Phil Lilley

Someone asked about spin fishing this area... best to use a long rod- 6 to 7 feet. 2 lb line best. Throw small jigs if water is not running- 1/16th being the biggest down to 1/32 and even 1/50th. Work the tip of the rod slightly while holding it high in the air- almost straight up. Sight fish- hop it off the bottom and watch them pick it up. Colors- use dark shades; black, brown, sculpin, olive or a mixture of these; or use light colors like ginger, gray or white. Use a jig and bobber using smaller jigs such as 1/100 to 1/125th oz in marabou and micro jigs to 1/256th oz in same colors. Set the bobber 1-3 feet deep, depending on the depth of water. Small crank baits can be very good- or very bad. Try them but don't spend alot of time using them if they aren't biting. I've never had luck with spinners or spoons.

List them and we'll see what we can do.

Ditto, Brian. We've had this discussion many times. MDC's comeback - it's a management issue. They're harder to grow an manage, and their growth rate is much slower than a rainbow or brown. I'd love to see different species too. With the new addition to Shepherd, we have a better chance, but like someone mentioned- don't hold your breath.

Cities, states, even the fed gov't offer tax breaks for businesses to open their doors and provide jobs/services. Hazelwood is trying to bring in a business that will provide jobs to the ones who will loose theirs in the Ford Plant closing. I can see the benefit. The question is - does gov't need to be in the business of providing jobs? Or does it let the economic system take care of itself?

You've got the vision of the forum right off! Cherish those boys... they grow REAL fast!!!!

This may be too big for some screens... you'll just have to scroll sideways. From your post in the introduction, you fly fish so I'll point out some good places. Between outlet 1 and 2 there is some excellent moving water that's full of fish. Drift either midge patterns like thread midge or WD40 in #20 or #22 or small scuds in #20 gray or brown here. You can also strip cracklebacks #18's of soft hackles #16's. Outlet #2 has alot of fish. Below 2 is slower water and good using cracklebacks or woolies. Rebar shoot drift larger scuds, midge patterns or egg flies. Even a san juan would work. Below the rebar, you're back to drifting scuds #18 or #16 in gray, cream, olive or brown. That will take you all day to cover. Have fun!

Windy and cold... but it didn't stop these guys (and gals) from having a great time and catching lots of trout. These are the best weights I've seen in alot of years. Most all the better limits were caught downstream, if not all of them, some as far down as Bee Creek. Most were caught on bait.

Six hearty OAF members showed up to pick up trash at the dam at noon. The temp's not bad but the wind has picked up and it's brisk! They are scowering the banks for treasures and finding lots. Thanks to Brian Shaffer for organizing the event! And thanks to Eric Willis and Dynamic Printing for making the fantastic sign and banner for us!!

Nothing wrong with Nebraska folks... alittle crazy about their football but I know alot of OU and MU crazies too. You have some great hunting up there too!! Welcome.

I agree with Gavin. It's a challenge. It's as close to a mountain stream as we have in Missouri. But that doesn't take away from the fishery- it actually adds to it. I love fishing it... just wish I had more experience on it so I'd do better. Guess I need to hire a guide!!

RAW's 18th annual trout tournament started this morning. 75 teams. Started in 3 flights. First weighin is at 3 pm. Two brothers started organizing fishing and hunting trips for a few friends 16 years ago. John and Ray are wondering what they've got themselves into. The trout tournament remains the only get together they have. It's a private afare which has grown into quite a spectical. Most of the guys and gals are from the St Louis area. You have to be invited by a RAW person to fish it. No guides or professionals are allowed to fish it. John and Ray serve chili and Don Taylor, also from St Louis cooks and serves Ball Park hot dogs to the guys all day today. They have raffles for prizes as well as attendance prizes for all. It's quite a job getting this altogether... they deserves a pat on the back from all the participants.

I got 24 tonight and 50 tomorrow with a 30% chance of rain. Should be a great day to fish! Might have a bunch of midge hatches so pack some tiny midge patterns.

Whenever we have time to sit, tie and take pics. May be next week? I haven't talked to him since he's been back.

Consider this - at any time there are more "guests" viewing the board than "members". I think that normal. I don't post there cause I know very little about the river, except it's never been "friendly" to me. That means I've never done well- but that the angler's fault, not the fish's fault. Brian has done an exceptional job.

