Fishing Report

[Phil Lilley]

We're having a pretty typical winter so far here in musicland (Branson). Some say it's wacky but wacky has become the norm for us. Very cold beginning, mild middle and wild ending to the winter season. But we haven't had much of a winter in 6-8 years now. But the lack of rain is another thing. I told someone today we haven't had but 3-4 inches since July. I'd say that's a first-rate drought. And right now not end in sight. Hopefully spring will bring rains. If not, we're in for a very tough summer.

We've had a mixed-bag of weather just this week. Cold - warm - very warm and humid and today very windy cooler down to cold this evening. This weekend's forecast keeps changing for the worse... they're not sure if it's going to snow, sleet, rain or nothing- probably nothing. But it's supposed to be cold- seasonably cold.

The trout won't mind. They bit real good today as the main front pushed thru. We got a trace of rain- that's when the fish bit best- then wind this evening. The trout went dorment after it starting getting cold.

For the weekend though, the front has pushed thru and the fish should bounce right back. It may be windy, so bundle up. Wind is a good thing- fish bite best under a choppy surface. Jig and float ought to be best using a marabou/1/50th to 1/125th oz sculpin, sculpin-ginger, black or brown jig 4-5 feet deep. Try a ginger color just for kicks. Trolling crank baits is easy when the wind is blowing and your hands are cold. You can wear gloves and a rod when trolling.

Night crawlers again are the best live bait to use. Use half-worm, hook it once in the middle using a #8 hook and shoot alittle air in the closed end, making it float off the bottom. A split shot 24 inches from the hook and you're done. Add a power bait egg to the head of the hook - will also make it float.

Fly fishing below the dam has been good. Some nice rainbows holding in the faster water below rebar. #18 gray scuds, thin-skin scuds in tan and gray, ostrich and roo-scuds and sow bugs working well. Olive woolies stripped both day and at night #14's.