Phil Lilley

The creel study started either the first of the year or before but it's issued by MDC when they deem it necessary to changes things up. It is a key ingredient to managing any fishery -- to find out what the angler wants from the fishery and see if they can acheive it. Or it could be to justify a change they see needs to occur. I think it may be the latter in this case. The hatcheries, mainly Shepherd, has had a lot of issues with water quality lately. Warm water, low DO. Then there's the other hatcheries and flooding. Remember it takes about 18 months to grow a trout to stocking size under good conditions. The last creel survey showed anglers would substitute bigger for less trout and the present one is saying the same. I don't know what they have exactly in mind but I'm sure one thing is stock less rainbows. Oh yea- the survey is taken by one or two MDC people from a boat on the lake asking boaters and people fishing from docks. They talk to ALOT of people, believe me. I don't know how many days they're on the water but it's at least 3-4 may be 5 a week and they work a 8 hour shift. They ask questions and measure caught trout. It's pretty involved. The trophy area on Taney has worked very well in my opnion. It's a 5 mile section that starts at the dam- blocked at one end. Two things makes it work - 5 miles and blocked at one end. One other good thing is I think it has the best food base for trout... lots of gravel/mud for bugs and big rocks for sculpins. One aspect of the trophy area that's interesting - because of the bait restriction, a vast majority of anglers do not go up and fish it. The majority of anglers who stay here are bait fishermen -- they like to drift with bait or sit and tight line with bait. Here's my other observation - anglers who fly fish or use artifical lures tend to be more catch and release. So what you see is a big majority of anglers that fish the trophy area don't keep any trout. That trophy area was setup with carrying capacity in mind. MDC didn't want c&r because the trout would tend to overpopulate the area and there woudn't be good growth rates, thus the keep under 12 inch rainbow. I'm sure if that part of it has worked but the plan as worked well enough to see good results so far. BUT could it be better if they tweaked the rules? One question I have is the food base. I'd like to see some sort of study on the food base up there. They tried to take samples of scuds back in the 80's by taking a concrete ring and setting on the bottom of the lake in gravel and taking samples from that ring every so often. I'm not sure if that worked... but you can still see a ring or two up by Lookout Island. Kinda rambling on... throwing some things out there for discussion.

You're forgetting about carrying capacity. MDC stocked 1.6 million rainbows back in the 80's and the quality of trout went south fast. Too many fish and not enough food. So cut stocking numbers equals more food for less trout - bigger trout. That's how it's worked, that and stocking slightly larger rainbows an average. MDC cut stocking numbers this year because of hatchery problems - flooding. Question is did anyone notice? I don't think so but that's what the creel study will tell us. What if they decide to grant the wish of the anglers in the survey that say less trout - bigger trout. They'll cut stocking numbers again and bump up the size. Right now it's 11.5. If they go to 12, that may cause issues with the trophy area. They may have to bump up the minimum size up there to, say, 13 inches. That would makes things interesting.

Jigfest - no. Got a chest cold that I need to shake. Couching like crazy at night... wouldn't be fun for me or the guys in the house. I fished for 90 minutes on Taney this evening. Kinda slow but did catch them on brown/orange head and brown/black/brown headed 1/100th ounce jig under a float. Good chop on the water...

I’ll be to post the results here. But most ppl agree with you, so far.

I'm home with a chest cold instead of fishing with the guys at JigFest... sure hate to miss it! I'm starting this thread hoping the guys post some pics of the trip.

I like this discussion. I'm with @fishinwrench. I like his attitude. I am content with what I have- no complaints. Under the tax plan, I think both plans, our personal taxes are less, not by much. And the resort will enjoy a tax break if we have any profit to claim. We're spending a lot of money on big items this fiscal year but most of it is capital. A few years ago, they let us claim all capital expense, not make us depreciate it out... that was nice!

Wish I was with you guys... just can't be on the cold water all day with this congestion. But I hope to get on Taney today and tomorrow... after it warms up. Fishing on the White and Taney should be excellent!!!

Report back... tell us how you do. Good luck. Anyone have any advice? @Bill Babler

https://mostateparks.com/page/70456/closed-state-park-properties Brandon said there's nothing going on in regards to the Current River. Eleven Point is in litigation.

http://www.news-leader.com/story/news/2017/12/05/park-supporters-offer-ideas-closed-ozark-mountain-state-park/922792001/

I attended the gathering at Dewey Short, Table Rock on Monday evening. Very good crowd and most if not all were for keeping parks and not selling. But I got the impression the parks on the chopping block are the 3 new ones, not Current or Elevenpoint. I'll check with Brandon Butler.

Received an email from the Corps through Shane Bush at MDC. Table Rock's water has mixed to the point that they've lifted generation restrictions. Good news for fish in Taneycomo and anglers who like to fish for them! Probably good news for Table Rock anglers too.

The video has been deleted... I guess someone told them.

Water's off now... Trout were gorging on midges at the Narrows at 11 a.m..

Cold temps needed.

Just received word that there will be no generation this week. This of course is delivered with one caveat... you never know what the Corps is going to do, just what it says it will do. Table Rock is either in the process of it has turned over. The Corp is starting to lift generation limits. DO levels are improving. With this cold snap ahead, it should push it over the edge.

I think we've posted our arrival and departure date - We'll come in Thursday night and leave Saturday evening but we'll pay for 3 nights. Duane and I will be on the river Thursday morning sometime.

Nice

You can have a new discussion about the sign at the end of the video...

fixed that for you Had to google that one again.

Then... why have a fishing forum? I understand what you're saying, Mitch. I just had to ask. Any info anyone shares can be abused. But even using that term "abused" is open to interpretation.

Man, I can see someone going on a quest to catch all these species. Pretty amazing we have all these in our area. Anyone ever do it?

0 of course is no units running. The numbers are megawatt values. There are 4 units and each will run up to 55 megawatts of power. So 4 full units equals 220 megawatts. No such thing as a bad question... keep asking.