Phil Lilley

Everybody all together now... "How big was it??" It was way too nice for me to get out and fish... come on!

John, you've already done a lot of us. Thanks. If you want to write, write and send it to me. Pics always are nice but essential. Write on what? Anything that has to do with fishing or the outdoors. Jim reminded me today that we had over 117,000 visitors here on OA last year- that means you'll be read by a lot of interested people!

Yes it is.

I will say that of all the shad I've seen coming from any dam, most, if not all, are still alive and kickin'.

First of all it's natural... not sure I know for sure but I think it's the temp of the water. The fittest live and the oldest die?? It's not low DO- it's the highest in the winter. Cold water temps. That's my final answer.

While fishing with Gabe Cross a couple of years ago below the Norfork Dam, he had Randy Waggoner, a friend who was on the trip with me, use a san juan under an indicator 8-9 feet deep, large indicator and split shot to keep it down, and he fished it real close to the boat. Guides on the White tend to run their motors all the time, I'm sure to keep the boat in line to where they want to drift- instead of a trolling motor. I'd think this would spook fish- a trolling motor is bad enough. But Randy was successful at catching fish... but not half as successful as I was throwing a white jig. I'm tellin' you guys... learn how to work a jig and you'll catch more fish!! Anywhere- for every kind of fish.

A big school of shad in Table Rock has to swim next to the dam 130 feet deep, or a big school of dead shad or dying shad has to drift 130 feet deep next to Table Rock Dam and get sucked into the intake line. There have been winters that we'd see thread fin shad dead all over Table Rock but none in coming into Taney. You just can't pinned an exact science on this... it's a fluke at best. Bull Shoals and Norfork have more shad runs, I believe, because the intake is not as deep at those dams- the dams are not as high. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Thanks for posting on the Finley. Charlie Farmer can't be happy about any attention put forth on his favorite stream... unless it's to clean it up. Sorry- I think of Farmer every time the Finley is mentioned. In mapping the Finley, I found out some things about it... it's very long- alot longer and more fishable waters than most people know. I do want to fish it this spring, if time allows. And RD- you posted in the right place... but next time you should start your post under the Finley River Forum if you want to share any more of your secrets

Starts at 7 p.m. Jeremy usually has materials to what you will tie but you'll need to bring a vise and tools. He does have extras though. Fishing? Not sure.

No cutts in Taneycomo. Wish there were.

Actually I thought after I posted... Jim should post his spots on the forum because 99% of the people who read the forum would help him pick up trash at those sites put there by people who don't read the forum... probably by people who can't read at all!! We all feel the same way as Jim on this matter (trashing access sites and private property). I didn't mean to say Jim has no right to vent... it appeared that Jim was venting AT the person who created the forum (BB) for suggesting that every should give up their spots, which I don't think that's the intention of the forum at all.

White. The micro Bill used had a chrome head I think. Did land one cutthroat today. Most were rainbows and about 5-6 browns.

Venting is ok but I think you're lashing out at the wrong people. No one is asking you to give out your secret or favorite spot. Bill Butts created this forum to try to spir on educational conversation, not to draw out complaints about what most of us dislike as much as you. 99% of us pick up trash on the banks I bet. It's the 1% you're after.

Headed down to BS Dam with Bill Babler this morning- got there at 12:15 and was fishing by 12:30. 6 units running, plenty of water for my Landau to get to the dam with no problem. About 5-7 other boats out off and on- most were river jons and most were guided parties as far as I could tell. Some were throwing fly rod, float and a white fly 6-10 feet deep. Some were throwing jigs. We didn't see any shad in the water but by the looks most of the trout we caught they've seen some lately. Big bellies. The gulls were diving at the dam at times during the afternoon. We didn't kill them by any means. We tried drifting for the first couple of hours from the dam to just above the wing wall at the dock. We picked up a few on white 1/8th oz jig. They seemed to like it just drifting and bouncing on the bottom. Needless to say, we went thru alot of jigs. It's hard to bend the barb on those jig hooks! Bill landed a nice brown and we landed a dozen decent rainbows in the 13-15 inch range. All were healthy and fat... fat and healthy I mean. Then we anchored on the left side of the river at the line below the dam and fished both the seam and the slack water. Bill fished a jig and float using a white micro jig and I stayed with a white 3/32 oz- then a 1/16th oz white jig. I found they really liked a slow drifting jig close to the bottom. I could keep the 1/16th oz right at the right level longer and draw a hit almost every time. I did try some other colors- sculpin with an orange head did the best. Then ginger. We finished the day as the last on the river. I caught the big fish of the day- the brown in the pic. White jig. Again, didn't tear them up like I thought we would considering they've seen shad in the last week. Bill's observation was that he thought there's not the same numbers of fish compared to Taney- at the dam. My experience at Taney is if we've had shad like the White has had, we would have had a 100 fish afternoon easy. But we had high skies and little wind- and we hardly saw another fish caught by anyone else on the river besides what we caught. It may have been a tough fishing day.

