MOBass

You probably did. White Nitro 882 DC with my six year old daughter and myself in it. The glare off my legs would probably give us away. Were you bass fishing or chasing slick fish? We tried the Gold Mine area for nothing. That wood chip stuff in the water is the pits for me. I am sure there are fish there, but just didn't feel like fighting the junk in the water. I talked to a guy that said he was able to catch some eyeball fish. Not sure if they were on the bed or crusing and I didn't press for more info. My best bite was in the stained water, hands down. That was a big switch for me. Also catching all the fish in the creek was a change up. Now I'll be really confused on my next trip down. I am 0 for 4 on Bull creek. Any insight on what holds fish there? I have only fished the mouth and some docks and haven't gone back in it too far. Open for suggestions.

I finally got to fish Taney over the holiday and found good numbers on the bass and some decent fish also. I started off below Rock Away on some boat docks, but the floating wood ships made it a real pain and I didn't feel like fighting it. I made a quick stop up by the resort just below Rock Away and found the carp churning up the water. Not a good way to start the day. I decided on a move up towards Branson and hit pay dirt. The next spot brought a solid 3# fish on a stick o at a creek mouth and that was followed by a missed bite on a boat dock and then another fish pushing 3# for my daughter off of another stall on the same boat dock. After missing a fish between docks I made a cast for my daughter and she caught a dink on a small stick o. I picked up a buzzbait and had some fish swirl on it but couldn't get them to commit. Next time I'll remember my trailer hooks. I even tried a follow up with the sticko in the swirl for no love. Turned around and went back to the first dock we fished and hung up. Went to the bank to get unsnagged and ended up tight to the back side of the dock. Decided to make a cast towards the walk way and get thumped on the stick o. Set the hook and the rod doubled up and the fish headed under the dock. I got the rod down and swung the boat out to get the fish in open water. After a short dance around the trolling motor my daughter put the net on a decent fish of 4#. We made another move to another creek for some short bites and finally a fish on the buzzbait. One more stop for some more small fish at the first creek and we were done. Total for the day was 3 solid fish, numerous dinks, and plenty of wildlife. The water was stained in all the areas we caught fish. Creeks produced all of our bites with nothing on the main lake. Can't wait to go again.

I don't mind sharing with other fisherman. It's the waterskiers, jet skiers, and crusiers that I would love to get off TR. Maybe I should have posted that Taney has warm water, lots of scantaly clad ladies and buff guys, and free beer.

I had to back my trip up to Wednesday because of family commitments over the weekend. Here is what has worked for me: Docks:Jig,texas rigged worm, and stick o on sunny days. Overcast days I fish a buzzbait. I had a partner kick my butt on a stick bait this fall. I haven't had any success on docks up the creeks. Every dock fish I have caught has been off a dock on the main lake. Bluffs:Texas rigged worm and stick o. I fish the last 100 yds or so before the bluff flattens out. Most of the fish have come off of laydowns or brush. Some of this is visible and some you have to look at the bank and note where trees may have come down and are submerged and not visible. Vegetation:Buzzbait. I have caught fish around some of the weed patches in the Rockaway area. I have tried jigs and texas rigged worms with no success. I caught one spinner bait fish last year with the rest coming on a buzzbait. I have to think a grass frog or horny toad would work on these areas and plan to give it a try. Places I want to fish more: The creek just below Branson Landing. I haven't gone back in there very far. I have seen a few guys in there and most of them try to keep a real low profile when they see me so I have to think there is something back there. Docks above Branson. I have to wonder if there are some bass that camp under the cleaning stations similar to the trout. Creeks and pockets. I need to invest more time exploring. I have noted a few areas I have seen people fishing and need to go check them out. Hopefully a few more people will post and share some information. There just isn't the volume of people fishing Taney to get a lot of reports though. Good luck out there.

I am headed down to Taney Sunday to harass some bass. Does anyone have info they would care to share?

I am afraid it is too late. The fishing lobby is small compared to the play boats. I am sure that the play boats also bring in some good income for the marina operators so it might be difficult to ask them to cut their own purse strings. We may just have to accept the sad fact that fishing on some parts of TR will be limited to the early morning, evening, or days where the rain falls from Memorial day to Labor day. The upside is fishing is usually the best at these times and we can all get off the water before it gets to hot. Of course there are other lakes to fish and I'll start taking advantage of them. I do look forward to the first good chill of fall and the exodus of the toy boats.

Hopefully this was an isolated incident. I would hate to see the wealth of information on this board dry up because a portion of the public can't control themselves.

Has the moss flushed out of the lake yet? Are the creeks fishable? I am looking to get down to Taney Sunday and fish from Empire to just above Branson. I would hate to make a trip down to find the lake un fishable.

I need to get a map and start writing the "local" names for areas on it as I find them out. Sometimes it is tough to figure out, but rewarding when I do.

I haven't been down for a couple of weeks so take that into consideration. I was catching fish good on a split shot rig as well as throwing stikos at boat docks and skipping them under the walkways. The stiko bite is probably over though. I would look for some topwater fish on a redfin or spook early and stay with it if you have cloud cover. Otherwise I would be throwing the splitshot, c rig, and football jig. I haven't got the drop shot thing dialed in so I can't offer much help there other that saying fish the bridge pillings. They cough up a fish or two for me on most trips. Post a report on the fishing and the boat traffic. I am afraid the lake lice and compensator boats will make it rough.

