Coming Down Next Week - General Info/help Requested

[MOFish]

We have not been down to Branson since January, but will be there for a week starting on Saturday, and I could really use some help from those on this board. Prior to the flooding I was very comfortable knowing the lake, especially from Fall Creek up to the dam. But now I'm not sure if I even want to bring the boat or waders down this time. I've been scanning old reports, but am looking for a concise way to answer a couple of concerns as we pack for the trip.

What dangers are there in the upper part of the lake that weren't there before? I had some trees, rocks and logs marked on my GPS but am wondering if they were moved. Should a guy just accept having to idle upstream remarking the obstacles? Is the water clear enough now to even see rocks and submerged logs? Does a person even attempt to go above Lookout Island to the MDC stairs/boat ramp if only two generators are running?

I guess my main two questions are about the clarity of water in recent days, and the liklihood of hitting something in the channel that wasn't there before the flood and heavy water flow.

Finally, although we're catch and release people we will have our three neices (4 to 10 years old) with us and I'd like to see them catch at least one fish each. Would it be wiser to fish downlake (bridges area) at anchor using live/natural bait, or is there still too much current to anchor? This will help me decide whether to take them out on Taneycomo, or try fishing for sunfish on Table Rock.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide so I don't have to learn things the hard way.

[WebFreeman]

I was down w/ my girls (3 & 6) Memorial day week. I'd say you could anchor from Lilley's downstream. I didn't boat much past fall creek. I was in one of Phil's pontoons and all the ruined props he had around the resort and marina made me nervous. :-) We caught a few down toward the bridges w/ powerbait on drift rigs. A lot of people were anchored, but I found drifting more effective and the fish more or less hook themselves. I caught a good brown (for me anyway--17 inches) just a couple hundreds upstream from Lilley's on the bluff side bouncing a jig on the bottom.

I'd say bring the boat for sure. I think you could make it upstream pretty easily, judging from other posts. Again, I didn't want to risk the boat and I've never actually boated up that far, so I wasn't at all familiar w/ the water. They ran 3 consistently when we were there, though I guess the boards are still gone at powersite, so that also impacts water level.

Hope that rambling answer helps.

[MOFish]

Dumb question, but I'll ask anyway...

When you say "the boards are still gone at powersite," what does that mean? I've heard the phrase before, but don't know the lower end of the lake (Powersite) at all. If the 'boards' are up, how much does affect the water level of Taney?

The other question from earlier is how much the water has cleared up. Is it still fairly murky?

[WebFreeman]

The boards are the flood gates on powersite. I guess they have charges on them and they literally blow them A-Team style if they need them open. I think Phil told me they were 4 ft high. So even though they were running 3 generators, it's not are high as it would be if they the boards were up.

The water has a green color to it, but when I was fighting that brown, I could see him 8 or so feet down. So it's not murky in that sense. Someone who's been there since me might be able to answer better. I know they're still catching a mixed bag at the dam. I wish I would have gotten up there.

[MOFish]

Interesting. I wonder what they do when they need to replace the boards. Wait until there is no flow out of Table Rock and the level drops below the top of Powersite?

If anyone else has info about hazards above Fall Creek (or above Cooper Creek for that matter), I'd appreciate it.

Thanks WebFreeman!

[twosets]

I boated upstream several times this spring post flood and with zero power generation it was still ok to navagate up to lookout.

More gravel at the mouths of and below the creeks for sure, but the same general channel thru fall creekand above.

With the boards off there are huge gravel bars exposed above fall creek in periods of no generation that were not visable before. Like Web said, about 4 feet lower than normal.

Upstream from that, I know that there is a huge tree in the area of the big hole, but with 3 or 4 units going it was ok to go up to the cable.

Good luck and be safe, take your time going up.

George