Gatorjet

As always, great report and video Phil. I always learn from you. What size hook do you use for nightcrawler fishing, and what action rod. I have changed to a medium light graphite 6 1/2' rod for drift fishing rather than the softer tipped fiberglass 6' I used to use. It seems like I can tell the difference in bumping the bottom and a bite better with the stiffer rod. BTW do you have the date for the St. Louis County Parks Taneycomo seminar yet?

I have never tried the trout worms, but have found them in fish I cleaned for the table. I'm sure going to give them a try now. A couple years ago, while at Lilleys for the R.A.W. Tournament I caught a 3 1/2 # Rainbow off the end of the dock about 15 feet from shore over the neighbors boat ramp. Of course it was the day before the tournament!. My boat was is a slip close to the downstream end where Phil keeps the pontoon boats. I noticed one of my jig & float rods had a loop in the reel. The pontoon was out of the slip, so I cast out to remove the tangle. I looked up and saw the float twitch a few times, when it started to move away I set the hook thinking it was aa little fish. When the 7' rod doubled over, and the fish started taking drag I got a little excited. You just never know what you will catch off of Phil's dock!

I don't know about Busch, but I have seen some innovative creations to break a hole through the ice to fish at Suson. Concrete filled coffee cans with an eyebolt imbedded in it, 4 or5 feet of chain for a "saw", and a long rope. Throw it out until the weight breaks through the ice, then "saw" a bigger hole. Cast past the hole with power bait & small weight on a float about 4' up the line, then reel it back until the bait drops into the hole.When you get a fish, just reel it up through the hole and slide it over the ice to shore. I can only imagine what the fly fishing purists on this forum think of it! I've never done it, nobody ever saw me, you can't prove it. I'm innocent!!!

http://www.jeffcomo.org/ParksFishing.aspx?nodeID=Parks This may help some. A lot of good fishing along the Big River. Don't know about fly fishing though. I do know that there at times some nice Walleyes caught below the old mill dams in some of these parks. Ther is always the winter Trout stockings at August A. Busch Wildlife in St. Charles County. There are plenty of posts about it on this forum. Also the urban Trout programs at St.Louis County Park lakes and some St. Louis City lakes. http://mdc.mo.gov/fish/

A secluded cabin on Taneycomo would be a rare if not impossible thing to find. Most everything I have seen in the nearly 20 years of visiting the area has been resorts and condos. Winter may reduce the crowds in Branson, but not on the lake. Winter can be some of the best fishing on Taney. Check out some of the websites for accommodations on Taneycomo, you will find plenty. Although not secluded, but very nice with some really great people would be my favorite place, Lilleys Landing. On your other post, Phil recomended Blue Haven, If he suggested it, it's probably as close as you can get to what you are looking for.

Shouldn't that picture have the disclaimer "advertisement" above it like in the magazines? LOL You have me sold, I'm definitely going to do some fishing up there now!

Congratulations TJ. The outdoor heritage of all of us will live on through wonderful young people like you!!!

That's what I call TEAMWORK on those short fish's part!

This is what I wear when fishing Taneycomo in February for the past 18 years. Military style ECWS polypropylene long underwear including hood Polypropylene liner socks Wool or wool/polypropylene blend socks Jeans and shirt 800 gram thinsulate gortex boots insulated bibs and coat Balaclava (like a fleece ski mask, but long enough to fold the bottom back up to cover your mouth and nose) fingerless fishing glove while fishing Long gauntlet gloves while driving the boat. Motocross googles.

My Santa can't get it through "her" head that I buy my clothes, Santa is supposed to bring TOYS! So I gave up. At least I hope it's one of the wildlife or fish print shirts from Bass Pro.

Wow, I always just thought of Busch for the catfish lakes, winter Trout, and tons of bluegill. Now I'm going to have to get serious up there!

Darn, I was looking forward to meeting a guy warped enough to hang a Christmas Raindeer up on his porch for a decoration! The red lights piled up under it were a good touch to.

