Phil Lilley

Here is the Table Rock Lake Annual Report, MDC. 2018 TABLE ROCK LAKE ANNUAL REPORT.pdf View full article

I bet around 7:30 am Saturday i could be wrong

I've always hear spinner baits around docks way down by the lower dam in dead winter yields BIG bass.

Need to write something for the KC Star so I thought I'd just post it here for those who follow OAF. We had flood gates open at Table Rock Dam last week and through the weekend... but there's no flooding. The Corp is working on the intake screens on the lake side of the dam. Divers have to go down and pull off dead catfish and other nasty things that have piled up over the past few years on these grates. Of course, for that to happen, the turbines have to be offline, but because of the lake levels on Beaver and Table Rock, the Corps need to move some water so over the spill gates it came... bringing all kinds of fish with it including threadfin shad. Trout fishing was incredible over the weekend because of this flow, and the trout are still looking for shad now that the gates are close and turbines running, but it has slowed down. They're running anywhere from 1 to 3 units, and with rain in the forecast, it's not going to slow down any time soon. So fishing in the trophy area has been pretty good, throwing white jigs, spoons, small stick baits and shad flies. And these lures are still working well all the way to the Branson Landing because the shad drifted down that far. But the best fishing has been from Monkey Island down through the Landing. MDC stocked quite a few rainbows late last week and it's been pretty crazy. Best thing to drift with is pink or orange PowerWorms in the bottom, or if the water isn't running too hard, under a float 5-7 feet deep.

For LOZ Water Temp Click HERE

Gates off today at 11 am. Turbines will come back online. Turbines will be back offline this weekend and gates opened.

Just got an email from the Corp. Basically, they should be done with turbine maintenance today BUT they probably will do more work this weekend in which all turbines will be offline and gates opened. How much water released depends on this week's rainfall. This may be a pattern for quite a while. They talk about divers... the only thing I can think of it that they're trying to unclog the intakes on the lake side of the dam. When divers are in the water, gates 9 and 10 are releasing water. If they are not, more gates are opened, like what they did this past weekend. We saw shad in the water all day yesterday, more shad when more than 2 gates were opened.

I wrote this as a Facebook comment, and what started as an answer to a question became rather lengthy and in depth. So I thought I'd post it here for future use. We do One Cast everyday. It's a video where originally we made one cast off the dock and kept track of how many we caught. It's become a little more than that the last couple of years but if you go back and watch the ones we did/do off the dock, we're doing the same thing you'd do off the shore below the dam. If you're really serious about this, you have to look at all the components of your presentation- your rod, line and lure. You need a long, medium light spinning rod, almost a medium. You can't work and set a hook with a wimpy rod, not throwing off the shore. I'd use a 7-foot rod, at least a 6-6. Match your line to the weight of your lure. I would try 2-pound Vanish and a true 3/32nd ounce jig. I say true because most jigs out there are not what they say they are. For instance, we carry PJ's jigs. They are almost a full size lighter than their label. Zig Jigs are a little lighter, not as bad. We've developed our own jig and they are very close, within 1/1000's of an ounce. But if you're using 4-pound line, use an 1/8th ounce jig. Play around with it and see what works best. But this combination - line and jig - is very important. And you have to match it to the current/depth of water. I don't think your cast should be out there as far as you can throw it every time. There are alot of fish just a few feet from the bank most times. Heck the guys out in boats are throwing to the bank's edge for a reason! Think of the area of water in front of you as a wall and paint it... work every inch, then move 6 feet, up or downstream. Don't keep throwing in the same place over and over... the fish are laughing at you about the tenth cast - "I've seen that lure before!" Well... if they could talk. When you're working the jig, hold your rod high enough to keep the jig up off the bottom but not too high that you can't set the hook, hard and fast. Don't move your rod tip much when you're working the jig but make short, sharp "jigs", giving it slack between moves. You need to make the jig fall - that's what triggers a strike. Yes they will hit it if it's just swinging and swimming but I guarantee you'll catch more if you get it to drop. Where you land the jig on your cast is equally important. Hitting the right spot in front of you as to current speed and depth of water, letting the jig drop enough, in time to be in front of the fish and get that 3-6 seconds "in the zone" before have to reel and repeat. Throwing above you - that "spot" - and distance of the cast is one formula... both components have to be right. That's where you use your long rod to extend the sweet spot a little. Gotta work it and practice. Vision in your mind - what is the jig doing? Find out what they want - fast or slow presentation. Change it up till you figure it out -- don't keep doing the same thing if it's not working. Change.... move. View full article

Duane saw shad down post Cooper Creek this morning... very nice!!

Reviews on Google and other venues get attention... we watch them like a hawk and I know Becky does too. If they get a few 1 and 2 star reviews, I bet heads will roll.

Well I'm not sure if this is right, only what I've heard in the past but the answer to your question could be it's different now because of a change in management. Different management plan for sure and I think it's risky not drawing down the lakes. It should start back in December and you'd think they'd use more hydro for power because it's cheaper than other sources, cleaner. I know they have to balance everything... and yes it has changed.

Had to edit the first post... I can't count. 9 gates open. They're open 1 foot each with #9 and #10 still open 2 feet. 10,500 c.f.s. 710.5 feet lake level

Table Rock Dam just opened 9 flood gates, #9 and #10 gates were already opened 2 feet each - the others I don't know how far they are opened but our lake level went from 706 to 709 feet. We only got a small amount of rain this morning but Beaver Dam reports getting 1 inch. Beaver Lake is already 2 feet above power pool while Table Rock is right at power pool level. It is super windy today and boating is very hard. But with 9 gates open, we are definitely going to see a lot of shad come over the dam. Will report back on fishing.

Yea... throw right between all the guide boats

This flow - no turbines and 2 gates - will continue through the weekend into Monday according to the SPA schedule. They stocked a bunch of rainbows this afternoon according to Tony Weldele from the RR bridge to Monkey Island... Good fishing!

Thanks - you gave me more maps to look at!! Guess I was referring to 4-6 weeks out... that's usually when we get it. Not being negative... it's where my mind is this time of year. Thinking out loud. Thanks

It's not a big shad run... in the fact that they aren't hammering anything white. And we're not seeing any fat trout, no shad in the water or fish spitting up shad. There are some coming over I'm sure but I don't think many are making it to the cable. But fishing is good... and they are hitting white, as well as sculpin and black.

https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/qpf/day1-7.shtml This is the weather map I watch this time of year. I feel for the residents in the orange area because it's been orange there for 4-6 weeks now. Actually, my Buddy John McClosky lives in North Georgia and he said they were getting a lot of rain before and when he was here in mid December! That's crazy. But it does remind me of the rain patterns that sat over us - yep when the White River basin got flooded all those times!! That weather pattern - all it has to do is slide over west a bit. Anyone else thinking about spring rains!??!?

I ran to KC yesterday for a kid's program last evening... not good timing but grandkids come first. Here's a video from yesterday. I'll probably run up today and do One Cast with Ryan.

Through Thursday, at least.

That's what I'm hoping for... the longer the better. 2 gates 2 feet - that's going to let some fish through.

I can't take pictures of Tuesday 😳

No the lake water may be cooler than Taney... DO will be about the same.