Phil Lilley

I bought a full pelt - red - off ebay... should be here in a week.

I am working on full lake maps but it's a BIG chore. There are no full maps of Taney that I know of at this time.

If you're traveling thru Forsyth, there's a shop just as you're leaving town on the right. They will have them both and they will be open.

Lead Eye Pine Squirrel Jeremy Hunt Recipe: Hook: TMC 3769 sizes 6-12 Thread: UTC 70 color to match body Body: Pine squirrel strip Tail: same as body Eyes: presentation eyes Tying Instructions This is a very simple fly to tie , but very effective in streams and rivers fishing for warm water fish as well as trout. I have had a lot of luck on this fly fishing the James River and the Current River. I hope you have as much fun with this pattern as I do. A lot of people do this step differently I have done it that way to. I would like to teach you how I came about doing the correct way so that they do not shift on you. I know glue can do the trick, but tying them on correctly is just as important. If you notice how I start them, I turn the eye at an angle so I can grab it with my thread. I do about three turns just to secure it and do the same amount of turns on the other side. This is just to secure them so that you at least have them tied on the shank. You can add glue at this time before you start all you’re thread wraps. This will allow the glue to cinch into the thread wraps. After you get them started, wrap you’re thread in a figure eight without going one direction with the thread. The key is not to tie in one direction the entire time then shift and do the same thing on the other side. That will make you’re eye’s loose and not really secured on the hook shank. Once you fill you have done enough wraps turn the fly over and repeat the same process on the underside of the lead eyes. Turn the fly back over and post the eyes going around the top of the shank, but going under the eyes. This will tighten any loose wraps that you might have. Grab you a long piece of the squirrel strip and split the hair on the hide. Where you split the hair is going to be where you tie it at the back for a tail. Once you have tied it in securely you are ready to advance you thread to the eye of the hook. Palmer the squirrel strip up, making each wrap side by side without overlapping the hide. This will force you’re hair to look like you tied it down instead of having the hair look flared. Once you get to the front just behind the eyes, you are going t figure eight the squirrel strip around the eyes. You should start you’re first wrap around the eye wrapping away from you. Then once you have done the figure eight you will do one turn in front of the eye. Make sure you leave enough room for this step when tying in you’re eyes. Whip finish the fly and glue the eye and your finished. Lead Eye Pine Squirrel

The original “Sowbug” Jeremy Hunt Recipe: Hook: TMC 3769 size 12-18 Thread: UNI- thread 6/0 Tan Antennae: UNI- thread / same color Back: Swiss straw/ brown Body: Antron/ cream Rib: UNI- thread/ same Lead wire: 0.15 Tying Instructions As you can see I already weighted the fly. Do enough wraps to cover most of the hook shank ,but leave enough room for a head and to tie in, and in the back as well. Start you’re thread in the front of the lead wire making a thread dam and wind over the lead doing the same thing to the back of the lead. This will lock it into place so that it will not shift or move when you go to complete the fly. Once you do that you should still have a tag hanging of the back. What I do with this is make a loop with the tag to create my antennae’s. You will cut that after you complete the fly. Whatever tag end you have left after making the loop, go ahead and cut it off. Advance the thread back to the center of the shank so you’re ready to tie in you’re swiss straw. Cut a piece of swiss straw and cut it in the center. Now you will have two pieces. You will only need to use one of those. Tie it in an wind to the bend. Advance the thread to the eye to start you’re dubbing. You can’t really see how the dubbing is put on, but I’m sure you know how. The only thing to tell you in this step is not to dub too much dubbing around the shank as you wind back. Once you are at the back, grab some kind of pliers that have a flat surface so you can pinch the lead flat to create the body. I like to use those de-barb pliers from Tiemco. After you pinch the lead you are ready to start the segmentations. You’re thread should be at the back. Now start the segments wrapin you’re thread to the eye. I usually do about six to seven turns creating the segments. Whip finish the fly and glue the eye and that’s it. Cut the antennae’s to the length you want. Sow Bug

