Phil Lilley

There are licenses that only cover "local" or regional waters... Bill can speak to this better than I. His is for the "White River Region" only. I can't take the 2-module (or 3-module, not sure) exam he took and guide in Alaska, I have to take the "unrestricted" exam to guide anywhere which includes charting. It's a 5-module test. Here's some sample questions- this should be fun... don't google you answer either- that's cheating. 100. If you're approaching another vessel and aren't sure if it is a crossing or overtaking situation, you should: A. Sound one blast, turn right B. Sound one blast, turn left C. Maintain course and speed D. Assume an overtaking situation and keep clear 101. While underway in reduced visibility you hear about tow points on the starboard bow the fog signal of another vessel. You should: A. Stop if necessary B. Slow engines and let him pass C. Alter course to starboard to pass around his stern D. Alter course to port to pass on his port side 102. The rules concerning lights must be complied with from sunset to sunrise. They: A. Must be displayed by all vessels at anchor also B. Need not to be displayed by unmanned vessels C. Must be displayed at all times during restricted visibility D. Need not be displayed when other vessles are not in sight

Welcome Jim... nothing wrong with a spin cast rig... nothing at all. 3000 members... most are deleted spammers unfortunately.

Simple for you... for someone like me who has trouble remembering stuff and freezes up on tests I don't know. I like the idea of drug tests and physicals and other pertinant tests but the OUPV is a little overkill for a fishing guide using a bass boat on Table Rock. I wish they'd narrow the scope of the test to cover what we need to know for inland lakes only... not that I'm complaining or anything I do look forward to the day I can show someone a certificate stating I'm a Captain. I appreciate those guides who have it all-the-more. Something to be proud of for sure.

Boated to the dam little bit ago... man the trip going up and bad enough. I only had my fingerless gloves on and my fingers were hurtin' by the time I got up there. Wind gusts to 30 is the forecast today and I think they nailed it. There were a couple of boats up there- one tied to the cable at mid stream. They were fishing white something and I saw them catch 2 trout. I drug an anchor for a short distance to see if that would stable my drift- it didn't- the wind was blowing me around like a rag doll. I tried to fish a 1/8th oz white jig behind the boat and missed a dz strikes. Caught one rainbow at the boat ramp. Called it quits and gave up. Talked to Scott Clark, a guest, when I got back to the dock. They said they had a fantastic day yesterday, catching over 70 trout below the dam drifting white 1/32nd oz jigs. Lots of browns up to 19 inches. Saw alot of shad in the morning when the water was running hard but none since. I didn't see any this am. I assume they are drifing their jig along with a split shot to get it down.

Sam- your trip sounds like a good script for a new sitcom for Fox especailly the mother-in-laws part.

Sounds like the walleye fishers are catching nothing but trout below the dam... maybe all the rainbows went over the dam. Our guides used to go down there with clients when the water ran hard in the winter sometimes and fishing was usually real good. MDC should be stocking more rainbows down there- they usually do in the winter cause the water is cold.

Patrick... really!! I loved that trip and if you didn't outfish me you didn't catch many. I struggled except one day of the trip that we floated the upper stretch. I catch several nice rainbows which was more than enough to make the trip a success. The company and the scenery was enough by themselves. Sorry I don't remember you personally... it's been how many years? 10+? Guiding... are the tailwaters of the White, Norfork, Greers Ferry Corp controled? I always thought guides on those river didn't need the OUPV 6-pack.

My stats report we have 1515 visits yesterday, a record. Over 17,000 pages, another high mark. And we did that without the spammers!! Bill Babler has finished a wonderful article on Walleye which should be published later today. Very impressive piece... lots of research.

