Phil, Shhhhh!!!! 25 years and virtually no competition. Man, what a terrible thing to wake up to on Christmas morning. Somebody putting the word out on my private fishery. I'm gonna hate myself tomorrow for this post, but hey, it's Christmas.
I am not a local but I have kept the secret passed on to me about Taney bass for some 25 years. I have never told anyone about this but since somebody atready spilled the beans and the old timer that told me about it has passed, I figure it's okay to talk about it now.
First, I have only bass fished Taney alone.
We would come down to bass fish The Rock in the summer heat with some friends and I would always come back in the morning with pictures of big bass when they couldn't catch a thing. I never did tell them I was driving over to Taney and bass fishing there. The guy who told me about it said it was the home of the biggest bass in Missouri and nobody would believe it even if you did tell them.
I used to rent boats down in old town Branson and when I'm loading my baitcasting rods in the boat the guy that works there says "You might want to use a little lighter line and smaller baits on these trout". I didn't tell him I was going bass fishing down the lake. I've been down to powersite in that boat ramp inlet when bass were spawning everywhere. The guys trout fishing on the dock were laughing at me when I started throwing a big plastic lizard right up until the first of many big ole bass were slung on the bank. Nothing easier than fishing for spawners when the water is gin clear. Man those are some beautifully colored bass.
Just in the past few years, since the old town dock shut down, I would rent Phil's boat and sneak my bass fishing equipment on board so I wouldn't tip anybody off around there. Over the years Phil would post up something about bass fishing Taney and it never really got any attention and the whole time I would hold my breath and hope it never did. I'd be willing to share my spots if anybody has a boat and invites me along.
Coming down tomorrow and Tuesday to fly fish "FOR TROUT" by the dam and I'm really excited since I don't get to do it as much as I'd like.
Snagged in outlet 3.
P.S. I almost deleted this post so as not to draw anymore unwanted attention than it is already getting. Although after keeping the secret for so long it kinda feels good to let it out. Please practice catch and release and by all means take a camera.