Davy Wotton Shad Jeremy Hunt Recipe: Hook: Pencil popper hooks, 2/0, 1, 2,4 Thread: .006 monofilament Lead wire: .25, or .30 Inner body: Wing-n-flash / dubbed around the shank Outer body: Flexi- cord ¼ / any color you desire. Pearl and pearl silver are the popular ones. Gills: Dave Whitlock SLF minnow gill Eyes: 5/16”, 1/4 “ Additional materials for tying this fly right: zap-a- gap, permanent marker pens- black, red, olive green. I like the prisma color markers the best, but you can use what you got if need be. Tying Instructions The baitfish was created for the shad kills on our tail waters in the Ozarks. It was originated by Davy Wotton who know resides in Mountain Home, Arkansas. I have a lot of respect for his innovative patterns and might I add that they catch me a lot of fish. Especially this one because of how real it looks. I have put my own ideas to this pattern to create all kinds of different presentations so I could fish it in all water columns. This one that I am going to show you is the easiest way to tie this pattern, but you can use your imagination to do whatever you want. I just wanted to share this fly with you because it is the best shad pattern that I have fished and I can’t seem to find any how to steps on how to tie this pattern so I thought it would be great to post it. First thing you want to do is weight the fly with lead and only wrap the lead behind the hump in the center of the hook. Just be sure to make room for you’re tail. You don’t want to wind the lead all the way to the back. Start you’re thread behind the lead on the back side of the hook. Cut a piece of artic fox and tie it in. You can’t see how I tied the tail in, but if you look at the rest of my patterns with tails you can do it the same way as shown in those fly patterns. If you look at the picture you can see that I did butt my tail up with the lead wraps. One thing I will mention to you is don’t measure it to the length of the shank. You want it to be short. So measure it a half shank in length. Most shad’s if you look at them they have a shorter tail than the body. The next thing you want to do is cut you some wing-n-flash and tie it in at the tail and it will lie on top of the artic fox tail. When you go to cut it to length, cut it a little past the tail. This will make the flash have more action and give it that wiggle look. So once you have done that advance you’re thread up to the lead and know you’re ready to dub some of the wing-n-flash over the lead wire. Make sure you cover all the lead and only wrap the flash sparse. If you dub the body too fat, you will not be able to slide the flexi cord over it. If you have any of those loose flash strands hanging all over the place after you are done dubbing go ahead and cut those off. You want the dubbing to be as close to the hook shank as possible. You don’t need too much of the minnow gill dubbing. Just enough to wrap over the hump and that’s it. Just pay attention to where I am at with the dubbing on the hook shank. I always use that hump for my reference on any of these I tie. Now tie off the thread and you’re ready to slide the flexi-cord on. When you tie it off go ahead and put some zap-a-gap on you’re knot so that the fly really holds together. When you go to measure the flexi-cord make sure you go a little past the eye of the hook so that you can form a slop in the belly. Measure from where you tied in you’re tail and the whole length of the shank and a little past the eye. This part can be a little tricky. One way that I have fixed this problem is by putting some zap-a-gap on the top part of the flexi cord so that my thread grabs it and doesn’t slide down it when I go to cinch it around the shank. You will notice that when you do this step you will see the thread want to slide down to the tail forcing the thread to not stay on the cord. Another thing that has help with this step is burning the ends of the flexi-cord before you go to slide it on will form little notches that will keep you’re thread from sliding down. Make sure that the flexi-cord is not side ways when you go to cinch it in. Look at picture 11 you will see that the flexi-cord is setting side ways instead of up and down. Just twist it before you tie in you’re foam over the top. Wapsi has made this part easier for all of us. They recently came out with different sizes of foam called “Foam Cylinders”. These patterns are usually tied with sizes 1/4 “for the larger sizes and 1/8 “for the smaller sizes. We are using the ¼ “size. These are round in size so we will need to cut this in half. I have found out that using a long straight pair of scissors will do the trick. I started off using razor blades but found out in a hurry that this wasn’t working. My foam always seemed crooked. The only thing you need to pay attention to when you go to cut this is don’t try to make to many cuts going up the foam. I try to make one solid cut so that I don’t see my cuts on the edges of the foam. So after you have made you’re cut tie one half of this in the back on top of the flexi cord. Tie you’re thread off and put some kind of glue on you’re wraps so it will hold together. This is another tricky part to do. You will notice that you will have to do the same thing here as you did in the back with the flexi cord. You will see that it should be hanging over the eye. What you will need to do is push the cord back to form you’re belly and while you are holding the flexi-cord back just behind the eye you will need to grab you’re thread and some how tie it around the cord while holding the cord back so it doesn’t slide. What I do is put the tag end in my mouth and count that as my third hand. By having tension on the tag end with my mouth, this will allow you to be able to wind it around the cord and still holding the cord with you’re other hand. I hoe this makes since to everyone. I think in time you will get this. Once you have tied in you’re flexi-cord in fold the foam over and tie it in also. Now you are ready to whip finish the fly and glue you’re eyes on. You will see that I’m making a cut on the foam. You will see a lip hanging of the front and the back with the foam. I like to cut those even to keep the fly looking tapered with the foam. Now when you glue the eyes on the cord, I have found out the best thing for this marine goop. This will definitely keep you’re eyes on longer than other glues. Additional comments: A fly rattle may be use in the middle of the shank on the under side by using epoxy. You can go up or down in the size of the eye if you want too. Also you can create how you want this fly tie ride in the water by how much foam you are using. You can paint the cord with permanent markers to create different baitfish.

ok- we've found out for NOW only 5 users at a time can view the cam. We don't know at this point if it's the connection, router or computer that's putting the limit on the deal. We'll continue to work on it.