Honestly I'm not clear which lakes require it and why. Most Missouri Corp lakes do I think. Arkansas not sure. Definition of "Navigable Waters" would be nice. I'll have to research it... later today. I do know that in this area the US Coast Guard does crack down on guides that don't have it and it's a stiff fine. They even did a sting operation a couple of years ago... that's why there are few guides that don't have the 6-pack license. Plus other guides don't like to see people guiding without it cause of the trouble they went thru to be legal. Insurance is another thing- most companies won't insurance a guide if he doesn't have it, when required. tax- she took the local water test probably in Alaska. Jim took the same one last spring. And most of the tests are open book except the Rules of the Road which is the first test. You have to past that test before taking the other modules. The problem is the time limit on taking the test... if you don't know where to look in the book on a question, you could spend most of your time on just a handful of questions trying to look up the answer and not finish the test, so I'm told. Babler will weigh in on the subject as soon as he finishes feeding his guests breakfast this morning. He has alot more knowledge on the subject. But it's interesting to those who had no idea what a guides goes thru to be a guide. I would have to say though the Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED training was fantastic- wish I had done it a long time, although I have not had the opportunity to use any of it. Everyone should take it.

Horsepower limits have been discussed for years on Taney but it's not going to happen... Missouri Water Patrol is on this lake may be 30 days a year and even then it's a courtesy run up and down the lake at best. As mentioned on the board in the past, it's not the speed that kills, it's how you operate the boat at low speeds. Know your boat- know your wake. Know what it does it certain situations and don't take chances. But enforcement is most of the issue of changing the laws, just like in game rule changes.

I'm in the process of getting my OUPV license to guide in Alaska this summer. I went to St Louis today to hand in my application and other paperwork (listed below) in hopes to get approved to take the test by May. I was told it may be longer. So I'm regrouping a bit- checking my options. Here's what it takes... Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV) "6-pack" 1. Completed application with oath 2. Yes, on application explanations 3. Proof of Citizenship Social 4. Security Card 5. Finger print (Done at REC) 6. First Aid and CPR with in one year 7. Three character references 8. Physical exam with hearing and eye test 9. SAMSHA Drug test or enrollment in drug testing program 10. Certificate of Completion (with one year) 11. Sea Service forms (total at least 360 days) Wanna become a guide? You simply apply by submitting a complete application, once approved make an appointment and take the five exams. Rules of the Road is the first exam and it is a closed book requiring 90% correct. The other four are open book and require a 70% correct for passage. The tests are nothing short of HARD! Rules of the road cover lights, flags, ship movements in and out of channels... not just on bass boats but on freighters in major rivers. Who is required to have a OUPV license? Anyone who guides on most Corp lakes in Missouri, including Table Rock, Taneycomo and Bull Shoals. There are 2 types on OUPV licenses- local waters and inclusive. Inclusive means all inland waters and out to 100 miles off the coast. That's what I need. Bill Babler is a Captain... is there anyone else?

