Phil Lilley

That's a tough question... probably not. I'd like to but I try to limit it to just 2 tournaments per year.

I think the cold front slowed things down. I also think it's been so good up in Long Creek this winter because the water is stained up there but down past the marina, it's clear and cold. It'll takes some time for it to warm up without rain to muddy it up.

I'll take it - I'll give you a dollar tomorrow. Phil

We've found at church a couple of things... Call a prayer meeting- a few show up. Call for a work day at church- a few more show. Call for a livey worship service- more people come. Have a pot luck - the masses come!

who's signature?

I don't (haven't) fished there but I heard after putting in at Voila, head upstream and troll wiggle warts along the channel edges. We may not have allot of Kings River Arm anglers on the forum... yet.

I didn't say that. Everybody has a right to his opinion... just as long as we 'just be friends'

We put in at Gage's (Long Creek Arm) at 3:30 pm. The wind had been out of the north for most of the day but it had switched to the south which I thought was a good thing for us. We went up into Bushey first and fished a couple early spots first. Going up- second cove on the left- fished out in the trees and caught one keeper crappie on the bottom in 12 feet of water. Left that spot and headed south past the marina and into the second cove on the left and fished out towards the mouth in the trees- nothing. Went on south and hit the bluff bank on the right- deep water- fished the trees but it was windy- nothing. Went south of Cricket Creek Marina- past the mouth of Long and into Cricket- fished the first mud flat-bank on the right. First fished close to the bank- nothing. Dropped back into the trees- caught 2 keeper crappie, a white bass and several more short crappie. They were suspended about 6 feet deep in 10-14 feet of water. Boated on up in Long Creek- fished the flat on the right alittle. One guy fishing the trees close to the channel said it was slow- he was catching a few. He was fishing real slow. We, again, boated up around the big bend near Yocum and fished the mud flat on the left- caught another keeper crappie and a short. On the way back out, we stopped at a cove just inside MO on the east side and caught another keeper. Way out from the bank 60 feet out- Chuck just got lucky. We (Chuck Puckett, Tom Johnson and myself) used swimming minnows with 1/16th or 1/8th oz heads - chartruese was the best color but did catch a couple on smoke and purple. Didn't have a temp gage but the crappie felt real cold!

1974- fall. Fishing with salmon egg just below outlet #2. Broke off allot of big trout.

I tried a one-fly for a couple of years but couldn't get anyone to fish them... well a few. I'd do it again if there was interest- real interest. Had allot of people say they were going to fish but didn't. I know there's a ton of people who don't like tournaments. Had this conversation before on other forums... but there's a section of the population that likes them. They aren't commercialized- don't have any sponsors- don't make anybody big bucks- they're just fun.

I listen to NPR allot- no worries. Was it a local piece or may be national? What did they say?

Brian Shaffer is hosting two new forum topics, dealing with old fishing equipment, lures, rods and stuff..... I'll let him plug the topics... they are out of my area of expertise.

I use a 9'6", 7 wt rod for salmon and steelhead and it's plenty of rod to handle up to 35 pound chinooks. I wouldn't go any heavier. Large Arbor Battenkill reel - in my opinion they're the best reel for the money.

Before I read and clicked the hybrid pics... I thought they were crappie!!! Man I was ready to jump in the truck and head up! What did you catch the hybrids on? I love fishing Truman Tailwater! Never know what you're going to catch.

Wow- they're official. Lots of rules. We could adopt some of the rules. 2-man team, $50 per boat, weigh in 7 crappie (sounds like not very many but what do I know), start 6:30 a.m. (if it's held before daylight savings changes) and weigh in 1 to 3 p.m. Might make it a short day in case people want to continue fishing Saturday afternoon, evening. Big crappie pot (separate). Pay out 85% to first thru fourth... I usually hold out 15% for trophies.

I visited with the owner of Beaver Creek Marina this morning about them hosting a crappie tournament this spring. He sounded interested. I told him I would help and promote it through OAF... I think it would be a blast and bring in a good group to fish it. How do crappie tournaments usually work? 2-man team? How many fish are weighed? Anyone know?

Back in January, lake levels got real low after Table Rock Dam hadn't generated water in a week or more. It's getting to those levels again. There is no water coming from outlet #3 from the hatchery... I don't know if they are running more water from #1 and #2 to compensate or not. But the level is low and current is alittle faster than normal below the dam. When I was wading yesterday below #2, I noticed alot of debry on the bottom like trees and stuff. If they ran water now it would be very nasty for an hour or two cause of all the trash that's collected over the weeks of no generation.

It's going to be an interesting spring run- all the whites will go up towards the dam and bypass Swan altogether if we don't get some rain.

Beaver Creek Marina reports lots of people fishing over the weekend. Catching white bass in the main lake from the mouth of Cedar Creek up to the Johnson Hole trolling shad crank baits and spoons. Crappie are being caught off mud flats in 4 to 8 feet of water on swimming soft baits and minnows. Not much action in Beaver Creek yet but some small males are moving in and out, esp in the evenings. Some walleye have been taken on creek chubs and throwing stick baits early and late in the day.

Talked to Buster today. He said he's heard excellent fishing reports on crappie and white bass from Viola upstream. Fishing the mud flats in shallow water, locals are catching lots of limits. I'd imagine, minnows and swimming baits. Out off the deeper banks, they are throwing shad-rap type crank baits and catching whites- and big ones.

Talked to a friend of mine who said the owners at Gages have "cleaned up" on crappie all winter long there. This should be an indicator of good things to come very shortly. The forecast is for 60's and 70's this week. I'm sure they'll be lots out scouting. Remember one thing if you get out-- crappie have been up close to the banks during warm spells all winter. Look on spawning banks and look shallow.

This is no joke... It's actually going to be a benefit for the Junior/Senior class of Faith Christian Academy, a Christian School here in Branson. All proceeds will go to the class trip, as well as a donation of $25 per team from the resort. http://ozarkanglers.com/april_06.html

Fished this afternoon from 3:30 to 5:30 pm. Drove to the dam with only my spin rod and a box of jigs. I bought some #2 Tectan line from Cabela's and tried it. Boy is it light!! Started at outlet #2 and worked down to top of rebar. Didn't get all the way down- too many anglers. Worked a 1/32nd oz jig off the bottom, first a orange head/brown/orange marabou- one small brown (snagged in the nose). Changed to white/red marabou- another small rainbow (snagged in the head). Was starting to get concerned about snagging fish. Changed to sculpin and started fair hooking fish but was missing alot of bites too. One more brown and about a dozen rainbows. The slack water on the north side was better than the moving on the south. I waded down the middle, throwing to both side. Interesting. Joined up with Tom Johnson who wasn't wearing waders so we headed down to the end of rebar. I missed even more bites but hooked more too. One more brown- 14 inches with huge spots- and a bunch of rainbows up to 14 inches. Finished the evening at Rocking Chair where we both hooked a couple of rainbows. Was alittle slow- trout were biting short.

Did you see alot of shad? We did while we were bass fishing Friday. We saw trout midging as well. The cleos says they were looking for shad. Would like to catch some and see what was in their stomachs.

I'll think about this one, bobber. My intial thought was those spam emails we get for "meeting people" sites... bad connotations. But it is a worthy idea.