Phil Lilley

More stripers.

Caught 5 stripers and a boat load of bass plus 2 walleye I used two baits, a stick bait and the spoon. Caught the stripers on a spoon an the bass on the stick bait. Water temp 46 The fish are just staring to move on the banks, white bass will be there soon so get ready to have alot of fun.

Have had alot of emails asking me about boat ramps on the James... so I thought we might talk about it here. Blunk - good road the way to the ramp area, paved. The ramp itself is concrete and fairly steep but my 2-wheel drive dodge did fine. Parking is limited to about 15 rigs? And looks like it could get pretty sloppy if we get alot of rain. We had no trouble heading downstream as far as depth of water in my G3 and 90 hp power but going upstream you'll have issues with depth if you're not careful. Galena Ramp off 248 is a nice area but the ramp is pointed in the wrong direction, I'm told.

<object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10034220&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=&amp;fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10034220&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=&amp;fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/10034220">James River White Bass 2</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user1209677">Phil Lilley</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

Clousers, woolies and small jigs always work for me.

Vids wouldn't load on youtube for some reason. Have another one I'll upload this am.

<object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10026138&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=&amp;fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10026138&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=&amp;fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/10026138">James River White Bass 1</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user1209677">Phil Lilley</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

Made our way over to Blunk Ramp (?) not sure if that's what the ramp was called. Someone can correct me. Duane? Oh, Duane and Mona Cheri was with me. We met in Branson West and rode together. 4:15 pm put in and down we went. I thought we were going up but Duane said he "felt" we should go down. Sometimes I wonder about that boy. He had caught walleye the day before down about 3/4 mile so that was the motivation. He wanted to cross some eyes. Mona did - he didn't. But she lost hers after getting it almost to the boat. Had a good look at it-- about 25 inches. Nice one. They have teeth. Four-pound line is no match. Caught a couple of small whites and headed back up. Went about half way back and Duane said to stop. This time I think he felt something, something real. He did. The whites were there. We caught small males at first but as it got darker we caught good ones. We put 45 in the well and kept catching. We threw back bigger ones late with small males in the well. I cleaned 45 - 25 were females with eggs. Some of the small "males" turned out to be with eggs--smallest females I'd ever seen. We were fishing 8-12 feet of water using 1/8th oz heads with black/pearl swimming minnows OR white slider -- it made no difference. I let the lure go all the way to the bottom but Mona just reeled as soon as it hit the water--no matter. I think I had a bite or a fish on almost every cast for over an hour. Lots of fun. Water temp was 52 when we put in, 50 down river and 51 where we caught fish. Not a whole lot of boats. Ramp area had spots to park still open. Youtube Video is still uploading.

What was the condition of the water? Clear? What kind of current? I'm grounded till the NAIA basketball tourney is over at C of O unless I can slip away for a quick trip.

Since the forum upgrade, I've been getting alot of misguided emails (as admin). When you receive a PM (Private Message), you get an email notification. Don't REPLY to this email. If you do, I get the email, as the admin. Reply through the PM system. Thanks

Thought I'd bring this up again. The next 3 months will be the busiest time on the website - about 500,000 page hits a month. For ads in Special Forums, ads will run 6 months for one advertiser for $75. After 6 months, if another advertiser wants to take that forum he can but if there's no one else interested, the former advertiser can re-up for the same forum. This is to give others a chance to advertise on premium forums (top of the page). For all other forums, ads will run 6 months for one advertiser for $50. After 6 months, if another advertiser wants to take that forum he can but if there's no one else interested, the former advertiser can re-up for the same forum. This is to give others a chance to advertise on forums of special interest (forum on lakes where he or she has a special interest). OA reserves the right to cancel the ad at anytime, refunding the fee at a pro-rated sum. Otherwise, the fee is not refundable unless there is another member who wants to pickup the outstanding term. Once the space is paid for, then and other then will the fee be refunded. Payment- checks only, made payable to Lilleys' Landing and mailed to 367 River Ln, Branson, MO 65616

After he posts for the first time.

Duane just called me from his cell... was in the water catching whites as he talked. Just a few minutes ago. Said to get over there but I have a full day. Nothing to do? Head to the James. The whites are biting.

46 posts... I wouldn't call you a lurker. But I understand your position. Nothing wrong with being a lurker at all. But the more people share on the forum the better for all. We all make more friends that way.

Hummm.... sounds interesting.; I may be taking a trip to WI in August with a couple of friends. Never been to WI fishing so I'll be watching to see what kind of response you get. Thanks.

I've wrestled with this thought for years and as the viewership of the site grows, there will be more lurkers and more posters. It's pretty much for it is and won't change. We can encourage "giving back" and some will, some won't. It's all good. Out of all the members listed though you have to consider most are old sign-ups and aren't using the forum anymore. There are some duplicate and even triplicate because they register when they can't remember their user names and passwords (they can always email me and ask to update their listing). We're getting about 1500 unique visitors a day right now. Not sure what the member-to-visitor ratio is but you'll see from 55 to 75 people on the forum during heavy usage. Now that's within a 15 minute range. Other forums show 60 minutes and even up to 24 hours and they'll show dozens and hundreds of visitors. I guest oaf would show over a thousand. Usage for the next couple months will be the heaviest of the year.

