Phil Lilley

I hear good stories, people catching fish different places, but this guy hasn't connected yet. Got to remember, it's early. It's cold. Water is cold and... it's early. It's always exciting to hear the successful stories but if you're like me, you start chasing stories and get crushed most of the time by missing it. Pretty typical early season for me so far. I did connect on crappie early (Table Rock) but haven't done much so far at Bull. That's fishin'!

Have to ask Mark Crawford.

Missouri Department of Conservation NEWS: March 14, 2013 MEDIA CONTACT: Joe Jerek, 573-522-4115 ext. 3362, or Joe.Jerek@mdc.mo.gov<mailto:Joe.Jerek@mdc.mo.gov> MDC and federal agents snag major paddlefish poaching operation Undercover investigation leads to arrests and/or citations of more than 100 suspects. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Known as the "Paddlefish Capital of the World," Warsaw, Missouri, is a favorite area for many of Missouri's approximately 16,000 sport paddlefish snaggers because of its location along the Osage River. Agents with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) discovered that the Warsaw area is also a favorite location for paddlefish poachers. A cooperative undercover investigation by the two agencies recently resulted in more than 100 suspects from Missouri and eight other states being issued citations and/or arrest warrants for state and federal crimes related to paddlefish poaching. Missouri's official state aquatic animal, the paddlefish is an ancient species. Also called spoonbills, they can grow up to seven-feet long and weigh 160 pounds or more. Paddlefish are valued as a sport fish for both their size, and for eating. Paddlefish are also valued for their eggs, or roe, which are eaten as caviar. The section of the Osage River running along Warsaw in Benton County is a paddlefish hot spot because it is blocked upstream by Truman Dam. When spawning paddlefish reach the dam, their route is blocked and their numbers increase dramatically. This dramatically increases sport anglers' chances of snagging the big fish with a random jerk on a fishing line equipped with large hooks. This concentration of female paddlefish laden with eggs also makes Warsaw a prime location for paddlefish poachers to get the fish eggs for national and international illegal caviar markets. "The national and international popularity of Missouri paddlefish eggs as a source of caviar has grown dramatically in recent years," said MDC Protection Chief Larry Yamnitz. "This is a result of European sources of caviar having declined from overfishing of the Caspian Sea's once plentiful and lucrative beluga sturgeon, another species of fish known for its caviar." Caviar is a delicacy created by preserving fish roe in special salts. According to MDC, about 20 pounds of eggs or more can be harvested from a large, pregnant female paddlefish. Retail prices for paddlefish caviar vary. A current common retail price is about $35 per ounce. "Caviar prices in illegal or black markets also vary," Yamnitz said. "A common black-market price is about $13 an ounce. Therefore, a single large female paddlefish with about 20 pounds of eggs is carrying about $4,000 worth of potential caviar for black market sales." UNDERCOVER POACHING INVESTIGATION PAYS OFF Over the course of March 13 and 14, approximately 85 conservation agents of the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), 40 special agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USWFS), and wildlife officers from other states contacted more than 100 suspects in Missouri and eight other states to issue citations, execute arrest warrants, conduct interviews and gather additional information regarding a paddlefish-poaching investigation. The effort included eight individuals indicted for federal crimes involving the illegal trafficking of paddlefish and their eggs for use as caviar. Other states involved were Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. The arrests and citations were the result of a multi-year joint undercover investigation by MDC conservation agents and special agents of the USFWS involving the illegal commercialization of Missouri paddlefish and their eggs for national and international caviar markets. The undercover investigation ran during the spring 2011 and spring 2012 paddlefish seasons, March 15 through April 30. It was based out of Warsaw, Missouri. Additional MDC conservation agents and federal agents supported the undercover operation. "Sport anglers may only catch two paddlefish daily and the eggs may not be bought, sold or offered for sale," Yamnitz explained. "Extracted paddlefish eggs may not be possessed on waters of the state or adjacent banks and may not be transported. Paddlefish and their eggs may be commercially harvested only from the Mississippi River." He added that through the undercover operation, agents were able to identify suspects engaged in wildlife violations involving the illegal purchase, resale and transport of paddlefish and their eggs, document other violations of the Missouri Wildlife Code in addition to the core investigation, and determine that paddlefish eggs harvested in Missouri were being illegally transported out of the state for redistribution. Federal crimes tied to the poaching involve violations of the Lacey Act. The Act makes it a federal crime to poach game in one state with the purpose of selling the bounty in another state and prohibits the transportation of illegally captured<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poaching> or