Phil Lilley

Drove to the dam with Tom Johnson about 11:30 am for alittle fishing. Walked down below rebar and fished the narrows till 2 pm. Water level seemed to be alittle low. Was an intermittened breeze from the west, downstream. We started with small scuds but quickly switched to #16 black or red soft hackles and had strikes on almost every cast for quite a awhile. Soft hackles were new to Tom and he was having trouble keeping them on the hook. I told him not to set the hook- just hold it and lift the rod slowly, applying pressure. He did better once he got the hang of it. All rainbows and not much size. I switched to a scud again- nothing. So went to a red san juan and had hookups immediately. Broke off a couple of reds- then went to brown and did even better. Rainbows were larger than on the soft hackle. Nice day- glad we went. Tom is Scrooge in the Christmas Carol production at SDC and has one more week before he's off for the winter. We've already decided to make it a weekly ritual... fly fishing someplace. This is what it'd look like if you had a camera on yor boot.

Sorry Greg I wasn't offended... can't do it. I identified with Trav a bit comparing Taney to Naknek which is very unfair to Taney but it makes a point. I think Trav was making a point too, unpopular as it is, but being unfair to the upper end of the lake and the trout fishing here maybe because he doesn't completely understand the fishing up here (sorry for assuming and I know what assuming will do to a person). I honestly get real frustrated with fishing below the dam cause I KNOW what it is and I know these trout at stocked and I still can't catch them alot of the times!!! So it's not as easy as many think... or it's speaks to my skill level- one or the other.

Just wetting the water... I'll have more details tomorrow but I'm pretty sure it's a 17' with a trailer. The motor lost a cylinder yesterday and we just order 2 new G-3's. This one has a small leak. Rated for a 70 hp but a 50 would do a good job. The 40 Yamaha will be sold for parts probably. Asking??? Not sure. It's seen a lot of time on the water.

http://www.lakestockton.com/read.php?34,29846

January, if they run water, is one of the best months for big walleye. Keep your eyes and ears open.

A quick word before I hurry onto church this morning... Taney has 3 parts- put-grow-take, put-take and well, lake? Not sure how to put the lower end where it's pretty much a normal lake with the exception of big brown trout. Slots are designed to protect broad stock AND designed to do what it does on Taney, give trout a chance to grow before taken because that's what anglers want. It can have 2 purposes, can't it? As for any quality fishery in Missouri, if it's "managed" by MDC, you could say it's not natural at all but an "aquarium". That's an extreme statement for some fisheries but not necessarily for others. You have different degrees of management and I'd say the trout parks and Taney is at the top of the Managed List. If I were to share my truly honest feeling about Taney after being in Alaska, I'd really miff a lot of people. Simply put, it's hard to come home and look at trout fishing in the same way. But we're talking about 2 fisheries that are on the opposite ends of the angling spectrum. I understand what you're saying about Taney and all but may be you're being a little harsh in putting it. Kinda "in your face". You are blessed to be on a fishery that isn't as well known as most in Missouri for it's warm water fishing and to get to spend the time on it as you do. I was glad to see Trav on the forum and talking about the lower lake's fishing but I have to say that the thought crossed my mind-- he's going to attract a lot more attention to the lower lake and it's going to get fished more! I think it's going to happen more and more regardless because of the Landing, Bass Pro and the area's growth. Gotta go. Be nice!

Great point- never thought about it. Everyone back in the 50's thought TR Dam would end warmwater fishing on Taney but it didn't. People are so surprised when they see or catch bass, crappie and blue gill up here.

Don't know Woods so I'm not taking up for him- but how would such a small amount of additional flow relieve cattle ranchers and poultry farmers their responsibilities under law not to pollute? Except if the state DND relaxed the rules in light of the additional flow, in which he'd have to be on their board too.

"As far as to who it will benefit it does seem a little odd that 3 million dollars was spent by Tyson Chicken lobbying for minimum flow. The Arkansas Cattlemen's association also spent 1 and 1/2 million lobbying for minimun flow." Interesting!!

I may have misspoke on the slot... didn't think about it hard enough. Raising the lower end to 14 inches doesn't make alot of sense because rainbows would have to grow 2-4 inches before being "protected" in the trophy area. 13 inches is more realistic. 13-22 would be less extreme. There is very, very little natural reproduction for trout in Taney- never will be. Can't happen. What is put in is in and that's all there will be. The trophy area was created because MDC asked anglers what they wanted and they said "less fish, bigger fish". With the slot, that's what they've created and it's worked for the most part. There was fear that the upper lake would become overcrowded and the trout might literally starve (some said) but it hasn't happened. Slower growth rates? I believe Taney's food base makes pretty big swings depending on flows and temps which fluctuates annually, not necessarily because of trout populations. I don't think there's that many legal browns caught each year and less than 50% of those are kept. I think the ratio is more like 10% kept. I think more are killed due to hooking mortality. Bottom line- I don't think much is wrong with Taney. It's a great fishery and MDC should be given much credit for it. Could the rules be tweaked? They could. And I think it could be better for it.

