Phil Lilley

I've forwarded everything to Mike. Haven't heard anything back. Thanks everyone.

Got to the park at 9 am this morning and met some friends from KC. Boated to just below the first riffle below the dam, 3 units had been running earlier but it was dropping out. We got to make 3 drifts down to the top of the park. They had caught a few browns and several rainbows on chrome white jigs. I threw a black/olive 3/32 oz jig and caught a few rainbows. Tied on a red San Juan on the fly rod and caught one rainbow on the shallow side. Then put on a bead (egg) and fished AK style- caught 2 more rainbows. Went back to the ramp and ditched the boats. Waded the rest of the day. Waded across the river and walked up to the top of the rip-rap and started trying to fish the deep side... no luck. But I like fishing skinny water so I dropped back and worked the water only 2-3 feet deep along that bank. First a red San Juan- #2 fish was the rainbow in the pic. 21 inch but the tail was worn off this female. The would be the fish of the day. Caught quite a few more rainbows, 12-14 inch, on the San Juan, changing to a #16 red and then black zebra and back to a brown SJ. No hatches but we quite at 5 pm. I noticed trout midging in the river near Newlands towards dark. They ran one unit all day. They called it "minimum flow". Not sure if they've implimented the new flow or not but I REALLY liked it alot!

February 8, 2008 A service of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation News Contacts: Michael Bergin or Micah Holmes (405) 521-3856 Web site: wildlifedepartment.com Wildlife Department receives monetary, land donations Meeting scheduled to gather public input on wind power policy Applications available for Wildlife Department Youth Camp NatureWorks art show slated Outdoor Calendar Fishing Report Waterfowl Report Wildlife Department receives monetary, land donations At its February meeting, the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission accepted $2,000 from Whitetails of Oklahoma as well as 36.31 acres of land from a private donor, both of which will be used to support conservation activities in Oklahoma. “Conservation in Oklahoma is funded by sportsmen through the sale of hunting and fishing licenses as well as special federal excise taxes on sporting goods, but donations like these really add to what the Wildlife Department can do to serve the outdoorsmen in the state,” said Greg Duffy, director of the Wildlife Department. “The Department appreciates the generosity of its supporters, and we recognize how much more we are able to do in conservation because of their support.” The donation from Whitetails of Oklahoma will be used to help fund the Department’s 2008 Oklahoma Wildlife Expo, the state’s largest indoor and outdoor recreational event featuring over 150 outdoor-related booths and activities. The Expo is hosted by the Wildlife Department in cooperation with a number of partners including other state agencies, conservation organizations, private individuals and sponsors and draws thousands of people each year to the Lazy E Arena, just north of Oklahoma City, for three days of recreation and outdoor education. Along with being an Expo sponsor, Whitetails of Oklahoma is a non-profit organization comprised of wildlife enthusiasts working to promote activities related to whitetail-deer, ranging from hunting wild deer to raising domestic herds. For more information, log on to whitetailsofoklahoma.com. The land parcel donated to the Wildlife Department is located in Ellis and Roger Mills counties adjacent to the southern border of Packsaddle Wildlife Management Area along the South Canadian River. The Commission also recognized Nick Woodard, game warden stationed in Grant Co., for 30 years of service to the Wildlife Department. Woodard is a game warden supervisor and has served in Grant Co. for 28 years. Frank Huebert, game warden stationed in Major Co., was also recognized for 30 years of service. In other business, the Commission approved an emergency rule change to make portions of the Department’s rules consistent with current state law. The Wildlife Department has regulatory authority over native wildlife, while the USDA has certain regulatory authority over non-native exotic wildlife. The Wildlife Conservation Commission is the eight-member governing board of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The Wildlife Commission establishes state hunting and fishing regulations, sets policy for the Wildlife Department, and indirectly oversees all state fish and wildlife conservation activities. Commission members are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. Commissioners voted to set the next scheduled Commission meeting for 9 a.m., March 10, at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation headquarters (auditorium), at the southwest corner of 18th and North Lincoln, Oklahoma City. The regular April meeting will be held Tuesday, April 1, also in Oklahoma City. -30- Meeting scheduled to gather public input on wind power policy A public meeting will be held in Woodward to gather input from hunters and other wildlife enthusiasts about the possible lease or sale of Cooper Wildlife Management Area for wind power development. The meeting will be Wed., March 12, at 6 p.m. at the High Plains Technology Center. The Wildlife Conservation Commission, the governing board that sets policy for the Department of Wildlife Conservation, has created a subcommittee to look at wind power issues and make a recommendation to the full Commission regarding specific offers the Wildlife Department may receive for purchase or lease of its properties. “We have a letter of interest from OG&E about Cooper. The Commission is looking at this issue closely because it is a policy decision that could impact several other areas in western Oklahoma that are owned by the Department,” said Greg Duffy, Wildlife Department director. “For people who are interested in voicing their opinion but will be unable to attend the meeting in Woodward, we would encourage them to go to our Web site and email us their comments. We will compile all comments and make sure that they are presented to the Wildlife Commission.” The Wildlife Department’s Web site can be accessed at www.wildlifedepartment.com. -30- Applications available for Wildlife Department Youth Camp Youth interested in wildlife, fisheries and law enforcement can apply now to attend the 10th annual Oklahoma Wildlife Department Youth Camp scheduled for June 2-6, 2008. This camp is free, and youth get a chance to learn about careers in wildlife