WINTER DRY FLY? BY JOHN BERRY Winter has finally arrived in Cotter. On Friday, I guided for ten hours in the cold rain. We caught plenty of fish but the rain never let up. On Saturday and Sunday the rain continued turning the local rivers and creeks into a muddy mess. By Monday and Tuesday, the temperatures had dropped into the teens. It was overcast with no hint of sunshine and the wind was howling out of the West sending the wind-chill plummeting into single digits. On Wednesday, the sun peeked out and the temperature climbed to a balmy forty three degrees. The rivers had cleared up and the winds had lain down. I called the dam and noted that the Norfork had been turned off. I could not tempt Lori to leave the warmth and comfort of the house. She gathered up a good book and her beloved cats and settled in for the day. I was getting a serious case of cabin fever so I called my fishing buddy, George Peters, to see if he was interested in going fishing. I caught him in the middle of a complex legal case and he was all too willing to take a break from the tedium. We tossed our gear into the back of his Suburban and headed for the Norfork. When we reached River Ridge Road and saw the Norfork for the first time it seemed high. The further we drove upstream toward the Handicap access the lower the river looked. The water was a little stained but appeared to be quite fishable. There were several anglers gathered there but they seemed to be more interested in talking than fishing. I looked up and saw a bald eagle circling overhead. I knew instinctively that this was a good omen for the day’s fishing. George and I watched it in awe for a while and then quickly threw on our waders, carefully rigged our rods, and walked up into the Catch and Release section. We were the first ones there. George stopped in front of Charlie’s and I continued on up stream. I headed straight to my favorite spot. I tried several flies before I settled on a size sixteen olive scud. I was nymphing a nice deep run and I took several good fish. The trout were feeding well. The high water of the previous month had left them in good shape, fat and sassy. They all fought well. I moved around a bit, fished several spots, and tagged trout everywhere I went. George took several trout on a small midge. When that slowed down he changed to a size sixteen parachute Adams. This was no real surprise. I looked in his fly box one time and saw that it was the only pattern he carried. He fished the Adams and took a really fine nineteen inch female rainbow with a substantial girth. He moved up stream a bit to try another piece of water. He spotted a good looking current thread and put the perfect cast into it. The fly headed downstream in a perfect drag free float. After a few feet it picked up some drag and sunk. George was about to pick it up for another cast when he saw a silver flash near where he thought the fly to be. He instinctively set the hook. The fight was on! Since he was fishing 6X tippet he took his time and played the fish carefully. The trout was fighting fiercely. I was fishing a nice run a couple of hundred yards upstream and noticed the extreme bend in his rod. About that time, I hooked a fish myself and had to concentrate on the task at hand. After landing and releasing my fish, I looked up and George was still fighting the fish. Another angler had walked up and was watching the struggle. I called down and asked if he wanted a photo (I always carry a camera). He yelled back yes that he had a big one on. I scrambled over to him and took several photos of the trout. It was a twenty one inch, vividly colored, hook jawed, male rainbow. George carefully revived and gently released the big fish. We fished for a while longer but that was the fish of the day. We headed back to the car. As we walked out I got to thinking should that fish be considered to be caught on a dry fly? Technically it was. On the other hand, it was not on top of the water when the fish took it. Should I be worried about that at all? Or should I just be impressed that George had tagged a good one. Maybe I should just be glad to get out of the house and appreciate a good day on the river after what seemed like a long time. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, AR, Trout Capital USA, and can be reached at http://www.berrybrothersguides.com .

If you've heard of or have a fishing event anywhere in the Ozark's area, please post it here, no matter how big or small. It helps everyone know what's going on and give some of us an excuse to get out of the house and do something! Bass Clubs Trout Clubs Fishing Events Tournaments Benefits

See BC's post.

Very nice blog- like the fishing best and the pics. That little brookie is beautiful! I've been trying to talk MDC into stocking brooks here on Taney but they won't have it... grow too slow and hard to get/raise... but we could talk about that forever. Welcome!

I drove over it this afternoon- looks like it's in great shape.

Thanks Ken. You done good.

One of my kids must have restarted the computer... I just started it up again. But it's dark now.

Great crowd and very good presentation by Micheal... sorry I had to bug out early.

These are the first pics of Capps I've seen, for sure on the website. Thank you very much for sharing them guys!!!

The water is going to be running everyday so you won't have any problems getting a boat to the dam, unless the policy at TH doesn't allow it. The outlets are the best. DD can stir you in the right direction if you're going to meet him there.

Are you talking about Ft Smith, Arkansas? Beaver Lake is the nearest, I think. But someone closer to Ft Smith may have to answer this one. The best thing to do is to hire a guide to show you around.

1. Go to http://ozarkanglers.com there's a link on the home page. 2. http://lilleyslanding.com and look under marina. 3. Yes, the rates are listed on our site. Thanks for asking.

Jim is looking into lights but the problem is current. The camera is now at the end of a cable dangling down in the water. With all the debry drifting down like limbs and trees, one can catch the cable and bring the camera up. Also there aren't many fish under the dock like there are when there's no generation. But we're working on some ideas.

I'd fish from either corner at the cable from the shore. Both places- you can fish effectively with jigs and small crank baits. Not sure about fly rod. We carry bunnies, double bunnies and white woolies.