Sure- http://ozarkanglers.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=283&Itemid=102

Hope you do well. Please report back and tell us how you all did.

Thanks ITGUY for coming on the forum and explaining the situation.

What happened to posting standings from the last couple of days? No fish were caught???

Aren't you putting in at KDock? There's a report by Babler posted just the other day. That should give you some really good info- not much has changed since then. Also, I'd read up on what's been working on Table Rock. If you mimic what you see on Table Rock, you'll do well. They are very similar. Unfortunately, we don't have any guides posting on Bull Shoals. But you might pick up someone who's fished it the last few days besides Babler.

Put in a K 7 am this morning. 18 degrees... what am I doing?!?? My depth finder wouldn't even work. Headed to snap. Caught 3 whites and one big crappie off the drop off on white jigs 1/8th oz. Later in the am caught more. 20-30 feet of water on the drop. White Jigs. On the flat the depth is 7-8 feet and the channel is 35-38 ft. Water temp 37 when we put in and 40 when we took out. Most of the whites were sows - all nice 1.5 to 2.5 pounds. Water was slick- no wind- high sun. Thought we wouldn't do any good but did. Ended up with 19 whites and 1 crappie. Nice first trip of the year.

Alot of businesses are hurting right now in the area. This is a huge boost and probably just in time after a tough winter season. Lodging, eateries, even Bass Pro on the Landing will benefit. The FLW is a group of diverse people just like any other group. You could be talking about a big church, a company, a squadron of fire fighters, employees at a Wal Mart super center. Most of the people in these groups are decent people and even some of those make mistakes. A small percentage act poorly and that reflects on the group. The only thing in this equation that you can control is... you-- how you react, how you judge, how you live your life. Give mercy and it will be returned. Think the best of all people and be wise in your dealings.

Jeremy Hunt It would be simple to assume that pretty much all of the fish on the White River, Norfork Tailwater and Lake Taneycomo fight the same way –especially with respect to the rainbows. The fact of the matter is that once a trout is stocked, they must immediately adapt to prevailing flow conditions. If the water is high during induction, the fish experience a “baptism by fire” because they must immediately find a spot out of the current where they will not become prey for a resident lunker. During lower water conditions, freshly stocked trout have more time to adapt to their new surroundings. The fish that survive the first few weeks of river life are true products of their environment, and they will begin to display unique characteristics based on the stretch of river they inhabit. For years, I have been observing the behaviors of both rainbow and brown trout, and there is definitely a difference in how fish fight from one spot to another. The areas with lighter flows, adequate in-stream structure and really good habitat are where the trout seem to be lazier overall, even though they may be bigger. If a fish is forced to fight strong current the majority of the time, they will inevitably be lean and strong. In general, the trout of the White, Norfork and Lake Taneycomo each act differently after they are hooked, and this is a direct reflection of the circumstances the fish encounters throughout their life. The White River Out of the three Ozark tailwaters that I frequently fish, the trout on the White are by far the strongest. Even though there is really good habitat in certain areas, every fish in the river is exposed heavy flows at some point or another. A few of the browns and rainbows that get really big are quite fat, but in general, the trout on the White River are muscular and sleek specimens. Browns and rainbows each have their own battle strategies. ‘Bows will give you everything right away, but they do not have near the stamina or brute power of a brown. Both species are capable of long runs and spectacular aerial displays. The resident fish that live in the catch and release area below Bull Shoals Dam are both fat and strong. There is not a lot of structure in this zone, but the sheer volume of food more than makes up for this shortcoming. The trout that spend their time in the “Top Pool” (the first ¼ mile below the dam) are even stronger fighters than their counterparts below the shoal. The rainbows on the entire White tend to run straight away after feeling the hook, as opposed to running upstream or downstream. Even a 12-incher will give you a run for your money on this river. If the water remains low for long periods of time, White River trout will lose some of their longevity with respect to how long they will fight hard, but their initial reaction is always intense. The browns up and down the river go absolutely wild when they are hooked, but after their initial fury, they dig in for the long haul. There are very few places in the world where the trout fight as hard as they do on the White. The Norfork Tailwater It is hard to imagine just how much diverse water can be found on the short, 4.8-mile long Norfork Tailwater, unless you get the chance to see it for yourself. If there was a video game where anglers could design their own trout stream, my version would probably resemble the Norfork during low water every time. The reason that the Norfork is so ‘perfect’ is also why the fish here tend to fight relatively weakly. There is so much food easily accessible that the trout do not have to expend much energy to feed, and there are plenty of ledges that provide hydraulic-relief for thousands of fish. The trout on the Norfork are the epitome of lazy. I would never want to give the impression that the fish on the Norfork lack enthusiasm. Rather, they just do not have the muscle to fight for really long periods or to make frequent, dramatic runs. Of course, the trout on the Norfork are bigger, on average, than what is found on other Ozark trout fisheries, so anglers are still often treated to a battle. Do not expect really long runs here, and the browns on the Norfork really like to pull towards the bottom of the river. Because of strong current and a lack of structure, the “Top Pool” below Norfork Dam is where the strongest fish are found. Upper Lake Taneycomo The water directly below Table Rock Dam is flat and fairly plain. Even though there are not a lot of big rocks and submerged trees in this section, there are plenty of eddies along both banks where the trout can feed with minimal effort during high water. There is plenty of food to be found on upper Taneycomo, so the fish here get very fat in a short amount of time. Because of the unique dynamics at play on Lake Taneycomo, the rainbows in the upper end are extremely spirited fighters. A 14-incher can take five minutes to land and an 18-incher is capable of getting into the backing on the first run. Unlike on the White, where the ‘bows tend to take off across the current, the fish on Taneycomo like to fly upstream and downstream. This adds an exciting element to an already thrilling encounter. The browns fight hard here, as well, but the energy of the rainbows is remarkable. I would be remiss if I did not mention how important it is to fight and land every trout hooked as quickly as possible. Each time you turn a big fish successfully reduces the fight time significantly. There truly is an art to efficiently battling large trout. Anglers who fish the White River, Norfork Tailwater and Lake Taneycomo will be treated to very strong fish with plenty of attitude, but each fishery’s trout act a little differently when they are hooked. Even though the majority of fish caught will be hatchery rainbows, the extreme conditions of these waterways quickly turns these “truck” trout into worthy adversaries –a stocker will act wild within weeks of being introduced. This can be quite the surprise for those expecting little resistance from these fish.