conservation. Held at OU Biological Station near Lake Texoma, the camp is open to Oklahoma youths ages 14 to 16 and is designed to give an increased awareness of protecting and managing Oklahoma's wildlife resources. Participants will attend courses in rifle and shotgun training, hunting and wildlife identification, wildlife law enforcement, wildlife and fisheries biology and management, self-defense, and ropes and rappelling. The camp is free of charge, but will be limited to 35 youth. Applicants should be interested in fish and wildlife management or law enforcement and must submit a 75-word essay explaining why they want to attend the camp, why they believe they should be selected and what they expect to learn while attending. They must also submit a letter of recommendation from a person of their choice other than a family member and a photograph of a recent outdoor-related event or activity. Applications will be accepted Feb. 1 – April 18, and applicants must turn 14 prior to June 2, 2008. Obtain applications by logging on to the Wildlife Department's Web site at wildlifedepartment.com/youthcamp.htm. Simply print off the application, fill it out and mail it in with the essay, letter of recommendation and photograph to: Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Law Enforcement Division Youth Camp, P.O. Box 53465 Oklahoma City, OK 73152. -30- NatureWorks art show slated Slated for Feb. 23-24 at the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center, the annual NatureWorks art show will feature everything from wildlife paintings and photography to sculptures and carvings. NatureWorks, Inc., located in Tulsa, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting in wildlife conservation efforts and wildlife education opportunities. The annual Wildlife Art Show and Sale, sponsored by NatureWorks, draws talented artists both nationally and internationally known and has generated matching grants to assist a variety of state wildlife conservation projects. “We are one of the few remaining wildlife shows of this type,” said Ken Greenwood, senior director of NatureWorks. “We have been blessed with great volunteers through the years.” Projects such as the Department’s paddlefish management program, duck stamp print program and centennial duck stamp print have benefited from NatureWorks’ support along with habitat work at the Harold Stuart Waterfowl Refuge Unit within the Deep Fork Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and the Grassy Slough WMA. Additionally, NatureWorks has been an important supporter of the Wildlife Department’s Hunters Against Hunger program, in which hunters can donate their legally harvested deer to feed hungry Oklahomans. “Sportsmen donated over 25 tons of deer meat to the Hunters Against Hunger program during the 2006-07 season alone,” said Rhonda Hurst, coordinator of the Hunters Against Hunger program for the Wildlife Department. “Because of groups like NatureWorks, the program is very successful, and the Wildlife Department appreciates their support.” Hours for the NatureWorks Wildlife Art Show and Sale will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24. The Tulsa Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center is located at 6808 South 107th East Avenue (71st and US-169). For more information about NatureWorks or the art show, call (918) 296-4278 or log on to natureworks.org. -30- OUTDOOR CALENDAR FEBRUARY 14 – 17: Oklahoma Tackle Show at the State Fairgrounds (Travel & Transportation Building, Cox Pavilion, Carriage Hall). Show Times: Thursday: 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Sunday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Admission: $7 per person. 16: 10th Annual Trout Derby sponsored by the Prairie Trout Club. There are a few changes this year. Pre-registration ($25) entitles you to receive a free Prairie Trout Club t-shirt. Please indicate t-shirt size on your entry form. Log on to pawhuskachamber.com for an entry form and the rules for the derby. This annual fishing event will be held regardless of the weather, and all registration fees are non refundable. Also log on to wildlifedepartment.com for state laws and requirements. Good luck this year, as the opportunity to catch a tagged fish has been extended till the end of the season on March 31 for registered derby participants only. The $10,000 Fish sponsored by Osage Million Dollar Elm Casinos is valid on tournament day only! Kids under 12 can compete in their own division this year. All entry forms, payments & t-shirt sizes must reach John Moreland, the Prairie Trout Club Official, at the address below by Friday, Feb. 15 at 4 p.m. 17: Woodward Archers 3-D Shoot. Range Directions from 48th St and Oklahoma Ave:go one mile west, turn left off Hwy 15 go south two and a half miles west. For more information contact Ed Kinney at (580) 256-3320 or Frank Patterson, Jr. at (580) 256-6613. Memberships available, and shoots are open events. Sign in begins at 7:30 a.m. and closes at 2:30 p.m. 21: Bluebird Bob Walshaw will present a hands-on seminar on bluebirds and how to deal with house sparrows at 7 p.m. at Bass Pro Shops in Broken Arrow This program will be held in the upstairs meeting room, is free and open to the public, and door prizes will be awarded. 23: Green Country Delta Waterfowl Dinner. Social starts at 6:30 p.m. and dinner at 7:30 p.m. Being held at VFW, 1109 E. 6th Street (West of 6th and Peoria), Tulsa OK 74133. For more information and tickets, contact Ralph Wright at (918) 455-0623 or Joe Anderson at (918) 271-1473. Log on to deltawaterfowl.org for additional information. 23 & 24: NatureWorks Art Show at the RENAISSANCE Tulsa Hotel & Convention Center (6808 South 107th East Avenue (71st and US-169)), Tulsa. Show run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday Tickets are $5. 29: – March 2: Backwoods Hunting and Fishing Expo at the Fairgrounds, OKC. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation will be on hand with an information booth and to score deer racks. For more information contact Dale Welchel at (405) 769-8816. 