Fishing Report

[Phil Lilley]

Went out with Vince and helped him with his guide trip this afternoon. We had 4 clients on the pontoon. Headed to Roark Creek- where all the other guides were fishing including Chuck Gries, Bret Rader, Bill Beck, Tim Paige, Eric Prey, Mr Babler and others I didn't know. I counted 20 boats at one time in the creek.

Water is still off colored and the rainbows are a chalky color... but nice by average. Most of the ones we kept were 14 inches.

Fished with a jig and float and either a gulp power egg, minnow or a piece of night crawler. NC did the best for us, minnow this morning Vince said. No problem getting 16 for their limits.

Saw several boats coming back in to do a little double dipping. Heck they may have made 3 or 4 trips today. Knowing our agents, they could get a room in the Hilton and watch the crowd from comfortable rooms with room service. Not to be mistaken... they like to watch fishers from a distance, hidden with long ranged glasses.

Chuck Gries looking for white bass- caught quite a few trout and blue gill.

Our best bait.

Two nice limits.

New construction at the Landing... shops on the water and a cruise ship.

[Trav]

Why were there so many boats in Roark?

I spent 3 hours this afternoon hanging siding on my house and only saw 4 boats. And I can see over a mile in either direction and a good mile up bull. Why would you fish crowded water when there is so much uncongested lake to pick from?

I guess I dont get it.

[Phil Lilley]

Cause it's easy fishing for clients I guess. Wind was alittle tough on the lake and not bad in Roark.

Not my cup of tea. I've been doing very well drifting in the trophy area.

I know Vince fished up there yesterday with clients and did real good but his clients, and Bills, wanted to go to Roark. Client is always right- right?

[Trav]

If you say so.

I rarely would let my clients dictate location. Why pay for a guide if you already know where you want to go. Especially if your gonna bait fish.

If your bait fishing, you can hide from the wind pretty much anywhere and catch stockers on Taney.

Might as well fish one of the parks if you want to rub elbows.

People never cease to annoy me.

[crappiefisherman]

so have there been any whites found in roark yet? Ive seen lots of trout caught in mouth of coon creek lately also.I would say the trout are tired of constant fighting the swift current and are trying for calmer waters.

[Phil Lilley]

I rarely would let my clients dictate location. Why pay for a guide if you already know where you want to go. Especially if your gonna bait fish.

I don't understand. The client is paying you to take them fishing. If a client wants to fish a particular place, you would tell them "no, we're going to fish where I want to fish." Granted, if the guide puts the client on more and/or bigger fish, so be it. But in this case you can't right now, esp with a pontoon with 4 to 6 clients on it... unless you have a place and technique that could work better than catching 60-80 rainbows per half day ranging from 12 to 16 inches.

If your bait fishing, you can hide from the wind pretty much anywhere and catch stockers on Taney.

Not true. You need to come up here and fish this fast water. Yes there are other creeks you can get out of the current and they do have fish but Roark is the largest area and easiest to get a pontoon in.

You shouldn't be as judgmental, Trav. It doesn't bod well for your image

[Thom]

I hate to fight the wind or current when with novices even though sometimes it helps the fishing especially when fishing shallow at short creek with midges. I do it lots of times for that reason but hardly never when I have the grandchildren or friends that are first time trout fisherermen.

I will go behind the island at lookout, fall creek or one of the big holes with a drop off and then I can concentrate on helping them without worring about drifting to the rocks or shallow side.

It makes for a less stressful time and we always catch fish when we find out what they are eating.

Thanks for the pictures and report Phil. It is much appreciated and helps us suffering from cabin fever get by until we can make another trip down.

[Greg]

Phil I appreciate the pics and report as well. Fishing in this type of high water on Taney or anywhere else is just not my cup of tea. So I'm landlocked for a while. LOL.

Greg

[Trav]

Phil,

I would give them thier money back if they didnt do it my way.

You have to understand that I guided 8 years of the 10 years I was a guide in other countries. Four in Panama, 3 in Canada, and a little less than 2 in Honduras. The rest was spent part time as a fly guide in Wyoming and South Dakota. The majority of my clients were doing as much site seeing as fishing. I dictated where to catch the fish. And they were happy for it.

Now, I have been offered guiding jobs by numerous outfits here in missouri and the southeast( SC, GA, FL) but I wont cater to clients that wont let me be the guide. I wont deal with the masses of those that seek only trophys. I wont cater to a single bait fisher. It will always be my way.

I can be judgemental Phil. I dont go up there and fish the fast water. I might not catch as many fish as you do but I catch bigger fish. I know the lower Taney and YES you can catch stockers all day if you use Bait. I just prefer to catch Bass and Brownies over bows and bluegills. So do me a favor my friend and dont knock the action below roark creek.

[crappiefisherman]

Gee trav for not using bait you sure opened up a can of worms