Phil Lilley

It's a tough job- finding fish for you- but we'll sure do my best.

Hey Russ- did you notice I added your home waters to the forum??

"I Fish; Therefore I Am" by Patrick McManus at Amazon.Com

When I got there, I saw 8-9 spread out down to Big Hole. When I left I saw only a couple. The water is dark, stained. It's very hard to see fish. They are dark to match the water and bottom... the males are very dark. There were a few beds above #2 in the shallows with rainbows on them. I saw one big brown above #2. I could have fished a crackleback or soft hackle the whole time and done well but wanted to experiment. Using the jig was alot of fun. I used white because I could see the jig.... see it disappear into the fish's mouth. Other dark colors, I would have had to go on just feel.

Vince and I drove to the dam and fished a bit this afternoon. He fished a #18 gray scud mostly and caught a fair number of rainbows above outlet #2. I played around with several flies- a #16 brown crackleback drew lots of attention and a few hookups. Best strip was downstream at about 45 degrees and short, fast strips, pausing every 4 strips. I took my ultra lite spin cast rig with 2 lb test with me- tied on a variety of colors and sizes of jigs and did best on a 1/32nd oz white jig. I'd throw it across stream and work it- hoping it off the bottom. The trout would swarm it but wouldn't really pick it up... but a few did. I caught a couple nice rainbows, working my way down to #2. About 4 they blow a horn and the water started to rise. I slipped down below #2 and threw the jig as the water got faster and faster. I caught a couple more rainbows and then a very nice brown about 18 inches. I played alittle in the outlet before heading home. I tried to run the jig down the floom of the outlet without the jig getting to the bottom. I could see rainbows taking the jig but I wasn't fast enough to set the hook before they let it go. It was interesting. Guests caught alot of trout off our dock today. I saw one guy throwing a small jig and doing very well... but mostly they were using power bait.

Looks like they're drilling a new well and installing lines- sewer and water.

Priceless... having an agent within eye-sight when someone blows you off for trying to help. That's the best story I've heard in a long time... thanks!

Elmer Boswell Memorial is our oldest going tournament- 23 years? I'd have to look. If you have 10 guys, you could have your own contest. If you need someone to officiate and weigh in your fish, let us know - we can do that.

I used to go crawdad'in many years ago in a couple of coves on TR at night- took the kids and flashlights and caught a tons of big ones. We would throw out fish guts earlier in the day and would have lots of them swarming the piles that night. We'd either gig them or just pick them up by hand. I know there's a few people who set traps for them off docks- State Park is a great place to set traps if you can get permission. Is there a bad place to find them on TR? I don't think so. May be larger rocks close to the bank would be better than pea gravel. The only problem with setting traps is that they get taken if found by fishermen or other trap setters. Don't know the law on it- you may have to put your name on the traps and not leave them out for more than 24 hours without checking them- like a trot line. I'll ask.

Shad die because of cold weather/water on lakes- it's a natural occurance. But it depends on how cold the water gets. Some winters it doesn't get cold enough to kill many shad- some winters alot of shad die. I've heard the temp has to drop below 42? but I'm not sure. For shad to flow thru the turbines at Table Rock Dam into Taneycomo, they have to drift near the intake at 130 feet deep. There have been winters where there's dead or dying shad all over the lake's surface but nothing comes thru the turbines because they aren't getting deep enough. Why? I have no idea. One thing that helps is alot of heavy generation, creating a current in the lake pulling water down to 130 feet. This winter we have had cold enough weather to have a shad kill but hardly any generation and no hard generation- so far. Rain would help- and more cold weather. So to answer your question- it could happen anytime (but doubtful) and I've seen shad come thru the turbines as late as April.

Brian Shaffer can write a book on Crane but he's too shy to post...

Oh man... when do we go???!!! What flies do you use? Do you have pics? Jeremy and I are working on some recipes/pics of how-to. I'd love to have some instructions before springtime on how to tie flies that would work for stripers.

Maybe 2 day- Ponca to Pruitt and camping at Kyles Landing.

Would Hickory Creek be worth a separate forum? There's alot of these small creeks around but I don't want to add every one of them... was thinking about adding the Elk River- it's a great smallmouth stream and floated alot.

I don't look for them to generate much at all- it's getting warm later in the week and the lakes are low. If they do, it will be alittle in the morning- but I doubt if they do at all.