29: The National Wild Turkey Federation, Canadian Valley Lonesome Hen Chapter Annual Banquet and Auction will be held at the Mustang Town Center (1201 N. Mustang Road, Mustang OK 73064). Doors will open at 6 p.m. and dinner will be at 7:30 p.m. There will be live and silent auctions, raffles an games plus a "family friendly" atmosphere. Ticket prices are: $10 for Jakes -ages up to 17; $40 for singles; $50 for couples; $275 for sponsors; and $550 for corporate tables. For further info or tickets call Jerry McNeil at (405) 990-1412 or Brandon Groves (405) 659-7803 or email: lonesomehen@sbcglobal.net. 29 – March 2: The Watonga Trout Derby at Lake Watonga located within Roman Nose State Park. This year the derby is being sponsored by The Watonga Chamber of Commerce & The Friends of Roman Nose State Park. Registration will begin at 7 a.m. each morning and continue through 5 p.m. Friday & Saturday and until 1 p.m. Sunday. All fish must be weighed in by 3 p.m. Sunday, March 2, which will mark the end of the derby. The three-day event provides fisherman an opportunity to catch tagged trout. All tagged trout are worth daily cash or gifts. Each day, $100 in prize money will be given for the heaviest single trout caught in the senior division (age 16 and older), and $50 in prize money will be given each day for the heaviest single trout caught in the junior division (age 15 and younger). For more information call Roman Nose State Park at (580) 623-7281 or e-mail romannosepark@oklahomaparks.com or call the Watonga Chamber of Commerce at (580) 623-5452 or e-mail watongachamber@pldi.net Also contact Sue Smith at (580) 623-7234 or carolsusmith@hotmail.com. MARCH 7 & 8: Stars Over the Wichitas Tour at the Wichita Mountains Wildlife. Participants can search for and locate major constellations and other heavenly bodies with assistance from an amateur astronomer. For reservations and more information, call the Visitor Center at (580) 429-8587. A $5 reservation fee per participant is collected prior to the program. 8: Tulsa Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation 20th Annual Big Game Banquet at the Tulsa Convention Center (100 Civic Center, Downtown Tulsa). For information and tickets contact Mitch Bray at (918) 407-7542. Due to reserve dinner and seating, no tickets will be sold at the door. Tickets are $55 for single meals; $75 for couples meals; $10 for kids meals; and $20 for each additional adult meal. Includes dinner, annual supporting membership in the RMEF, 1 year subscription to the RMEF “BUGLE” Magazine and a RMEF decal. 8: Oklahoma Station Chapter of Safari Club International 23rd Annual Awards Banquet and Charity Fundraiser. 6:30 p.m. at The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum located 1700 N.E. 63rd St. Oklahoma City 73111. Registration starts at 5:30 p.m. To purchase tickets or for further information, contact Verilea Faust at (405) 721-7229 or 1-800-405-3580 or e-mail faust4v@pldi.net. View auction items and bid online at oklahomastationsci.org. 8: The Oklahoma Fur Bearers Alliance 2008 fur auctions will be held at the Okmulgee County Fairgrounds, Okmulgee. For more information contact John Weygandt at (918) 645-5667. 10: Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission Meeting. Meetings are held at monthly at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation Building (auditorium), 1801 N. Lincoln, Oklahoma City, OK at 9 a.m. 16 & April 20: Woodward Archers 3-D Shoot. Range Directions: from 48th St and Oklahoma Ave, go one mile west, turn left off Hwy 15 go south two and a half miles west. For more information contact Ed Kinney at (580) 256-3320 or Frank Patterson, Jr. at (580) 256-6613. Memberships available, and shoots are open events. Sign in begins at 7:30 a.m. and closes at 2:30 p.m. 18 & April 24: Bluebird Bob Walshaw will present a hands-on seminar on bluebirds at 7 p.m. at Bass Pro Shops in Broken Arrow. This program will be held in the upstairs meeting room, is free and open to the public, and door prizes will be awarded. 22: Tulsa Fly Fishers is sponsoring a family event entitled "One for the Illinois River” on the Illinois River just below the Tenkiller Dam. The play day will include instruction for fly casting, tying, and fishing. Plus music, raffles, prizes, and prize-winning barbeque will be available. All proceeds will be donated to improve access, habitat, and water quality of the Illinois River. Everyone is invited to attend and admission is free. The event ischeduled to begin at 9 a.m. and finish at 3 p.m. For more information log on to TulsaFlyFishers.org. 27-30: The Fourth Annual Oklahoma Selfbow Jamboree hosted by the Rutter family. For directions and additional information, log on to ojam.org. 28: Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation standardized employment exam at Rose State College. Testing begins at 10 a.m. No one will be admitted after that time. A photo ID is required for admission. 28 & 29: National Wild Turkey Federation Owasso Chapter presents a Women in the Outdoors Event to be held at Camp Okiwanee in Sapulpa. The event is for women four and older. To register or for more information, contact Pattie Bing at (918) 224-8097 or pjbing1@juno.com <mailto:pjbing1@juno.com> . FISHING REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 6, 2008. CENTRAL Arcadia: Elevation normal, water clear. Largemouth bass good on crankbaits. Channel and blue catfish good on cut shad. Crappie good on minnows and chartreuse jigs at heated dock. Report submitted by Tim Campbell, game warden stationed in Oklahoma County. Hefner: Elevation below normal, water clear. Channel and blue catfish good on cut shad. Crappie good on minnows and red and white jigs at dock. Report submitted by Tim Campbell, game warden stationed in Oklahoma County. Overholser: Elevation normal, water clear. White bass good on white grubs. Channel and blue catfish good on cut shad. Crappie good on minnows in rocks. Report submitted by Tim Campbell, game warden stationed in Oklahoma County. NORTHEAST Birch: Elevation normal, water in the middle 30s and clear. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around brush piles at 20-30 ft. Channel and blue catfish fair on cut bait in main channels at 30-40 ft. Report submitted by Spencer Grace, game warden stationed in Osage County. Eucha: Elevation slightly above normal, water 47 and murky. Crappie fair on jigs and minnows at 14-16 ft. around brush and structure. Largemouth bass fair on jerk baits. Report submitted by Dwight Moore, City of Tulsa Fisheries. Ft. Gibson: Elevation 4 ft. above normal, water 35 and murky. Largemouth bass fair in deep water around drop-offs at 20-25 ft. Crappie good on jigs and minnows at 15-20 ft. around docks and brush piles. Report submitted by Marvin Stanley, game warden stationed in Wagoner County. Greenleaf: Elevation normal, water clear. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits and spinnerbaits along shoreline and in creek channels. Catfish fair on cut bait and stinkbaits on bottom. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around fishing dock and brush structure. