Trav

Welcome!

Welcome!

Great post PHW! I like a challenge myself but only when I desire it. Im a very systematic, methodical thinker who enjoys the radical but on my own terms. Changes that surprise me are the worst. The inevitable erosion/deteriation or the projected/expected change I can stomach. Like I know this winter it will get colder. I know that urban sprawl will take over. I know that prices will inflate. I know that science will advance. And of course I know lakes will age. Some stuff we dont like but its change we accept. Its the things that blindsides you that irritates me. Adaption has never been an issue with me. Although living life to expect the unexpected always has been. Living on Taney, your kind of always playing a waiting game. When will they run generators? When will they stop? Over the years you would think I would be used to it. But in my minds eye, I would sure appreciate it if they would just make a schedule, publish it, and stick to the schedule. Of course, I have many disfunctions and being a diagnosed anal retentive is one of them. I just feel that everything has a time and place and am easily skewed if things are irratic or out of place. Haha I remember when that TV show "Monk" first came out. At family get togethers my relatives used to joke that I was one of the writers for the show. They jest but I can confirm that it is a very frustrating condition sometimes. I swallow alot of impulses everyday or I will literally never sleep.

I was under the impression that "Idol" was a chic show. My Bad.

Life is one big Oxymoron my friend!

You were right!

Thought Phil would produce this... but here it is. After numerous requests.

I hear that. As much as I like routine the changes cant stop the drive.

Admin? No, OAF would be so fortunate. But it is not the case. Im not lonely on my pedistal, Im just another parasite destroying the earth. Just like you my "Friend". It is an open forumn.....anyone and thier ancestor can respond.

