Fishing Report 10/8

[Phil Lilley]

Got out for 90 minutes yesterday for the first time since I've been back. What a very nice late summer evening to be out! Only one boat on the lake, no wind, no fog and just alittle generation.

They've been running 2-4 units everyday from about 6 am till midnight but never full. Levels have been between 705 and 705 feet which is a nice flow to fish. Water temp is 62-63 coming out of the dam which is very high for this time of year. The high temp is from all the rains we've had this year. The water is also very silty and dark which is also unusual. But it doesn't seem to affect fishing- or catching I should say.

Generation has been off most nights which brings the night owls out to cast leeches and streamers below the dam. They've actually been doing very well, catching alot of medium sized rainbows and a few browns. Throw in a few walleye and you've got a great night fishing trip. They've been starting at the cable below Table Rock Dam and working their way down to the old KOA. In the deeper holes, use a sink tip to get the fly down, otherwise a floating line is fine.

During the day, the waders are confined to the outlets which are producing trout as well. Small scuds and midge patterns rule, under an indicator. But just below the cable and just below outlet #1, they are catching smallmouth and stopped bass as well as walleye on crank baits, jigs and streamers.

Out in the boats, below the dam and down to Fall Creek, we are throwing jigs mainly. As I said, I got out and tried it yesterday after hearing reports of jig fishing being very good. John Hittler and Bob Allen fished earlier this week and told me they tried every color jig in their box and caught fish on all of them but one- purple and chartruese. Rolan Duffield is here with his 2 brothers and they are catching mostly rainbows drifting from Lookout to Fall Creek using white or pink 1/80th oz jigs under a float fishing the shallow side of the lake. I threw sculpin/ginger, white and plain sculpin 1/8th oz jigs and caught fish on all three colors but did the best on sculpin. I caught 6 rainbows from 13 to 16 inches from the dam to Lookout and 8 rainbows from 14 to 17 inches from Lookout to Fall Creek. Half fought pretty well and the other half came in easily, I sign that the low DO (dissolved oxygen) is low in the lake. I caught several rainbows in spawning colors closer to the dam. Ran in to BMan from the forum and he said he saw lots of reds (spawning beds) along the bank above outlet #2. We usually don't see rainbow reds until well into December here. The water temp might have them confused.

Chuck Gries, guide and owner or Anglers and Archery, had a client out drifting the other day and his client caught and released this very nice rainbow. BMan said he's seen rainbows, along with browns, that are even bigger in the upper lake this week.

We've had a group of pastors from the St Louis area fishing this week, drifting from Fall Creek to Short Creek using night crawlers and catching some real nice rainbows to take home. Night Crawlers has been the go to bait for about a month now. John and Bob casted jigs in this same area and did well on rainbows this week too. They said there are some real nice rainbows in the Short Creek area.

We are hearing of quite a few bass being caught on the lake, both up here in the upper lake and down in the lower lake. John and Bob made a trip downlake and came back with a couple of smallmouth (Bob Allen in pic). Released them at the dock after a picture. I didn't get where or how they were caught thought- sorry.

This time of year is when I hear of alot of blue gill anglers hitting the lower lake for big blue gill on poppers. Although I've never tried it, I know they hit the small coves and backwater around Rockaway Beach. Taneycomo is known for big blue gill and there's nothing like catching them on poppers (fly rod).

[BKB]

That's a beautiful smallie in his left hand!

[Bman]

Phil, Good meeting you on the water. I am looking forward to our stay at your place early next year.

By The Way, At one time of the evening you were right abouve me drifting your boat, with the sun setting behind you, making long casts with your flyrod...AWESOME! wish I would have had the right set up for the camera. You would load your rod with a lot of line out and let the rod do the work for you. Would have made a nice pic, beautiful casting Phil! Guess you've had some practice lately.