MDC is bringing back creel surveys which means they're going to start asking questions of anglers- not just how many fish are you catching but other questions (possibly) like may be this species question (doubtful but you get my point). They created the trophy area as a result of surveys in the past... they may tweak the system a little in the future. But if I would add anything to the list, I'd change the slot in the trophy area to 14 to 24 inches on rainbows and raise the brown limit lakewide to 24 inches. Also: Catch and release on browns from Fall Creek up from September 1 through December 1. I'd also put a 15 inch limit on bass lakewide. And a 9 inch limit on crappie, limit 15 instead of 30.

Not sure why but we've had a jump in traffic this week. Since about mid November, we've seen a steady drop in traffic which is reasonable. This time of year is normally pretty quiet because of holidays and lack of good fishing weather and conditions. In the first couple of weeks of December, we had an average of 1300 visitors per day- this week is up to about 1700 with as many as 19,000 pages per day. Thanks for spreading the word.

HOUSTON, Mo.-Missouri trappers seem to be getting a handle on river otter numbers in the Ozarks, according to a report from the Missouri Department of Conservation. With a little help from world fur markets and knowledge gained through studies and field experiments, the agency hopes to find an acceptable balance between the needs of river otters, anglers and property owners. The river otter was all but extirpated from Missouri by the early 20th century as a result of habitat loss and unregulated trapping. In 1982 the Conservation Department launched an otter restoration effort, eventually releasing 825 otters from Louisiana in 34 counties. To say that the otters thrived is an understatement. Their population growth and spread outstripped all expectations. The sleek predators took advantage of habitat from national wildlife refuges to farm ponds and small streams, quickly populating areas where they were released and spreading across watersheds into new territory. “Nothing in other states’ experience prepared us for the level of success our otter restoration program had,” said Private Land Field Programs Supervisor Rex Martensen. “We didn’t realize how adaptable they were or how much of the state had suitable habitat for them.” Missouri’s success at otter restoration had a downside. As otters went in search of food - crayfish in the warm months supplemented with finned fish during the winter - they came into more frequent conflict with people. Some otters cleaned fish out of farm ponds. Others visited headwater streams in the Ozarks, where fish in small pools were easy prey. A few found the ultimate otter buffets - rearing ponds at fish hatcheries. Faced with too much of a good thing, the Conservation Department set about documenting otter problems. Then the agency turned to the only people with the know-how, the numbers and the incentive to reduce otter numbers - fur trappers. River otter pelts are among the most luxurious and sought-after in the world. In years when demand is high, exceptional pelts might bring $140. With that kind of reward, trappers were motivated to help reduce their numbers. To further encourage trappers, and to focus their efforts where they were needed most, the Conservation Department divided the states into five otter trapping zones. It based the length of otter trapping season in each zone on the number of otters and the frequency of otter problems. The response was encouraging. The otter harvest increased every year from the 1999-2000 season through the 2005-2006 season, peaking at 3,274. The otter harvest took a significant dive during the 2006-2007 season, plunging from 3,274 to 1,929 (70 percent) in a year. Part of the reason was that the average price that otter pelts commanded fell from $125 to less than $40 during the same period. Weather also was a factor. Extreme cold, ice, snow and rain kept trappers indoors during part of the 2006-2007 season, further depressing harvest. Nevertheless, Conservation Department resource scientists have found evidence that five years of concerted effort to increase otter trapping is reducing otter numbers in target areas without impairing the population’s ability to sustain itself. To better understand the effect of trapping on otter populations, the Conservation Department has been conducting a population dynamics study in two areas - north-central Missouri and in the central Ozarks on the Gasconade and Big Piney rivers and the Osage Fork of the Gasconade River. Conservation Department workers captured and tagged 262 otters with radio transmitters, then kept track of how many died and how. Seventy-nine percent of the otters that died were taken by trappers. Based on population estimates, biologists calculate that trappers are taking between 16 and 40 percent of the otters annually in the north study area and 30 to 50 percent in the Ozark study area. Otter numbers seem to be declining slowly in some Ozark streams as a result of trapping. In another experiment, the Conservation Department sought to reduce otter numbers in Roubidoux Creek in Texas and Pulaski counties. Otter numbers declined dramatically in the study area, and fish populations showed a significant increase. “Fish in small Ozark streams face other problems, such as gravel burying their habitat, low stream flows and pollution,” said Martensen. “Yes, otters do impact fish populations, especially in smaller headwater streams. However, in larger streams with sufficient habitat, otters’ effect seems to be minimal. We still have a lot to learn about how the presence of otters, and other factors, such as gravelling in, water quality and changes in seasonal stream flows, interact to affect fish.” He said the Conservation Department will continue to work toward management strategies that allow river otters to coexist with people. “Otters are here to stay,” he said, “but there is no reason we can’t have otters while protecting fishing resources and private property. It’s a matter of finding a balance.” -Jim Low- http://mdc.mo.gov/cgi-bin/news/news_search...198259591,27850,

