Phil Lilley

There's really no way to know. That's the nature of tailwater fishing.

Welcome... hope we can help.

It is hard at this point to predict but I'd think they would shut it down for the weekend. I also heard that BS was supposed to be running on the 30th and it didn't ever come on.

It appears something is going on in the "big picture" of hydroelectric generation in our grid that includes Table Rock Dam. All of a sudden we're experiencing non stop generation for the last 30 hours or so which I'm sure is fouling up the plans of many waders who were hoping to wade the upper end of the lake, especailly at night. Wish Brian Shaffer was on board these days... he has a nack of finding out these things. At least the DO is staying at respectable levels during generation. Water temp is good and low- < 50 degrees.

You know there's still a ton of trout in this area... they were midging all over the place yesterday mid-day. They were working the banks heavy reported the Johnson group yesterday am which means dry fly action. You just have to hit it and try... that's fishing. It's not like they aren't there. DO seems to be real good cause the fish fought hard.

In Alaska, on the Naknek, the hook can't be more than 2 inches from the hook and it can be bare. On the Brooks River though the hook has to have at least 5 turns of thread. We wrap white thread on the body to make a maggot fly. Don't think the MO regs says anything about a bare hook but if this catches on, they may have to. I fished a 6 mm bead which is the smallest http://troutbeads.com has but you really need a smaller bead to imitate a trout egg. I've heard dries are working well in the area Bill is talking about. Which I had time to work it today.

Water running today since midnight... 1-2 units but not full tilt. I boated up to the cable about 11 am to try my trout beads. Pegged a 6 mm mottled peach egg 1 inch from a bare #10 2488 TMC hook with a small 3/0 split shot, 2 lb line and drifted it on the bottom. Picked up a 16 inch rainbow first 300 yards and then nothing for quite a while. I could see rainbows off the side of the boat while drifting so I brought the egg close to where I could see it. The trout were picking the egg up but spitting it out before I could feel the bite. Interesting. I submised the current was too slow- have to work on it some more. Tried a red san juan- no luck. Was surprised. Then a #10 greg scud and caught one. I was surprised I couldn't pick up more since I could see the rainbows feeding readily. John and company did well down at the Landing early this am using jig and float, zebra and float and the power egg/jig head under a float technique. Still lots of rainbows down in that area.

Got out this afternoon with John Johnson. Headed downstream at Bill babler's recommendation. We fished below Scotty's Dock using zebra midges #14 red 4-5 feet deet and fished the Branson side. Lots of rainbows midging and taking the zebra fairly well. Caught quite a few. John and I boated up to the trophy area after getting alittle bored. The rest switched to a jig head with a bit of gulp power egg under a float 4-5 feet and fishing picked up for them, they reported. We didn't do as well, unfortunately. They'd done fairly well this morning on zebra midges but although they were midging in the shallows this afternoon, they were spooky and we didn't catch but a few. Tried scuds and even dries with little success. Saw some nice trout up there but no wind and high sun equaled spooky fish. Trees are starting to turn. They'll be a peak by the weekend.

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In getting a poacher like this one in this circumstance, everything has to click... the agent has to be on duty and/or willing to pursue the call, has to have access to a boat in the right place where he feels he can get to them in time, a good description of the boat and people among other things. I would think that if this group or groups are violating in this manner consistently over a few nights or on weekends, they should either get them in the act or get them at the boat ramp as they pull out. But the more help they get from anglers like you all the better.

Excellent! Thanks!!!

No one is supposed to gig above Fall Creek so if there's a boat with lights within sight of the dam, they are in violation. Call 911

I'd like to go to Capps- sounds like a good excuse to me!

Got a call last night on my cell- a report from Leonard night fishing at KOA. I missed Leonard on the call back but the guy who answered said they'd seen and heard some guys in a boat gigging trout and supposedly bragging on how many they had- about 30. They'd called 911 and hopefully someone got the message and intercepted the poachers. Any news? I"m in Dallas for the weekend.

Didn't see this initially- sorry. I'll look into the possibility of a review section- someplace. Thanks

That's doesn't look like a Missouri rainbow! Great colors but different from what we see around here, isn't it? Or maybe it's the light.

I have some pictures of Alaska I want to frame. Any suggestions on where to get them printed? Or not? Suggestions?

This past spring, we were worried about the acorn crop this fall because of the late freeze. What does it look like in your neck of the woods?

Itchin' for a fish appetiser, I headed upstream to Short Creek with a zebra midge on my line. After 90 minutes of fishing, I had 3 nice rainbows for dinner. The wind was blowing from the south fairly steady when I got up there. The rainbows weren't active till it died a bit. Then they started midging and my #18 red zebra started working. I fished it 12 inches below the indicator. The trout I cleaned were all males and milking. I ended up releasing about 6 others. Very few boats on the lake today.

I see a few large browns in the eddies below #3 along that bank. They may seek out slower water or an area mid-lake behind a rock or ledge. But for sure they hug the bottom wherever they are.

Good assessment. Better than mine. I like fishing upper Bull Shoals mainly because it's very seldom crowded.

I think upper BS is one of the biggest mysteries of this area. Why isn't fishing better? Lack of structure? Crappie has been fair the last few years. And walleye usually start showing up in December and January.

Rolling back the depth to what it was in the 70's. Deeper on the south bank from outlet #1 to the rebar shoot. It used to be almost 4 feet deep.

I'd try one on a TMC #100. I think you'll find it easier to tie. I usually use a 3769 for a soft hackle.