Phil Lilley

Hopefully it'll trickle down... I think to a certain extent, the trophy area the way it is now has benefited the upper 5-8 miles of the lake but not as well as MDC and others expected it to. Here's the latest stats from MDC's survey taken in August. http://ozarkanglers.com/taneycomo/taney_2007.php Unfortunately, they didn't survey above and below Fall Creek prior to 1996 but you can see a jump between 1996 and 1997 and forward. Bare in mind they can't survey much past Short Creek because of the depth of water.

Wonder if Table Rock is too... is anyone fishing it? Is anyone fishing at all except for Trav and Wacky Worm? :)

Talked to Harold from Trigger Creek Auto, who's a local that knows his stuff on Bull Shoals, and he told me fishing has been excellent on BS lately. He said crank baits!! have been killers on bass. I need to find out what tournaments have been held lately cause he said they've had some incredible weights come in here in the last month. Anyone else hear anything?

We rented a boat Tuesday because they were running two units. As we headed up stream they shut the water down so we started a drift from the KOA campground to the bend above fall creek. The fish were everywhere! Based on one of your recent reports we threw 1/16th jigs in brown and peach. We had a fierce competition going back and forth for total fish landed. I ended the day with 81 to Adam's 80. (I was in charge of the motor so I called an end to the fishing as it got dark. Had I been behind we would have fished longer.) Mostly stockers, but a few browns and nice bows up to 18". On Wednesday morning we went back to wade the dam and fished between the cable and above outlet 2. Again the fish were thick and scuds, red asses, and midges all worked well. Adam caught 34 fish including three 18" bows and two browns. I primarily fished the deeper water hoping for bigger fish, but I didn't land anything over 17". He won the total competition and the largest fish landed. I hope to get back there next month before he returns to college and even the score. Hope to see you then. As always the cabin and boat were in great condition. Thanks, Bill Howe

Sorry- if you're not then you wouldn't know what I'm referring to- arrowhead.

That's what they'll do at Table Rock- run a partial unit 24/7. I'm thinking... "who" initiated minimum flow? I thought it was AF&G. MDC has been putting pressure on SPA and the Corp for 10 years or more. I've always credited Ark for beating MO to the punch. May be I'm off base.

2 statements: I can honestly say MDC isn't doing this for boaters... doesn't make any sense. I can honestly say I can see a battle between waders and boaters, worse than there is now. Boaters will head up, even to the cable, more often. Not large boats but small river jons with jets.

Non stop current would be the biggest change. The bug population would explode- more than most would even believe.

Are you a point hunter? I'd link Bull would be a great place to hunt.

Russ- I love how you post your float reports and pics... keep up the great work. I won't be able to make the float this time but will get over there at some point.

We already have a few.

Sorry- the minimum flow issue won't help the DO issue on Taneycomo. I didn't make myself clear. I posted the minimum flow article on the Taneycomo forum.

This is an article I pulled out of my archived which shows what flows would look like below Table Rock on Taney- June 6, 2001 Several state and federal agencies represented a cooperated effort today here below Table Rock Dam on upper Lake Taneycomo to test water levels and flows for a proposed minimum flow increase in our tailwater. Arkansas Game & Fish, Missouri Department of Conservation, United State Geological Survey and US Army Corp of Engineers have come together for this joint study to determine optimal flows from five lakes-- Beaver, Table Rock, Bull Shoals, Greers Ferry and Norfork Lakes. Normally, our power pool is 701.3, about 140 cfs with house generators and "leakage". Outlet #2 adds another 20 cfs. Different flows were tested throughout the morning using house generators only, "flow-- no load" which is running water through one turbine but not generating any water, 5% one turbine and 10% one turbine. At a little less than 10%--one turbine, they hit the desired mark of 546 cfs. Early news from the Corp it that there was little if any cavitation, something they were concerned about and watching closely. Cavitation would wear the turbine blades and would require unwanted and costly maintenance. The major difference is going to be in the first mile of the tailwater. Below that there's not much change. I didn't go down to Lookout Island but there will be a change there in the shallow run at the top and middle of the island and behind the island. The current in the main channel down from the rebar hole is really moving and thins out as it runs into the big hole. This is going to hold BIG trout especially in the fall when the browns move up. It's the kind of water I see in Michigan when fishing for salmon. Great shooting line water!! Also the water I usually fish above #2 through #2 will be faster and will hold more fish. This current and surface disturbance is great cover in itself- that's why they'll hold there. Here are some pics I took throughout the morning and afternoon. 9 am - 1 pm Above #2. The red arrow denotes the rock I stand on when I'm dry wading at 701.3 which means it's usually dry to the rock. My standing rock at about 350 cfs. New current. This guy was in the middle above #2. CFS - about 350. Rebar at 350 cfs 350 cfs Here is the level 702.3, 540 cfs. Note: at the time, 540 was the suggested new minimum flow. Now it's 400 cfs. So 400 cfs is somewhere inbetween these flow levels. Looking from above #2 through and down to rebar shoot. #2 oulet Looking upstream from the TU stairs above #3 up to #2 outlet. Looking out from TU stairs straight down rebar's shoot. Angler standing left center would be standing on dry gravel at 701.3. View from below #3 upstream at rebar and bottom tip of island. Water covers the bar. Possibly 2 new riffles and one shoot has formed. The gravel on the east side of rebar is now an small island. View across to the rock wash and the top of big hole. New riffle is formed. View from MDC boat ramp upstream. Very little change here. More current but not much. View from MDC boat ramp downstream. The whole gravel bar across the lake from the ramp is now under water.

The hatchery's new system injects o2- they used to use stacks which couldn't be adjusted or regulated. The Crop at the dam have been injecting o2 for years and will continue. This will not help the DO issue at any of the tailwaters. That's a whole new system. I'll see if I find the flow pics I took when they were looking at the flows several years ago.

Getting the work done initially is one thing... upkeep and maintenance is another. The Corp at one time said we'd (Table Rock Tailwater) had to come up with $200-300,000 annually... WE would have to cause they weren't interested or wouldn't/couldn't- whatever. But getting this money is a good step. Not sure if MDC, though, is in step with AF&G. I think Ark is ahead in the game.

Stone at Cook Island.

Tom and I drove to handicap access this morning and fished from 9-4. Threw pretty much everything at them... zebras, scuds, soft hackles... some emergers and san juans. Did well on most except the dries. Nothing really hatched except a minor midge hatch. Nothing over 13 inches, all rainbows except 2 browns. Did most of our fishing up at Cook Island- both sides. Like the new raparion work they've done. Got some pics and video- later for those.

I knew that fixed it- thanks

Read Article Here Interesting read on new 2-handed rods.

At least she was honest... Ozark Mountain in Ozark I think lumps it all together too. It's hard to find a processor that does custom work.

Trav- they're on the way.

jerkmybait- there's a few articles here on the forum- also lots of information on past posts and topics including fishing reports from the last 2 seasons. It's kinda hard writing a post with all the information you're asking for- and most of it is already here. There are quite a few people who are willing to help. I would suggest read away, watch the forum and when the time get nearer, ask some specific questions, if you have any. Thanks for joining in...

Not sure what they're reasoning is now but in the past- brooks grow too slow and cutts- honestly don't remember. I'd say with all the new rules about transporting across state lines now and the diseases there are now, there'd have to be a REAL good reason to get them. Not sure how Arknasas gets them for the white and norfork tailwaters... they think it's worth the trouble.