While music shows and amusement parks have drawn vacationers to Branson for decades, the original pull for travelers was the peaceful Ozarks outdoors. Today fishing in the Branson area continues to be a year-round enticement, be it an afternoon off for a traveling businessman or those annual rituals to reunite with family and friends. Because there are three lakes in close proximity -- all part of the old White River system -- the "Tri-Lakes Area" invigorates anglers with daily and seasonal variety.
Lake Taneycomo
Lake Taneycomo is the most diverse fishing lake in the country, sporting world-class rainbow and brown trout as well as bass, crappie and blue gill angling. And the river-like body runs right through the heart of Branson to boot. The upper lake gets its cold water from the bottom of Table Rock Lake -- ideal for trout -- but the water warms enough in the lower lake to host warm-water species of fish. 
Between the Missouri Department of Conservation and the federal trout hatchery in Neosho, Missouri, more than 700,000 rainbows are stocked in Lake Taneycomo each year, along with about 15,000 brown trout. These trout are stocked throughout the year, depending on fishing pressure. That puts almost 90,000 rainbows in the lake during each of our summer months. In 1997, the Missouri Department of Conservation designated the upper 3.5 miles of the lake as a trophy area, assigning rules to protect rainbows so that they had time to grow to real trophies. And it has worked! Brown trout lake wide are protected until they are more than 20 inches in length. Rainbows average a whopping 16 inches in the trophy area. N umerous big browns hit the fall spawning run below the dam. Just a couple of years ago, the state record was broken by an angler from Camdenton, Missouri, with a trout weighing in more than 27 pounds.Lilleys' Landing Resort & Marina, located midway from the dam and downtown Branson, rents bass boats, pontoons and the special White River jons for fishing or boating excursions. Local fishing guides can also be hired out of Lilleys' Landing. The tackle shop carries a full line of tackle including flies and fly fishing gear, lures and line just for fishing Lake Taneycomo. http://lilleyslanding.com
Lake Taneycomo is enjoyed by thousands of anglers each year. From novice to the avid fly fisher, she offers lots of opportunity to catch abundant, quality trout.
Table Rock Lake
There's one word for Table Rock Lake -- fabulous! It boasts incredible scenery along 800 miles of shoreline and even better fishing! Its bass fishing has been called the best in the land by the finest anglers. Its 52,300-acres of smallmouth and spotted bass fishing is second to none. There are more bass tournaments on Table Rock Lake than any other lake in the Midwest. Why? Because it has some of the best bass fishing, that's why. B.A.S.S. makes a stop here every year. Whether you like blacks, kentuckies, smallmouth or meanmouth bass, Table Rock is the place to come any time of the year.
It also sports great catfish angling, spoonbill in the spring, crappie, white bass, goggleye, walleye and really good blue gill fishing. In the upper reaches, below Beaver Dam, try out the trout fishing!
See http://ozarkanglers.com for more information on Table Rock Lake and its surrounding tributaries such as the James, Kings and Roaring rivers, the Flat and Long creeks and the Beaver Lake tailwater.
Bull Shoals Lake
Bull Shoals is known for its undeveloped shores and serene quiteness . . . except during the white bass run in the spring! Its appearance in the upper lake is that of river, but it quickly turns into a lake in travel downstream. Walleye are plentiful but a little hard to catch. During winter months, walleye move up to the head of the lake and spawn in March. This is the best time to chase a trophy walleye that can weigh up to 20 pounds. White bass and crappie aren't far behind. Feeder creeks fill with spawning whites in April and May, and summer offers crappie and blue gill as well as bass. Most locals like to fish for crappie under the lights at night in late spring and all summer.Just recently, the new Missouri state record striper was caught below Powersite Dam at the top of Bull Shoals. Bull Shoals isn't know for its stripers, but they are there and there some some big ones!!