Shouldn't have to turn anything off... not on this deal. I'm waiting on a call from Jim on your problem- see if we can remedy it. What version of Windows Media are you running? Jim says you might have to be running the lastest version which is 9. You can go to microsoft.com and download the latest version no charge and it's fairly easy.

It's up and easy to use. Just click the link. You may have to load an applet but most windows xp computers already have it. Feed Back!

It is low- but if they are generating down there, which I hope they are not, walleye will move up close to the dam. Otherwise, I don't think they would be up there except possibly at night. Water temp is cold and good.

Thank you!! That's exactly what I had in mind when I created this forum. I need to post your comments at the top of the board to remind those blow-hards of your comments. Welcome!

If you own a bass type boat, getting out of the hole is a safety issue. If it takes 3-4-5-6 seconds to get on plane, that means you can't see what's in front of you for that long. It's not a racing issue for me at all. If it is for some people- I don't necessaily agree but that's their business. But I wanted to clarify racing was not the issue for "get out of the hole" comments.

If Buster would learn how to use the forum, he would be the one to answer this... but I'll take a stab. Jan and Feb are the months Buster has caught most if not all his big walleye. March is good for more numbers and a few bigger walleye.

I knew yesterday would have been a killer day to go... can't wait till next week- I'm going on the warmest day!!

Are you fishing off the dock or from a boat?

We bought 4 strokes (25 yahama) 3 years ago... 20 years prior we only used 2 strokes. We like them but they do have their downfalls. We've replaced more lower units and power heads on the 4 strokes than in most years combined. The reason is, and the manufacture rep confirmed this, is that a 4 stroke won't stop when the lower unit hits something (gravel bar). The motor tends to stay in gear and keep running while a 2 stroke will stop almost immediately. Gas mileage, quietness, quick start, dependability, envionmentally friendly - all are good... just don't hit many gravel bars. As far as getting out of the hole, you do have to consider the fact that a 4 stroke doesn't have the quick start out of a hole... like a jet, you get less power using a 4 stroke and have to consider using a larger hp motor verses a 2 stroke. I have a friend who is having to replace a 90 hp 2 stroke and wants to get a 4 stroke. The dealer has advised him to go to a 110 hp if he buys a 4 stroke to get the same "out of the hole" power. Good discussion.

I may be mistaken but this isn't a Go-Devil- those motors are loud... but these at least look different. Never heard one. I saw Fox's at the conclave in Oct but he didn't start it for us. Talked to a Yamaha dealer in Little Rock yesterday. He said Johnson and Evinrude is now making a 2 stroke that is passing the federal emission standards... so they are allowed to make and sell them. Yamaha is making 2 strokes again too but they are allowed because they have "credits" by producing and selling so many 4 strokes over the past 6 years. He said they have enough credits they will continue to sell 2 strokes for quite awhile, if not definitely. Evinrudes and Johnsons- the new strokes only go down to 40 hp though, no 25 hp's yet. So may be everyone can go back to 2 strokes, get the power back they need to get out of the hole faster and not pollute the air or water. Will 4 strokes now become obsolete?

I could drop flies to the camera but I'm sure the fish would eat them before they got to the bottom... But what you say is interesting and worth trying, esp the part about dropping scuds down in a jar. Let me chew on it and see what I come up with. We're still trying to get the actual pic (video) to come up in a frame or some other php format without having to go thru a media program. Also, we may have to upgrade the computer that's handling the transfer (acting as a server) and possibly up the upload speed (using 512k presently). Thanks for the ideas.

No generation- I bet. They haven't ran any water is weeks so chances are none this weekend.

I would launch at K Dock and fish the immediate area using rouges and swimming minnows- in and around each opening off the mud flats and each bluff point. Work them slow. Should catch some- and probably some crappie to boot.

TMI.... Glad you're doing fine. You'll feel much better without it for sure.

The phone at the dam- hasn't worked for several days I think. It may have gotten hit by lightening the other night. No water I can see. Stain could be from the rain or boat traffic and there's been alot of weeds breaking up and floating around the dock. The camera was offline for a bit this am... the computer tried to reboot in the night from a windows update and knocked the program offline.

per Bill - #10 in yellow or red. Double Humpies work well also.

Gets over usually about 9:30 - 10:00 pm. Marty doesn't like us to go on too long cause he has an early bedtime.

They ran water yesterday and the level looks a bit better. With this warm weather forecast, I don't look for them to run much if any till it gets cold.