Phil Lilley

Below the dam, McClellens and Handicap Access - those are the public accesses I know of. I like HA best. Great riffles just above the access are usually full of trout. I like fishing small midge dries and soft hackles during a midge hatch, which happen most of the time, or drifting thread midges and small scuds #20's thru the same riffles. Just sit tight- Jimmy T, Jeremy and Brian will be on to give you details.... among others.

I attended a couple of public meetings hsoted by MDC - one was over in Taneyville/Forsyth in which the place was packed... and there were a bunch of MDC people there. They basically said they didn't know what happened to the white bass. But they were encouraged by their data in 04 and 05. BS had a great hatch in 03 when the water was high all spring and summer (I think it was 03). I believe this year will be a good year for whites on BS. But- I remember back in the 80's, in the fall, going out and seeing acres and acres of surfacing white bass on the flats down by Mincy/Drury area. It's been nothing like that since.

Just keep watching the forum... Table Rock will light up in the coming months with lots of reports and information.

Nothing really weird about catching bass or walleye in Taney... Taney is one of the best lake in MO for catching lunker bass over 10 pounds. I've seen bass bedding in a creek off Taney that weigh well over 12-13-14 pounds. It's a well kept secret and locals don't want it to get out. Also- lower Taney is one of the best blue gill lakes around. Big blue gill and great in the summer on popping bugs. Crappie and white bass- oh yes... but don't tell anyone. One summer Brian Rea and I broke off 6 spinner baits on the 4th of July - 100 degrees out mid day just down from Rockaway Beach on BIG bass... we just couldn't get them in!! I'm sure there's pleny of stories of big bass but it's hard to get people to talk about those close-to-the-vest secret spots. One other story about Taney... Rick Osenga grew up in Branson. He used to work on the Sammy Lane back in the 60's as a driver and pirate. He told me they used to go down on their dock at night and jump and pound the deck of the dock close to the stalls to knock the scuds off the floatation, then drop a jig down and catch 4-5-6-7-8 lb rainbows like they were going out of style.

Happy Birthday- Brian!! I remember 32... I think.

When I hear of the Finley River, I think of Charlie Farmer, an outdoor writer who lives in Nixa (or Ozark, not sure). His first love is the Finley and fishes it often. There are many small streams in this area which offer great floats and equal angling opportunities... if only we had time to take advantage of them! I'm hoping to float the Finley this spring.

I'm still learning new and better ways to add "life" to this forum.

Hey- I still like Field and Stream.

K-dock will bite your head off if you ask for a report. Welcome, again John. I'm sure we'll cross paths around K-Dock area this spring.

Being raised in a Christian home all of my young life (Presby, Assembly of God), you could say I've been "brain-washed" in my present beliefs, a subject of my environment. If so, I am blessed. But you know I see lots of people who were raised the same way who are as far from God as I am close to Him so I guess you might say- it comes down to choices... little ones... throughout this journey. I have made good choices and poor ones. I have made very good choices and very bad ones... unlike anyone I know of. Some of those choices have been reactions to experiences and circumstances I had nothing to do with... how I reacted to death, sickness, tragedy, betrayals, offenses-- all shape character. But as a Christian, several foundational truths remain constant deep in my belief system: My position, who I am, will never change- never. It cannot. I am a child of the Most High God, adopted into His family through the sacrifice of Jesus death and His resurrection has given me life and victory over sin and death, eternal death and separation from God. My name has been written in the Lamb's Book of Life, never to be erased. How did I get there? I was confronted with a choice, deep within my heart, and I chose to accept the urgings of the Holy Spirit who was drawing me to that place of decision. I acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God and His death and resurrection. I confessed I was in a sinner and didn't have a relationship with the One true God and my Creator... and I wanted it. I accepted Jesus as my Savior and confessed Him as my new Lord of my life. So what do we do with Jesus? Some put Him on a shelf and only pull Him down when we need Him. Some have formed our own opinions about Him, not researching Him out truly, honestly and with an open heart. We have formed our own "theology of life" taking bits and pieces from the Bibles and from lessons learned. We have justified the way we live by examples of other people, even some "Christians" who live sinful lives while spouting "Jesus is Lord" when their life doesn't the evidence at all. All these things don't change God, who He is, His character, what He requires. He is the "I Am". He is love. He is almighty and all powerful and He alone is worthy of our praise and admiration... there is no other. Search Him out- He is faithful to reveal Himself to those who truly seek Him with all their heart. But if you don't make the effort, life will pass, like a vapor, and it will be too late. So what do you do with Jesus?