Anglers spoke decisively, and the Conservation Department listened. JEFFERSON CITY-Responding to an overwhelming majority of anglers’ preference, the Missouri Department of Conservation has decided not to test special restrictions on catfishing in central Missouri. The agency held four public meetings in July and August to gauge anglers’ attitudes toward a possible trial of more restrictive flathead and blue catfish regulations. “We often find that public opinion is very closely divided on questions like this,” said Conservation Department Assistant Director Dave Erickson. “That was not the case this time. Eight out of 10 anglers who commented on the proposed regulations said they did not want the change.” Erickson said the response was in contrast to the results of a catfish angler survey the Conservation Department conducted in 2002. In that statewide survey, 55 percent of Missouri River catfish anglers who responded expressed support for some form of harvest restrictions on flathead and blue catfish if it increased their chances of catching a trophy-sized catfish. The agency was considering restrictions on an 82-mile reach of the Missouri River from Glasgow to Jefferson City and part of the Lamine and lower Blackwater rivers. The changes were designed to increase the number of large flathead and blue catfish. A mail-in survey form was included in brochures handed out to people who attended meetings in Boonville, Columbia, Glasgow and Marshall. The brochures explained several regulations options that were being considered. The options would have restricted harvest with reduced daily limits, minimum length limits or slot length limits. “Many anglers have told us in past surveys that they would like to have a greater chance of catching big catfish,” said Erickson. “The strategies we presented were aimed at meeting that demand. However, the majority of anglers in the area where we wanted to test those strategies didn’t like the idea.” Erickson said the Conservation Department will continue studying catfish and the availability of Big River forage in the next couple years, and may come back to anglers with other approaches to catfish management in the future. The Conservation Department is seeking anglers and business people to join a catfish-management stakeholder group. The group will meet to discuss catfish management with Conservation Department biologists. For more information about this advisory group or to ask questions or submit comments about catfish management, contact Resource Scientist Kevin Sullivan, P.O. Box 368, Clinton, MO 64735, phone (660) 885-6981, e-mail Kevin.Sullivan@mdc.mo.gov. -Jim Low- http://mdc.mo.gov/cgi-bin/news/news_search...198259547,71941,

Even with an 8 percent decline in the number of deer taken during the December antlerless hunt, the 2007 firearms deer harvest was the third-largest of all time. JEFFERSON CITY-Weather, the perennial wild card in the deer-harvest game, dealt a lousy hand to hunters in the Antlerless Portion of Missouri’s firearms deer season. In spite of this tough break, they went on to shoot enough deer during the December antlerless hunt to push the 2007 firearms deer harvest to the third-largest level in history. Hunters checked 19,472 deer during the Antlerless Portion of Firearms Deer Season Dec. 8 through 16. That is down 8 percent from last year, and the smallest number since the antlerless season went from four to nine days in 2003. Hunters shot more than 25,000 deer the first year of the nine-day antlerless hunt, a figure that has never been topped in the antlerless season’s 12-year history. High counties during the Antlerless Portion of Firearms Deer Season were Macon with 608 deer checked, Pike with 601 and Callaway with 593. Going into the nine-day Antlerless Portion, the 2007 firearms deer harvest was on pace to be the third- or fourth-largest on record. Then a slow-moving winter storm blanketed most of the state in ice. Trees by the thousands collapsed in many areas, bringing down power lines and blocking roads. Many hunters were more concerned about keeping their homes and families safe than they were in putting venison in the freezer. Those who did hunt, found they could not move through the woods without making so much noise that deer could hear them coming. On the other hand, the severe weather caused deer to stay close to available food sources, making their behavior more predictable. Snow that fell across much of the state on the last Saturday of the antlerless hunt gave hunters a last-minute break by making deer more visible. At the end of the first week of the Antlerless Portion, hunters had checked a little more than 10,000 deer. They nearly doubled that figure in the last two days of the antlerless hunt. When added to the harvests during the Urban Portion of Firearms Deer Season (554), the Youth Portion (12,267), the November Portion (214,494) and the Muzzleloader Portion (13,372), the Antlerless Portion harvest brings the 2007 firearms deer harvest to 260,162. Missouri’s sole remaining deer hunting season is the archery season, which runs until Jan. 15. Archers have killed between 35,000 and 43,000 deer in recent years. The Missouri Department of Conservation recorded no firearms-related hunting accidents during the Antlerless Portion of Firearms Deer Season. It recorded four during the preceding segments. Three involved self-inflicted injuries. None was fatal. -Jim Low- http://mdc.mo.gov/cgi-bin/news/news_search...198259568,18942,

