Travis Swift

No I know how people feel about Dicks Sporting Goods and why they do and completely understand. I was just trying to pass on a good deal I had found to fellow OZA members

don't they usually slow it way down or shut it off for big holiday weekends? I know it's not their "policy" but seems like I have seen that happen a lot for years past.

With the recent big brown catches and posts I have a question. Obviously the Triploids are doing great and growing big and fast! I believe Phil said they stocked them in 2012 for the first time. How many did they stock? Did and do they stock them every year and continue to do so? I can imagine what these fish will be like in 4 or 5 years. I wondered if there are more year classes of fish coming on or if they only stocked them for a couple of years or if they continue to do so?

that's how I have always fished them as well. only busted 20 inches once though. we always threw them on the bluff across from lilleys back 15 or 20 years ago. got a ton of follows and would always catch a few as well. I still do it but seems like I have gotten away from it for a few years and not do it as much as I used to. Kinda fell in love with jig fishing at the cable and have forgotten that stretch some and not used jerkbaits as much for some reason. Maybe time to get back to old school ways again.

I will be down for 8 days starting June 9th. I plan to explore the bass fishing down stream more but I'm also going to commit some time to throw big swimbaits 6 inches or bigger and some glide baits to try and catch one of these big browns as well. What is Duane doing with that Mega Bass, jerk jerk pause like bass fishing, drifting with it etc?

I'm a jig guy mainly and don't use powerbait or the pink trout worm much at all anymore.....BUT if you are, you can get on Dicks sporting goods today. They have a deal where you can get 4 jars or 4 bags for $14 and there is a $10 mail in rebate. So that equals a buck a bag or a buck a jar. You can submit 4 rebates so you could get 16 jars or 16 bags for $16....they also have 10 inch worms etc for bass fishing. If you spend over $50 you get free shipping as well. Thought I would pass this along.

Congrats Duane. Boy there is starting to be a seriously good fishery for jumbo browns. Imagine what the next 3 to 5 years might hold in store!

Since they are weigh in at the Branson landing are they releasing those fish in Taney or taking them back to the rock?

I have tied up to the docks and went up to Buffalo Wild Wings a couple times. Also have fished off all the docks and done really well on them especially during the evenings. I have also tied up in the dock connected to the paddlewheel and went over and ate their on multiple occasions. really kind of a fun thing to do and you don't have to park and walk for miles to eat.

Lakeshore resort is awesome and perfect for what you want including lets. Boat ramp on site and 2 docks. 5 mins from rockaway by boat, 4 mins from the landing by boat. Please tell them Travis sent you. Adam and Amanda are friends of mine and I 100% promise you will love it.

Fair enough Phil. I'm spending more and more time each trip from the gold mine on down. Granted alot of that is bass fishing but its a whole different world down there. I'm starting to fall in love with it, its so peaceful, beautiful and the boat traffic is very much less. I just have figure out how to catch trout from the gold mine down. While reeling in a certain bass bait last winter i would have schools of 20 or more rainbows follow or bump the bait but the hook was to big. I have a solution for that, as i make my own baits and i cant wait to get down and test my newest trout bait out.

You here alot these days about fishing below the landing. Not specific locations but do you think some of these browns and bigger bows are being caught below the mdc ramp down there? Are we talking rockaway or further? Also what do you think the population is like for browns from say rockaway area on down?

Give them moto or saying for when they get to the narrows. Something like "gotta hang way left or you won't have a prop left"

I use the SOS 2 pound trout line and i like if so much I bought the 10, 400 yard spool. Its tough, sensitive and cheap and its the best I've ever used. Heck i watched my brother catch a 6 pound bass on that 2 pound SOS line here in kansas and it had been on his reel for 3 years!

Setting here with my foot up recovering from a ruptured achilles tendon and day dreaming for months away when i can walk again and get back to Taney. I have a Cabelas gift card and thought about trying my hand at fly fishing for something different. What would be a good all around length and weight fly rod to use on taney? Probably throwing a jig and float mainly?

That is darn scary. Hope someone gets a story cause i'm not sure i want my daughter on it again.

Did it come loose or what the heck happened?

I can tell you first hand that report was lake wide. I was stopped twice this year both times well below the trophy area although I did see them in the trophy area as well. they went all over the lake, I enjoyed getting stopped as they were friendly and I like being asked my opinion as well. Kudo's for MDC listening to the folks fishing and pay the money to do so. you guys have a great wildlife department in your state!

I've been coming ever year for 30 plus years with multiple trips each year. There are times I come down during the week when school is in session thinking it will be "slow" but the boat traffic has been crazy the last 3 or so years. It's busier than I've ever seen it. At times you about need a stop light at monkey island and short creek......a bit dramatic but in all seriousness it's been really packed the last few years.

Interesting read, I for one am all for bigger trout no doubt. I do have doubts that "angling pressure has decreased".....last couple of years the lake has seemed busier than ever to me but maybe that's just my observation alone. Lastly the year of the die off wasn't there a bunch of shad that came thru the dam? That no doubt has a lot to do with the trout growth rates that year and the health of the fishery. Again, I'm all for bigger rainbows....I also hope they continue to stock these megafast growing browns, it's very exciting have them in the lake now and seeing the big ones show up more frequently!

thanks for the info Phil I will sure do just that. might stop by for a shake and howdy when I'm up that way.

coming tomorrow for 9 days, gonna split my time between trout in upper and bass in the lower. Can I get a boat to look out at these water levels? I know i'll have to idle in the usual places though.

I'm spoiled with my boat. This looks like ZERO fun to me.

Great job Phil and what a beautiful fish! Got a weight guess on her? How does she compare to the giant you caught on video a few years ago?

Sounds about like every weekend of the year on Grand. That lake gets more tournament pressure than any lake I've ever seen.