prohibited wildlife across state lines<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commerce_Clause>. MDC and the USFWS worked with the Benton County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, the Benton County Sheriff's Department and the U.S. Department of Justice on the investigation. Identification of suspects in violation of state wildlife charges is pending legal filings. Copies of the federal indictments may be obtained from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Kansas City. Yamnitz added that additional details about the undercover operation are vital to the investigation and prosecution of cases and therefore not available at this time. HELP STOP POACHING The investigation began with tips from the public about illegal activities. "Individuals from the Warsaw area first alerted us to potential paddlefish poaching in the area," said Yamnitz. "We are grateful to them, and encourage anyone spotting suspected illegal fishing or hunting activity to contact their local conservation agent, or call Operation Game Thief at 1-800-392-1111, 24 hours a day. Callers may remain anonymous and rewards are available for information leading to arrests." POPULARITY OF MISSOURI PADDLEFISH Paddlefish are highly valued by both sport anglers and commercial fishermen. Through MDC stocking efforts at three large reservoirs, Missouri is able to offer some of the best paddlefish snagging fisheries in the U.S. The fisheries are at Lake of the Ozarks and its tributaries, Harry S. Truman Reservoir and its tributaries, and Table Rock Lake and its tributaries, primarily the James River arm. Without MDC's stocking of these fisheries, and other paddlefish management practices, paddlefish numbers would sharply decline in Missouri's reservoirs, reducing opportunities for sport snaggers. In the past, paddlefish were naturally abundant in Missouri, but their numbers declined because of channelization, damming, impoundments and other river modifications. These modifications have greatly diminished the natural habitat paddlefish need to reproduce in the wild. Today, paddlefish in Missouri must be stocked. MDC stocks about 45,000 hatchery-produced 10-12-inch-long paddlefish fingerlings each year in Missouri's three main paddlefish locations: Table Rock Lake, Truman Lake and Lake of the Ozarks. PADDLEFISH FACTS Paddlefish are an ancient species of fish that date back to the times of dinosaurs. The sturgeon is a similar species of fish. Both are popular for their flesh and their eggs, or roe, which is used as caviar. Paddlefish, also known as spoonbills, are most easily identified by their paddle-shaped nose, which accounts for about one-third of their body length. Paddlefish are cartilaginous, which means that they have no bones. They are bluish-gray to blackish on the back and grade to white on the belly. They have small eyes and no scales. Paddlefish are filter feeders. Despite their large adult size, paddlefish eat tiny crustaceans and insects, called zooplankton, as they constantly swim slowly through water with their mouths wide open. Paddlefish can grow to a length of about seven feet, weigh up to 160 pounds or more, and live 30 years or more. Females grow larger and heavier than males. It takes about 6-8 years for a paddlefish to reach legal harvest size (34-inches) in Missouri's large reservoirs. Female paddlefish reach sexual maturity at 8-10 years and spawn every 2-3 years. Male paddlefish reach sexual maturity at 4-5 years and spawn annually. The egg masses of female paddlefish can be up to 25 percent of their body weight, with a large female paddlefish carrying about 20 pounds of eggs, or roe. Paddlefish live mostly in open waters of big rivers and were historically found in the Mississippi, Missouri and Osage rivers, along with other streams. Paddlefish spend most of the year dispersed throughout large reservoirs and rivers until warm spring rains increase flows and raise water temperatures, which prompts the big fish to swim upstream on their spawning run. Spawning runs occur in late spring at times of increased water flow. It is triggered by a combination of daylight, water temperature, and water flow. SNAGGING PADDLEFISH Because they are filter feeders that eat tiny crustaceans and insects, paddlefish have no interest in traditional fishing lures and bait. The most popular and dependable way to catch paddlefish is by snagging. This involves using a stiff, strong 6-9-foot pole with a heavy-duty reel and line. A sinker weight is attached near the end of the line, and a hook or cluster of hooks is attached to the end of the line. Snaggers cast their lines so the sinkers hit the bottom of the river or lake. They then sweep the pole back and forth so the line moves through the water. This sweeping motion jerks the hooks through the water, followed by reeling to take up slack from the jerk. This allows the hooks to "snag" paddlefish to be reeled in. For more information about paddlefish, visit www.mdc.mo.gov<http://www.mdc.mo.gov>. EIGHT INDIVIDUALS INDICTED FOR LACEY ACT VIOLATIONS AND OTHER CRIMES RELATING TO THE TRAFFICKING OF PADDLEFISH "CAVIAR" WASHINGTON -Eight individuals face federal charges stemming from a joint U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Missouri Department of Conservation investigation of interstate and international trafficking in paddlefish "caviar," the Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division and the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri announced. Arkadiy