Lilley's Lake Taneycomo Fishing Report, March 1

[Phil Lilley]

2 hours ago, laker67 said:

I always wondered if using game fish body parts was a legal thing back then . It certainly is not now. Lots of poaching and trout eggs were used back then. Russ and Doc were the two i knew for a fact. 

If you cure the eggs with sugar or borax you could use them. But they were just putting it on a treble. It wasn’t legal. 

[fshndoug]

I saw Marty Horn try to help a guy net a Rainbow on time in the 70's below outlet #2 that swam between his legs and break off. I was laughing like crazy because that fish would have been dinner.

[BilletHead]

2 minutes ago, fshndoug said:

I saw Marty Horn try to help a guy net a Rainbow on time in the 70's below outlet #2 that swam between his legs and break off. I was laughing like crazy because that fish would have been dinner.

Whaaaat? 

    Never fished there until the 80s. 

[fshndoug]

Different Marty ,this one had hair.

[BilletHead]

16 minutes ago, fshndoug said:

Different Marty ,this one had hair.

Same last name? I was beginning to confirm my thoughts you were a crazy old coot. 

[Phil Lilley]

Marty Babusa

[laker67]

14 minutes ago, Phil Lilley said:

Marty Babusa

A former brown trout record holder. I have fished with him a time or two. Musician as I recall.

[laker67]

On 3/2/2022 at 1:00 PM, Phil Lilley said:

You're right - I didn't know anything about trout fishing in 1983... but I got eyes.  And ears.  I was at the meetings with MDC.  We formed Friends of Lake Taneycomo to draw attention to the problems with the lake.  At the time, they (we) blamed pollution, septic tanks and run off.  But the problem was overstocking.  They upped the numbers and the food base plummeted.  Plain and simple.  Since then it's been trial and error, along with a lot of things that have changed the lake.

I disagree with you on the floods.  USACE didn't mismanage the water.  We got flooded.  They actually held off water that would have put a bunch of ppl and property underwater.... me included.  The gravel got washed in from the banks that are not shored up - not the Corps responsibility.  It's more MDC's responsibility since they own the land below the dam.  But I don't think they think it's a big enough issue to tackle.

High water doesn't affect the scuds population in a negative way, at least in the long term.  I've observed, between floods, the gravel flats below Lookout become somewhat packed down and settled.  The high water and hard current "rolls" the gravel, loosening it up.  When you walk on it your feet move around a lot.  I'm not a fishery biologist either but I'd think this would create a better habitat for bugs, at least that's what I've seen as far as in their population swings.

Rick's book is in final edits.  He had nothing but good to say about MDC.  Lots of history of old Taney.   Quick read, but some good stuff in it.

Sandy