<h1 class="storyTitle">WASHINGTON, D.C. — A ranking of states in categories including total number of hunters and anglers, spending by sportsmen, jobs supported, taxes generated, number of days spent hunting and fishing and the most traveled to states by hunters and anglers has been released for the first time.</h1> Read More

By Bobbie Likens - So what does Scott Suggs do with his spare time since becoming the first-ever winner of $1 million in a fishing tournament? He donates it. Suggs was one of nearly 50 professional anglers to recently donate a weekend of his time for the annual Lifeline Youth & Family Services, Inc., charitable fundraiser “Fish with the Pros – For Kids.” Read More

This week, Dean Arnoldussen, the all-time money winner on the FLW Walleye Tour, talks about his expectations for the 2008 season. The Appleton, Wis., pro also discusses walleye and smallmouth bass fishing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and gives his personal recommendation on portable fish houses. Arnoldussen also talks about the PWT’s recent decision to hold an artificials only tournament on Lake Wabigoon in Dryden, Ontario. Read More

By Al Lindner - 14.Dec.2007 As fall gives way to winter, Northern lakes begin developing a rim of ice, and even hardcore anglers start putting their boats in end-of-season storage. For some, thoughts turn to ice fishing; for others, to a longing for the rebirth of spring, many months away. Read More

CELEBRATION, Fla. — BASS announced today enhancements to its youth program, putting its youth competition circuits on a track similar to the BASS Federation Nation tournament structure. As part of the announcement, BASS will move the 2008 Junior Bassmaster World Championship to coincide with the final 2008 Bassmaster Elite Series event, scheduled for Aug. 7-10 in Syracuse, N.Y., in what will serve as a transition year. At the 2008 championship event, youth anglers will be guaranteed to fish with an Elite pro and will weigh in on the Elite stage. All previously invited contenders will compete in the age division in which they qualified as ages will be frozen. The competition waters are yet to be determined. In subsequent years, BASS will hold the premier youth championship at the Federation Nation Championship, as previously announced. While the format of the JWC will stay intact, BASS will augment the experience for the youth participants. Elite pros will conduct seminars for all competitors and BASS will work with sponsors to provide JWC qualifiers with fishing equipment. "We understand the difficulties for those involved in a time of transition and we appreciate their patience," said Don Corkran, director of the BASS Federation Nation. "We recognize that our youth membership is vital to growing the sport of bass fishing." Central to the enhancements is the exposure of youth anglers to all levels of Federation Nation competition. Youth competitors will be mentored by Federation Nation anglers and will learn the elements that are central to the passionate Federation Nation membership. The qualifying ladders for the JWC and the Bassmaster CastingKids program, which will mirror the Federation Nation structure, will provide youth with a firsthand look at competition venues they can pursue when they reach competition age. The junior competitor who emerges as the top-performing angler in his or her state will advance to one of six Federation Nation divisionals, based on geographic criteria. The integration will begin with the first BASS Federation Nation divisional in 2008 set for April on South Carolina's Santee Cooper Reservoir. Junior competitors will remain paired into two age groups, 11-14 and 15-18. The top-performing anglers from each of six divisionals will then qualify for the JWC Championship, to be held in conjunction with the BASS Federation Nation Championship. The championship contenders will continue to fish for $23,000 in scholarship money, with the winners earning the distinction as the top youth anglers in the sport in their respective division. In addition to the seminars, BASS will encourage its Elite Series pros to serve in varying capacities at both youth competitions, including the CastingKids, at the Federation Nation Championship. The CastingKids competitions will be staged in a similar fashion to the JWC path. The top CastingKids competitors in their state will qualify from the Federation Nation Divisionals and the anglers who emerge as the top performers in their Divisionals will move on to their season-ending event, also staged at the FNC Championship. "We received feedback from all of our constituencies and feel that these enhancements are in the best interest of all concerned," said Corkran. "We are excited about the direction of all of our youth programs and the chance for our youth competitors to grow into successful Federation Nation anglers." For more information, contact BASS Communications at 407-566-2208. Visit www.espnmediazone.com for ESPN's latest releases, schedules and other news, plus photos, video and audio clips and more.