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County. Kaw: Elevation 3 ft. above normal, water 35 and murky. Crappie good over deep brush piles at 20-30 ft. on 1/16 oz. chartreuse and black or red and black tube jigs. Fish are not in every brush pile, so you have to "search and move" if you are not catching fish on a particular brush pile. Blue catfish fair on juglines in main lake channels using shad. Blues are also being caught below the dam when generation is occurring. Report submitted by Tracy Daniel, game warden stationed in Kay County. Keystone: Elevation 1/10 ft. below normal, water murky. Largemouth bass fair on jigs, chunk baits and big crankbaits at 8-12 ft. around points at the mouths of creeks and coves. Smallmouth bass fair on finesse jigs at 8-12 ft. in deep coves with secondary points. Spotted bass fair on small jigs and crankbaits at 8-12 ft. around bluffs and main lake pockets. White bass fair on minnows and jigging spoons at 15-25 ft. in main lake river channel and bends. Striped bass fair on bucktails and jerk baits at 3-6 ft. below dam. Channel catfish slow on chicken livers and worms at 8-12 ft. in creeks. Blue catfish fair on cut shad at 25-35 ft. at humps along river channel and mouths of coves. Flathead catfish slow on live shad at 15-25 ft. around bluffs and steep banks near mouth of deep coves. Crappie fair on jigs and minnows at 12-25 ft. around ledges, docks and bluffs. Walleye and saugeye fair on minnows and jerk baits at 4-8 ft. in holes below dam from Swift Park to I-44 Bridge in Tulsa. Report submitted by Woody’s Bait and Tackle. Oologah: Elevation 1 ft. above normal and falling, water in mid-40s to near 50 and clear. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around brush piles at 15-20 ft. Blue catfish fair on shad drifting flats near the river channel at 20-25 ft. Walleye and striped bass hybrids fair on jigs below the dam. Report submitted by Brek Henry, game warden stationed in Rogers County. Pawhuska Lake: Elevation slightly below normal, water in lower 30s and clear. Trout fair on power bait and home-made bait and casting chartreuse and yellow super dupers and rooster tails at 5-15 ft. Submitted by Spencer Grace, Game Warden stationed Osage County. Skiatook: Elevation normal, water low to mid-30s and clear. Crappie fair on minnows in creek channels. Report submitted by Paul Welch, game warden stationed in Osage County. Sooner: Striped bass hybrids and white bass fair on sassy shad in the discharge. Report submitted by Doug Gottschalk, game warden stationed in Noble County. Spavinaw: Elevation slightly above normal, water 42 and murky. Crappie fair on jigs and minnows around the dam area. Largemouth bass fair on jerk baits. Report submitted by Dwight Moore, City of Tulsa Fisheries. Webbers Falls: Elevation normal, water murky. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits and spinnerbaits along riprap and in creek channels. Catfish good on cut bait on bottom. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at brush structure and bridges. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County. NORTHWEST Canton: Elevation normal. Crappie good on minnows and jigs near deep brush along dam. Report submitted by Mark Walker, game warden stationed in Blaine County. SOUTHEAST Arbuckle: Elevation 1 ft. below normal, water 43 and down stained. Crappie being caught around brush piles around the dam. White bass slow. Largemouth bass slow due to the windy, cold weather. Report submitted by Jack Melton. Blue River: Elevation normal, water 50 and clear. Largemouth bass slow on minnows and flies. Channel catfish fair on liver and worms. Trout good on power bait, super dupers, roostertails and mealworms. Report submitted by Charles Baker, technician at Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area. Broken Bow: Largemouth and smallmouth bass good on spoons on jig and pig around rocky points and structure. Channel catfish fair on juglines and trotlines baited with shad. Crappie fair to good on minnows and jigs around structure in the upper end of the lake. Walleye fair on deep-running crankbaits. Report submitted by Dru Polk, game warden stationed in McCurtain County. Eufaula: Elevation 1 1/2 ft. below normal and clear. Largemouth bass and white bass slow. Blue catfish fair on fresh shad in deep creek channels. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 8-20 ft. around boat docks over brush piles. Report submitted by Ed Rodebush, game warden stationed in McIntosh County. Hugo: Elevation 1/2 ft. below normal, water 48. Crappie fair on minnows at 15-25 ft. in channels and timber. Blue cats fair on cut bait. Report submitted by Jay Harvey, game warden stationed in Choctaw and Bryan counties. Konawa: Elevation normal, water 49 and clear. Largemouth bass good on crankbaits in weed beds and off points at 5-8 ft. White bass and hybrid striped bass fair on minnows and jigs in the discharge channel at 15 ft. Report submitted by Daryl Howser, game warden stationed in Seminole County. McGee Creek: Elevation 8 inches below normal, water 48 and clear. Largemouth bass fair on soft plastic lures and jig and pig at 16-30 ft. over submerged humps. Crappie fair on minnows at 16-25 ft. over cedar brush. Report submitted by Larry Luman, game warden stationed in Atoka County. Pine Creek: Elevation below normal and clear. Bass good on red shad-colored soft plastics. Crappie good on jigs and minnows. Catfish fair to good on liver, garlic punchbait and cut shad at the old bridge and at the spillway. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County. Robert S. Kerr: Elevation below normal, water 46 and murky. Largemouth bass slow on plastic baits and jigs at 8 ft. fishing the rock and woody structure next to deeper water. Crappie fair at 10 ft. on minnows up Big Sans Bois and Dirty creek. White bass slow on jigs at 10 ft. below Webbers Falls and Kerr dams. Blue catfish good on fresh cut bait at 8-10 ft. next to old creek channels. Flathead catfish fair using live bait on trotlines and juglines at 20-30 ft. Report submitted by Rick Olzawski, game warden for Haskell County. Sardis Lake: Elevation normal. Bass good on plastics on flats and points, especially on warmer afternoons. Catfish good on jugs using cut bait on flats near creek channels at 20-35 ft. Crappie excellent around the tower using minnows suspended from bottom and jigs. Walleye slow. White bass good on spoons around flats and points. Report submitted by Allen Couch, game warden stationed in Pushmataha County. Texoma: Elevation 1 ft. below normal, water 46 and clear. Striped bass fair on live bait at 15-20 ft. in the coves. Channel and blue catfish fair on live minnows at 10-15 ft. north of the Hwy 70 Bridge. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 5-10 ft. around boat docks. Report submitted by Danny Clubb, game warden stationed in Bryan County. Wister: Elevation below normal, water murky. Largemouth bass fair to good on soft plastic baits. Crappie good on minnows and jigs below the dam in the old river channel. Channel and blue and catfish good on cut shad below dam and on juglines baited with liver in lake. Report submitted by Randy Fennell, game Warden stationed in LeFlore County. SOUTHWEST Altus-Lugert: Elevation 6 ft. below normal and rising. Crappie and walleye poor to fair. Trout good in river on corn. Report submitted by Sue Hokanson, Quartz Mountain State Park. Ellsworth: Elevation above normal, water murky. Crappie fair at Ralph's Resort on minnows and jigs. Report submitted by Mike Carroll, game warden stationed in Comanche County. Foss: Elevation normal, water 41 and clear. Gates closed. Crappie fair around south side with red thunder baby shad. Striped bass hybrids slow. Walleye and saugeye slow. Catfish fair. Report submitted by Eric Puyear, B & K Bait House. Lawtonka: Elevation below normal. Crappie fair on minnows off the dam. Report submitted by Mike Carroll, game warden stationed in Comanche County. Tom Steed: Elevation normal, water murky. Crappie and saugeye slow to fair at 20-24 ft. over brush piles. Report submitted by David Smith, game warden stationed in Kiowa County. WATERFOWL REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 6, 2008 For zone maps and complete waterfowl hunting regulations log on to wildlifedepartment.com NORTHWEST Ft. Supply: Lake level is 0.54 ft above normal. Habitat conditions around the lake are poor to fair. Local wheat crops in the area range from good to poor condition. Duck numbers are good, with mostly divers. Goose numbers are fair. Hunting activity is low, with no reports of success. Bird movement in the area has been low, but should increase with forecasted cold fronts. SOUTHWEST Ft. Cobb: Lake level is 1.02 ft. above normal. Habitat condition is poor. Winter wheat is good in the area. Goose numbers are good. Hunting activity is high on the weekends and moderate during the week. Hunter success is fair to good. Bird movement in the area is good, with birds moving around all day. Hackberry: Refuge reservoir is approximately 4 to 5 ft. below conservation pool, with around 600 acres of wetland units flooded. Habitat conditions are fair. Goose numbers are fair. Hunter activity is moderate, with fair success. No significant bird movement in the area. Hackberry Flat Waterfowl Refuge Portion is closed to all activity from October 15 to January 31. Mtn. Park: Lake level is 1.1 ft. below normal. Habitat condition is fair due to water in shoreline vegetation. Winter wheat is poor to fair on the Wildlife Management Area. Wetland Development Units are flooded and still have some food left. Duck numbers are fair. Goose numbers are fair. Hunting activity is low and success is unknown. NORTHEAST Copan: Lake level is 0.62 ft. above normal. Habitat condition is fair. Flooded native plants on wetland units are in fair condition, with cornfields on the Wildlife Management Area in good condition. Plenty of flooded vegetation present to hold birds. Goose numbers are low. Hunting activity is light, with poor success. Most birds have been seen in the upper end of the lake using the moist soil units. Eufaula: Lake level is 1.25 ft. below normal. Current habitat condition is very poor. Very little farming in the area. Goose numbers are low. No bird movement has been observed in the past few days. Ft. Gibson: Lake level is 2.8 ft. above normal. Habitat condition is good. Due to the extreme high water throughout summer and early fall, the vegetation is in poor shape. There are some agricultural crops in the area. Goose numbers are low. Hunting activity is low, with fair success. Hulah: Lake level is 0.53 ft. above normal. Lake level is not flooding terrestrial vegetation. Wetland Development Unit is three-quarters full with flooded vegetation. Wheat is coming up in various agricultural fields around the area. Goose numbers are low. Hunting activity is low, with low success. Kaw: Lake level is 0.93 ft. above normal. Habitat condition is fair. Most food for waterfowl in the area has been depleted. Goose numbers are low. Hunter activity is low, with poor success. Bird movement has been slow. Keystone: Lake level is normal. Habitat conditions are poor, with almost no food available due to prolonged summer flooding on the lake. Goose numbers are low. Hunter activity and success is low. Hunters using the area this year should be prepared for very deep mud. Caution should be taken, especially if hunting alone. Oologah: Lake level is .29 ft. above normal. Current habitat conditions are poor to fair. No flooded millet or native vegetation on the lake. Ag fields have not been re-planted due to flood conditions this summer, and most are inaccessible or in poor condition due to ice storm. Goose numbers are poor. Giant Canadians have been seen in the area flying through and on private land. Hunter activity and success is unknown. There is significant ice storm damage to the Wildlife Management Area and to the Wetland Development Units. Most if not all roads are inaccessible within the Wildlife Management Area. Hunter’s should contact the Army Corp of Engineer’s Office at Oologah to see if boat ramps are clear or open to access the lake. Upper Verdigris Wetland Development Unit has a few Gadwalls, and both units are 90 percent capacity. Contact the area biologist for information. Sooner: Lake level is near average. Habitat conditions are poor, with winter wheat around the area also in poor condition. Goose numbers are low. Webbers Falls: Lake level is 3.66 ft. above normal. Habitat condition is good, with smartweed, barnyardgrass, bidens, cut soybeans, corn, milo and wheat in the area. Goose numbers are low. Hunter activity is low, with fair success. SOUTHEAST Grassy Slough: Water level is 70 percent full. Habitat condition is good. Goose numbers are low. No bird movement has been monitored in the area. Red Slough: Water level is 85 percent full. Habitat condition is excellent, with plenty of wild forage. Goose numbers are low. Texoma: Lake level is 1.11 ft. below normal. Due to high water levels that persisted throughout the growing season, no millet and very little native food is available. Goose numbers are low. Hunter activity is low, with low success.