Generation and water temperature are always the first items I talk about in my fishing reports. Why? Because everything revolves around them. How you can fish, where and with what. I don’t talk about temperature as much as generation—it’s usually not an issue, but right now I feel it is. Table Rock Dam has been running two units 24/7 for more than a week in an effort to get Table Rock to power pool—915.0 feet. I emphasize the “.0” because at the moment it’s at .3. I’ve been told by a little bird that when it reaches .0 the dam operators will back off on generation. That may mean periods of zero or at least less generation in the coming days. Water temps have held around 39, which is really cold for this time of year. Trout don’t mind the cold — really their warm water friends don’t either. They will feed but be slower about it. The bite may be softer, not as hard as it would be in 45-degree water. So presentation should also be a tad slower to get more bites. Just think “slow motion.” That’s what you’d be in if you were cold —moving a little slower. But just as with bass or crappie fishing, if we see a rise in water temps, we’ll see a rise in motion, action and feeding. Suppose generation slows and lake temps rise into the 50’s. If water temperatures rise a little, I bet you’ll see our trout respond with a feeding frenzy. Well, even if they don’t, at least you’re on the lake on a nice warm day! I can’t say for sure whether we have had shad come through Table Rock Dam this week. Shad are dying like crazy on Table Rock due to the cold-water temps. It stands to reason that we should see some shad, but to tell the truth, I haven’t been out to investigate in more than a week nor heard any reports of sightings. At least one team fishing in Saturday’s tournament did well with white jigs and spinners between Fall Creek to Short Creek. Two teams fished up in the trophy area and reported catching a number of nice rainbows in the 17-18-inch range. One team said they were drifting with egg flies and san juan worms. Our tournament Saturday was for artificial only with no baits allowed. Most anglers used jigs while others cast spoons, spinners and crank baits. The $800 prize for the largest, legal brown trout went unclaimed for the fourth year in a row. I’m sure there were man anglers jerking rouges and rapalas for that one big brown, but there were no takers. Many guys I talked to reported using two-pound fluorocarbon line, putting their jigs right on the bottom to get bit. Their thinking was that the fluorocarbon got them to the bottom easier and the two-pound line let them feel the light bite better. It was sunny Saturday, but most areas on the lake were windy. Other teams said they fished around the docks, just as they might fish for bass around structures. The tighter they stayed towards the docks, the better bites they had. Lots of males and sows were weighed in, and most, if not all. were milking or dropping eggs. The stretch of time these rainbows spawn is awfully long, it seems. We were catching milking males way back in early January. Minnows and night crawlers are still catching the better rainbows verses the baits (Gulp and paste), but either type of bait will yield you a limit in short time. Be sure to adjust your weight when drifting. If the water slows down, lessen the weight or you’ll be hanging up all the time. Now IF we see some down water and you have the chance to wade below the dam, bring your wooly buggers, cracklebacks and soft hackles. The wind is blowing most days, and it’s supposed to be warmer soon. Midge hatches should be off the chart, and as the water warms, rainbows should be cruising the flats looking for something moving on the surface … oh, let’s hope so!!