Vintage 1983

[Phil Lilley]

I'm not quick to share this photo... it does show the beginning of my journey of Taneycomo trout fishing as well as the fishery itself.

This was my first summer living on the lake. We bought the resort in May, 1983. Before I moved here, I learned to fish with trout eggs from fishing in the fall below the dam, watching everyone else fishing with them. Bruce Steele used to sell trout roe, both in nylon sacks and just cured themselves but we used them raw most of the time, which was and still is illegal.

Kris and I got us early, before daylight, and boated up to the hole just below the MDC boat ramp. Back then you could do that even with the water off. We'd anchor and fish roe. This morning we caught probably the best stringer of trout I'd ever caught- then and since. Unfortunately, I didn't practice catch and release back then. I soon learned of the importance of C&R. Kris did catch and keep a 9 pound brown the next morning. At that time, no one knew of a bigger brown caught from Taneycomo so we called it a lake record.

[luckycraft]

The mustache era... Yes

[Brian K. Shaffer]

That is classic... what does it say on your matching hats ? something Midwest ?

Good stuff Phil.

[Ham]

Don't sweat it Phil. Everybody has to learn the C&R thing. I don't EVER keep trout for myself, but it is a put and take fishery for the most part. There is NOTHING worng with people keeping trout, bu it is more fun for everybody else if they release the big ones for others to try to catch.

I'm digging the old photos.

[Phil Lilley]

Midwest Carpet Carriers. It's the company I worked for in Springfield before moving to Branson.

[bfishn]

Don't sweat it Phil...

I'm digging the old photos...

I agree. Back then the only way to prove your chops was in those pics on the baitshop walls. Now you just upload the video to YouTube live from the boat.

Le's see some more!

[RSBreth]

You should see all of the old "Grip and Grin" pictures me and my brothers have of stringers of fish. We evolved, too.

[Quillback]

Great pic, I remember those days when the bait shops all had pics on the wall with people holding dead fish, how things have changed!

[laker67]

That picture goes way back Phil. One of the first big browns that I witnessed caught there, was caught on roe by one of the old timers named Russ. Did you ever stop by Fall Creek Resort and get a lunker button for any of the fish you caught? Back then we had to have those braggin right buttons. Great picture Phil.

[ollie]

we use to go to Taney every weekend in the summer when I was a kid. Late 70's and Dad and mom always kept what we would catch. I use to remember going to Fall Creek boat dock and seeing all the stars pictures with big trout that they had caught. My Dad and Mom both caught lunkers on the same day in the same hole I think at mile 16. Dad's was 9.5 pounds and mom's was 10. Both big old bows. I think the next year they bought a bass boat so they could go more! We would use eggs and nightcrawlers. Times have changed though and I wouldn't keep any anyways.