The weather outside looks... very nice, and it doesn't look like snow (no white Christmas). Alittle turn for the colder and maybe a bit of rain but all will be good on the lake this weekend. For those hitting the water over the weekend, and it looks like alot of you are by our reservation books, fishin's great! No it really is! Late December is typically a really good time to trout fish on Taney because fishing pressure has been lite, very lite and MDC still keeps putting rainbows in. Well someone does- I think Neosho has been contributing to their promised quota (6-8 inchers). But there's plenty of bigger, Shepherd rainbows out there. Weather has been mild, slight breezes make jig fishing very easy and that's what I'd suggest. An ultra lite with 2 lb line and a handful of jigs can make a great day on the water. Bend the barb down so that releasing all those trout is easier- on you and the fish. Use a float and fish 4-5 feet deep with a dark colored jig (brown, black, sculpin) or a micro jig in olive or sculpin. Throwing without a float- 1/16th oz when the water if off- let it get to the bottom before working it but pay attention to it dropping- half the time you'll have a strike before it gets there. Work it slowly back in, don't get in a hurry. Bait- same stuff. Power eggs and night crawlers. 2-4 lb line best or a tippet tied to the end. Use as little weight as possible to get it out... you'll feel the bite quicker and the fish might now swallow it as bad. Flyfishing - zebra midge wherever there's midging going on, 2 lb line under an indicator 18 inches deep. In shallow water, set the fly at 12 inches or less. #12-14 gray, brown, tan or olive scuds fished close/on the bottom above Fall Creek to Lookout either just off the bluff bank, in the channel or up on the flats. Below the dam, thread midge #20-22 blood red, brown... scuds #20 gray, brown, olive... egg flies, very small in size drifted or "puff ball" eggs, beaded under an indicator 3 feet deep... woolybugger #12 olive or brown... crackleback #14 brown or white... small zebras #18 or 20, red or black... soft hackles I'd say are #1 if there's a chop, #16 red or black. Night fishing below the dam - varied colors of woolies, black, brown, purple, olive, white... cracklebacks... streamers... leaches... crank baits worked slow on the surface. Christmas- Jesus was born to a vigil, the Holy Spirit moved over Mary and impregnated her with His seed. He was born fully man, and fully God. He lived, loved, taught and healed. He gave Himself over and was sacrificed. He was dead 3 days. He overcame death and rose from the grave. He is now alive and is the only way, hope and life we have in this life. It is not a fairy tale... if it is guys, we are all in alot of trouble. Because without the salvation Jesus offers, we have no hope, no peace... nothing to live for.

MOBass has it pretty much. I think the diff is in the stripping technique and how you treat your fly/tippet. If you fish it dry only, you greeze the heck out of you tippet and fly and if you don't, you can treat accordingly. I've had some people show me they use what I would call a crackleback with a bead, stripping it or even dead drifting it with or without an indicator.

ok- it's not playing. I'll try to improve the link. JIM!!

Looking at it again it appears the bottom of the lower jar broke away, probably was born with it because it doesn't look like it's torn. I wouldn't call it a second mouth- if it was me.

A rainbow trout fished out of Holmes Lake in Lincoln, Neb., on Dec. 17, 2005, features a double mouth. Clarence Olberding, 57, of Lincoln, wasn't just telling a fisherman's fib when he called over another angler to look at the two-mouthed trout. It weighed in at about a pound. Olberding, who plans to smoke and eat the fish, said the hook was in the upper mouth, and that the lower one did not appear to be functional.(AP Photo/Submitted photo, Charrye Olberding) Story taken from Yahoo

Going to try this... not sure if you can download it or listen to it from here... but it's worth a try. It's too big to attach so here's the link- http://ozarkanglers.com/kadi.mp3

I have a story - I hired a guide in late winter on Beaver Lake once in hopes to get my dad into some hot action- whites were our target. We pulled back into a cove, water was 40+ feet deep; the guide has his depth finder on looking for schools of fish. We were idling along when he said, "there's some fish, oh, they're crappie." I asked how he knew which he said they were in a tight, dense ball. OK... I took his word for it. Not long after we saw another group of fish- he said they were whites. I didn't see alot of difference in the "balls" of fish. We hurriedly dropped our spoons and started jerking. He said he needed to break them up and we did eventually. Then he said we needed to keep them broken up or else they'd go back to the ball and not feed. We each hooked a white at one point and all were out of the water for a couple of minutes. They went back to the ball and that were it. No more bites. I have heard of "old-timers" who live on Long/Cricket Creek that catch crappie all winter long. they must have the touch- and time.

