Nolan_Whaley

Maybe i'm showing my ignorance... Why isn't the lower portion of Taneycomo a trophy smallmouth area? Not enough forage? Browns eat smallies? I'd think the water temps would be great for smallmouth. Is it just too hard to manage for trout on the upper end, and smallies on the lower? I'm sure i don't know, but on the surface, it would seem to be an ideal location. Anyone have thoughts on this?

I'm sure there are some trout. If you go back and look at some older posts in this forum, I think you'll find trout throughout the lake. Right now, i'm in bass mode, and was just looking to avoid the zoo that is table rock lake this time of year, and hadn't been on lower taneycomo. So, it was a sunday afternoon adventure. I think the mid lake area.. bull creek to sunken forest would be my next target. Although, i've been wondering about some of the flats off the channel in that area as well. I didn't try any mid-depth cranks or carolina rigs in these areas, and that has been on my mind since i got back.

Went to Lower Taney today. Put in at Empire park, and started fishing the cove across from the ramp. Saw lots of bass, but no biters. Same in coves going up the lake. Finally caught 4 dinks off the point at Sunken Forest cove. Lost a good fish off of a log in that cove as well. Was nice to fish some shallow water, and flip some laydowns and veggies. Lack of practice, and I set the hook the wrong direction, and lost the log fish. Water temps were low 70-72 in Sunken forest and down at the dam. Colder above there. Probably should have went to Bull Creek, but just didn't make it up that far. Lots of bass in back of creeks in shallow water, but i guess they could see me too. No takers there. All the fish i caught came on 8" watermelon/red lake fork worms. Tried crankbaits, spinner baits, jig, lizard, & trick worms in a few colors.

Kayak is fine fun for fishing. I think the reason they are recommending the longer ones are for better tracking. I've just started doing some of this, and love getting on the rivers. We wound up with 9.5' Precision Tribe sit on tops. My only complaint has been tracking on that size. I have issues keeping it going the direction i want. I'd also think the 12' would have more storage, and maybe protect rods better. Fly gear is pretty compact unless you have a TON. I bought a chest pack instead of a vest, and a cooler with 2 small pouches and a gap between makes fine rod holder sticking out back of kayak, under bungies. The version we wound up with is pretty light, and stackable, and that was part of our need. Great fun, highly recommended way to pass a day on a river!

That is exactly a thing on my to do list. Just saving up the bucks to make it happen. I think will open a whole new area of fishing for me. After reading Bill's posts, i think you chose wisely. Hope to do the same at some point.

What's the fishing like on lower Taney? I'm assuming regular bassboat is usable in this area, and maybe less traffic? Any good large or small mouth bass fishing?

Good luck Champ, hope that is short downtime. Took the advice and went to Bull Shoals on saturday. Fished out of buck creek area with limited success. One short fish off main lake point, and one 3lber from a dock. I needed to find some sort of structure, and just didn't. Not bad for a first trip, with no other info. Very fishable, water veeeeery clear. Didn't get swamped, and that was nice.

I know a bunch of guys are reporting good top water bite off and on early in the morning before sun gets on water. I haven't been able to get out early, so fish a lot of afternoon and evenings. My success has been using one of 2 things: 1/8 oz spot remover jig with either a green pumpkin/red or watermelon red trick worm, or 1/2 oz pbj football head jig with a watermelon/red twin tail grub as a trailer. Hit points and as above said, transition banks where chunk turns to gravel or the other way. In the evening, i like the shady banks as well. I fish the spot remover jig on light line.. 8lb, and 1/2 oz on 14lb flouro. Put boat in 30' of water, and make long cast, and fish it all the way back to the boat. I've caught some fish fairly shallow and some down to prob 25', but that's the best way i've found. May not catch a bunch of big fish, but i've had pretty good success catching at least a few dinks, and usually catch at least 1 decent fish. Goodluck.

Welcome. I'm originally from Goodwell, so i know all about NW OK. Have missed last couple of years, but still try and go pheasant hunting out there when life lets me.

I haven't explored Bull Shoals at all. I know it and Norfork in easy driving distance. Do they both get that much less traffic that they are worth a short drive on weekends? I just figured they were the same deal during the summer.

Well, i was afraid of that answer.. Guess the kayak will continue to get a workout on the weekends. Rivers are nice and cool as a bonus. I was thinking of trying the white river above the 86 bridge and going up above cape fair to where the james and flat creek come in. Any tips there? Thanks for the info.. i'll just keep ducking, dodging, and chucking.

My experience thus far, and readings on this forum, suggest main lake points or secondary points for sure as the most steady fishing locations. However, with summer upon us, the huge cruiser boats make these areas virtually unfishable during the day. Early morning, and sometimes in the evening these are accessible, but during the day, not a chance. Thus far i've fished mostly in the Kimberling City area above hwy 13 and the James arm up to little aunts creek. I've run up to piney creek once, and i wonder if that can be a decent way to go. Due to work & family obligations, weekends are definitely my easiest times to get some fishing time in. I'm not looking for exact locations, just some recommendations for some areas where i can go fish when the big boats are swamping the lake. Are there some of the other creeks i should be looking at where i won't get beat to death? As an example, i ran up to Big Creek a couple of weekends back, and while the trip there almost beat me down, i had an enjoyable afternoon of fishing for the most part. No huge fish, but some action, and just a few skiers/jet skis. Are there some other areas you'd recommend? Just looking for ideas getting away from the crowds...

