Phil Lilley

Tonight at 7 pm. Bill Babler is coming with me.

I think you'll find all that here. Ozarkanglers.com is 8 years old but the forum is only 70 days old. What you can't find in articles you'll find on each forum, posts from experienced anglers from all over the state. Ask questions and keep checking back. We have some special plans for OA-surfers. Welcome! Phil

Guys from MDC do read this forum and I bet there are some even registered "incognito" if you know what I mean. I believe they may have be given some great ideas from you guys. Thanks!

Let's see... which one would like least likely want to tangle with... I think I know some of these species but you should name them for us hillbillies. Details man! It looks like you only fished at night and off the surf or piers... Just watch... I'll have one of those under my dock in the FishCam one of these days.

Bill told me he's heard bass fishing on the lower lake has been excellent this winter. Does anyone have any info they'd like to share. I know it's a hush-hush subject for locals... may be if we promise to catch-n-release?? I heard a bass club had a tourney not long ago and it took 30 pounds to win (6 lb average).

C of O student? Another one?? How many is that now? 2-3-4. And if you count Vince that's 5! And I know there's at least one instructor that reads this forum... Dr. Garrison. Just don't get caught reading or posting in class!

Bill and I started at 10 am at the cable. We're experimenting with some ideas- it will be an article someday. We only took our spin rods- I had a Falcon 5'5" spin rod with a Pfluger President reel with 2 lb line. Bill had a 6 ft rod for throwing and a 7 ft rod for jig-n-float. We each caught 16 rainbows before we got to outlet 2- most of Bill's were on a olive micro jig under a float 2-3 feet deep and mine came on a 1/16th oz black marabou jig, no float. I'll let Bill elaborate on his fishing later... he's not feeling well and went home early (caught too many crappie yesterday and got wore out). I had fun trying different retrieving techniques using the jig. I tried fast and slow, ripping it and crawling it on the bottom and a slow retrieve was clearly the best. I had the usual crowd of rainbows at my feet so I experiemented with them a bit. Flipping it out 6-7 feet from me and jiggling it while in the gravel, I had one rainbow come back 7 times looking at it. the 8th time he acted like he was "tasting" it with his mouth, not taking it. then the 9th time he turned his head sideways and picked it up. Cool beans! I had to hold the rod almost straight up and just work the tip of the rod to get the action I wanted. I didn't move the rod much at all while working it either downstream at a 45 degree angle to straight downstream. We broke for lunch and when we returned, Bill went home to rest and I started below outlet #2. the wind had picked up and the temp dropped- I had to change my retrieve. I either had to cast straight downstream with the wind or alittle to the sides. The strikes were harder but I missed more than the earlier session. I don't mind the wind it I'm using a heavier jig but the light jig was hard to control and feel the strike. I caught 6 more rainbows and 3 browns before calling it a day just above the rebar shoot. I'm going to finish this another day.

Another tip for crappies... I got it from an excellent source that crappie are being caught in very shallow water on mud flats way up on Long Creek, much higher than Cricket and even Yocum. Shallow- 2-4 feet deep. This has been going on for about a week now. But these crappies aren't as big as the ones I caught yesterday down around Cricket. Yes there are alot of 10 inch crappies but they are thin and just 10 inches.

My gosh- that's alot of fish!! That must be a heck of a fishery- fertile- or are all those stripers stocked? I may have to go with you here in a couple of weeks... have to be in St Louis tomorrow and Thursday.

I'm going to have to design and have made some OA bumper stickers just for you guys so you'll find each other at the next gathering.... or bright fluorescent hats or something.

When are you coming? We do have rooms open this weekend... kinda of a slow time. I have fishing buddy special available that may work for you. Fishing-wise... spin or fly? Bait or lure?

Carolyn Scott just emailed and informed me that at the Riverpointe Ramp there is to be a $3 launch fee go into affect very soon.

Be safe. Keep a journal. Take lots of pics... and keep a backup!

Put in at Cricket Creek Marina at 8 am this morning with Bill Babler and heade up past the mouth of Long and into Cricket. Fished the flats on the right, sitting in 12-15 feet of water and doing best when throwing paralelle to the bank- sink to the bottom and reeling real real slow. 1/6th oz head with chartruese swimming minnow. I caught 5 short and 5 keeper crappies and Bill caught one keeper. They were biting light. I left at 11 am and Bill stayed and fish longer. Buster was fishing upstream in Long with clients this am. We talked to him on the cell phone a couple of times and he and his party limited by 11 am. They were short of Yocum fishing the first tree line off the bluff bank using white or chartruese grubs close to the bottom in 10-15 feet.