What a pleasant surprise then, to find that Taneycomo has met all those challenges and still is considered one of the nation's best fishing destinations. In fact, Taneycomo's trout are getting larger, not smaller, and a successful new management program is improving fishing for everyone. Lake Taneycomo's story began in 1913. With the construction of Ozark Beach Dam at Powersite on the White River, Taneycomo became the first in a chain of four reservoirs that includes Bull Shoals, Table Rock and Beaver lakes. For the first 38 years of Lake Taneycomo's existence, native sport fish of the White River basin sustained a popular fishery that helped create one of Missouri's first tourist areas on the shores of Rockaway Beach. A new chapter began in 1958, when Table Rock Dam was built immediately upstream. Until then, Taneycomo was basically just a wide spot in the slow, meandering White River. After Table Rock Dam was built, Lake Taneycomo was fed by water that came from 160 feet below the surface of Table Rock Lake. The water was cold year-round and was unsuitable for most of the White River's warm-water fish. Their populations declined, as did the popular fishery they supported. A rainbow often follows a storm, offering hope and promise for the future. In this case, hope came in the form of rainbow trout! Native to the streams of the West Coast, rainbow trout were well suited to the chilly waters that now filled Lake Taneycomo. Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery was constructed to compensate for the loss of the native warm-water fishery that had existed before the dam was built. The hatchery provided a reliable supply of trout for stocking. Amphipods (known to anglers as freshwater shrimp) gathered from Ozark spring branches and stocked along with the trout, flourished in the cold waters. The result was fat, fast-growing trout to fuel a trophy rainbow fishery. In the "glory years," light fishing pressure allowed many of the stocked trout to grow large. By 1969, stringers of 3- to 5-pound trout were not unusual. Outdoor writers called Lake Taneycomo the best trophy rainbow trout lake in North America. As Taneycomo's fame grew, so did the number of anglers pursuing its big rainbows. A voluntary length limit encouraged anglers to limit their harvest to protect the big fish. It seemed to work for awhile, but eventually there were just too many anglers. Fishing pressure quadrupled from 1970 to 1990, requiring a steady increase in the number of trout stocked. By then, the Branson boom had begun. Development claimed more and more of the landscape, and sediment entered the lake during rainstorms. In addition, white suckers suddenly became common in the lake and outnumbered trout in some surveys. In addition, the cold water from Table Rock Lake contained low levels of dissolved oxygen in the fall, stressing both fish and their food sources. Two things were certain: the big rainbow trout were gone, and freshwater shrimp were not as numerous as before. By the early 1990s, the once-great Taneycomo trout fishery had fallen on relatively hard times. Anglers who wanted something more than stocker-size rainbow trout demanded that something be done to bring back the big rainbows. Their demands were partially met by a new brown trout fishery that produced enormous, even world-record size, brown trout. However, brown trout are harder to catch, and a few behemoth browns didn't satisfy anglers who remembered the glory years when rainbows were measured in pounds, not inches. The Missouri Department of Conservation developed several research studies to determine what caused the decline of the big rainbows. Some of the studies suggested there simply wasn't enough food in Lake Taneycomo to grow large rainbow trout. Clearly, the lake's freshwater shrimp population had declined. Other studies showed that Taneycomo was still capable of growing rainbows, but few fish lived longer than a month before being caught and removed. Gradually, a picture emerged of a fishery that could still produce large fish, but not without some changes. First, because there was less trout food, fewer trout could be stocked. Reduced stocking levels helped the freshwater shrimp population recover slightly. Still, rainbow trout harvest remained high, and while trout now had more to eat, most were harvested before they could grow large. It became obvious that the rainbows needed protection from immediate harvest. So, beginning in March 1997, the Conservation Department established new fishing regulations in the upper part of the lake. These regulations were designed to protect some of the rainbows and allow them to grow larger. Fishing pressure is heavy in upper Lake Taneycomo, and the trout there needed more protection. Studies show a trout is about five times more likely to die if caught and released on natural or prepared baits than one caught on artificial lures or flies. Because the new rules require anglers to release most of the trout they catch, it was necessary to limit fishing tackle in the upper lake to artificial lures and flies only. The new rules protected many of the rainbows from harvest and minimized losses of released fish to hooking mortality. The new fishing regulations created an almost immediate improvement in the fishery. Before the rule change, fewer than 10 percent of the rainbow trout in the upper part of the lake exceeded 13 inches. Only five months after the regulation change, the percentage jumped to 30 percent. In a little more than two years, there was also a ten-fold increase in the number of rainbows in the upper lake. More than half were longer than 13 inches, and 10 percent exceeded 16 inches. Bigger rainbows are back, and with one- to three-pound fish being caught daily, anglers are recalling memories of the glory days Taneycomo still has some problems. Branson continues to grow, white suckers are still abundant, and water from Table Rock Lake still has low oxygen levels during late summer and fall. The Conservation Department is working with other agencies to protect the lake and its fishing, and to determine if it's possible to make changes in the operation of Table Rock Dam that would help the fishery. Not everyone who fishes Lake Taneycomo is interested in catching a trophy. Many simply want to catch a few trout to eat, and the Conservation Department has devoted considerable effort to helping anglers who choose not to fish in the special regulations area of the upper lake. Below the mouth of Fall Creek, for example, the Department heavily stocks rainbow trout. Anglers may keep any trout they catch up to the daily limit of five, regardless of size, and they may fish with any kind of bait, lure or fly. In addition, the Department has built a new access facility at Cooper Creek, and improved the access facilities in Forsyth and Rockaway Beach. These areas bring the thrill of fighting a rainbow trout to more anglers by increasing bank fishing opportunities, making boat access easier and easing access for disabled anglers. The saga of Lake Taneycomo continues, providing plenty of grist for new stories of how the fishing in this unusual cold-water lake promises to get better and better. by Mike Kruse

Vintage Lower Taney

you dont have to approve. I personally dont have any friends that go so far as to be on my list or thiers. Nor do I care to keep track of them. I figure that if they are my friend they will just keep in touch.

who cares?

It is instictive for trout to move upstream. Especially if the current is low. And I have seen the hatchery truck dropping fish at both Rockaway Beach and Empire Park. Russell said just today he once seen them dropping fish at Sunken Forest. The lower Taney is a different lake all together from the upper. You have to approach it quite differently. Plus it is alot more fickle. Somedays they are biting bare hooks, the next day you cant buy a bite. I have learned over the years to just feel it out for a bit and accept it when the bite is off. Especially if there is no water being generated. It fishes best when there are 3 or 4 generators running. Get down to 1 or worst, none, and those trout got zippers on thier lips. Also, There have been trout in Bull Shoals for 50 years.

The biggest issue flooded trees have is they are extremely vulnerable to insect infestation and disease. So even if they survive the water, they may fall victim anyway.

