Fishing Tips

[YankHawk]

Hello, New to the site, and have a few questions for yall. I am heading to Taneycomo in mid march for a few days of great trout fishing. I have been before and just fished with powerbait off of the boat. This year I am wanting to test my luck in the trophy area and since I am not a fly fisher, I was wondering if anyone could tell me what some good lures and techniques are that work in the trophy area? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also, when I was there last year, they were biting on the bubblegum power eggs, how about this year?

Thanks alot

[Rick F]

yank hawk

To help you out. I am not much of a fly fisherman(3-4 times ever) but I have caught trout in the trophy area spin fishing. I have only been there in July and August so colors might be a little different right now. The two best baits I used were small floating rapalas in vampire color or black and white only. Gold and black really didn't work upstream for me, only a few hits. The other bait was in line spinner in black and whatever color or rainbow color. I think the black spinner closely resembles a wooley bugger and trout tear up the black from what others have said on here. If you go down past the bridges I had better success with black and gold rapalas trolling. Mid summer and 90 degrees, had to troll to keep from frying in the sun. My family and I trolled most of the day, fished the banks and docks in the morning and evenings and in 6 days pulled in around 125-150 trout on rapalas and 15 or so on jigs. We were first time users of the jigs that is why numbers are low. Hope this helps, also you might try a small hair jig in the trophy area. I have read that others have done fantastic throwing these baits up there. Good luck and have fun.

"A bad day fishing beats and good day of work"

Rick

[Simsmarine]

Hank, Those medium sized styrofoam "strike indicators" (bobbers) will give you enough weight to throw any fly with an ultra-lite spinning rig. Wollybuggers, scuds and beadhead midges probably catch the majority of the fish by flyfishers at Taney, and you can drift those under a strike indicator, or tightline-drift them along the bottom with splitshot and spinning tackle and do just fine.

In all actuality, there's not much a flyfisherman can do... that you can't do "better" with spinning gear.

The fact that your mono/flouro line cuts through the current and isn't floating on the surface causing you "presentation grief" is a big plus in your favor. Some of us just love flyfishing enough to... put up/learn to deal...with it.

When I see flyfishers using dime sized bobbers I often wonder why they don't just flick them out on spinning gear and avoid all the mends.

[Flysmallie]

When I see flyfishers using dime sized bobbers I often wonder why they don't just flick them out on spinning gear and avoid all the mends.

I do it for the same reason that I flyfish for Smallmouth, except I don't know what that reason is . I guess it's the challenge.

[Phil Lilley]

Excellent advice. I'd only add one other thing.

Jigs- throw 1/16th oz jigs using 2 lb Trilene, green XL line and a medium action spin rod, 6 ft ideal.

Hold the rod pointing high in the air and jig it jig up and let it fall, while reeling. Try different speeds and don't be afraid ot let it go to the bottom- most of the bottom is gravel and you won't get snagged. If you do, it's just a $1 lure. Try black, brown, sculpin and even white.