Backcast — the portion of the casting motion in which the angler brings the rod tip back sharply and just before the power stroke that brings the rod tip forward; the term is most commonly associated with fly fishing Backlash — an overrun of the spool of a baitcast reel caused by improper spool tension on the part of the angler; sometimes euphemistically referred to as a "professional overrun" Baitcast reel — a revolving spool fishing reel that is mounted above the rod Ball-head jig — jig with round (or "ball") head Bank runner — small bass that are relatively easy to catch and typically spend most of their lives near shore Bed fishing — the tactic of fishing for bass that are holding on or near spawning beds Blade — slang term for spinnerbait or blade bait Blade bait — lure type generally identified by its slim, "blade-like" body and generally made from aluminum and lead Blowdown — a shoreline tree that has fallen into the water; also known as a "laydown" Bluff-burning — a technique that involves casting a big-bladed spinnerbait parallel to the edge of a cliff face and retrieving it rapidly just under the surface Breakline — an area of transition from one depth to another, one cover type to another, one water temperature to another, one water color to another, one substrate to another or any other transition that could influence bass behavior Bream — one or more of a species of panfish; a commonly used term for bluegill and other panfish Bronzeback — slang term for smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomeiu) Brown bass — slang term for smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) Brushpile — a man-made collection of brush and woody cover placed in a body of water in order to attract game fish Bulging — retrieving a lure, usually a spinnerbait, just under the surface so the lure bulges the water without breaking the surface Bump the stump — technique by which a lure is retrieved in a manner that brings it into contact with another object so that it ricochets off the object, often generating a reaction strike from bass Buzzbait — a lure with a weighted head, similar to a spinnerbait, and a blade that churns the surface (or "buzzes") as it is retrieved Buzzing — retrieve for fishing a spinnerbait in which the blades of the lure are bulging the surface of the water Carolina rig — a rigging technique commonly used with soft plastic lures utilizing a swivel and bead to separate the weight (held on the main line and separated from the lure by a swivel) from the hook (at the end of a leader) Channel — the main bed in a river or lake originally shaped by natural or man-made forces Closed-face reel — a fixed spool fishing reel utilizing a conical cover that encloses the spool and helps to control line; commonly used by beginning anglers; also known as a "spincast reel" Co-angler — An amateur angler who fishes from the back of the professional angler's boat during a tournament Comeback lure — a lure intended for use immediately after a bass has struck at and missed a different lure; soft plastic baits are common "comeback lures" for anglers who have just missed bass on a spinnerbait or topwater lure Community hole — a well-known and frequently fished area where numerous angler have had success Countdown lure — a lure that sinks in the water at a predictable rate Cover — an object, such as vegetation, a stump or rock, that creates an ambush point for a predator Crankbait — a lure, most often made of wood or plastic, designed to imitate a swimming baitfish, crawfish or other forage item; diving crankbaits generally float at rest and are characterized by a plastic or metal bill that allows them to be pulled ("dive") under the water on the retrieve; lipless crankbaits typically sink and run deepest on a slow retrieve and shallowest on a fast retrieve Crashing — casting directly into thick vegetation mats or bushes with a forceful, short cast; typically, a heavy, bullet shaped weight is used to break through the cover and pull a worm or other soft plastic lure into the open water below the canopy Craw worm — soft plastic bait, one half of which emulates a crawfish and the other half of which emulates the shaft of a plastic worm body Creature bait — a bulky soft plastic bait with several appendages; most popular for flipping, pitching and Carolina rigging Darter-head jig — jig with an arrowhead-shaped head Deadsticking — technique by which a bait is cast and allowed to lie motionless (or with no motion imparted by the angler) for long periods of time Deep-runner — a crankbait designed to run 10 feet deep or more Depthfinder — sonar unit used to anglers to locate and identify underwater features, including fish Depthsounder — sonar unit used to anglers to locate and identify underwater features, including fish Do Nothing — technique developed by Charlie Brewer using light spinning tackle to swim a small, weighted plastic worm with a steady retrieve Doodling — a soft plastic bait fishing technique utilizing a basic Texas rig which has been modified by placing a plastic or glass bead between the sinker and the hook and shaking the rod tip during the retrieve to create noise Downsize — to scale down tackle or lures for a more finesse approach Drag — a mechanical device built into a reel that, when engaged, exerts an adjustable range of pressure on the spool to permit a controlled release of fishing line from the reel; a properly utilized drag prevents line from breaking or hooks from pulling out when fish are hooked Drop shotting — a fishing technique whereby a worm hook is attached directly to the line above a sinker; typically, a soft plastic bait is affixed to the hook and the rig is presented more or less vertically Dropoff — an abrupt change in bottom contour, typically at the juncture of a flat and channel; a ledge Elite angler — a professional angler in the Bassmaster Elite Series Epilimnion — the layer of water above the thermocline Finesse fishing — technique by which small and/or slow moving lures are used to generate feeding strikes from lethargic bass; commonly regarded as the opposite of power fishing Fishfinder — sonar unit used to anglers to locate and identify underwater features, including fish Fizzing — the practice of inserting a hypodermic needle through the skin of a bass to release air from the fish's swim bladder; this method is best left to trained personnel to ensure survival of fish caught from deep water; typically, the fish is held underwater during the procedure, and the needle "fizzes" when it enters the swim bladder Flat — an expanse of bottom with relatively little change in bottom contour or water depth Flipping (originally "flippin'") — a fixed-line presentation technique invented by Dee Thomas by which a lure (usually a jig or soft plastic bait) is propelled underhand in pendulum fashion to a point a short distance (usually about 15-18 feet) away Float-and-fly — technique utilizing a long (typically 8 feet and longer) spinning rod, light line, float and small jig to target suspended bass, especially winter smallmouth Florida rig — soft plastic lure rigged self-weedless with a screw-in style slip sinker Fly-and-rind — a hair jig with small pork rind trailer Football jig — jig with football-shaped head; popular for fishing deep water structure and cover, especially rocks GPS (Global Positioning System) — electronic devices that use transmissions from an array of satellites to aid in navigation and to show precise position, usually on a chart or map Gamefish — any fish species that is pursued by anglers primarily for sport purposes and not for