The trout just get smarter the further down ya get. Haha

Thanks to Russells(naru70) hospitality I got out this afternoon. It was a struggle. We only caught 2 sport bass. Even tried to pick up some trout for a tiny bit but no takers. I think we would have had better luck if the Corps would have let out some water. Oh Well, thats why it is called fishing and not catching. Right? We will get them twice next time to make up for today!

Flood Tolerant Trees Acer rubrum - red maple Fraxinus nigra - black ash Fraxinus pennsylvania - green ash Larix laricina - Eastern larch Salix nigra - black willow Taxodium distichum - baldcypress Intermediate Tolerant Trees Abies balsamea - balsam fir Acer negundo - boxelder Acer saccharinum - silver maple Alnus rugosa - speckled alder Betula nigra - river birch Celtis occidentalis - hackberry Fraxinus americana - white ash Gleditsia triacanthos - honeylocust Liquidambar styraciflua - American sweetgum Platanus occidentalis - sycamore Populus deltoides - Eastern cottonwood Populus tremuloides - quaking aspen Pyrus calleryana - callery pear Quercus macrocarpa - bur oak Quercus palustris - pin oak Quercus phellos - willow oak Salix alba - white willow Thuja occidentalis - Eastern arborvitae Ulmus americana - American elm Intolerant Flooded Trees Acer platanoides - Norway maple Acer saccharum - sugar maple Aesculus flava - yellow buckeye Asimina triloba - common pawpaw Carpinus caroliniana - American hornbeam Carya ovata - shagbark hickory Cercis canadensis - Eastern redbud Cladrastis kentukea - American yellowwood Crataegus x lavallei - lavalle hawthorn Fagus grandifolia - American beech Juglans nigra - black walnut Juniperus virginiana - Eastern red cedar Liriodendron tulipifera - tulip tree Magnolia x soulangiana - saucer magnolia Malus - crabapple Nyssa sylvatica - black gum Ostrya virginiana - American hophornbeam Picea abies - Norway spruce Picea glauca - white spruce Picea pungens - Colorado spruce Pinus bansiana - jack pine Pinus resinosa - red pine Pinus strobus - Eastern white pine Prunus serotina - black cherry Quercus alba - white oak Quercus muehlenbergii - chinkapin oak Quercus rubra - red oak Sassafras albidum - sassafras Sorbus aucuparia - European mountainash Tilia - linden Tsuga canadensis - Eastern hemlock Ulmus pumila - Siberian elm (Source: Sinclair, Lyon, and Johnson, 1987)

Change is usually bad in my book. Is anybody else comfortable with loosing thier old school to trek on new aspects?

Welcome!

Nice!

Right. The only one on the current side, directly across from the conoco station. Thanks DC

Let Me get out my ear plugs! I have a knickname for those noisy boats. BumbleBees. I cant stand them. I cant even hear my television when they are running. And it never fails, some dumb*sses insist to think my dock is a public mooring station. Last year there were beer cans all over my dock. Same thing happens on July 4th during the fireworks. I think this weekend I will go down and flag down the water patrol and explain my problem with it. Maybe they will enforce private property laws. Fat chance, but it may be worth a try.

Thats all I fish is the Lower. It can get a bit frustrating to most. Thats why most people only fish it a few times and decide to stay above Roark. Not that I am complaining.

Thanks BigRed, I might even go fishing with you just to get off the dock! You cant miss it. It is the only one on the current side across from Rockaway. Bought it from Edon Roc Motel in '90 and it still has the Motels logo on it. Bill, I am going to see what a hammer and some JB Weld will do for now. Besides, I have a buddy at Central Marine(Jack) who has had his eye on her for quite some time. He collects vintage motors as well. I will probably give it to him. Plus he will be instrumental in finding me a reliable 35horse to replace her. I have an '84 50horse Merc that came off my Gramps pontoon years ago that needs a little lower-unit work so between the two I am hoping to find an even trade. I am confident Jack can get-er-done. Anyway, not much of a story behind it. I bought it 8 years ago from a Resteraunt manager named Ron who had it 5 or 6 years. I was the sauce/saute chef at the resteraunt he worked at. He bought it from a guy named Mel whose wife was a waitress in the same resteraunt. I think Mel had it a decade or so. Other than that I dont know anything else. BUT... I am retired....you can hang me on the wall and that gives a far more interesting story to tell! Haha