It was a great weekend to be on the water. I pre fished on Saturday for my company tournament and had a great day. We stuck a few fish and moved around a lot and liked what we found. Most of our fish came on a sticko fished in various ways. Isolated cover and boat docks produced most of our bites with a few fish caught on a split shot rig fished off of points/breaks. Sunday found us on fish, but a smaller grade. We managed one keeper for the day which netted my lady partner some big bass money. It was still a great day for fishing though with plenty of action. Observations: There were some whites at the mouth of Indian, but sparse. There were a lot of cruising fish and fish suspend under dock flotation. Someone with more talent probably could have got more bites off of these fish so I need to study up a little more. Topwater bite was done by our take off. I talked to a few guys that got them early in the AM, but nothing after 7AM. There were fish holding on the bridge pilings at 86, but boat traffic made it "interesting" by mid day. I believe some boats got on fish there early in the AM, but couldn't confirm. Be cautious while approaching house boats. I pulled into a pocket to see someone standing on the front deck with a shotgun pointed at the shoreline. Before I could get out of there they shot a snake near the bank. Not safe in my opinion and I am not sure of the legallity either. Be double cautious of cruiser wakes. A boat near state park took a wake over the side and nearly swamped them. Ankle deep water in the floor is not a good thing. Good luck out there guys and be safe.

I am looking forward to your report. I am either going down tomorrow afternoon or Sunday morning and wouldn't mind C&R on some whites. I need to pre fish for a tourmament but whites are just too much fun to pass up.

Any word on bass fishing? I was planning to head to Table Rock Saturday, but will get a late start and I don't much care to deal with the play boat crowd.

I saw some post from March or early April about white bass, but was wondering if anyone has any recent info. I usually fish Taney during the summer, but am looking to escape the Rock because I have a late AM start this Saturday.

I caught fish a week ago swimming a grub, dragging a fry, and sight fishing for bed and cruising fish. I spoke to one of the guys I work with and they were on fish doing the same thing yesterday. We both fished the Indian Point area. I talked to a guy that fished the dam area and he reported gin clear water and fish on beds. He had to stay well off the bed and make long cast because the water was so clear. I haven't talked to anyone fishing the Kimberling area but I would guess that patterns similar to what worked in Indian would hold. I would also consider throwing a football jig and keep a topwater tied on. There are some points above Joe Bald that would be worth a look. There may also be some big white bass above Joe Bald if you just want something to stretch your string. Hopefully I'll be down Saturday mid day and I have more to report. Good hunting!

Something that needs emphasis is fish the baits mentioned on "light" line. I fish 8# green mono or 8# fluoro and have friends fishing 6# and even down to 4# when the fish have been hit real hard. I met a gentlemen at the ramp Sunday who was fishing 10# and my results were much better with the lighter line.

I was so caught up about posting my fishing results I forgot to post the buzz kill for the day. I put the boat on the trailer and found the small metal cap the goes on the trailer where you check the brake fluid was MIA. I would have chalked it up to being loose, but I had checked the brake fluid level before I headed down and re checked the cap when I got to the ramp to make sure it was still there. I guess someone needed it more than I did that day. Yes it is minor but it still chaps me that someone would pinch such a small item.

Check my post on fishing Indian. I didn't brave the main lake to check any bluffs though. It was victory at sea in Indian and the main lake was probably worse. Central Pro Am had a tournament this weekend and there might be some information posted about what worked. Good luck.

We put in at a lesiurly 7am yesterday and decided to get lines in the water right off the bat. Within 10 minutes we had our first fish (goggle eye) and within 15 miutes we had our first bass. The goggle eye was on a 4" milky white grub and the bass was on a split shot rigged french fry. The boat was in 20-25 ft. That got the skunk off the boat. A short move to another point was followed by a 30 min. lull. We moved into shallower water and picked up a small mouth on the grub. Boat was in 12-15 ft. The wind picked up so we found some shelter and tried to fish. Big lull until we found some bed fish to play with. Not much action but at least we were out of the wind. Finally got a couple of bed fish to play and pulled the hook on one. If you are fishing the beds I would try a white or chartruse tube. I had to improvise with a chartruse grub. If I would have put my tubes in the boat I probably could have caught a couple more. I fished a fluke on a boat dock for some hard looks by a BIG fish. I tried a jerkbait and it didn't get a sniff. I didn't fish a jig or topwater, but did see a couple of jig fish caught and some fish busting fry. I need to get back out for another fix soon. It should be good this coming weekend.

Bill I have seen the schools of stockers before but haven't been able to get them to go. It looks like the small jigs and longer rods are a benifit. I may have to swith things up a little as I using short rods (5 1/2'). Are you fishing the jig under a float or just straight? Can you use a fly rod on the school fish? I haven't seen many do it so that is why I ask. As a matter a fact my fly rod has never been in my boat. Keep on postin'. I'll return the favor when I get on the water at Taney or Table Rock in the next week or so.

I was thinking about going down this weekend, but may pass with the tournament traffic. Either that or put in early and be on someones bank when they get there.

I would bring a crankbait rod, couple of spinning rods for swimming a grub, shakey head or split shot, a rod to fish jigs or a rig with, and a jerkbait rod. I'll throw a spinnerbait also from time to time so you could throw that it also.

I know that most of the area is out of in demand items, but would like to know if anyone has good info on where to get the following: Heavy gauge extension cords Space heaters, gas or electric (Lowes Ozark has electric 1/16) D cell batteries (Walgreens Ozark 1/16) Colemand fuel Propane Chain saw (Lowes Ozark 1/16) I tacked on location and dates of what I found. While I am in good shape I am trying to get other folks up and running on their own. If there is anyone with good generator know how I have several co workers looking for help. I just run a heavy gauge extension cord to my critical stuff. If there is a better way that is easy please post or send me a message.

I'll have some coffee cupcakes and I'll do the BYO thing on coffee. One big thermal mug should have me in and out of the water all morning. I need to get my first fish of the year and then I can settle down and visit. Have a safe and happy new year!