Lower Taney Indications

[Trav]

The floods have definately done thier toll on the warm water fish.

At least in the main part of the Lower lake. You can still catch a few back in the coves but they are only the fish that managed to sneak away from the current. We have to face the reality that Taney is a cold water lake and a serious river type fishery. When they do draw downs it forces the fish back into the lake but they dont stay for long. When there is heavy rain they migrate down and go to Arkansas.

Not to mention with limited resources for food. Species like Large Mouth and even whites compete for nothing but frye. The majority of the feed in this lake is thier own. Cannibalism.

I catch more bass off of bass colors than any thing else. Whites thrive on silver shades, smallies hit brown and Large Mouths bite on all of them.

I for one miss the brown trout. I am afraid the really big ones, in the the 3 to 8 pound range have went to arkansas.

Dont get me wrong. I am a bass man all the way. But brownies and musky are my true challenge.

Back to to the river mentality, You have to work these fish. The lower taney is a monster. I think I have conveyed this before. It is a hard body of water to fish. If you dont live on it like myself, you might be lucky to catch 4 or 5 bass. You have to pick them off the fence posts. The bass that set up are the easy ones. The rest you will have to find in 20 feet of water.

MY GUESSES ARE THAT BASS FISHING IN TANEY WILL HAVE FEW PATTERNS IN THE NEAR FUTURE. iT WILL BE ALL HIT AND MISS.

Indications with 30 years of experiance on the lake.

The Brownies will be defined on this winters ladder crawl. I am almost convinced they washed down with the flood.

Time will tell.

Nobody knows the Lower better than me!!!

[fly2fish]

You don't think the browns moved up toward the dam during all this higher water? There has been a lot of above average browns caught this summer below TRD, usually during the summer I might only catch 1 or 2 browns at night and all in the 14-18 inch range, the first weekend of August I caught 3 browns over 20 inches the same night and the average number of browns per night was 5 or 6. As far as bass there are still a lot up that way too, I don't know if they came up river or through the gates, I suspect a lot came through because they have scars on them, but once the water is cut back they should all start moving down stream, some probably don't know there is a lake down stream until they have to start looking for deeper water. Just my thoughts.

HC

[Jeff House]

For someone who seems to know everything your above qoute is fairly laughable. Surely you don't believe that a little high water actually washed the brown trout out of Taney! Those fish only left the area if they chose to due to availability of food (which with the high water there is no lack of). If anything this high water is good for the fish, it just isn't so good for the fishermen. Maybe it's just a reality check and you're not quite as good as you thought you were.

[Trav]

It is very possible the brownies moved up to the colder water. The flood water was very warm.

It is possible the warm water species follow the cleaner water to the dam as well.

It all would be a natural process. To survive.

What isnt natural is that I would ever think I was better than I am.

Sorry Jeff, I am as good as it gets when it comes to the lower.

Don't challenge me, you will lose.

BMAN, I kept looking at that pic for clipped fins! I guess they grow them back pretty fast. He He

[bigredbirdfan]

I thought they were all retarded hatchery fish incapable of any natural occurances like moving up the river .

All kidding aside. All species have been screwed with from every angle. The water temperature is such and with letting out water to rebuild a wooden dam (have we not come up with better construction technology in 100 years) that I'm sure everything with one brain cell has move up the lake. Largemouth being caught at Hatchery? I think that proves the point.

[Guest kevinkirk]

I thot the same about the wooden dam boards. Cant they use metal or aluminum? Sounds strange to use boards there but maybe they WANT them to break at some point if there is high water, etc. And I bet they use redwood as it is impervious to water damage too. THAT is expensive ......

[twosets]

Boards made of wood and set with explosive charges were (and are) designed so that they can be quickly expolded to let water thru at the max rate in flood conditions like we had this spring.

All part of the plan.

George

[Guest kevinkirk]

Okay, makes sense then. hah.

I think the high water and oxygen issues prob more to do with the fish movements below Table Rock. What a mess that has to be. I looked at a house for sale on Foggy River Road and GOOD LORD, what a mess. Feel sorry for anyone who had water damage. Some of it cannot be fixed for the money you can get then for the house later. I bet flood insurance along there is HORRIBLE.

Wish I was closer to help ppl who suffered with that.

I also think the river was probably flushed pretty hard along the bottom and disrupted the bugs and small organisms. So the whole food chain prob off. Fish do migrate but usually UPSTREAM against the current so below powersite, there has to be some massive cats and other fish now. I wish I was there.

Now the question. What is the water temp by the time it gets to powersite?>

How deep is the water from Branson Landing down to powersite?> What kind of holes are there in the bottom in that area. >?

Didnt get to fish or go out on water. Too busy looking for land, lots, or house and keeping tabs on wife at the Landing. Luckily, the stores were closing and kicked her out before she could do much damage.

I do give her trouble for shopping but boys, there is nothing better than YOUR woman dressed NICE and LOOKING hot. So there is a payoff. Last christmas I took her shopping and sat there and let her try on clothes all day. THE PAYOFF was worth it...hahhaha....

[bigredbirdfan]

Boards made of wood and set with explosive charges were (and are) designed so that they can be quickly expolded to let water thru at the max rate in flood conditions like we had this spring.

All part of the plan.

George

I do understand the reasoning. But they didn't explode them when needed to this year. Sounds like a lousy design if you ask me. Where are they installing some of these new wooden dams these days?

[Trav]

I thought they were all retarded hatchery fish incapable of any natural occurances like moving up the river .

All kidding aside. All species have been screwed with from every angle. The water temperature is such and with letting out water to rebuild a wooden dam (have we not come up with better construction technology in 100 years) that I'm sure everything with one brain cell has move up the lake. Largemouth being caught at Hatchery? I think that proves the point.

My sentiments exactly.