...starting very shortly.

My online shop will be up and running shortly... meeting with a banking service this week so that we can take credit cards online. All our material will- or really already is- online. Give us another week or so and we'll go live.

We caught some 6 inchers and some 13 inchers and some inbetween.

I've pinned a couple of topics with the idea that these topics will have all the answers one would want to know about their subjects, which are excellent subjects for fishing on Table Rock. I'll leave these pinned for as long as needed. Feel free to comment, ask other questions about the subjects and if you're an expert in the field, go to town on the answers knowing you won't have to repeat your answer again on the forum (hopefully). The topics and their content may become part of a future article(s) on OA/Table Rock Lake. Thanks!

Here are the results as promised.

Ron, you've already done a lot and we appreciate it. Your articles are clear and concise.

Dave, are you having troubles??

Been thinking about doing a piece on drifting- but I'll briefly answer your questions. I usually tie a #8 hook on and pinch a split shot above the hook about 24 inches. The size shot depends on who much water is running. I don't want to put too much on or it will drag the bottom too much and get snagged up quick. I need just enough to get there and lightly bounce. I hook the minnow in the eyes- thru one and out the other. You'll catch more browns using a minnow and I think bigger rainbows too.

Crab Shack is in the Landing in Branson. No myth... I caught a few myself. A few bass were caught in the tournament yesterday just below the 65 bridge on a jig working a bank. Warmwater species are going to be caught on Taneycomo just like any other river (right now it is a river with the current). Find structure and throw around it. If you find a crappie, you'll find more than one. Most of the time, bass is the same. I'd stay in the main lake because the water is warmer than the coves and creeks. Most of the creek mouths are frozen right now anyhow.

I'd like to comment on something Ron said in his post, referring to this and other sites about content. Content is king. What I think that means is any site with quality, helpful content about fishing any waters whether it's bass, trout or carp, stream, lake or trout park, the site becomes a useful tool to every angler that runs across it. I've lived on Lake Taneycomo for 24 years now. I came here because I like to fish for trout- I really just like to fish. Out of that I've learned that I also like to teach and share techniques of fishing and the internet has become a useful tool. I write like I talk- so my wife, who is a journalist major, edits most of my articles so they don't have any run-on sentences... or lots of dashes and dots where there shouldn't be any. I've made appeals in the past about people submitting articles for the website on... whatever- anything to do with fishing. Heck, Marsha would even edit it for you if you wanted. But the thing is sharing insight and knowledge is very gratifying. You'd be surprised what little things help people in their quest to learn about their beloved pastime... and I would give LMW something to read, for goodness sake! Very, very soon ozarkanglers will get a face lift. The format will change for the better and each water will get it's own section. I could take some of the posts from this forum and use it for point-information on some of these sections because they are so rich with helpful information... the forum has been great. But what will be even better is what's ahead. I want to get to alot of the places on the forum and take simple pics of the area, key points, gather lodging and other important information on each, boat ramp location, access points. I already have regs on most and some with maps. The bigger places like LOZ, Truman, Stockton, Grand, Norfork will take ALOT more work but it'll get there. So if you want to help, we're not going to turn anyone down. You've proven with the activity on the forum that you care about the sport and the mission of this site. Me and a host of others thank you for the time, effort and talent you've shared so far.

Don't have pics- left the camera at the office. Had a 3.96 brown weighed in and released for big trout. Caught it on a 1/8th oz white jig close to outlet #2 (by boat of course). Saw quite a few nice rainbows caught, most of the better fish caught on power eggs and night crawlers drifting by Monkey Island down to the bridges. Lots of male rainbow, dark and great color. Almost everyone had a good day of fishing. Weather was much better than the forecasters predicted. That's 4 keeper browns caught during the last 3 tournaments, and more keeper browns caught other practice days.