Water patterns have been fairly consistent. Very cold in the am- good generation till noon of after. Cool morning - medium water till 10 am or noon. But Saturday, even though it's forecasted to be about 22, then may not run any, but may. If they do, it won't be for long. Water running- head to the dam! Drift egg flies in orange, yellow and light colors using a split shot, ultra light, 4 lb line. Also try red San Juan worms, same technique. Work a jig. Weight depends on amount of water. Heavy generation- 1/8th oz. Medium generation, 3/32 to 1/16th. Colors, take a variety to make sure you have the right color. Earth colors- sculpin, brown, black, olive, white and ginger. Combo colors- sculpin and orange, ginger or peach. Work the jig off the bottom up and down, slow and fast. Find out what they want. Work the area all the way down to Fall Creek. Below Fall Creek, drift minnows, night crawlers and Gulp Power Eggs. Use a drift rig or just a split shot. Try anchoring on the side of the lake and fish minnows out the back. Good place is across from Short Creek. Water not running- midge hatches have been real good lately- early and late and some during the day. Midging trout on the surface: fish a jig-n-float using a micro jig in olive 2-3 feet deep or a zebra midge #14 red or black under a float 12 to 24 inches deep, fly or spin rod. Fish not midging, fish both but 4-5 feet deep. Also try marabou jigs in the same colors as above but in 1/125 to 1/50th oz. Use 2 lb line for most hookups. Fly fishing below the dam- try soft hackles in black or red in #14 to #18 above outlet #2 and below the rebar. Also down at rocking chair. Zebra midge under a float 12 inches where trout are midging. Got out this evening and fished Short Creek. Later is got the better fishing was. Nothing big but caught them all on a #14 black zebra 12 inches deep. There was a school of young stockers moving up and down, midging in a big circle. Couldn't help but hook a fish everytime I threw in close to them.

