Phil Lilley

Well, winter has arrived and none too soon. Why in the world would I say that??! Cause we've neede cold temps for the last month to get Table Rock to turn over so that we'd get some good oxygenated water here in Taney. All the tailwaters need it. I emailed James Civiello at the hatchery (he's my DO gage) and ask about the water coming into the hatchery today. He said no movement in the DO level but is getting a good silt load. Increase silt is the first indicator that Table Rock is starting to mix. With cold temps this week, it may turn by the weekend. That's one good forecast... here's the bad part. It's going to be cold this week!!! Will it hurt the fishing- no. Will it hurt fishing? Yes. Who wants to get out in sub freezing temps and go fishing!?!?! OK if the fish are biting I don't mind... and neither do alot of folks. Fishing continues to be good here. Good reports over the weekend. Normal stuff- power bait and night crawlers, jig and float using dark jigs, crank baits doing well on windy days, scud and midge flies above Fall Creek. I will get out in the next couple of days and see what's going on. For the next 2 days, we (the resort) are changing our sewer over from septic to city... fun, fun.

I like elk hair caddis, stimulators, renegades and coaches all year long.

Feathercraft has a sale going on... Wal Mart carries Cortland. They are decent rods for the money but the cheaper rod and reels aren't what I'd suggest if you think you're going to stick with fly fishing. I'd start with a meduim-end rig- cost about $100. If you can spend alittle more money, Templefork carries a rod and reel for about $175, line and all. That's a rod you can use for alot of years- get quality, good guarantee and best value. Size- for trout streams, 4 or 5 wt, 8 ft rod. If you're fishing lakes or wide open areas, I go with a 9 ft rod, same wt. Fishing for trout and bass- you might go with a 6 wt rod. You'll find over the years you'll own more than one rod for different applications.

What's PT?

Did you get the report admin (me) wrote before you left? Where did you put in... point 16 would be in Arkansas?

Marsha took this of the bluff across the lake. Link - http://ozarkanglers.com/wallpaper/wallpaper_fall_foliage.jpg Submit your own wallpaper pics... you may have to email me the large pic because of the limitations here on the forum. phil@lilleyslanding.com

If implimented, you'll never see Taney at levels less than 702.3 - that's one foot higher than it is when it's "off". No trial runs.

But the fish are biting!!!! It's not that cold!! Take 'em fishin'

I asked a MCD representative in Springfield about Missouri's effort to get an increase of the minimum flow below Table Rock- Taneycomo. I pointed out the article in the Mtn. Home, Ar's paper - http://www.baxterbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../511250314/1002 stating Arkansa was well down the road to get minimum flow below Bull Shoals and Norfork Lakes. I asked if Taney was out of the running. He said Missouri is still persueing minimum flow and refered me to the Corp's site for an update but the page hasn't been updated since 10-04. So- not sure what will happen now. I'll try to do some research. Hey- "File Attachments" is now working... finally. You can upload images now.

Well... this isn't much of a report because this was my first trip to Roaring River since I was a kid- and that's been along time ago. I stopped by and talked to Tim at his shop. He's has a very nice shop! I told him I thought I had the largest inventory of flies in the area but he has me beat. He said he built the shop just a year ago and he did a great job! Headed to the stream- didn't get there till after 10 am. Kinda got lost on the way (not from Tim's shop but from Branson). Went to the head close to the construction and took some pics. Fishing looked slow. Water was very chalky from the chat they were using up towards the spring. Drove down, looking at the different areas of the stream. I remember some of it- mostly the area up by the lodge. Anglers were hooking fish fairly often but nothing I saw was too big. Most were using egg flies- beaded or on a jig hook- under an indicator. Found out Tim doesn't like indicators... he fished without one when he can. A bus with about 25 junior high kids at the bottom of zone 2 who were fishing for a class at school- that's what it sounded like. MDC fisheries guys were helping. They didn't dress for the cold wind so the girls were freezing and not fishing much and the boys were fishing but trying to do so with their hands in their pockets. Some anglers were peived because they were moving up and down the bank scaring fish... I think they were looking for an excuse why they weren't catching fish. I saw a gentleman fighting a large rainbow in the last pool above the old dam at the bottom of zone 2. I photoed him while he was landing it and again got a pic of him holding it. I'd say 6-7 pounds at least. Caught it on a jig- he was Mark McDonald and happened to be a guest of our at the Landing. Oh yea- I did fish- there in the last pool. I tried zebras from #20 to #16 in black, a scud #18 (crack) and a thread midge and caught 1-2 trout on each. Tried a crackleback which they would midge with their noses. Size- one about 13 inches and the others 9-10 inches. Did see some larger rainbows but didn't stay too long- had to get back.