its value as table fare Going Ike — screaming and cavorting in reaction to catching or losing a fish ala Michael Iaconelli Grub — a molded plastic lure normally threaded onto a jighead Hard bait — any lure made predominantly of hard plastic, wood, composite or other hard materials Hole jumping — the practice of knowingly fishing a location that was previously discovered to be productive by someone else — usually another competitor in a tournament; it is generally considered to be unethical, though it may not be against any rules Honey hole — an extremely productive fishing spot Hook set — the process by which the hook is driven into the mouth of a fish Hypolimnion — the layer of water below the thermocline In-line spinner — a straight-shaft lure with one or more spinner blades attached to the fore and a dressed single or treble hook in the rear Jerkbait — a lipped, minnow shaped plug normally retrieved with a jerking motion of the rod tip Jig — a weighted head molded around a single, upturned hook with a rubber, silicone or hair skirt affixed to dress the hook Jig-and-frog — the combination of a jig and pork rind or soft plastic trailer typically used to emulate a crawfish Jig-and-pig — the combination of a jig and pork rind or soft plastic trailer typically used to emulate a crawfish Johnboat — typically a flat bottomed aluminum or wood boat with bench-type seating and commonly used to fishing on small bodies of water Jump fishing — the practice of targeting schooling fish that are obviously feeding on baitfish near the surface Jumps — a group of bass chasing baitfish to the surface, where they feed in groups; also called "schooling" Kentucky bass — term commonly used to refer to spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus) Kneel and reel — a presentation and retrieve technique in which the angler kneels in the boat and keeps his rod tip under the water while retrieving a deep diving crankbait, thereby getting maximum diving depth from the lure Laydown — a shoreline tree that has fallen into the water; also known as a "blowdown" Ledge — an edge of a flat or gently sloping bottom that is cut by any channel or other feature so as to create a sharp dropoff Levelwind — feature on a baitcast reel that lays the line evenly across the spool as line is being retrieved Line tie — the portion of a lure where the line is tied onto it Lipless crankbait — a sinking crankbait that has no diving lip; its depth is controlled by the speed of the retrieve, angle at which the rod is held, line size and other factors Lipping — landing a bass by grasping its lower lip between the thumb and fingers and pulling it from the water Livewell — container used to maintain bass or other baitfish or game fish alive, usually by use of an aeration system Locking through — the process of passing through navigation locks and dams on a body of water Loop knot — any of several different knots tied with a fixed loop; these knots are often used in lieu of split rings or snaps to give lures more freedom of movement Mat — vegetation growing from the bottom of a lake or stream that has reached the surface and spread out to create a dense canopy; this cover can provide excellent shelter for bass; mats are typically fished using the pitching and flipping techniques Match the hatch — mimicking the size and color of insects, baitfish or other prey; a term popularized by fly fishermen targeting trout feeding on insect hatches, but applicable to all types of fishing Medium runner — a crankbait designed to run 5-10 feet deep Microjig — any small jig that must be cast with ultralight tackle Mojo rig — a variation on split shotting utilizing a cylindrical weight held in place on the line by a rubber peg or strands of rubber; a finesse technique typically involving light line and small soft plastic baits Mossback — a nickname for largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) Observer — a non-competing individual who accompanies an angler on his boat during competition Open-face reel — slang term for spinning reel, a fixed spool fishing reel mounted below the rod and commonly used by anglers when fishing light lines or small lures Paddle-tail — soft plastic design with a large, flat tail resembling a paddle Pattern — the exact set of water conditions such as depth, cover, structure, temperature, clarity, currents, etc., which attracts fish to a specific location and to other similar locations all over the same body of water; first defined by Roland Martin in 1969 Pattern fishing — the practice of targeting areas which share the exact set of water conditions such as depth, cover, structure, temperature, clarity, currents, etc., which have produced bass at similar locations all over the same body of water Pegging — affixing a weight to the fishing line so that it cannot slide up or down the line; pegging is typically accomplished with a toothpick, rubber peg or strips of rubber Pitch-skip — a presentation technique by which a lure is pitched and skips underneath overhanging cover such as a boat dock Pitching — a underhanded casting method which resembles a modified flipping cast; the bait is swung forward by raising the rod tip, and then allowed to travel forward by free-spooling the line; pitching is most commonly used to present a lure to targets that are just out of range of flipping Plastic worm — a molded soft plastic lure designed to imitate a worm, eel or snake; plastic worms are manufactured in numerous sizes, shapes and colors Poking — a technique in which the angler clears a hole in floating vegetation so that he or she can then present a lure through the hole Postspawn — the period immediately after the spawn when female bass frequently are exhausted from laying eggs and protecting their beds; the period leading into the summer season Pound-test — the point at which line breaks when pulled with a specific amount of pressure Power fishing — technique by which large and/or fast-moving lures are used to create reaction strikes from bass; commonly regarded as the opposite of finesse fishing Pre-fishing — practicing for a tournament Prespawn — the period shortly before spawning begins when big bass typically invade shallow water and feed voraciously Punching — technique for fishing heavy matted cover (generally vegetation) with a soft plastic lure by which a slip sinker is pegged to the bait and the bait is cast, flipped or pitched into cover so that the sinker pulls the bait through the cover canopy and to the desired area below Reaction baits — lures fished in a way that causes a bass to strike out of reflex or surprise; spinnerbaits, crankbaits and lipless crankbaits are frequently fished in a manner designed to generate reaction bites Ribbon tail — soft plastic design with a flat, undulating tail resembling a ribbon Ripping — retrieve technique frequently used for jerkbaits in which the lure is violently and rapidly pulled forward ("ripped") before being paused Riprap — rocks piled along bridge abutments and banks of rivers and lakes to prevent erosion School — a group of bass or other fish congregated in a small area Schooling — a group of bass chasing baitfish to the surface, where they feed in groups; also called "jumps" Shad — a prolific baitfish that serves as the primary food fish for bass in reservoirs and rivers, especially in the South; the most common types of shad are threadfin and gizzard Shaky head — a special leadhead jig designed for rigging a worm weedless and used in the shaking technique Shaking — fishing technique in which a straight-tail worm is threaded onto a plain jighead and shaken