Root Admin Phil Lilley Posted January 6, 2009 Root Admin Posted January 6, 2009 The holidays are past us... do the holidays mess up anyone else's daily biological clock like it does mine? You know... all the eating, snacking, trying to figure out if it's a weekend or weekend or "when do I go back to work?" As much as I love Christmas and New Years, I'm actually glad when it's all over and we go back to our regular routines. Even our generation schedule gets messed up. Weekend and weekday patterns are always different so when you have eves and holidays during the week, they too change and confuse me. But they all are behind us and even generation schedules are back to normal. What are they? Well, I started checking the Corp internet site with the daily generation schedule last week- I've never been a fan because the posted times and flows can and do change so it's not very reliable. But for a few days it seemed to be right on... which is really nice. But yesterday, they lied. Well, lied is a strong word but you get me point. The Corp posted they were going to shut the water down from 11 am till 6 pm so I'd planned to go to the dam and wade with a friend, Duane Doty. At 1 pm, they were still running water so we had to change our plans. We boated instead. So you can check out their site and see when they think they may run water but don't bank on it. Click here for Southwest Power Administration's Schedule Site Generation patterns have been fairly consistent lately. During warm spells, our water is running less. When it gets cold, they run more. The Corp has plenty of water now to run so they aren't afraid to use it for power. Table Rock is right at power pool, a great place to be at the beginning of the year. I bet they are looking for a wet winter and spring so if they need power they'll run it. On moderate days, they are running water in the mornings till about 10 am and starting it back up about dark till 9 or 10- pm. Weekends- they tend to run less but again, it depends on temperature. Fishing has been pretty good regardless of water movement. The resort was very busy over the holiday week. Lots of fisherpeople hit the lake and docks and most caught their limits everyday. Some of the dock anglers had trouble when the water was running though but those out in boats did well. With the water running, we have been drifting eggs flies and scuds from Lookout Island to Fall Creek and catching alot of rainbows. These trout are running from 8 to 15 inches with most under 12 inches. In the winter we get alot of rainbows from the Neosho Federal Hatchery and these trout tend to be smaller then the ones we get from our local hatchery, Shepherd of the Hills. We call them "silver bullets" because they're small and silver with not much color. They grow up to be beautiful trout, if they get that chance. Egg flies are tied with yarn in various colors- peach, orange, yellow and other shades of red/orange are good colors. We tie them on #8- 2487 hooks and are legal to use in the trophy area. For the scud pattern, we use a #10- 3769 hook and vary the colors- olive, tan, brown or gray. For best results tie a egg and scud in line about 18 inches apart. I use 4 pound line, tie on the egg first and then a scud 18 inches down from the egg. Then pinch on a split shot about 24 inches above the egg. Size of split depends on the depth and speed of the water I'm fishing. I want the flies to be right on the bottom. We drift right down the middle of the lake where there's not much to get snagged on- all gravel. I'd tell you to drift this rig up below the dam but honestly we have not done as well up there as we have in this stretch. Duane and I got out yesterday and casted some jigs and did real well. Again, we found the best area was from Lookout Island to Fall Creek, using 1/8th oz white jigs and working them on the bluff bank side. Our trout ran quite a bit bigger in size than our trout on egg flies. We caught some real nice brown trout too, up to 17 inches with beautiful colors. Caught one rainbow in spawning colors- real pretty. Had to work it close to the bottom which meant losing some jigs to the rocks and downed trees but that's all part of it. Again, I use 4 pound line with a medium-light action spin rod. Actually, Lilleys' Landing carries a great one-piece spin rod that's perfect for jig fishing. I have them built custom just for jig fishing for trout. Lots of rainbows to be caught below Fall Creek. The drift from Fall Creek past Short Creek isn't too bad. Stay in the middle of the lake to avoid trees and snags along the bluff bank. Drift Gulp Power Eggs, using one white and one of another color like pink, yellow or orange on the bottom using a drift rig or just a hook and split shot. Night crawlers are good too. And now we have started carrying minnows again for the winter season. Hook them through the eyes and drift them just like you would night crawlers or eggs. Like crawlers, you have to let the trout take the bait a bit before setting the hook. We've had some anglers casting crank baits and having some success. There's an interesting number of browns being caught lately and the best lure you can use for browns is crank baits like rapalas, pointers and rogues. Colors and size vary. I'd say use what you have- best are medium to large sizes. Don't be shy to try big baits. Big browns eat small rainbows but a small rainbow is 8 to 10 inches.
Root Admin Phil Lilley Posted January 6, 2009 Author Root Admin Posted January 6, 2009 Tried posting in html... not sure what break lines are but it puts my paragraphs in boxes.
DD'sMC Posted January 6, 2009 Posted January 6, 2009 Great post Phil! We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. The two best times to go fishing? When it is raining and when it is not.
duckydoty Posted January 6, 2009 Posted January 6, 2009 Good report Phil. Who is that masked ninja??? A Little Rain Won't Hurt Them Fish.....They're Already Wet!! Visit my website at.. Ozark Trout Runners
Spinnaker Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 I am trying to get a feel for the water flows cfs and the ability to wade from the wire down to the island. Obviously when the water flow is zero to 500 cfs I could wade. But when it gets around 3000 cfs could I still wade? Any tips would be helpful. I want to come down in Feb or March depending on the weather. Thanks.
duckydoty Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 Not much chance of wading anything on the upper end with more than 500 cfs. Maybe down by Point Royal or the back side of the island below the boat ramp. A Little Rain Won't Hurt Them Fish.....They're Already Wet!! Visit my website at.. Ozark Trout Runners
Terry Beeson Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 Who is that masked ninja??? Looks to me like some wussy Alaskan guide... (Teach YOU to call me Eric... ) Great report Phil... TIGHT LINES, YA'LL "There he stands, draped in more equipment than a telephone lineman, trying to outwit an organism with a brain no bigger than a breadcrumb, and getting licked in the process." - Paul O’Neil
duckydoty Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 Looks to me like some wussy Alaskan guide... (Teach YOU to call me Eric... ) Great report Phil... OUCH! A Little Rain Won't Hurt Them Fish.....They're Already Wet!! Visit my website at.. Ozark Trout Runners
Micheal Kyle Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 Thats Funny Note to self never Assume To Know People Is To Know Thier Ways!
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