Lilleys' Landing Resort & Marina Fishing Report Nov 08
Lake Taneycomo Fishing Report
Boy, has this been a year of ups and downs . . . well mainly ups -- up in water, that is. Record rainfall and record levels and releases into our area lakes have paid a toll on our fisheries in many ways. Each lake in our system here in southeast Missouri has seen different results, positive and negative, on structure and fisheries, and all of it has been out of our control, for the most part.
Backing up to this past spring, heavy rains sent warm water runoff from all different directions into Table Rock Lake, churning and pushing water around even in the deep depths of the lower lake, mixing the winter cold water on the bottom with the warm spring rain runoff. That’s proved to be the main factor for our water here on Taneycomo now 10 degrees higher than normal, registering in the lower 60s instead of in the lower 50s. Add warm water to the low dissolved oxygen levels -- which we encounter every fall -- and that makes trouble for our trout. How much trouble I’ll address a little later in this article.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has down a stellar job lowering Table Rock’s level back down to power pool. Actually, it’s more than a foot below power pool right now. The question we’re asking is why the need to keep running water during week daylight hours. This past Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the water was off for at least part of the day but not during the week. Anglers who have waited patiently all spring, summer and now fall for a chance to wade the upper end of the lake are still waiting.
We’re hearing mixed reports on fishing and our trout’s condition right now split between two areas – from fly fishermen just below the dam and down farther from anglers in boats below Lookout. Below the dam, we’re seeing pockets of trout that have died either from the adverse conditions and/or from the stress of being caught, handled and released. Some of these trout don’t have a lot of fight to them and are skinny. But anglers report some rainbows and browns look good, fight powerfully and swim off easily. Down farther in the lake, below Lookout, our trout seem to be taking flies well, fighting great and looking very healthy. Quite a contrast.
Our brown trout run has been almost non-existent this year for the first time ever in my memory. No one really knows the reason, but I think the high spring had to have affected the browns. Our rainbows, on the other hand, are already up below the dam spawning in some places. I don’t think spawning is in full swing, by any means, but there are some rainbows up there making beds. We usually don’t see this until December and January.
When the water is running, anglers are doing very well using night crawlers, drifting from Fall Creek to Short Creek and down farther. With the water running so slowly, many are just using small split shots instead of bell sinkers. They stay close to the center of the lake to avoid snags on trees that have fallen in the water off the bluff bank. PowerBait Gulp eggs in white, pink or orange are also doing okay. Actually, eggs and San Juan Worms flies have done well, too, rigged and fished just like worms. Down
farther in the lake, anglers are trolling small spoons and crank baits and catching a lot of freshly stocked rainbows. The Missouri Department of Conservation is still stocking rainbows from the Branson Landing to Lilleys’ Landing, so you’ll find a lot of trout in this area.
Above Fall Creek, we’ve finally started to see some midge action with the lower water. On windy days, stripping soft hackles and wooly buggers up on the shallow flats has produced a lot of rainbows this past week. With the water running or not, rainbows have been keying in on hatching midges and dimpling the surface as far as the eye can see. Drifting a San Juan or scud with a split shot or under an indicator in this same area will also catch a lot of fish.
I’ve been throwing 1/8 to 1/16-ounce jigs from the dam down past Fall Creek and faring well. I switch around to find out what the trout are hitting each time, starting with white then moving to an earth color like brown, sculpin, olive or black.
With the water off, a red San Juan worm fished up below the dam in fairly fast water has been very effective. Scuds size #18’s in gray, tan or olive, have been a close second. Leeches and woolies have produced bites, too.
I’ve seen a lot of anglers taking boats up into the trophy area, beach them get out and wade the shallow flats below Lookout. This is a great way to get away from the crowds and go some fishing. I’ve been seeing rainbows in as little as 6 inches of water along the gravel banks in this area gorging on midges and probably scuds. Being stealthy and making good casts with small midges can be great fun, nailing these trout in these conditions.
For midging or dimpling trout, throw a zebra midge #14 or #16 in reds, olive or black under a small indicator in the area of a rise and give it a few seconds. I love fishing this way- targeting a feeding trout.
I look for Table Rock Lake to turn over the first part of December this winter. This will send cold water to the bottom of Table Rock along with much needed oxygen that we’ll receive in Taneycomo. I look for fishing to be very good throughout the winter.