Oh boy.... thanks for the warning!

Zero- none that I know of. I'm working on one but it's down on my list. I do have some online... http://lilleyslanding.com/lt_maps

Go to or call the hatchery. 417-334-4865, dial 0 for the operator. Ask for John, Brian or James. I called them yesterday after a guest just came from outlet 2- he told me there were 2 anglers using bait from the bank below the outlet. I talked to John- he went down and talked to the guys (they were using scuds, spin gear). John called me back inside 20 minutes and reported back to me. I call Quinton first. If I don't get him, I call the hatchery. The hatchery personell have responded everytime I've called. They can't write a ticket but they can, as an offical, tell them what the rules are and that they can have an agent there in ?? minutes... it's done the trick every time for me. Best to get as much info as possible- description of person(s) and if you can identify a vehicle, lisc # and make/model. Make sure they're doing something illegal... snagging in the outlet- the agent has to 100% sure that's his intentions cause it's hard to prove in court otherwise. But I understand what you're saying about that- I hate it too.

Vince and I used to stop below Truman and catch a limit of crappie every year on the way back from deer hunting in north Missouri. We'd hunt alittle in the morning, throw our gear in the truck and high-tail-it to Warsaw. Every year we were never let down (by the crappie, the deer are a different story). We have close to 2 limits by dark and be on our way home... slabs and tenderlion! The Bait Station is the only place to go for tackle and advise. They have always been helpful on every trip. I've invited them to be apart of the forum... let's hope they will take up the offer.

Brad is married and living in Oklahoma. He's helping his parents--they are up in age and need his help. He's doing well. Brad's still ting flies for us.

Some of the guides here use big, semi-v aluminum, camo boats- there's alot of boat manufacturers making them now. Lots of room, will go shallow enough to get most places on Taney and can put a jet on one and not have to worry about most gravel bars. They'd do fine on a big lake too. http://www.landauboats.com/ http://www.wareagleboats.com/ http://www.seaarkboats.com/

Sculpin recipe- Hook: #6-8 streamer hook, heavy stock Lead eyes: medium plain 7/32 oz Material: zonker rabbit, saddle hackle Thread: Wright's clear or smoke mono (Wal Mart or Lilleys) Cement: Sally Hansen’s Liquid Hard as Nails How to tie: Take zonker strip and make sure hair lies down (toward tyer’s off-hand). Trim off hair to leave only skin. Hold about a half-inch strip and stab hook in the middle. Place hook in the vise and pull the zonker back. Start thread, making sure zonker strip is not passing over curve of hook. Wrap down toward the back of the hook then back to the front to lock it in. Take black marker and run down back of zonker strip. Run thread back to top of eye. Take pinch of dubbing, just something to anchor eyes in with. Apply to the hook as shown. The eyes should not be too close to the eye of the hook. Use crisscross pattern to wrap. Post it in back then come to the front and post it in front. Apply Sally Hansen’s cement on top of the eyes and work it in. Be careful because it’s a little runny. Wrap dubbing around and over the eyes. Apply dubbing till the head is full and tight. Anchor on with crisscross pattern, pulling extra dubbing out. Now your head is dubbed in. Run thread back down to end. Next take a strip of bunny,tie it in and while angling it downwards to your off-hand, palmer it up the hook. Keep pulling the bunny fur back as you wrap it on. Pull it tight before you cut it off. Lay on grizzley hackle and wrap towards yourself, pulling it tight. Turn hook upside down in vise and wrap five or six times. Then return to upright and wrap again. Whip behind the eyes and clip it off before cementing head but right side up and upside down. Here's a live sculpin, taken out in the lake close to outlet #1.

It'd be cool to identify the strains of rainbow in Taney- I've pulled a few pics of rainbows caught. they are taken at different times of year so colors will vary.