[There are miles of unfishable water on the lower end. This may be a dumb question on my part, and more appropriate to the Lower Taneycomo topics, but Why is it "unfishable"?

GREAT!!!! LOL LOL LOL

eric1978, I share in your curiosity. To take it one step farther, I wonder what the fishery in Taneycomo would be if MDC had not started the trout stocking program. I enjoy fishing Taney, and personally think that it is being put to the best use it can be for fishermen. With Table Rock just a short drive away, I don't think an effort should be made to increase the smallsouth population. I have herd all the "native species" talk, but since the construction of Table Rock dam, Taneycomo is far from being a part of a native stream.

I don't really see why a hotspots map of Taney would be necessary. With the excellent maps and tips provided by Phil on the upper portion, and common knnowledge of below Fall Creek, Short Creek, in front of Lilleys, Cooper Creek, Monkey Island, the Bridges, The Landing. There are a couple other favorites of mine, but I don't want to see them on a Hotspots map!

Simple and delicious. Season whole trout, split (deboned if you like) with salt and pepper to taste Coat liberally with Emeril's Essence Heat cast iron ribbed grill very hot and wipe with a little oil place flesh side down on grill and sear until done.

Isn't that what I said? Bean counters in the same corporate office, seperate operations for production. BTW, my father worked at the St. Louis CHEVROLET plant for 37 years. Chevrolet AND GMC trucks ran down the same EXACT line, one behind the other. Don't know what they are doing now at Government Motors, he retired 40 years ago.

I remembered somebody held reloading classes, just couldn't remember if it was MDC or St. Louis County Parks. That is a great idea for flyfshn. He could get a little exposure to it then decide if it is for him. This talking about reloading and the scarce ammo supply has me longing to get my gun room completed and my bench set up again. Funny thing with my gun room, as the basement finish went on, the wife's laundry got bigger, and my gun room got smaller!

And now look into boat manufacturers. Genmar makes Ranger, Champion, Stratos, along with Wellcraft, Four Winds, and other sport boats. Marine Group, maker of Procraft and Fisher is part of Tracker Marine Group, a division of Bass Pro Shops. Does that mean a Ranger is a Champion is a Stratos. A procraft is a Nitro? No, I'm sure the "bean counters" are in the same corporate office, but each division is run individually as far as design, production, and QC. The advantage could be they learn from each other, and share information. It's just fun to go to the boat show and play with the Ranger salesman a little. Asking him if Ranger and Champion aren't made by the same company, and watching him squirm! LOL

I am always glad to see MDC spend the money given them on habitat improvement. They have done a good job of helping provide a diverse fishery throughout the state. Taneycomo trout, Truman Hybrid stripers, Pomme De Terre Muskies have all given us opportunities to catch fish of all kinds. As far as what to do in Taneycomo, I hope someone from MDC is reading the posts here. Some very intelligent suggestions have been made. I wouldn't mind large boulders added in the far upper area. I personally think from the outlets to say KOA or Lookout should be reserved for wading when water release is low enough for safty. That would be hard to enforce, who is to say when it would not be safe for wading and OK for boat traffic. If the boulders were placed properly, they could impede boat traffic except during high water. That may all sound a little strange coming from a guy with a 20' inboard jetboat. Yes, I could run about anywhere up there, but when the water is low I choose not to out of courtesy to the wade fishermen. With 26 miles of lake, I can find plenty of places below KOA or Lookout to fish.

Considering the fact that they should have learned to give another hunter his area in the hunter education class required of anyone born after Jan 1 1967, They are either to stupid to remember that, or over the age of 42 and have always been stupid. You can't fix stupid!

A mommy crawfish and her brood were crawling through a field when one of the little ones yelled "run fo yo lives, dat ting is gonna eat us" Don't have no worry, momma says, dat's a horse, da dont eat crawfish. A little further another of the brood yelled again. No mama said, dat's a cow da don't eat crawfish. All of a sudden momma sees several people walking through the field. Run, hide, she says, dat's a whole family of Cajuns, and da will eat ANYTHING.