It's not limited to fly- only artificial. Here's the link to the flyer. http://ozarkanglers.com/masters_06.html

It's coming up quick... after seeing what the Boswell group did yesterday, I'd say it's going to be an interesting contest. In the Masters and Team, the contestants have to declare if they are going to fish up or down. If they chose up, they can fish anyplace but can only weigh in rainbows under 12 and over 20 inches. If they chose down, they can weigh in any size rainbow but cannot fish above Fall Creek. If you fish up, you have to weigh in a 20-inch-plus trout to have a chance of placing so it's a gamble. Both tournaments are open to the public and articial-only, same rules as fishing the trophy area.

You had beautiful weather for it... Who went? How was fishing? Wish I could have been there- next time!

I'm going to beat some to it I'm sure and if they (and you know who you are) want to tell their own story, they can file a report too. I know of numerous crappie limits caught out of Long/Cricket yesterday and I'm sure it's excellent again today. The ones I heard were caught on the bottom in 10-12 feet of water on mud flats in Cricket and Long Creeks, mainly in Arkansas. A few whites and blacks mixed in. Most were caught on grubs and jigs, white, chartruese and motor oil, red heads. Lots of people out too- parking lot was full yesterday at Cricket Creek Marina. Mark at the marina carries all the swimming minnows you can imagine and the lead heads to match. Just hope they all aren't caught out before I get down there.

I haven't generated any new maps, only fix a bad link and threw in a link to a host of maps, some duplicates, but all the maps I've worked on. I'll add a link to the maps to the Table Rock forum. I hope to have the rest of the lake done this year. It does take alot of concentrated time to do these maps. Although I scan them, it takes alot of clean-up and marking to get the final product. The crappie spots on Long Creek should help this spring. http://ozarkanglers.com/trmaps/html/tr_map.html

Well- some of our tournament guys today caught blacks in the Branson area on jigs while trying to catch trout. One measured 16 inches weighed 3.5 lbs. The team asked me where they could go bass fishing on Taney and I said from Branson downstream- I guess- seeing what they did today. Taney has some humungas bass, as you know. Welcome- we need more Table Rock guys to report on the forum.

Fishing was very good today. Just ask one of 54 anglers who fished today- all day- in the 24th annual Elmer Boswell Memorial Trout Tourney. Mostly from the St Louis area, anglers held their private contest taking advantage of a beautiful day. The winners used night crawlers and power bait, fishing between Short and Fall Creeks. Second place guys went artificial only- jigs- and fished down around the bridges and even as far down as Rockaway Beach. They finished 2/100 of an ounce apart. Lots of beautiful rainbows- lots of dark males, more than I've ever seen at one time. I told the guys in a meeting last night that the male rainbow weighed more than the others and I guess I was right- the 2nd place team weighed 7 dark males and 1 silver trout. Here's are the teams/weights/big trout (all rainbows) 1. Hampton/Lentz-----7.16----1.36 2. Hittler/Dietle--------7.14----1.10 3. Benz/Ochiltree------6.98----1.14 4. Boswell/Lucasek----6.76----1.50 (big trout caught by Tony Boswell) 5. Schuler/Spain-------6.40----1.24 6. Haller/Ndina---------6.24----1.24 7. Collins/Mazdra------6.14------.92 8. Manske/Myers-------6.10-----.86 9. Schmidt/Weaver----6.06----- 10. Gomos/Stinchcomb-6.00----1.36 27 total teams 8 trout were weighed per team

Should have known.... and I think I sold you it too!!

Never used them- I guess I have to try. A rep dropped off some http://www.blueskyfly.com/ leaders one time but they're still in a box someplace. Am interested to see where this topic goes- may have to carry them in the shop.

Nice to see you here... and looking forward to seeing you on the dock. If you're tying jigs... you have to buy your marabou someplace?! Remember "sculpin"!

Brent- John has all the phone numbers... didn't you know that!! Need I say more!??!? We have alot in common- I was born in Denison and grew up fishing the lake with my grandfather- mostly trolling for sand bass and setting trotlines. Been back fishing the tailwater for stripers but it's been along time since then. I'm sure you have some good Texhoma stories to share! Thanks for being on the forum- looking forward to spring softball!! Side note - the pics you attached are too big... downsize them and edit the post and they'll come up better. If you have problems editing the pics, send them to me and I'll do it for you phil@lilleyslanding.com Phil