john19

No not really But I guess I might be a little harsh but lets really think about it isn't that what makes a great fisherman some one that can adapt to any enviroment. I bet there would be alot of people out there that would be lost just not Leonard. So Yes again might be a little harsh. But I will still stand by this statement that I bet Trav is a lot better fisherman than Leonard. Just going on what I have read on this site.

Well here we go again another contest, if we would really like to measure the success of a trip why do we not try to focus on the fellowship. To me that is the best part I can say this I have caught a lot of fish down at Taney and for record all over the world and I have never measured the success of the trip on how big or how many I caught. No Trav I'm sure your are a great fisherman but some of these people on here might not have acces to a boat for lower lake fishing like you do. There are big fish all over the lake you just have to know how to fish for them. and it sounds like you do You like brush piles we like skinny water. Now for Leonard you like to fish up top and probally have never had the experience of the lower lake if you have I apologize for the assumption. How ever I think that it is very wrong for you to take pics of fish and put them up here kinda like in your face. Heck Leonard I bet if we were to take you off of Lake Taneycomo you couldn't fish you're way out of a wet paper bag. I am not really sure where I'm going with this but reading what Trav and you have posted on here I would presume Trav knows what he is talking about way be for you do . It takes more to make yourself a well known fisherman than just a few pics and and some local knowledge that you are passing off as your own, and the knowledge that has been around longer than you have been fishing Taney.

Phil, Yes I am refering to the tournament this weekend Just going on what the rules say I belive it the 3rd rule down. Artificial baits only. No live bait is to be used anywhere during the tournament. Berkley's Power Bait is considered live and is not allowed. All soft plastic baits are live also and will not be allowed. This is a CATCH-and-RELEASE tournament. All trout will be released unharmed at the end of the tournament. No more than eight trout will be weighed in per team. In the case of a tie, the largest fish of the tying stringer determines the winner. All controversies will be settled by the Tournament Judge, Phil Lilley. All Missouri Fish & Game Laws will be enforced. Brown trout are required to be 20 inches or longer. To measure a trout legally- shut the mouth and pinch the tail. Any brown caught weighed in and killed negates any more browns from being counted towards that persons weight for the rest of the tournament. Creeks and feeder streams - namely Fall, Short, Cooper, Turkey, Coon, Roark, Bee and Bull Creeks - are restricted and may not be fished. No fishing will be allowed within two boat lengths inside these creek mouths. Any violation of this rule will result in disqualification. Contestants must fish from their boats. Contestants can leave their boats to use a bathroom or rest & warm up at a marina. Absolutely no wading. Each team will be required to DECLARE where they will fish, above Fall Creek or below Fall Creek. Those declaring above in the trophy area, they will not be allowed to weigh in any rainbows "in the slot" - between 12 and 20 inches. Those declaring below Fall Creek are not to go above Fall Creek at anytime during the tournament. Anyone cited for any fishing violations by the Missouri Department of Conservation during the tournament will be disqualified. In addition, anyone convicted of said violations will be barred from any future tournaments at Lilleys Landing. Winners may be subject to a polygraph after the contest. Safety and tournament rules briefing will be held on Saturday, 7:45 a.m. on the dock at Lilleys'. The Missouri Water Patrol may supervise the start. Life jackets must be worn at the start of the contest. Live wells will be checked at each send off. Teams will leave in flights if necessary. Each flight will have the same amount of fish-time. Late arrivals will be penalized one ounce per minute at weigh in - no excuses. Trout must be weighed in before trailering boats. No chumming of any type will be tolerated. This means before, during or after the tournament.t the rules say this is a catch and release tournament

I was wondering how this could be considered a catch and release tournament if the fish has to be kept and then weighed in and then released. Does not seem like a catch and release tournament to me sounds like a catch, keep then release and watch the fish die. I would think that some one would be able to go with each team like a JUDGE and mesuare the fish and write it down and the winner be determended from total length. To me that is a catch and release tournament. I would like to know after the tournament how many of these fish will actually make it, I bet there are some that will die. Not to say that in a true catch and relase turnament that there would not be some that died but I bet there will be more in this style of tournamnet. Just a thought

Are you all talking about Mr Shuffle Ma-tic, He cut me and a buddy off like that one day, and I had enough I told how little he was if he could not find any other place to fish. He basically said that he had paying customers and we should give way. Not sure what kind of guide service has to walk in between to clients to get them to catch fish. oh well enough on that I think that its just like any other sport you are going to have bad ones and good ones and hopefully the good ones will out number the bad ones. And I agree that Davy Is very respectful when it comes to other fisherman on the river.

Murdoc It is a Boga Grip and it less harmful to the fish than you may think. As long as you support the fish as the young man is doing. It is so that you may hold the fish and not continue to drop the fish on the ground while getting a pic, like I see so many people do. Which in turn is more harmful it is like you diving off of a building and hitting the ground being picked up and doing it all over again. I guess we could be like they are in British Columbia and some places in Alaska where if you lift the fish out of the water it is considered to be in your aggregate. I have seen and heard where the warden will actually check your film and write a ticket to you off the film. I would like to know if it is so bad for fish why several shops including fly shops in the local area would carry such items,and why they promote this item on the Outdoor and Versus channel. I would also like to see some documentation where the fish is hurt as long as you are supporting the fish as this young man is doing. Duckdoty great pics and those are some pig's.

I would like to make a few comments on this I have always just sat around and just read all the information on this site. It has always been good and like wise it has helped me a lot down at Taney and all my other adventures where I fish. Backcountry Outfitters and Leonard seem to be the two guys around here that know about night fishing, just going on the post that are sent down to the site. I was wondering why Leonard felt compiled when no names were mentioned to stand up and defend himself. We sure did not see any other people take action on this matter. Just a thought. What I will have to say though is this if a innocent man is called out with his name he will defend, if a guilty man is out there no names mentioned you can always pick him out of a crowd because for no reason he will start defending himself. I would like to Quote Duckydoty "The only secrets worth keeping are the one's that need to hide questionable ethical fishing." Is this what this all stems from what is really trying to be hidden, Not sure but if we all sit down and evaluate what has been said here there must be more to the story than what meets the eye. Are we all just jealous that people are getting out and fishing more than us so we try and bring them down on this forum or maybe there is some really big secrets out there and maybe they should be brought forth. Believe me I probably know more than someone on this forum would like me to know. So I guess what I'm saying is let the truth roll and it will set you free.