Lvovskiy, Dmitri Elitchev, Artour Magdessian, Felix Baravik, Petr Babenko, Bogdan Nahapetyan, Fedor Pakhnyuk and Andrew Praskovsky have been charged in four, separate indictments in the Western District of Missouri for acts that occurred in 2011 and 2012. The American paddlefish (Polydon spathula), also called the Mississippi paddlefish or the "spoonbill," is a freshwater fish that is primarily found in the Mississippi River drainage system. Paddlefish eggs are marketed as caviar. Paddlefish were once common in waters throughout the Midwest. However, the global decline in other caviar sources, such as sturgeon, has led to an increased demand for paddlefish caviar. This increased demand has led to over-fishing of paddlefish, and consequent decline of the paddlefish population. Missouri law prohibits the transportation of paddlefish eggs which have been removed or extracted from a paddlefish carcass. Missouri law also prohibits the sale or purchase, or offer of sale or purchase, of paddlefish eggs. There are also several restrictions on the purchase and possession of whole paddlefish in Missouri. Among other things, the Lacey Act makes it unlawful for any person to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire or purchase fish that were taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of any law or regulation of any state, or to attempt to do so. Such conduct constitutes a felony crime if the defendant knowingly engaged in conduct involving the purchase or sale, offer to purchase or sell or intent to purchase or sell, fish with a market value in excess of $350, knowing that the fish were taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of, or in a manner unlawful under, a law or regulation of any state. Arkadiy Lvovskiy, 51, of Aurora, Colo., Dmitri Elitchev, 46, of Centennial, Colo., Artour Magdessian, 46, of Lone Tree, Colo., and Felix Baravik, 48, of Aurora, Colo., were charged with conspiring with each other, and others, to violate the Lacey Act, and with trafficking in paddlefish and paddlefish eggs in violation of the Lacey Act. The indictment alleges that in the spring of 2011 and 2012, the defendants traveled to Warsaw, Mo., where they engaged in multiple, illegal purchases of paddlefish and processed the eggs from those paddlefish into caviar. After processing the paddlefish eggs into caviar, the defendants transported the caviar from Missouri to Colorado. The indictment further alleges that, during the interstate transportation, the defendants engaged in counter-surveillance efforts in order to avoid being detected. Petr Babenko, 42, of Vineland, N.J., and Bogdan Nahapetyan, 33, of Lake Ozark, Mo., were charged with conspiring with each other and other individuals to violate the Lacey Act, and with trafficking in paddlefish and paddlefish eggs in violation of the Lacey Act. The indictment alleges that between March and April 2012, the defendants traveled to Warsaw where they engaged in multiple, illegal purchases of paddlefish and processed the eggs from those paddlefish into caviar. After processing the paddlefish eggs into caviar, they transported the caviar from Missouri to New Jersey. Fedor Pakhnyuk, 39, of Hinsdale, Ill., is charged with two counts of trafficking in paddlefish and paddlefish eggs in violation of the Lacey Act. According to the indictment, in the spring of 2011 and 2012 Pakhnyuk traveled from Illinois to Missouri for the purpose of obtaining paddlefish eggs. The indictment alleges that Pakhnyuk procured paddlefish eggs by purchasing them, and by performing processing services for other persons in exchange for a share of the processed eggs. After processing the paddlefish eggs into caviar, Pakhnyuk transported the caviar from Missouri to Illinois. The indictment alleges that Pakhnyuk also attempted to form an enterprise with other individuals that would market processed paddlefish caviar at markets in Chicago, Illinois. Andrew Praskovsky, 40, of Erie, Colo., is charged with two counts of trafficking in paddlefish and paddlefish eggs in violation of the Lacey Act. According to the indictment, in March and April 2012, Praskovsky twice traveled to Warsaw for the purpose of purchasing paddlefish. After processing the paddlefish eggs into caviar, Pakhnyuk transported the caviar from Missouri to Kansas. The indictment alleges that, in April 2012, Praskovsky attempted to export some of the paddlefish eggs in checked luggage on an international flight departing from Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. The paddlefish eggs were seized at Dulles, as paddlefish eggs may only be exported if they are accompanied by a valid permit issued by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service under the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). If convicted, the individual defendants face a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and a $250,000 fine per count, as well as forfeiture of any vehicles that were used during the commission of the crimes. The case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Missouri Department of Conservation, with assistance by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys James B. Nelson and Adam C. Cullman of the Department of Justice's Environmental Crimes Section and Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence E. Miller of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Missouri. An indictment is a formal accusation and is not proof of guilt. Defendants are presumed innocent until and unless they are found guilty.

