Phil Lilley

Our weather is the subject of national news this month with our temperatures reaching the 60s and 70s most days. And it's been relatively dry with some rain in the forecast. Our lakes are below power pool -- all three lakes. And with the generation we're seeing at least at Table Rock dam, officials will drop the water lower, barring any big rains. This is welcomed news for those of us below dams. We like to see room created for potential winter and/or spring rains. Taneycomo's water continues to run. All generation restrictions have been lifted since Table Rock's water has turned over, and we're seeing dissolved oxygen levels between seven and ten parts per million. Our water temperature has slipped to 54 degrees, down two degrees from our highest fall temperature. It should continue to drop, assuming we get some seasonal winter weather at some point. This week we've seen 10,000 cubic feet per second of water for the first time in months. That's a full three units of water from Table Rock's turbines. This flow cleaned out the upper lake a bit, which was needed, although the algae is not as bad as it has been. I think it's because of less sunlight during winter months. If we ever get a cold spell, we should see four full units of around 15,000 c.f.s.. Trout fishing has improved since our oxygen level has risen. The trout have become much more active and willing to play. They are hitting marabou jigs really well compared to the fall season, which warms my heart. White has been the best color, which is strange since the trout haven't seen anything white lately -- that I know of. We're seeing some fish beds on the upper lake. We don't see beds when the brown trout are spawning but we do when the rainbows do. With the constant flow, we see cleaned-out gravel spots on the shallow side of the lake from the Narrows to the dam. And there are rainbows on these beds, although I don't think they are actively spawning yet. But it won't be long. Drifting flies from the dam to Short Creek has been really good with egg flies leading the list. Scuds and San Juan worms are close behind, though, and the fish are hitting them hard -- when they're biting. There are two ways to fish these flies -- under a float or dragged on the bottom. If you're fishing them under a float, just make sure you have enough weight to present them close to the bottom and, of course, enough line below the float. Likewise, if you drag them on the bottom with no float, use enough weight to place them there, but not too much that would snag the bottom a lot. When operators are running more than two units, dragging jerk baits on the bottom should work pretty well, from the dam down to our resort. Again, the amount of weight is key to a good drift. I've talked to some anglers who fished white Gulp eggs from Cooper Creek down to Monkey Island and caught some nice rainbows. If the current is too slow, try fishing them under a float five- to seven-feet deep. Also fish the pink worm under a float at the same depth, but I'd fish it from Short Creek to the resort. Spoons, like Cleos and Buoyant spoons, have been hot lately. Plus, I heard white Rooster Tails are catching some good fish both in and out of the trophy area. View full article

Impressive.... you're saying they were released? Any tournament you'd think so.

It just hit me… I was supposed to take jigs for some who asked for them. I apologize. I could have sent them with Blake.

Just thought I’d start one.

Let's try to keep this on the subject. This can go south quick.

We'll pay for 2 nights, whatever that is. We'll be there 2 full days and come over Saturday evening and visit (and eat) before heading back. @Bill Babler