Thanks- I've forwarded all suggestions to him. See what happens.

This is the error message he gets when trying to get to either site. ----- Original Message ----- The connection has timed out The server at lilleyslanding.com is taking too long to respond. * The site could be temporarily unavailable or too busy. Try again in a few moments. * If you are unable to load any pages, check your computer's network connection. * If your computer or network is protected by a firewall or proxy, make sure that Firefox is permitted to access the Web.

I can't ban anyone from LilleysLanding.Com, nor can I ban an IP from any of my sites. He can't even see either one, not register.

Wouldn't know how to do that... esp on my resort site too. Only common thing is that they are on the same server.

This guy is having a hard time accessing my sites and I don't know what to tell him... does anyone have any ideas? Since we last talked I've got rid of McAffee (anti-virus program) and did a complete re-install of windows.(also replaced the hard drive) figuring there was some kind of conflict. I'm still unable to access the site, I have no problem with any other sites other than ozarkanglers and lilleys landing.I've accessed them some time ago but not recently. Could there be a speacial browser setting? I've tried with both firefox and IE. I also re-installed firefox. I'd really appreciate any help as I don't know what else to try.

Any inquiries about the club can call Dave Blades at 417-849-4081 or email dblades@ozarkmountainbassmasters.com

Weekly Fishing Report Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Randy Zellers (501)223-6406, e-mail: mailto:rdzellers@agfc.state.ar.us White River: Mountain River Fly Shop said the cold weather should mean plenty of water coming through the dam, which means the Upper End of the river will be host to a fair number of boats. Try to run up behind other fly fishers, don’t drive over their drift, get in line for a drift and don’t cut in. Then everyone can have some fun. Fishing has been very good on the White. The trout are definitely hungry. Red White Tails have been very popular, egg patterns continue to do well, particularly the Flashtail Mini Eggs and Unreal Eggs. Red Head Olive Woolly Buggers are working extremely well also. Gaston’s White River Resort said trout anglers have seen many water conditions lately. Anytime between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m., two to four units are generating. Around 9 a.m. until noon, the dam will shut down and the water level drops. However, the trout are still feeding during low water periods. The bulbous bivisible is working well for fly-fishermen where creeks run into the river. We also recommend the partridge and orange soft hackle, gold ribbed hares ear, copper john, copper zebra midge, Y2K bug, the sow bug and the draggin’ egg. During high water, try peach or white egg patterns, white and pink micro jigs and San Juan worms. Nightcrawlers are doing well for the bait anglers when the water is low. Yellow Power Bait has also been effective. Some other lures being used are No. 5 silver or gold floating Rapalas and Smithwick blue-backed Rogues. Any minnow-shaped lure has potential. Anglers White River Resort said water conditions are normal with little generation. Trout fishing has been excellent on yellow and pink Power Bait and drop rigs. Sportsman’s White River Resort said water conditions are normal with two generators running daily. Trout fishing is very good on Power Bait, Rapalas and jigs. John Berry of Berry Brothers Guides said generation has varied quite a bit. Some days have seen one or two spikes of heavy generation followed by periods of low generation. On other days, there have been short periods of very light generation. This has created some great wading opportunities and some excellent boating opportunities. It has been extremely cold and incredibly windy with a couple of warm pleasant days thrown in that allowed for some great fishing. The catch-and-release area below Bull Shoals Dam opened Feb., 1. Please avoid walking through the redds (spawning beds recently filled with fertilized eggs by brown trout). Now is a particularly vulnerable time for the eggs and they need to be left alone so that they can hatch and become big brown trout. The shad kill usually occurs some time from January to March during periods of very low temperature and high generation. This generally happens just after the brown trout spawn when they are very hungry. It is usually the best time to land a huge trout. This is not a reliable phenomenon and sometimes there is no shad kill. As yet, there have been no shad observed. One of the early indicators is gulls converging below the dams to feed on the shad. The best flies to use during the shad kill would be large white streamers. Be sure to carry both floating and sinking flies. There have been several reports of great fishing on black zebra midges with silver wire and silver beads and olive woolly buggers. Rim Shoals was fishing very well. The hot flies for this section have been olive woolly buggers, olive scuds and black zebra midges with silver wire and silver bead. The deeper holes along the first island have been productive, particularly with Y2Ks. On high water, the hot fly has been the San Juan worm in cerise. Bull Shoals Lake: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 651.94 feet MSL. Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock (870-445-4424) said bass are biting well on crankbaits in 5 to 15 feet of water on overcast days. Hula grubs and Carolina-rigged French fries are working fairly well in 10 to 25 feet of water. Walleye are biting fairly well on spoons fished over large flats in 35 to 40 feet of water. Bottom bouncers baited with nightcrawlers are working well on walleye as well. Lake Norfork: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 547.66 feet MSL. Cranfield Junction Bait and Tackle (870-492-5141) had no report. 101 Grocery and Bait said the surface water temperature is in the low 40s. Live bait trolled slowly under planer boards has worked well on stripers, but the bite is over by 8 a.m. The fish are holding in less than 50 feet of water. Walleye fishing has been slow, but jigging spoons and ice fishing jigs are doing a good job for some. Just remember do it slow. Crappie fishing has been fair using small minnows and jigs. White bass have been fair using jigs. Largemouth and smallmouth bass have been fair on deep-diving crankbaits and jigs. Norfork Tailwater: Gene’s Trout Dock (870-499-5381) said the water is clear and low with very little generation. Trout fishing is still good on corn and nightcrawlers. Fly-anglers are having luck on sow bugs and woolly buggers. Mountain River Fly Shop said most reports off Norfork continue to be fair at best, with many smaller fish being caught. Wading was wide open this week with the warmer weather, but generation started yesterday with the cold front pushing through. Small scuds (olive, gray and tan), McLellan’s hunchback, Davys sow bug (gray) and small Kaufmann’s (brown or olive) have been doing well. Zebras and super midges have been productive, as well as WD40s. John Berry of Berry Brothers Guides said the generation pattern on the Norfork has been a mixed bag. We had a few days with no generation and some days with a brief period of heavy generation. This has created excellent wading conditions every day. The Norfork has fished a bit better this week. There have been some reliable midge hatches in the afternoon. Anglers have done the best with Norfork beadheads in olive (size 18), and zebra midges in black with silver wire and silver beads and brown with copper wire and copper beads. When the fish are keying in on the midge emergers in the film, Dan’s turkey tail emerger (size 22) have been killer. To change things up, try large San Juan worms in red and worm brown and Y2Ks. They frequently tempt large trout. Dry Run Creek, as always, has been the place to take the kids fishing. The warm weekend drew out a few youngsters. Those few that showed up did exceptionally well. The hot fly was a size 14 sow bug. Other effective flies were olive woolly buggers and San Juan worms. Be sure and use at least 4X tippet and carefully pinch down those barbs. Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort (501-302-3139) said water conditions are normal with no generation. Trout are still biting well on wax worms with marshmallow combinations and crankbaits. Jed Hollan at the Little Red Fly Shop said the Greers Ferry powerhouse is releasing water for hydroelectric power generation most days from 6-9 a.m. and 5-8 p.m. There have been no weekend water releases lately. Incredible midge hatches continue and the trout are rising to them all along the Little Red. Top-water "bug puppets" (flies) that are working include the midge (size 22, cream or black), caddis (size 18-20, tan) and Adams (size 18-20). Below the surface, try a red butt soft hackle emerger (size 14-16), sow bug (size 14-16, UV tan, peacock or light gray), copper john (size 16, red, green or copper), zebra midge (size 16-22, red, black or copper) and wooly bugger (size 10-12, olive or black). Greers Ferry: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 458.43 feet MSL. Tommy Cauley of Fish Finder Guide Service said the water temperature ranges from 30 to 42 degrees during the day. Some sunny weather and warm rains would really bring the bite back. Hybrids and white bass have been moving around with the cold weather, but are still schooled up and can be found by looking for concentrations of gulls over the water. Once you find them a jigging spoon will catch bottom-hugging fish, and a Buckshot In-line spinner, grub, hair jig and swimbait will catch suspended fish when reeled in very slowly. Crappie are biting in the late afternoon on sunny days around channel bends with pole timber and ledges with timber on them. Small minnows are working the best on the crappie. Walleye have slowed, but warmer water and longer days should see an increase in staging activity soon. Beaver Lake : As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 1,113.54 feet MSL. JT’s Crappie Guide Service (479-640-3980) said bass fishing has been best in the Big and Little Clifty area. Crawdad-colored Wiggle Warts and watermelon jigs fished along chunk rock banks have produced some bass. Points with timber have been holding bass as well. Try using suspending jerkbaits in clown or bone colors. Crappie fishing continues to be best in the river arms. The Neals Bluff area and Friendship Creek have been good spots. Look in shallow bays on warm sunny days around laydowns and brush piles. On cloudy days try around standing timber near the channel in 10-25 feet deep. The best baits have been minnows and Shineee Hineee jigs. White bass are still in their winter haunts along deep main-lake points. Indian Creek, Eden's Bluff and Point 12 are all good spots to look. On warm, sunny days, they may venture out to flats or in shallow bays. Jigging or casting spoons will work best. Stripers have been in Prairie Creek and south towards Monte-NE. Umbrella rigs with 3/8-oz. jigheads dressed with white grubs have produced well. Catfish are biting well along bluff lines on shad or liver. Southtown Sporting Goods (479-443-7148) said water conditions are normal. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs around brush. Bass are fair in deep water on jerkbaits and plastic worms. LakeSWEPCO: JT’s Crappie Guide Service (479-640-3980) said bass on SWEPCO are a bit fussy on some days. Try crawdad-colored jigs or live minnows around pole timber. Shallow-running crankbaits have taken a few bass near the discharge. Bluegill in SWEPCO have been hitting crickets along timber and the deep channel on the east side. Spring River: Marks Fly Shop said mayfly and caddis hatches continue to grow. Stable weather will move in soon along with consistent fishing results.

Signed up for it... good idea.

Lots of good information on the storms on John's board http://p088.ezboard.com/Tornado-DamageGass...icID=3962.topic

We didn't get as much as expected.