Greg- green zebras are a new color for me... you're the third person who has mentioned them and done well on green midges. I'll have to try them. Droopy Dog- A good distance to start a jig is 4-5 feet. If there's alot of surface activity, you may go shallower at first. If they're running water, I like to go deep, close to the bottom but seldom do I like to bounce it on the bottom (under a float). Throwing a jig is another thing. You can throw it anytime- water on or off. It just depends what mood you're in I guess. That's how it is with me. If they are running 1/2 to full generation, I will throw a jig instead of using a float simply cause that's what I like to do and I feel I can catch more trout that way. Others would disagree- that's why it's a matter of preference. You could spend alot of time on the subject of jigs... theya re really the best lure you can ever learn to use.

Steve- post away here!! If it's a benefit to our members, I welcome it.

There are tons of coons and mink here. I'd love to catch a mink--will have to reply on Bill's help on that one... or anyone else you wants to teach a green-trapper like me. We really do have alot of "fur" here, as Bill would say. I think I may take my boys out next week and set another trap or two.

Sorry- I meant to post as "Lilley"... I forget who I am sometimes.

This is something all we flyfishers need to learn... fly fishing for stripers. Beaver and Norfork are two great striper lakes. I speak for all of us- looking forward to learning using this forum. Bull Shoals Striper

Greg- how did you fish? Scuds, stripping...

I've fished this tailwater several times in the fall and always caught fish... mainly crappie and white bass. It's best when the water is running I've heard and it's been running when I've fished it. I think it can be the best tailwater fishery in the state- springtime when the whites, hybirds, walleye and crappie are up there. And the catfish! I'm hoping the Bait Station does their reports here- I think their reports are the best for this area. If someone knows them, put in a plug in for the forum.

Vince and I boated up to Short Creek this evening and fished from 3:30 till dark. It was alittle chilly with the breeze but the wind created some chop and the trout liked it. We did tear them up by any means but we did see some action. Zebra midge #16 under an indicator 18 inches did the trick for me- caught this 18 inch brown just off the bar to my surprise. Both of boated a few more decent rainbows and headed back downstream. But while we were fishing we kept hearing a couple of fox barking on the bluff bank and finally saw one making its way down the shoreline. then all of a sudden it took off and then appeared another fox chasing. It was quite a sight. It could have had something to do with mating because the bigger one was chasing the smaller one... and then the other way around. Finished the evening down by our dock using jig and float- dark jigs like brown or sculpin and caught a few more.

The only area I've fished the close to the dam. I've trolled the dam face and caught walleye and crappie. Would like to get back there sometime.

This is supposed to be the "offseason" for us being in a tourist town... but it's been anything but. Internet - trying to go wireless. I have a friend who claimed he could install routers and repeaters and cover the resort with wireless internet for us and our guests. Three weeks later, we've dropped DSL and am now on wireless only by our fingernails. It seems we have some interference or something. We might have found the problem tonight- a bad router. We're using a Linksys WRV54G router and a couple of WAP54GP access point routers (we ditched the repeaters). We've ordered a new WRV and another WAP so hoepfully this will close the gap. But it's been very trying... you don't reallize how dependant you are on something until you don't have it. WebCams- am still looking for the perfect webcam software and video capture card to host the cams. The underwater cam is doing great- if you're in the cleaning shack looking at the monitor. Problem is... I'm dependant on someone else for the expertise. They are friends and won't take any $$$ for the work which honestly I'd rather pay and get it DONE!! Capture cards... routers... they're all way over my head and it's frustrating. Newletter- I'm finally going to get the White River Journal out next week. Been trying to work on in between everything going on. Brochure and other things- we've been trying to design/print a resort brochure for several months now... our last brochure is 12 years old. Also designing a logo for ozarkanglers, the resort and new catch-n-release pins for trout unlimited's c/r program. I'm not doing much of the designing but the guys who are seemed to be as busy as me. Friends in town- the last 10 days have been hospitality time for us. Not complaining too much- they all have been dear friends and we've had a blast... but fitting it all in with Christmas programs at church, YMCA, resort dinner and fishing with everyone, it's been interesting. I see the light at the end of the tunnel- I think it will be Monday next week. My daughter and son-in-law are coming in Friday before Christmas. Am looking forward to kicking back and sending time with the kids. Meg and Cob move back home tomorrow from C of O so all will be here for the holidays.