Phil Lilley

I'm leaving for King Salmon, Alaska in the morning. Be back July 14th. Just to let everyone know, I've left the "barn door" open... I won't be checking registrations. Hopefully no spammers will get on and post their stuff here. I haven't had any try in over a month. I will be checking up on the forum every once in a while. I'll post a report and pics when I can. Will have dinner with the Doty's a couple of times... Be good - and safe. God Bless! Phil

I'm leaving for King Salmon, Alaska tomorrow morning. Be back July 14th. I will have limited internet access. Should be able to post a report and pics, of Naknek River rainbows and sockeye that is. Darin should cover the forum reports while I'm gone.

Yes I'm seeing more browns BUT I like using white jigs and you will catch more browns on white jigs, less rainbows. Still catch rainbows but better chance for a brown if you're using white, thus the brown pics. We caught rainbows too but they weren't camera worthy.

Babler's done some trapping... and he'd look good in a speedo diving for mussels.

Not on Taney... I think there's some interesting characters on this forum that might fit the bill. May be we can nominate some...

Not late fall usually. Depends on lake levels.

Visitors are pouring into Branson with summer in full swing. The strip is starting to get a little busy, but the lake isn't really -- not yet. The weather has been great with little humidity but some fog on the lake in the mornings. But it wouldn't be Lake Taneycomo in the summer without a cold mist on the water before the sun rises above our high bluff. It's been a good week so far for trout anglers here on Lake Taneycomo. Most mornings the water has been off with no generation until later in the morning, which has been great for fly fishing and still fishing. But I've heard some say it's better fishing after the water comes on. I'm sure you'll find varied opinions. The Missouri Department of Conservation has been stocking every week so far this month, so there seems to be a good population of rainbows in the upper lake. When I was out drifting in our area the other day, fishing a Trout Magnet against the bluff bank, I saw several schools of rainbows every few hundred yards swarming my lure. That's a pretty good sign of freshly stocked rainbows. They tend to stay together for several days after being stocked. In our tackle store the last couple of days, I've heard anglers say that live bait has been working very well in a few areas of the lake. PowerBait Gulp eggs have been working good after the water starts running down by Monkey Island (very good) and night crawlers are working from Short to Fall Creek. Don't forget to inject them with air and make them float! This makes all the difference in the world, believe me! Fishing buddy Coy and I were out for about 90 minutes Wednesday before heading to church. Three units were running with the lake at 708 feet, a good amount of water. We drifted from Lookout down past the Narrows using a white 1/8th-ounce jig and caught this nice brown and a couple of rainbows. We didn't set anything on fire! We headed to the cable below the dam and made two quick drifts just past the boat ramp and caught more rainbows and this brown trout, almost the identical twin to the first one. Jackson, my black lab, loves to lick rainbow trout, but he does not care for warm water species of fish at all. The other day a smallmouth bass jabbed him in the snout with its fin and that re-enforced his aversion to green-colored fish. I usually let him take one or two licks (kisses) and then back to the water they go. Early in the mornings, a zebra midge under a float, with either fly or spin equipment, and fishing anywhere from Fall Creek to the dam has been working. Use size #16 in red, black, rusty or P&P (pearl and primrose) using 6x tippet. Depth depends on whether the trout are actively feeding or not. If they are, fish it close to the surface (6 to 18 inches). If they're not, fish it 24 to 48 inches deep. On the gravel flats below Lookout, try a #14 gray scud and fish it dragging the bottom under a float. Below the dam, fish it in the chutes or flats where the water is moving. You might go to a size #16 or #18 if they get picky. Ants and beetles are starting to show up and our trout are taking notice. Fish from the Rocking Chair Hole down to the conservation boat ramp early in the morning when the water is not running and watch for surface feeding rainbows to target. Also target rainbows cruising the shallow flats. I expect this generation pattern to continue. If it changes at all, we may see less generation as Table Rock's lake level continues to drop. What might reverse this is hot weather. If it jumps back in to the upper 90's, look for heavy generation to power our air conditioners.

Only fishing 10 feet so I used 1/8th and 1/16th- either worked.

I don't want to hear it...

Send your mailing address to me in a PM.

No. Set the trolling motor on 20 (very slow) and kinda worked the worm up and down off the bottom real slow. Babler rigged me up with a drop shot. Actually I'd never used one or seen one before (I'm not a bass fisherman). I used it a while but didn't have any confidence in it. So I went to what I know- a jig. Jig head. Beck caught some on a swim bait - a grub. But he said all his were short walleye. We threw a motor oil swimming minnow and caught one short and a couple of bass. I think they like the worm the best.

Well, short story it was an off day for big walleye yesterday. Don't have alot of time to write so I'll make it brief. Phillip Stone/Bill Babler and Phillip's son fished out of Stone's boat, Bill Beck and 2 friends fished out of Bill's boat and I had Coy Howry, a friend from OK with me (and Jackson my black lab) out of my boat. They all fished till about 1 pm and we fished till 7. My key blew out of my boat on the way over and had to have a switch installed... won't leave my key in the boat again with a floatie attached again. Babler told me to bring 6 dz crawlers- I did- then he asked for them when we got there and I thought... I thought those were for ME! We bought the last 3 dz in Diamond City and used them sparingly. We fished flats and flat points mainly up from DC in 10-12 fow just outside the bush line. Bill said he thought all together we had 40 walleye with 5 keepers. Beck did the best with 3 and Babler and I each had one. We had several 1/4 inch short. We used a roadrunner head or just a jig head with a half crawler working the bottom close to the boat. Bite felt like small blue gill pecking at it. I think I shook off the first 6 walleye thinking I was getting robbed my the little buggers. Perfect fishing day I thought. Little wind, cloud cover, rain... but the fish didn't think so. Water temp 80-82 and murky.

417-335-0357

I will, oneshot.

Ramp I did. It's hard to find. And it was busy. In that area (Diamond City) I couldn't identify long points vs steep points being my first time over there and I didn't take any maps with me. The lake is 10 feet high so at least for me it was difficult.

No pockets... but I bet my wife could sew one on!

Zero rain here south of Branson

Dang it... Babler went this morning later. Put in at Tucker Hollow and caught 'em. He'll have to post his report... I'm too tick to do it for him :-0!

Won't be able to follow me this summer... unless you're following me to Alaska!

Sold a few shirts and hats yesterday! Thanks!!

Heard Nixa (south of Springfield) has gotten 6 inches of rain in the last 2 hours and the cloud isn't moving. Local flooding. James will be extremely high and Table Rock's level will shoot back up.

Yes

AFter a glowing report by a couple of my guests here on walleye, I drove to Diamond City and put in this am at 6. Tried several points. Broke off one walleye but had nothing but blue gill bites till I had to get back at 8 am. Quick trip but I have laundry duty this morning here at the resort. Big turn over day. Not sure if I was fishing wrong points. Tried from 10 to 30 feet on the bottom. The points I fished were deep points though. First time there... but it was their first time the other day too so... Phillip Stone is catching them over there too. Just have to be dialed in better... I'm not a walleye fisher.