Phil Lilley

Welcome. I, too, fell in love with your state- so much so I'm investing in a camp on the Naknek River and taking people up to fish this summer. I've fished the Kenai and the King Salmon area but hope to explore more as time goes on. But there's plenty of great water here in southern MO and northern AR you will find.

Parade starts at dark- about 5:30 p.m. I have 2 pots on the stove simmering. Should be just right by tomorrow night.

I use 1/2 venison and 1/2 beef, about 10 pounds total. I blend up 4-5 cans of pinto beans and then add another can or two, depending on how much I fix. 3 cans of tomato paste 5 cans of tomato sauce or tomato pieces. I don't like chunks in my chili so I blend it all up. 2-3 jars of Jalapenos blended, depending on how hot you like it. water as needed salt and chili powder The longer it sits, the hotter it gets. This makes about 3 gallons of chili I don't measure so you're on your own in that regard.

Hard to say this far out...

Our church is having (annual) chili feed and contest tomorrow evening after the parade. It's located behind Empire Electric off Main and 3rd. Covenant Life Church. Chili will be served after the parade. Entries for the contest- chili must be there be 5 p.m. We'll have TONS of chili so if you're in the area, please come by and help us eat it!!

You're in good company. Roaring forum and the Buffalo are popular subjects here. Welcome!

Had a request for a new forum. Had to think about it a bit but it makes sense. Alot of people on this forum are trout fishermen and we've already broke the OK border so I thought it'd fit. Anyone had any experience on this fishery? I need a description if someone has one.

Who knows what they think. But a jig first has alot of action and movement, even if they're just drifting in the current. I've watched trout follow-follow-follow and then make their move as the jig action is paused and the jig is dropping- that's when they hit a jig 90% of the time... when it dropping. They can't stand not to taste it. But when there's shad in the water, is doesn't matter. They will take a white jig with aggression.

My kid called and came over to the house last night at... midnight. Normal for a college boy. He and a couple of friends came over for sleds. The went down the road north of WalMart- Forsyth Rd? Anyhow- they lived... lived to get back to campus in time for an annual tradition at College of the Ozarks (one I hadn't heard of till this year). 70 boys "streaked" from the dorm to the chapel and back at 1:30 am. My youngest son (freshman) said most had their skivies on. Marsha said that's not streaking- not in our day. But seeing 39 students were either suspended or put on probation a few weeks ago, they may have taken the safe way to go.

Don't think you could the whole thing in... better do SIO3. We'll know. Others will think you're a special agent or something.

Thanks for... finding us! We are always looking for people from varying lakes to share information with... and to share aspects about their lakes- like Stockton. I've fished there a few times, mainly the lower lake by the dam and rip rap. I hope to get back there this spring. Make yourself at home!

Still have quite a few to give away- don't think you've missed out.

Boated to the dam. Still running 3-4 units at about 6 feet high (707). Water was murky which is good sign. It starts getting silty when the lake starts to mix (Table Rock). Made 2 drifts to KOA. Threw 1/8th oz jigs and varied the colors. First white. Caught 4 rainbows all above outlet #3. Broke it off and tied on a brown jig. Caught 4 more rainbows and one brown. Boated back up and tied on a olive/sculpin mix jig. Caught 6 rainbows and 1 brown on last drift. All between 11 and 14 inches. Fought hard which is good sign. Took these pics for you to enjoy. Where the water was this morning- very high. Osprey near dam. Chuck Gries with a client. He was hooking fish on every cast. Me and dad working- see I do work!

Oh no- not 39. Surface temp has to start to drop below 48 or so, then the colder water will start to fall below the warmer water and then it will flip. It does take much.

Got an email from James at the hatchery this morning. DO level coming into hatchery is 2.0 ppm, temp 48. He said water is a bit warmer than normal and typically it's 1 ppm coming in. That's good... it may turn within the next couple of weeks with the colder temps forecasted. Need cold and wind- that's best to cool surface temps on Table Rock.

Table Rock is 911.7- up 3 feet. Nice!

Generation- I don't think they'll run much. They may early and late- when it's the coldest and need power. Actually, it looks like it dropping now. Line's busy to the dam recording. My luck it's off already. Called- 4 units at 707.0- good level. Table Rock is up to 911.7- that's 3 feet up from this rain and I'm sure it will go higher!

17 inches - wow! We just got may be 2 inches of snow if that much. Lots of sleet/ice though. Rain- not sure but it was great. Need more.

It's really warming up this morning. I cleared our road this morning and it's already melting like crazy. So I bet the roads will be fine by mid day today here, if not already. They are running a ton of water this morning on Taney. They haven't run water like this in months so the lake is pretty merky at our place. But it's cleaning it out so that's good. I'm going to get out and boat to the dam and drift some eggs and bounce some jigs- should be good!

I thought they wanted all the crappie caught kept on Fork? I thought that's what Buster Loving told me, regardless of size you had to keep all crappie. May be there was a limit. He talked like there were so many in Fork that they were considered a nuisance- by the bass fishermen I bet! I wish they were a nuisance in a lake alittle closer to Branson!!!

score?

Boyd- there won't be many fishing this Saturday. Most of our guests have already canceled for the weekend and this is a slow weekend to boot. I attended a bible college in Oak Cliff (south Dallas) but had a part time job at the Hilton downtown (not there anymore). I bused tables at the Beef Baron. Dallas got hit with a huge ice storm on a Friday. Rick (my best buddy who worked with me) and I weren't going in- no way. But our boss said he'd send a cab... the hotel was full and they weren't going out to eat- they were packed. So we headed out in my 69 Impala with slick tires. The roads weren't too bad going in... no problem for us anyhow. But on the way home (at 1 am) they were desserted... like the A-Bomb had gone off and no one was alive. Except for one car- a caddie- a nice caddie with white walls and fancy lights. Yes it was a black guy all dressed up and literally no where to go. We stopped, he got out and promptly fell on his butt. He had platform shoes on- very slick. We helped him back into his car and told him we'd get him started. I pulled up behind him- our bumpers didn't meet and my grill got crunched. I pushed him and got him started. We passed him up and the last thing we saw was him doing circles down hwy 45. Those were the days.

It snows in Texas... I lived in Dallas 1976-78 and they got tons of snow and ice... well not tons but enough to make an impression on me. I have several great stories about ice and Dallas Freeways... they definately don't know how to drive on ice!!

No- on all counts.

There are buildings in one direction from the house. And the road. I'm sure the animals are used to human activity but I seriously doubt if they are fed... against all logic- especially the lion. It all does seem surreal- all those animals around a compound together. I registered on their forum but haven't been validated (there's that word again).