Ventured out before the rains hit. Boated up in one of our new G3 Eagle 190's... nice boat! May sell mine and just use a rental!! Boated to just above the flats (Narrow Channel Flat) and swung into the shallows where I saw dozens of rainbows vigerously midging. They were hitting those bugs so hard it looked like white bass on shad- pretty cool! Of course my boat put them down for about 15 minutes while I tied up. Put on 6x fl tippet and tied on a #18 olive RS2, pinching a half palsa 12 inches above the small fly. The weight of the hook sunk the fly slowly- perfect for the 6 to 12 inches of water I was fishing. Had numerous takes and lots of pull-outs. Brought may be 9 to the boat, all but one under 12 inches. There's a ton of small dinks up there right now. Could see them cruising in the deeper water. When I got down to the flat, I tied on a #16 black soft hackle cause the wind had picked up and there was a perfect chop on the water for stripping sh's. I was right... good hard hits and another 2 to the boat. I was checked while on the water... not for a lisence but by the new creel checkers. Matt Mauck, MDC fisheries biologist, was with 2 gentlemen. They pasted me by cause I had just pulled up to start fishing so I didn't get the drill. Was dissappointed! But nice that they're out there again!

Shad report was not accuate. No shad coming thru the dam.

I think you're talking about Taney's tailwater, not the White. 701 is all the way down and wadeable.

Be blessed!!! It's your birthday!! Thom (68), Whodat (46)

Also was told they're running "minimum flow water"... the pics I've seen on John's site don't indicate that- right?

Forecast is for heavy rains today and tonight. But by looking at the radar http://intellicast.com/National/Radar/Curr...mp;enlarge=true it looks like most of the big stuff is going to miss our watershed... unless it forms in NW Arkansas and moves up thr our area. I heard flash flood warning... was hoping for a 3-4 feet jump in Table Rock's level to get the Corp some water to run but not sure it's going to happen. Would be good for Bull Shoals and bringing on the shad below BSD too. We'll see. For now I bet fishing is real good today below our dam! And below BSD too.

According to Newlands, shad have been coming thru, enough to where some guys brought him a bunch of shad for the freezer. I'm getting this 3rd hand mind you. As big as shad run is, I hate to start a erroneous fish tale.

Sorry to say I haven't been much the past week but have talked to quite a few that have. John Johnson was just here for a couple of days and said fishing was very good for him. He boats above Fall Creek and fishes zebra midges almost exclusively with the exception of a scud every once in a while. Saturday was not the greatest fishing day but it was a great day to be fishing. High sun, no current and little wind. Did do well using jigs under a float 4-6 ft deep between Fall and Short Creeks as well as throwing 3/32 nd oz jigs straight, no floats and working them off the bottom. Best colors- sculpin, olive and brown/orange. Power baits worked ok but worms did the best in the bait catagory. Minnows are working good but the water has to be running to be the best. Crappie are starting to move into winter positions. I've heard the dock and Fish House have been targets for holding crappie- jigs, minnows and swimming minnows. Also try along the wall, mouth of Roark and Turkey Creeks. I like using pink or chartreuse jigs. We had a 3.80 lb brown caught and weighed in the tournament Saturday which took big trout. Had another rainbow about 2 lbs weighed in. Alittle over 10 won with about 6 teams between 6 and 7 lbs. Weight were not as good as the Boswell or Masters mainly due to the nice conditions, I believe.

http://fishfever.com/

http://www.ocregister.com/sports/bass-osbo...8634-cast-event OAK VIEW In a bass tournament where one cast could mean winning $10,000, Don Osborne took it literally. The Castro Valley angler pulled up to the Lake Casitas shoreline in a spot called the airstrip and made his first cast Friday morning in the Heavyweight Bass Championship. It was the only cast he would need. On the third crank of the reel, Osborne hooked up and went on to land a 10.52-pound largemouth bass. "After that first cast, I couldn't get that clock to tick fast enough," Osborne said. As it turned out, he didn't need to worry. On a day of rain, wind and cold, none of the other anglers could boat anything close, not even those who knew the lake inside out. So, Osborne, whose experience at Casitas amounted to less than 8 hours of pre-fishing in December without catching a fish, became the king of big bass by winning the inaugural Heavyweight Bass Classic, a biggest-bass-takes-all event. He earned a $10,000 check and a custom-made HBC belt, something akin to what a heavyweight boxing champ would receive but without the bling. "Hey guys, anybody can win," Osborne told the crowd huddled under the awning of the tackle shop during the awards ceremony. "It was just luck. Total luck. I've never been on this lake. I had to be in the right place at the right time, and my number was drawn today." Those whose numbers were not drawn were a who's-who from the big-bass community: Allan Cole, Mr. A.C. Plug who got the big swimbait craze started with his lure; Dana Rosen, who once caught a 63.26-pound, five-bass limit at Casitas; Art Berry, who has caught more than 100 bass over 10 pounds; and Butch Brown, who has caught 850 bass 10 pounds or bigger. A week before the event, Brown was videotaped catching a 12.5-pound largemouth at Casitas and saying something like, "See you Friday," a statement that spoke of his great confidence. None of these heavyweights even weighed in a bass, proving Osborne's contention that anyone can win. "You could have put money on so many great, great anglers here and this guy shows up and wins," event emcee and pro bass angler Byron Velvick said. "I think it's great. It definitely feeds the idea that these guys are like, 'Man, this could easily have been me.' Every one of them." Osborne, it should be noted, is no stranger to swimbaits and big bass. He's caught 62 bass weighing from 10 to 16.9 pounds, and has been fishing swimbaits for nine years. "I've been throwing them religiously," he said. "It's like a slot machine. You keep pulling it, pulling it, eventually it'll hit and today was my day." For the remaining field, it was just a long day. Of the 49 other contestants, only 19 weighed a fish and only six were heavier than 5 pounds, topped by a 7.99-pounder. The winning fish was caught on a Ken Huddleston early Castaic 12-inch plug, apropos since it was swimbait-maker Huddleston whose idea it was for this event. "Our goal is to turn this into a trail, a regular circuit (with two or three events a year)," Huddleston said. The next event is July 11 at Clear Lake. "It really is long overdue," Velvick said. "Tour guys won't appreciate it because it really becomes a one-fish, one-lucky-cast kind of bite. But it really does showcase great, big-fish fishermen. This is what these guys live for, that one big bite." And if it's on the first cast, so much the better.