Can't tell he's a guide- can you!?

Has anyone used what I call a sulpin jig on smallmouth? It's just a marabou jig using sculpin colored feathers. I've used in on Beaver and North Fork and absolutely tore them up... I've fished it vertical along steep banks and stumps and had them come out and nail it.

Zach is a guy from Knoxville, TN... an excellent photographer and now I find he's a writer too. He has an article in the recent issue of American Angler- just got our shipment of the publication. The Winter Game - check it out! He's a frequent visitor on another fishing forum - flyfishingarkansas.com

Old lodge.... I misread the thread. I was there for a short time taking pics of the construction and the cloudy water. Then I headed down.

I bought them thinking I could rent them... they haven't done well. So if I can take the money and put them into something else that rents better I will.

I should have asked where the old bridge is... I was at RR till 12 pm. I took pics and t/t Tim, fished alittle at the end of my time down by the old dam. Report w/ pics to follow this evening.

Definately add some kind of glue to the head... some use super glue. You might add cement to the thread just before you whip it.

Park at the parking lot near the hatchery and walk up or down stream.. assuming you want to fish below the dam. I've posted some maps here- http://www.lilleyslanding.com/lt_maps/Top_End.php This is a map of the upper end but you can scout further and see there's good wade fishing all the way down to the KOA. Take some soft hackles, olive wooly buggers and cracklebacks... it should be breezy and they should work.

Yes- it will be in the journal. Hopefully it will go out this weekend and I'll post it here too.

Wanted to find some larger rainbows so I headed upstream, thinking I'd start at Lookout and fishing the bluff bank using scuds. As I pulled up to the area, I notice no one was wading in the stretch next to the island so I decided to head on up to KOA and fish up there. If there's waders in the shallow stretch, I can't run through there on plain... makes too many enemies. I started fishing just below the KOA rock bank using a thin skin gray scud but soon switched cause rainbows were midge along the bank I was fishing. I tied on a red zebra and caught a dark male rainbow right of the bat- then nothing. Long story short- I tried deepening the zebra, put on a renegade (dry) and caught a couple small rainbows, used a black soft hackle and caught one more, stripped it all the way thru the shallow area to the bottom of the island with one more strike. It was slow and disappointing. I thought it would be a good catching trip but it ended up being a good fishing trip. No boats above Fall Creek, only one wader fishing when I drifted out.

Hallelujah!! We have an agent on the board!!! Thank you for your comments- they are very welcome! I want the rules explained in a clear way so we can help educate the public to what they are, no matter who's right. I know there's gray areas and an agent has some latitude when dealing with anglers... I have a friend who is a retired Mo State Patrolman- he told me they are taught to have your mind made up to write a ticket or not BEFORE walking up to the car. He said that was hard to do sometimes.

Just wondering... Where is your favor creek or river to catch smallies... when and how? I must say, I don't get out and fish the creeks as much as I'd like... and southern Missouri and northern Arkansas has the best streams in the country. James River is my best producer for numbers of smallies but I've caught the largest bass on the King and Buffalo Rivers.

When I was a young kid (5-6 years old), our family was staying at RR- of course I wanted to fish. They bought me a tag and I fished all of 5 minutes and wanted to move on. So I handed my rod to my grandfather and took off. He was reeling it in when an agent walked up and asked for his lisc. My grandad wasn't a happy camper for the rest of the trip.

I see my idea of using the "live" image from USGS's site doesn't work... the url #'s change when the image is updated I guess. Shucks! I guess we have to go to their site and see current conditions. ..... Yep- they do.

Interesting what a fish will eat.