Gatorjet

Very funny story Bill, you DO need to write an book! I'm wondering if this type of client is common in your business. Guys that just want to catch fish, and not realize the value of learning from a talented and experienced fisherman. When I hire a guide it is to learn how to fish a new lake. How to find my own places to fish, and how to fish them. Not to go to his places and load the boat with fish. Success to me isn't judged by weight or numbers, it's judged by the experiences I have. Too bad in today's world a good fishing trip has to mean catching a limit, and good hunting trip has to end with a trophy on the wall. A lot of people would have a much more enjoyable life by following the advice from the Robin Williams movie, Dead Poet's Society. Carpe Diem, sieze the day!

What a beautiful sight! Not only the white water tumbling down the face of the dam, but the thought of all the goodies coming into Taney is beautiful in itself.

Good to see another "Ridge Runner" on the site. My mailing address is Fenton, Phone exchange High Ridge, Sugar Creek & 30 area. BTW, Like your signature quote!!!

THANKS GATOR, there are no words!! Looking forward to meeting you. My son and I will be on Taney next week, 22-25. If you're there, and see something big, green, and LOUD on the lake, stop and say hello. Bob

Hey bigdub, sent ya something in a PM you've been looking for!

Whites and all that current, that's got to be fun. Hope they are still there late next week. Keep these reports coming, and I might come down early. If you don't have a cabin open, I'll just sleep in my truck!! LOL

I learned a trick from a guy in northern Minnesota for making shore lunch. Get a surpluss ammunition can either 30 cal or 50 cal depending on the size need.Make sure the rubber seal in the lid is good. Strip or sandblast the paint from the inside, fill the can a little over half full with the oil of your choice, corn, safflower, vegetable, or peanut ( my choice). Clamp the lid on, and pack the can in your boat or camping gear in your case. When it's time to fry up your catch remove the lid, put the can over the campfire of camp stove until the oil is hot enough to "sizzle" an piece of bread. Coat your fillets with whatever breading you like and dip 'em right in. When they float to the top and are golden brown you are ready for some of the greatest fish you have ever had. When you are done cooking, let the oil cool down then clamp the lid back on. The seal in the lid makes the can liquid tight so it won't spill in your boat or gear! Man, now I'm hungry! Think I'll get my shore lunch cooker out, thaw some fillets, and cook some up!!!

Try craigslist. I just took a quick look under Springfield Missouri and found someone in Branson West who has a lot of new and used props. Give it a try, it might be one of the ones suggested before.

The way the 'Birds are playing, all we can do is dream about fishing tonight!!!

If you can't get down to Phils, he has an online store. LilleysTackleStore.Com Just click on it on the top of this page under the header.

I thought about the white power egg with the crawler rather than injecting it with air. Would be a little quicker than messing around with the injector bottle, and the worm usually goes "flat" in a short time. Have you tried the air, or have you always used the power egg? I see some advantage of the three way swivel, but I like a snap swivel on my main line for ease of replacement of the rig. Just a loop in the rig 12-18 inches up from the weight to attach to the snap. I use good quality ball bearing cross lock snap swivels. Ditto X 10 on Phil and Lilley's Landing!!

What type of reel are you using? Open face spinning, Closed face spincast, or bait cast? and what is the rod action. What other type of fishing do you do with this equipment. You might want to get a lighter set up for Taney that could be also used for panfish in other places. You don't have to spend a lot of money on a rod and reel combo that will work just fine for baitfishing on Taneycomo and other places.

Another trick I use on my rigs is use a 3/16 oz bullet weight with a small split shot squeezed on just below it to keep it on. If the weight gets hung up, it will slide off leaving the rest of the rig on my line. Also, if more weight is needed, I just squeeze on a larger split shot or two

Beautiful fish Phil. Keep those nice browns swimming up the lake, Nick and I will be there on the 22nd!

As others have said, for bait fishing it would be OK. I have 6# on my bait rod, a snap swivel, and use 2# to make my "Taney Rigs". That way if I get hung up I can break off the rig, and just put a new one on. The 10# with a leader might be OK for heaver lures like Little Jakes and Cleos, but you couldn't throw a 1/8 oz jig very well. I really don't see a problem with changing spools unless you are using a closed faced or bait casting reel. Also, if you are using a rig spooled up with 10# line, your rod is probably way to heavy of an action to feel the bite. It also won't have enough give to help keep from breaking off 2# or 4# leaders.

Grand Country Buffet had a really great Thanksgiving spread a couple years ago. It'll probably be as good this year because I haven't noticed any decline in their regular buffet. They had REAL roasted turkey, not the boneless pressed turkey roll like so many others have. We used to do Thanksgiving in Branson every year when the kids were still at home. Two years ago was kind of a flashback with our son and his wife. Peppercorns USED to be great, but they have really gone down hill. Home Cannery got so bad they closed up. Don't know about Sadies Sideboard, Herd it wasn't all that great anymore. We got out of the buffet thing now, only Grand Country sometimes for breakfast, and occasionally dinner buffet but not to often.

The one that ate the trout looks more like a Musky! Bigger, meaner, hungrier than a Northern pike. Didn't know they were even thinking about putting Pike in Taney. Interesting idea, but I still would be against it. A lot of things could improve fishing on Taneycomo, but not introducing new predators or genetically modified species.

Any speculation on how the bass fishing will be this weekend. What is this cold front going to do. Interested in lower lake the Dam to the Glaze, and Gravois arm.

A little OT but how is the fishing down there in the winter. Never have gone all the way to the dam to try it? It's a good run from Lilley's, but might be worth it.

Probably be OK if you stayed in Bull Creek. Don't know for sure, don't get down that far too much.

Hey Phil, you don't have otters on your dock do you? If an otter eats my Gator, I'm going to eat the otters!!

There are canoes and kaiaks on the lake in the summer, but I wouldn't want to try a little jon boat. During the week it might not be too bad, but weekend boat traffic could be dangerous. A friend brought one down one year for a tournament in February, and after using it for a short time Friday morning, they decided to rent a boat for the tournament. Also, this is posted under lower Taneycomo so depending on how far down from the dam you are, you might not know if they start to generate. With just a trolling motor, you might be in for a long, unplanned drift! Bank or dock fishing can be very productive, and boat rentals for some of the smaller boats that are still adequate and safe are pretty reasonable at most places.

That's the problem when people hire guides to catch fish, not to LEARN HOW to catch fish! Too many people judge success by numbers and pounds, not experiences.

Lake "LOOK AT ME" AKA Sewer of the Ozarks I fish one tournament a year there. That's enough for me!!!