CaseyMoore

Just got home yesterday from our pilgrimage to Taneycomo. I had a blast, learned a lot and even have some rainbows in the freezer to prove it. We arrived Monday, and had our first full day on the water Tuesday (1/14). To say that I am an amateur angler would be an understatement, so it was really nice having a place that was as forgiving as Taneycomo, and people around me as helpful as the staff at Lilleys. We had heard that they were biting on minnows, powerbait eggs, gulp eggs. I used primarily pink and white powerbait eggs, set to a #10 hook. We ran a drift rig with usually an 1/8oz dipsey swivel sinker, lead to a barrel swivel up top. Being the greenhorn that I am, I found it hard not to get too excited and try and set the hook everytime my pole moved. I ended up having to count to two before flailing around trying to set the hook. As inexperienced as I am, I was still able to bring fish in, which was a great feeling after making the walk of shame home with an empty stringer too many times. I was able to take my limit both days, I was tickled pink with the mostly 11 inchers we were bringing in. Tuesday around noon it was overcast and chilly, I landed a 14 incher on my white and (sparkly) pink powerbait combo, downstream of the first big bend from the trophy area. Hooked up to a small brown just upstream of the public ramp on a white and chartreuse combo, my novice showed, and he slipped the hook before I could take it out for him. Wednesday it was sunny but cold, with whipping wind. Current was moving pretty good, but the fish were hit or miss, they seemed to be bunched up. We wouldn't get any bites for an hour, then we'd get to a spot where they were begging for bait. Ending up doing really well just downstream of the trophy area, and again past the sinking green dock (don't know what else to use as a landmark, sorry), again either on pink/white orange/white or chartreuse/white powerbait. All in all, had a great time, can't wait to go back!