in a location where bass are believed to be Shallow-runner — a crankbait designed to run 5 feet deep or less Shiner — any of several subspecies of baitfish characterized by silver or golden scales along their sides; size generally runs from 2 to 12 inches Sight fishing — targeting bass that are visible to the angler Skipping — a casting method that propels a bait under overhanging cover such as a dock, trees or bushes; the force of the sidearm cast causes the bait to skip over the surface and under the cover Slip shotting — a variation on split shotting utilizing a cylindrical weight held in place on the line by a rubber peg or strands of rubber; a finesse technique typically involving light line and small soft plastic baits Slip sinker — a weight, usually conical in shape, commonly used when fishing soft plastic baits Slow rolling — retrieve method most commonly associated with spinnerbaits in which the lure is retrieved just fast enough to make the blade(s) turn ("roll") and the lure crawls across the bottom Snap-set — a hook setting technique in which the hook is set with a quick flip (or "snap") of the wrist Soft jerkbait — a soft plastic baitfish imitation typically rigged with a wide gap hook and no weight Sonar — an acronym for SOund, NAvigation and Ranging, the technology which makes "depthfinders" or "fishfinders" possible; often used as a synonym for "depthfinder" or "fishfinder" Spawn — the time during which bass reproduce by building beds or nests, laying eggs and protecting eggs and fry; the timing of the spawn is related to water temperature and occurs in spring in most parts of the country Spincast reel — a fixed spool fishing reel utilizing a conical cover that encloses the spool and helps to control line; generally mounted above the reel; commonly used by beginning anglers; also known as a "closed-face reel" Spinnerbait — a lure characterized by a "V"-shaped wire frame with one or more spinner blades fixed to one of the wire shafts and a weighted hook dressed with rubber, silicone, hair, soft plastic or other material on the other shaft Spinning reel — a fixed spool fishing reel mounted below the rod and commonly used by anglers when fishing light lines or small lures; also known as an "open-face reel" Split shotting — a variation on slip shotting utilizing a split shot pinched on the line above the hook; a finesse technique typically involving light line and small soft plastic baits Spoon — A metal, plastic or wooden lure often manufactured with a metallic finish to imitate a minnow; jigging spoons are straight slabs of metal that are hopped up and down directly beneath the boat where bass are holding in deep water; swimming spoons are lighter and shaped more like a spoon; they are meant for retrieving through shallow water, including weedy areas Spoon-shaking — technique of retrieving a metal spoon on or near the surface of the water by reeling quickly and jerking the rod tip sharply to imitate a frightened baitfish Stickbait — a hard or soft lure that is generally long and slender and designed to emulate a baitfish Stickworm — a slender, cigar-shaped soft plastic bait laden with salt or other materials to make it sink quickly; stickworms are typically Texas- or wacky-rigged and fished without a weight; the lure is cast, allowed to settle briefly, then lifted and allowed to sink again Stinger hook — an extra hook attached to the back hook of a spinnerbait, buzzbait or other lure designed to catch fish that miss the lure's main hook; also called a "stinger hook" Stitching — technique by which a bottom bumping lure is dragged slowly across the bottom by pulling the line with one's fingers rather than moving the bait with the rod tip or reel Strike zone — the area around an individual bass in which the fish will strike a lure; if a fish is willing to swim away from its ambush spot to hit a lure, it is said to have a large strike zone Stroking — a jig fishing technique in which the angler sharply jumps the bait up off the bottom and allows it to fall back on a slack line Structure — contour changes on the lake's or stream's substrate; channels, dropoffs, flats and points are all examples of structure Suspended — condition used to describe bass that are holding at some point in the water column between the surface and the bottom Sweep-set — hook-set method in which line is retrieved rapidly at the same time the rod is swept back and to the side Swimbait — any of a loose group of lures that emulate baitfish and are frequently characterized by their large size in relation to other bass lures; swimbaits may be soft or hard lures, lipped or not lipped and one piece or jointed Swinging — landing a bass by raising it into the boat or onto the bank with the rod; this practice is generally discouraged if the fish is allowed to fall to the deck of the boat or onto the bank since it could harm the fish and reduce its chances for survival once released Tailrace — the area below a dam, typified by irregu¬lar currents and upwellings Tailspinner — a lure consisting of a slab of lead or other weighted material with a swivel and spinner blade affixed to the rear which turn as the bait falls or is retrieved Texas rig — a method of rigging a soft plastic in which a conical sinker is threaded onto the line before tying on a hook; the lure is then threaded onto the hook in such a manner that the hook point is concealed in the lure, making it relatively snagless Thermocline — a distinct layer in the water column in which temperature changes more rapidly with depth than it does in the layers above or below; a thermocline may be a permanent feature of the body of water, or it may form temporarily in response to phenomena such as the solar heating of surface water during the day Tidewater — coastal rivers, streams and lakes on which depth and water flow is affected by tidal movements Topwater lure — an artificial bait fished across the surface of the water; typically, a floating lure Trailer — a hook, spinner blade, pork rind/frog or soft plastic bait attached to the back hook of a lure and designed to provide extra attraction Trailer hook — an extra hook attached to the back hook of a spinnerbait, buzzbait or other lure designed to catch fish that miss the lure's main hook; also called a "stinger hook" Tube bait — any of a variety of soft plastic lures with a hollow cavity Tuning — adjusting the line tie or other component of a lure (typically a crankbait or spinnerbait) to alter the running direction or action of the bait Twitch bait — slang term for jerkbait Wacky rig — rigging method by which a soft plastic bait is hooked through the middle and fished without a weight Waking — retrieve technique by which a lure just under the water bulges the surface Walking the dog — retrieve technique by which the lure moves in a zigzag pattern — like a dog pulling back and forth on a leash; caused by twitching the rod tip and reeling simultaneously in a specific cadence Weedguard — a device, usually plastic or wire, affixed to a lure so as to cover the hook point(s), thereby making it relatively snagless Wall hanger — a trophy bass Water column — the vertical cross section of a water body Wing dam — a man-made barrier that, unlike a conventional dam, only extends partway into a river or stream; typically designed to force water into a fast-moving center channel to reduce the rate of sediment accumulation while slowing water flow and erosion near the riverbanks Yo-yoing — retrieve technique in which the lure is presented vertically in an up-and-down motion; commonly used with jigging spoons or tailspinners

