flooded and that's where I usually put my boat in but the city of Forsyth has it blocked off. The ramp by the campground at the mouth of Swan is open but there's a bunch of debry to deal with. We're still going in the morning.

and...... what'd you catch?

OK- white bass were caught one mile above 160 bridge today mid day on just about anything and they were big ones... go till there's good current. White rooster tails were killer. 10 am till 2 pm was the best part of the day. Water is still stained. If any agents read this you've got alot of double dipping going on up there it was reported to me. I guess locals think they're due since the last 3-4 years have been poor. But they're robbing themselves and everyone else by loading up on all big females... real smart! Hope they get caught.

Beaver Creek at the park. Shadow Rock behind the old hotel. K Dock I'd think but not sure.

Better?