Phil Lilley

No- they still don't know if they'll rebuild. If they do, it'll be next year.

6 am I'll be on a plane to AK... will miss doves again this year.

I didn't get up to Lookout. But you can drive into Pointe Royal- if they let you in- and down the bank there. Stay in the water and you'll be fine. It private property if you're on dry ground. Also can go thru Fall Creek but I don't know the path there or where to park. It's private also though, not sure if anyone will say anything. Best to stop and ask. Otherwise- have to boat it.

I boated up past Fall Creek this morning for the first time during down water. It was foggy, not too bad. Made it up to the great wall (this is a new landmark- where the tennis courts are, the home owner has built a huge stone wall along the lake- can't miss it). I immediately noticed a change on the west or shallow side of the lake. The water's edge used to be close to the dirt bank and very gradual going in but now the water's edge is 15-20 feet out from the dirt bank and kinda steep. The gravel bottom comes on out to mid lake, then drops off like it used to BUT it's more shallow. As you head down- same thing only more so. Essentially, the lake is narrower and more shallow in this whole area. From the gravel bar at what I call "dry wash" down (where the ditch from the golf course runs into the lake), the bar extends down from here instead of just being a bar. We've lost 60-90 feet of lake here on down to the narrows. At the narrows, we've lost 50 or more feet. There's even a pile of gravel exposed on this bar in the middle. It's not that the gravel from mid lake has piled up on the sides, it's gravel that's come off the banks and filled in and lays over the shallow side of the lake. At the narrows, the channel drop is more prominent. The upper channel seems to be shallower. The lower channel seems to be deeper. The east bank of the narrows is cut and much steeper and deeper. There's a cut at the very lower east bank that's very deep- 8-10 feet deep and extends down quite a ways. The gravel bar on the east side down past the ramp is really different. It's not uniformed but has holes and cuts- great for holding trout. I would have taken pics but the fog just wouldn't lift. One other mention- below the Riverpoint Estates ramp, the gravel has piled up on that shallow side leaving the first dock high and dry. The closest water to that dock is 30-40 feet. Has 2 boats sitting on dry gravel. Wonder if the Corp will let them dredge it out. Fish- rainbows were all over the shallow edge of the lake feeding I bet on scuds. The scuds are riding the dropping water out to the edge and that's where the rainbows are targeting them. Saw a small rainbow run up on the bank after a scud, then wiggle back in just before a heron took notice. I caught some by running a #14 gray scud from dry gravel into the water- they would just hammer it. No size but beautiful colored up and strong rainbows. Saw a good number of gar. No dry action on the bluff bank. Babler said they were active a couple of days ago- had my hopes up for some dry action but alas, none. Will take pics tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Beeping could mean it is over heating, fan out- but you say it isn't running? The battery could be shot and needs replacing.

Thanks Thom

Be nice Thom

I think MDC has deemed this impossible. Upper Taney will not support that many big fish at one time. If you thin out the lower end too much you're not going to get 15-18 inchers. The 12 was established because that's about the size of a stocker. They're immediately protected when stocked. If they are allowed to be taken before hitting the lower slot, the rule won't work. The question therefore is how many would survive the 6-12 months to grow from 12 to 15 inches?

Hard to say. I'd think they would apply to the whole lake if that's what they'd do. What I meant was any changes to use of bait and/or slot on rainbows below Fall Creek.

How these things usually work is- one state tries something and if it works, the other state will follow suit. Case in point- trophy areas. Taney implemented it's trophy area in 1997 and Arkansas followed with multiply areas on the White and other tailwaters. I think MDC will explore widening the present lengths on Taney at some point. But as far as changing anything below Fall Creek, that I seriously doubt.

Good luck. Wapsi carries only the 25 pack in each. I carry the 2499spbl's in the shop but not the 100spbl's. I sell very few of these hooks.

Gezz nice boat. Should sell for ya. Good price.

Tell us which you like and dislike and why- Also speak to problems with availability, if any. Where do you buy them? In a shop or on line?

Speaking of hooks... man it's hard to get hooks now-a-days. I carry TMC, Dai-Riki and Lightning Strike (as a substitute when I can't get TMC). Dai-Riki- can't get 100 count. TMC- can't get the most commonly used hooks in 100 count. If I get any, it's only one or two boxes at a time. I've heard it can be traced to overseas. I'm starting a new section on hooks-

You know the internet is an amazing thing... you can back up what you say by researching it out and giving references to what you're stating. So I'd suggest instead of general statements about this and that, back up your post and give real references, not from propaganda sites but from real, unbiased sites (yea I know, there's no such thing... but there is if you look).

No stripers.

Thanks for the fishing report. It is appreciated.

Classes- I hope to have classes this fall and winter. Pheasants- the feathers look great but I don't sell many at all. I have a dozen in the garage from past hunts. Same with squirrel tails. Jig heads- I can get 1/4 and 1/2 oz lead heads. I have some now but don't think they're in the shop. Thanks for the advice... keep it coming.

What were they taking?

Just a thought- It would help us fly shop owners if you, the client, would give us suggestions for what to carry in our shops- items that we may not carry presently. I think I speak for most shop owners- I get frustrated when someone comes in and asks for something I don't carry. I write it down and order it in on the next shipment and most of the time it will sit in the shop unsold. It would be nice to get some warning- and that might be what this is. Had a guy come in the shop the other day (Lisa tells me) and wanted to buy a jar of Soft Tex but the jars I had were milky and he said they should be clear. In looking at the catalogs, Wapsi nor Hareline sell them anymore. Guess there's a problem with shelf life. I know I get complaints about Fly Head Cement if it turns yellow on the shelf. Anyhow- suggestions never hurt.

Got to comparing the skins with the individual strips. Skins are $13- $15 and strips are $3. Wapsi says there's 2 feet of strip in the packages so you can buy 4-5 packages or 8-10 feet of strip for the same money as the skins. I think I'll order more individual packages than skins this time.

This is what Wapsi says about pine squirrel skins: "Pine Squirrel's extra thin hide and super dense hair allows us to make zonker strips in a size unseen before now. Naturally barred, the hairs also make great tails on nymphs" Hairline doesn't carry but individual strips and just natural, not dyed.

Leonard was referring to the skins in my shop. I buy dozens at a time- the last shipment was mostly smaller hides. I'm ordering more today- again 30-40 hides. We'll see how they look.

I googled this story and the only ones carrying it are conservative sites- no news sites mention the suit. Snopes.com doesn't mention it either. The story is 4 days old. I am inclined to disallow all political topics of the forum. This forum doesn't need to become a platform for every forward and pot-shot sound bite from either side of the isle.

I went through all my pictures from last season and pulled out some images that I haven't posted. Enjoy.