DaddyO

We didn't lose it. I just checked it and it is functioning.

Aaron, According to the Map that you referenced, the Pool is located where the arrows point to the "Park and Public Access (No Camping" area. You can access this area by continuing past the Watts Area turnoff and turning where you see the PowerHouse sign on the right. This road will take you to the PowerHouse Parking Lot. If you park in that lot, right as you pull into the lot, you can walk down to the river and see the small cove that they are referring to as a Pool. Good Luck and have fun. BTW, I've also had success when the water was up, spin casting a lead head jig, red hook, with a mister twister type grub (green or oil colored). You can find them at Bass Pro.

In addition to some of the fine,60's and 70's, artists that were mentioned, I have to throw in some Stevie Ray Vaughn!!

Welcome to the forum. You will find lots of useful information here and lots of people willing to answer your questions.

According to her, it didn't have to do with the weather. It was more a condition of meeting their contractual requirements (keeping the lights on in the towns that they service) and the fact that TKD is a little higher than the other surrounding lakes in the system. Because TKD is a little higher, it is the "go to" lake, for now. She said that would change in a week, or so, as long as there wasn't an event (lots of rain/flooding) that caused the COE to dictate their flows.

Right now, Tenkiller(TKD) is the "go to" lake. Expect it to get back to normal in the next week or so. Below is the explanation to that statement. Well, I just called SWPA and talked with a lady there who was very informative. She was very nice and was happy to explain the relationship between SWPA and the COE and how they create the generation schedule. I'll try to explain what she shared with me. In a nutshell, it's a game of supply and demand, unless there is a flood control situation and that is when the COE dictates their schedule. From an overall Power Pool standpoint, they have to try and keep a balance, again of supply vs demand. She said that they are required to meet their supply contracts with their customers (small towns, coops and other non-profit (govt) entities). Power that is generated that exceeds demand is offered at a reduced rate to those same entities. They do not have the ability to Store the Power/Electricity, so everything that is generated is sent through the grid. I asked if they had "go to" lakes that they used to feed the grid. She said that BSD and TRD were two of their "go to" sites and that they would pull from these lakes when they were trying to balance out the other lakes in their system. I explained to her how we, as fishermen, use their generation schedules to determine our fishing trip plans and asked if they ever considered us when they made their schedules. The "official" answer was, No. However, she said that they have shut down certain sites in the past when organizations like Trout Unlimited had requested for charitable events, but, couldn't promise that they would always be able to do that. She also said that they layout the generation schedule as best they can, but allowed that the schedule would change if an emergency power condition occurred. i.e. problems with another site would cause an unscheduled event to occur which would change the schedule. I think that about sums it up.

Generating Electricity? My guess is when outside temps are Hight or Low, we'll see this kind of generation. When the outside temps aren't too extreme, we'll see longer periods of wadable water.

I'm not fortunate enough to live within minutes of a great fishery. (Stocked or Natural) So, anytime that I have an opportunity to fish in the Ozarks, every fish that I catch is a pleasure and puts a smile on my face. If it happens that the fish is the biggest that I've ever caught, I'm even more delighted. Justin, I'll have to put NFOW on my list of rivers to fish. I haven't made it that far to the east, yet. How long of a drive is it from Branson to NFOW?

I think that it would be cool to have a place like that and then add to it the ability to build your own Bamboo (or other material) fly rod on premise. You know, with an instructor and all of the tools and supplies. When you're done with the new rod, break it in at the stream. It would encourage multi night stays to build the rod and in the end the client has a new rod to go home and show his buddies tell his buddies about the experience. Thereby generating the, hopefully, continuous business. Which, in this economy, would have to be packaged and priced right. I've always wanted to build my own Bamboo fly rod, but I don't want to buy all of the tools and supplies for just one rod.

Great job, Bruce! I wish I had the time to go back up to Taney.

a few equipment troubles (line wrapping around the rod tip).. You saw that? Ha! I always get embarrassed when that happens. Especially after watching you, effortlessly, cast about 70 yards of line out!! I was having a few problems picking up the casting in the dark. It was a total Zen thing and I was out of the Zen Zone that night. Leonard, you are like a Rock Star. Everybody knows you and everybody is using your flies. It was truly a pleasure meeting you and fishing with you that evening.

My pleasure, as well. We had a blast. We fished Taney when the water was right and we fished the Norfork and the White when it wasn't right. All in all, it was a great trip.

Sorry guys. I'm new to the night fishing thing. Leonard was showing my Dad and I the ropes. So we were probably the ones with the lights, occasionally, on. I'll know better the next time.

Cole, I've fished the Beavers Bend park area of that river. After fishing, Taney, Norfork and the White, I wasn't real impressed with it. I think midges will work in about any river system so try them out. Look back through the forum for Greg's (Hopper) posts. He fished the LMF with pretty good success. I think he even posted some pics of the flies that he used. They also have a Hex hatch that is supposed to be wild. I just don't remember when that hatch happens. Good luck, have fun and let us know how it works out for you. Phil

Nice fish!! I can't wait to get down there. I'll be on my way tomorrow afternoon.

In case you couldn't find the link, here it is: Lower Illinois Link

Nice fish!!! I can't wait to get down there this week! I'll be worthless at work the next few days.

It's time for my annual trip with my Dad. We'll be leaving the Tulsa, OK area and traveling to Branson on Wednesday evening. We plan on fishing Taney, Norfork and White depending on the best generation schedule for each river while we are there. Also gonna try our hand at a little night fishing if the conditions permit. Any advice on flies for this time of year on any of those river systems will be gladly used. For now, I plan on having a wide variety of zebra midges, scuds, sowbugs, PT nymphs, san juan worms, bobwhite, hair & copper and weighted egg patterns along with a few micro jigs. I also have a few hibernators tied up, some in black some in olive. Thinking on using them at night, maybe. We'll be in a blue Ford Sportrac. Stop and say hello if you see us.

It looks like we won't be losing this guage. It appears that it gained it's funding!! Yehaw!!!

Your welcome to come to Owasso, OK and clear a few of them off of our golf courses!!

Nice ties. You should share your pattern with us.

If you look through the topics on the Lower Illinois river forum, you will see the list of flies that are used on that river as well as a wealth of knowledge on how to be successful fishing that river.

Maybe it was because you guys were fishing one month into the future....

Well, we had an enjoyable trip to the river on Saturday. My son and I met up with my Dad, Brother and nephew. Everybody caught fish and all were happy. The bite was a little slower than what I am used to and I have to say that no one pattern was better than any other. Fish were caught on the following patterns: #14 Hair and Copper, #12 BobWhite, #18 Red Zebra Midge, #14 Prince Nymph, #16 Bead Head Pheasant Tail, #16 Red San Juan Worm Another point of interest was that the access at the end of the T&M Gravel road was blocked. Does anyone know why?

Well, it's been awhile since I've been able to go down to the Lower Illinois for some fly fishing. It's been longer, still, since I've had the opportunity to do that with my son. It's a perfect storm and I will be getting to accomplish both of those Saturday morning. Hopefully, I'll meet up with my Dad and Brother, also. Good times on the river with family. I'll post a report afterwards.