Very little generation. What flow we are getting is late in the day or after dark at night. Why- that's a good question. Fishing has been very good BUT not very many good-sized rainbows to report. Lots and lots of 9 to 11 inch rainbows in the lake- throughout the lake- and easliy caught on just about anything. Below Fall Creek, night crawlers still has the best chance to catch a larger rainbow. Minnows would be good for browns. Both fished on the bottom- worms with alittle air pumped in them. Power eggs are good in white combined with some other color like yellow, orange or pink. Salmon eggs are actually making a comeback. The heaviest line would be 4 lb- 2 lb not necessary. Up or down from Fall Creek - troll small crank baits; F-5 or 7 in gold, silver or rainbow. Troll spinners like rooster tails in bright colors. Jig and float using either marabou or micro jigs under a float 3 to 5 feet deep. Look for choppy water for best results. Colors - olive, sculpin, black, brown or ginger. IF the run water, switch to pink or white. Flyfishing anyplace on the lake - zebra midges in black #16 or #18 under an indicator 12 inches - lots of midge hatches the this is a great way to catch alot of fish. I was out for a couple of hours - Short Creek or the Narrows - caught lots of rainbows on a black zebra. You can use this on a spin cast rod just as easy as a fly rod. Below the dam - same old scuds and midge patterns. Night fishing has been good according to some on the forum. Woolies - try light and dark colors.

That's what I like about the people on this forum- they readily admit if they're wrong and go on... something I'm well versed in - sticking my foot in my mouth or computer in this case. It is interesting the guys fishing at night are seeing some big rainbows so there are some up there.

We've talked about this on another thread... but I have alittle new info on the BP marina. They are not going to test drive big boats... only bass boats and pontoons (they are big enough). As of right now, they aren't going to let them go up past Cooper Creek with them (test drive). Don't know about rentals. I think they are still trying to figure out exactly what they are going to do. I know they bought the floating building and are going to make it a eatery for lake and land traffic.

"I think one of the previous Missouri State Records was caught on a Shad Assassin, a bait very similar to a sluggo." - Kevin Elfrink, 24.95 lb brown caught on a sluggo just above Monkey Island in June of 1994 or 5.

That's interesting! When I asked MDC why there were yellow perch in BS they had no answer. They said they had not stocked them in BS- kinda accused Ark of doing it (normal response- "they did it!"). So they MAY have been around for along time. Surprisingly, when I caught one 10+years ago, they said that was the first they'd EVER seen. You never know.

Moved to the fly fishing section. I didn't want a new visitor to think this forum was all about fly fishing.... It wasn't getting alot of traffic anyways. Just trying to keep you on your toes!!

I've had guests ask me why they're running water at night... I don't know what to tell them!! Strange.

Welcome- we look forward to sharing fishing knowledge with you... this is a relatively new board and our hope is to add more and more experienced anglers to all the waters you've mentioned.

The well has been dug already. Why do you want to know?

Hummmm..... rainbows eat minnows... well small forage fish. If we had a natural spawn, they'd eat rainbow fry too. We sell and use minnows here and we catch mostly rainbows on them. I've put rainbows in a tank and fed them minnows and they attack them. Rainbows also gorge themselves on shad when they come thru the turbines. We also use crank baits and catch alot of rainbows. I've seen a brown eat a 13 inch rainbow right off the surface of the lake. Maybe 20 times I've witnessed a brown either chasing/eating a rainbow or have a brown try to eat a rainbow when the rainbow was hooked by a fisherman. Fox is refering to using streamers that imitate rainbows and browns to catch either.

Honestly- smallmouth regs and policies are out of my league. I have alot to learn. As for the taking of property, I know there are abuses BUT I think it's necessary in extreme cases to make a statement. Some guys just don't learn by fines or even getting their permits revoked. Case in point, I called Quinton the other day and reported a couple of guys in a green jon running up and back down the lake- mid day- shooting ducks while in full trottle. They've been doing this all season. He said to get a description if I could. I drove to Cooper Creek's ramp and found one truck and trailer there and the truck even had a Ducks Unlimited decale on the bumper. I took a pic and sent it to Quinton. He reported back and said these same guys had already been ticketed for shooting ducks illegally and some other charges involving the feds and firearms. Oh yea- they were drunk at the time of the shooting. So you have a couple of guys who are awaiting their hearing on state and federal charges and still "hunting", as it were, in broad daylite on a busy lake. Sorry- they need to lose their guns and go to jail before they really hurt someone. As for not gigging on specific streams, I yield. It wasn't the best thought.