From AJ Pratt, MDC fishery biologist Fish which are flowing or are within 2-3 days of spawning are not injected with anything. However, fish which are not as far along in development are injected with a FDA approved, hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) which induces ovulation. The product has been in used for over 20 years and greatly improved our walleye production. Below are two links describing induced reproduction and the inducing product we use. http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/aquaculture/induced_fish_reproduction http://aqua.merck-animal-health.com/products/chorulon/ProductDetails_127_112511.aspx Also, I might add the walleye are re-shocked instead of using other drugs to anesthetize the fish.

Water levels are running at 370 cfs at the spring and water clarity is clear with a green tint. This week the trout have been biting great. Black woollies, Y2k's and Brownies have been the hot flies and candy corn trout magnets and bright colored rooster tails have been really hot. It is a great time to get out and fish the Spring River.

Hey! Best fishing I've ever done is in the snow! Tough it out!

I've gotten a few emails... and I'm sure everyone is looking at the weather. At this point, I don't want to reschedule this event --- yet. The one nice thing about this board, email and the internet is that everyone knows about this event from posting and emailing here so everyone should get a last minute cancellation if we decide the weather is going to be just too bad to have this. SO... I think I'll say right now that we will make this call on noon Friday. That should give everyone proper notice and be able to change their plans. But at this point, at least for me, I can't say WHEN I could do another weekend unless we wait till May. We'll see...

http://ozarkanglers.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=17240 Here's where you can see lake levels. It's a link shown on the header of each OAF page - Quick Links .......... Lake Levels ............ SPA Generation Schedule

They put the ones they collected last Wednesday back in the lake yesterday at K-Dock ramp. I assume they'll bring these back next week.

Met AJ and his crew at the River Run ramp last night. Shot this video with the GoPro. Wasn't happy with the turnout... too dark. But you can see what they do with the eggs and sperm. Last Wednesday night they collected 150 males and 50 females but the females were on the small size so they had to come back and get another 30 females. Last week, the largest walleye sampled was 28-inch female that weighed 12 lbs 10 ounces. Last night they had a 30-inch female (pic).

http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/65616?from=36hr_topnav_undeclared 55 for a high Sunday but it may change. Not sure when the moisture if supposed to hit. But hopefully it will hold off. Sunny at least.

Yea Saturday was the busiest we've seen the lake all year so far.

Just tried. They installed a new voice system. Different "voice". Reads slower. BUT it now gives us the cfs (cubic feet per second flow) which takes the guess work out of HOW much water is flowing. Cool!

All you guys are smart to stay in where it's warm... One 6 inch crappie and a 6 lb buffalo. Fished above the bridge in Flat Creek. Water temp 51. Water color alittle merky. A little current. Tried a couple more spots. Wind was tough and cold. Quit at 10 am.

Right place, right time!

In where it's warm!

I'll be at the CF ramp at 7 am tomorrow. With a friend from Kingfisher, OK. In his boat - white Skeeter. No dogs this time. I'll have some OAF stickers so yell if you see us.

Changed mind... heading out to Cape Fair early tomorrow. Hope they bite for you1

Dang it! May go tonight.

I'd say that was a very good try... one of those trips that "should have been better". My last 2 trips to BS were strike outs too. Just means it'll be better next time!

I understand. I traversed the rocks yesterday- pretty tricky. They need to dump several loads of fill on the rocks and plant grass. But that'll never happen.

I reposted this because the images were too small on the first post.

Took some pictures of at the Pothole area below Powersite Dam yesterday. We ran up to the gravel bar on the east side of the lake because the water was only 6 feet deep there. I was in a friend's boat and didn't want to chance veering out of the channel and hitting something. Anyhow- you can see how low the water is now. Bars would be great for fly fishing. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This is the willow bank below the 76 bridge that crosses the lake close to Swan Creek and Shadow Rock Park. It's downstream about 1/2 mile and on the west side of the lake. You can access this bank off 76/160, driving across the field as long as it's not muddy. It's a great place to fish because the water gets deep quick. Whites and walleye are caught off this bank each spring. This is an eagles net in a big sycamore tree on the willow bank. It's used as a landmark by some fishermen.

Can't help but notice that the Corp has improved the bank at the River Run Access on Bull Shoals. They've added big shot rock up and down stream of the ramp. Here are some pics.

One's smaller than the other