Yea- he speaks highly of you... he's a great guy.

I just use a large arbor battenkill (Orvis). Where are you going to find LIVE salmon in October???

Just had to get out alittle today since it was such a nice day. I work out 3 times a week at Maples Gym at the Red Roof- today I "tested" which I do once a month. It's pretty gruling plus I made the mistake of thinking if I took a few vitamins before leaving the house it would help my endurance... just made me sick. Anyhow I got thru it and took time off my mile, did more pushups, setups and pullups than November so I needed to celebrate. Left the house at 3:30 and boated up to Andy's house. Only 4 boats out, alittle breeze from the west and lots of midging rainbows in the shallows. I eased the boat to the shallow side and raised the motor. Had a #20 olive zebra already on the rig from the Norfork trip so I started (and ended) with it. Float set 6 inches deep, 6x tippet. I casted to rise after rise and had hits on almost every one- most I missed probably cause the hook is so small. But landed a good number of rainbows, most around 12 inches. The first rainbow was the largest- about 15 inches. I kept the boat as close ot the shallow bank as possible and casted out towards the middle so that I could see the white palsa float. Looking and casting the other way- the sky's glare would keep me from seeing the float. I could have put on a soft hackle and done well I'm sure but just didn't want to take the time. Took pics of the pretty ones- they are in the order I caught them.

We hope to help you down here... but we'd sure like to hear about your fishing up there too!! The more the merrier!!!