My wife and I have been coming to Lilley's Landing for several years now in search of some serious "R & R", and we have been very pleased with the results. To me, fishing and relaxation are synonymous terms. The setting, the tranquility, and the abundance of hungry trout in Lake Taneycomo have lured us back down to Lilley's Landing (from Olathe, KS) with increasing frequency.
If you are seeking information regarding hot spots, secret coves, or effective lures and flies, I can't help you. I do 98% of my fishing on Lake Taneycomo from the dock. I realize boats are very popular and quite effective on helping anglers secure impressive stringers of rainbows, but I have found that Lake Taneycomo is heavily populated with trout, many of whom reside in the immediate proximity of Lilley's Landing. I have fished every day of every visit I've ever made to Lilley's Landing and I've been able to claim a limit at least 80% of the time. I'm not a great fisherman but i've developed an "M.O." that works quite well from Lilley's Landing dock.
I use green Maxima 4 lb. test line and a 12-24" leader (also 4-lb. test). I use one, two, or three large split shot weights (just above the swivel), depending on the conditions, to get adequate distance on the cast. Although the fish are really everywhere, I have had the best luck with long casts, well beyond the buoys. I use a size 16 treble hook and, although I have caught some nice trout with inflated nightcrawlers, the most effective bait has been power eggs. As a senior, my brain has pretty much been used up, so I don't bother trying to keep track of which color the fish happen to be biting best. Instead, I put three different colors of eggs on the treble hook, surmising that a fish is bound to be drawn to at least one of them. I use white, chartreuse, pink, and orange in totally random combinations.
There are many advantages to fishing off the Lilley's Landing dock, besides the fact that the fish are plentiful. The bottom of the lake seems to be clean ... very little moss and virtually nothing to get snagged on. I rarely lose tackle fishing off lilley's Landing dock. The fish cleaning facilities are marvelous and plentiful, even including hand sanitizers and plastic bags for the cleaned fish. The permanent chairs and benches, complete with pole holders, make fishing from the dock comfortable and convenient. Most important, the dock is covered, protecting the fisherman from the elements, specifically intense sunshine and rain. I love to fish here in a pouring rain, not just because I'm protected from getting wet but the fish also seem to bite exceptionally well in the rain.
Fishing on Taneycomo from the dock becomes difficult, however, when water is being generated, causing the current to be significant...to the point that your line takes a hard and severe left turn and ends up right next to the dock. When the current is severe I believe the only place to fish successfully at Lilley's Landing is from the benches on the extreme left (east) corner of the dock. The current still takes your line but there is an open area between the Lilley's dock and the next one down. It is possible to still achieve a limit of fish from this spot even in a rapid current. The hourly schedule of generating is made available at 5:00pm of the previous day, allowing you to plan your fishing (from the dock) accordingly.
I'm not one to fish 8 hours to catch a 4-fish limit, but it usually doesn't take nearly that long to land four "keepers" off the dock at Lilley's Landing. I just cast out and then kick back and read a book, being interrupted periodically by a hungry trout messing with my bait. I have caught fish off the dock at all hours of the day, but the most productive times are usually the early morning hours. It is totally feasible to start before day-break because the dock is well-lit.
It's Tuesday, February 28, and I'm writing this from the patio of the unit we're staying at. It's 11:30am and it's a sunny 60 degrees! There aren't many people here and it's even more peaceful and tranquil than normal. I got up this morning and fished from the left (east) corner of the dock from 5:45 to 7:00am. I caught eight trout and released them all, but if I had kept the best four I would have had a nice stringer of 12" rainbows. As Yogi Berra would say, "It was deja vu all over again."