Took a trip to the central ozarks, and stayed in Eminence. Floated from Eminence to Current River Sunday eve, and wow... i thought the James or Flat creek had some traffic until i saw that mess. Didn't even bother to fish. Nice quick float on a sunday eve, but a bajillion tubes and horses. Also, after driving around on Tuesday up the Current, there are some amazing piles of canoes at the liveries. I'm guessing you can walk down the rivers on a saturday afternoon. Monday took a long float, Rymers to Alley Spring. The Rymers to Bay Creek was a great trip. Caught a bunch of small fish, and i think 6 brownies over 10". Below Bay Creek is just not nearly as scenic or even that good of fishing water.. at least to a first timer. Lots of flats and drag spots. Upper end is great float. Good trip, i appreciate the James River a lot more now. Wish i had taken my fly rod instead of spinning gear. That was perfect fly rod water. Lesson learned for next trip there.

Anything you do to make fly fishing out of the kayak easier? i can do the spinning rod fairly easily.. but seems like i have a lot going on with a fly rod. Any tips you'd share on that? I'd really like to hang into some smallies on my fly rod.

My kayak is a sit on top, and we normally take 2, and they stack. So anything i add has to be removeable.. hopefully quickly. Has anyone made their own rod holder or used the ones you can get from harmonygear.com? I see there is some sort of removeable rail system and then rod holders or whatever can be attached to that? I keep thinking something like that would be handy.. lap may be just as easy. Maybe just a piece of 1x4 or something would be just as good... Also, has anyone added a skeg or rudder that's removeable? My kayak is 9.5' long, and probably my biggest hurdle is just keeping it going in the direction i want and fishing without having to paddle or adjust course.

I've just recently got a kayak, and have been floating and fishing some. It's a great way to spend a day, afternoon, days, whatever on the rivers or lake coves. I've floated the James from Shelvin to Kerr, and floated flat creek from Jenkins to the SR EE bridge yesterday. So far, here's what i've learned. I have a hard time fly fishing from the kayak, so, so far, i prefer spinning road. Tried fly fishing flat creek yesterday, and I found myself wanting my spinning rod. Really need to be able to float, then stop and wade fly fishing. Spinning rod is easier and i had some limited success on my first trip down the james river mem day weekend. In both cases, i think you need to try and minimalize gear. For spin fishing, i got a pretty good variety into a small tackle bag, then put plastics in a flat tupperware tub. Fly fishing, a small chest pack was all i needed. We have a small cooler bag that has 2 small pockets on one side. It was perfect for laying a rod between the pockets and then running the bungies across to secure a rod sticking out the back. Fishing from the kayak can be done with a spinning rod pretty easily. what i do is lay the paddle across my lap, and then fish. i can then hold the rod in one hand, and make small direction adjustments with the paddle with the other hand. If the water is very fast, this gets harder. Probably worst thing i did was try to fish a laydown in some fairly fast water, and got hung up. I had a lot of line out, and some really hard paddling back up stream before i could get to a point where i could break off and not lose tons of line. Some d-ring clips and a dry bag or dry box to keep keys, camera, anything else that needs to be dry. Everything tends to get a little wet outside the dry box. I recommend the book: Flyfisher's guide to Missouri & Arkansas by Dan Linbaugh & Larry Kinder. Lots of good information on access points and mileage. My experience so far as to distance: Can float and fish from kayak 10 miles or so in 5-6 hours. If you are stopping and wading that adds up in a hurry. I'd say a 4-6 mile stretch is a better day trip then. Great fun, good luck. Lots and lots of places to use the kayak.

I've gotten so much info from you guys.. i have to reply. I took 3 kids out yesterday, we caught quite a few small spots.. biggest prob in 1.5lb range plus one of the kids caught about a 3lb smallie in the cemetary area across from joe bald ramp. Spot remover jig w/wat-red trick worm. 2-5pm, from the bank out to 20 feet or so. Just followed the top water action back and forth. Did catch one fish on a fluke, but the trick worm was much more consistent.

I moved to the Table Rock area around first of the year. Found this website for lots of excellent info. I'm mainly a bass fisherman, but dally a bit with a fly rod, and am looking to explore some of the many rivers in SW MO. If you see a guy hauling water in a maroon & white Triton fish'n ski, stop and say hi... it's prob me. My main investigations so far have been Table Rock lake from Fisher Creek to Piney. Caught some nice fish up shallow in mar/apr, need to learn some new techniques for deeper water / summer time, as the easy fishing seems to have passed. --Nolan