The generation pattern has settled in pretty solidly now. Dam operators are running water 24/7 at various speeds, bumping it up an hour here and there with no real rhyme or reason, it seems. The flow is mostly just a little under one unit or 3,200 cubic feet per second, but they have ran as much as 9,000 c.f.s. in the past week. The dissolved oxygen content is hovering around between seven and eight parts per million, which is great; water temperature is holding at 56 degrees. We're seeing fewer and fewer browns in the upper lake but more colored-up rainbows. And we're starting to see some beds at the Narrows where we've seen them in the past. If this flow continues, we should have a decent rainbow trout hatch again this winter. But as soon as they shut the water down and expose these beds, all bets are off. We did get a nice one-inch rain Sunday night, which we really needed. This will put a little water in our creeks however short-lived. Our creeks are more like drainage creeks and don't consistently run unless we get good rains back to back. The lake will be the best place for our rainbows to spawn this winter unless the weather pattern changes and we have a wet cold season. Remember, natural spawn does not figure into the fishery plan for Lake Taneycomo. The Missouri Department of Conservation Fishery Division assumes there won't be any successful natural spawn and stocking numbers reflect this fact. Natural spawned trout are a bonus, at best. I'm glad to say our trout are taking a marabou jig much better than they have for most of the fall months. I'm not sure why, but I'm not complaining about the positive change. We've been catching decent numbers and size trout on several colors-- white actually has been a real good color with sculpin, brown and black right behind it. Jerk baits are working best up close to the dam. Anglers are catching a lot of bass near the cable. Some have said these fish are coming through the turbines, but that simply isn't true. Very few fish survive the trip through Table Rock's turbines, plus there is a grate that keeps most fish from entering from the Table Rock side. These warm-water fish are residents of Lake Taneycomo and have found this area below the dam conducive to their liking. I'm not sure why we don't find them in large numbers on down through the upper lake. Drifting with night crawlers and Powerbait is still the best way to catch dinner. The area below Fall Creek down past Trout Hollow is the best. You need to have a variety of weights because the current does change as well as wind conditions -- both affect your drift and the ability to keep your bait on the bottom. One guide told me he went to a longer leader between his weight and hook and did much better. Others did well drifting the Cooper Creek Flats this weekend. But there were a lot of small rainbows down there and had to throw back quite a few before getting a limit of good eaters. I've seen a lot of anglers throwing spoons and catching trout lately, both in the Trophy Area and down below. That's a great way to hook a brown trout, too. You never know. Fishing a lot of things under a float in this flow has been really good. The one thing that's consistent is an egg fly with something -- a midge, a scud, or even another egg or a San Juan Worm. The egg fly, at least the first one, must be weighted, either with a jig head or a split shot. The other weighted fly that's working is the Mega Worm. Blake Wilson has been using one of Darin Schildknecht's patterns -- calls it the micro mega. White is the best color. He took some friends out the other day and drifted from Short Creek to Trout Hollow using this under a float and said they caught at least four rainbows on every drift. View full article

Not sure if this is updated... Bill and I will only be there Friday night but will pay for 2 nights. Both of us have had things come up on Thursday. And Bill has a full house this weekend and needs to get back to help on Sunday morning. But we'll be there Friday morning. We plan on wading at one of the accesses. I'll put a jon boat down. If anyone wants to pile in and wade with us, we'll have room. The jon boat is only to get us to wadeable water from the access. We'll leave later Saturday evening.

I'll have some smoked chicken, at least as a finger food.

And eagles...

Just let me know… I’ll trade for a bass trip. Sounds fun.

Money can't buy time and that's the one commodity we are limited to. Money can buy you health in some circumstances but not all, not ultimately. How you use your time can buy you health but only to a point. Health is more important than money. I don't think I can say I lack anything. If I was given alot of money, I'd give most of it away, probably all of it. I'm debt free otherwise I would pay off debt. I'd give some away to my kids but not much - they're doing fine. And they need to make their own way. I'd give to those organizations who are responsible with their own funds and are doing awesome work helping people help themselves. And give to those who truly have been given the brunt end of the stick in life at no fault of their own. I don't need nice stuff, although I do own a nice truck . I don't buy expensive fishing stuff... my equipment does just fine. I'm working on what to do with my time.... what's left of it. I'm 63 and although that's not OLD I don't have as many years ahead of me than I have behind me. And @fishinwrench if you love Taneycomo and fish down here, you better call me next time because I want to take you fishing!!

I was live on KMOX this morning, talking about Taneycomo. I'm embarrassed to say I signed off by thanking them for the interview on such a great station.... KOMX. I'll blame it on old age

Jeff - you have "Mike and Tim" down. If that's Mike Riffel, he's by himself I believe, unless I'm misinformed.

Yes, Jeff Timms is not coming. Mike Riffel was staying with someone that lives down there but that changed and now Mike needs a place to stay. He’ll drive down with Mario. So we’re only adding one person.

Mike’s coming with Mario. No Jeff Timms. So that’s 18 or 19? With Riffel?

Is there room for 2 more? Mike Riffel and Jeff Timms are interested in staying at one of the houses?

Or tell me and I'll make sure I have the right jigs when I come.

Happy thanksgiving!

I can bring some jigs... $1 each. Just let me know what you need.

This is how quick it can turn.

From the Corps this morning: DO seems to be rapidly improving at Table Rock. Due to this I would like to increase the non-injection RMGR to 60% nameplate (30 MW per unit) and remove the RMGR while injecting. That means they can run up to 120 mw without injecting oxygen.

That would be cool.... give them a few years.

One thing I've noticed and I mentioned it in the report is that a vast majority of rainbows I'm now catching in the trophy area are 13 inches or less. Maybe it's me... or maybe the big ones are smart. Or a bunch of the 15"+ rainbows have moved down lake and have been replaced by smaller fish. When I kick up the gravel now, I'm not seeing many scuds - almost all sow bugs.