Violations

[Thom]

Several members on here make Taney out to be the best trout fishery in the world and while, for size of fish, it is a decent fishery, it is not in the same class as the fisheries out west that possess trout naturally and are not completely reliant upon hatchery fish. Love Taney for what it is, do not make it out to be something it isn't.

Try fishing some of those streams out west and iI have. Restrictions are far greater than they are on Taney. Those wild streams are not even accessabel in some stretches because they flow through private land and you will be quicklly arrested if you try to cross them to get to the streams.

A better comparison to Taney is the White in Arkansas. Upper section produces large Browns and Bows. Regs?

You can't even fish the upper part during spawn and is catch and release other times. The regs there are stricter but you can keep 5 fish instead of 4. Don't get caught fising with a barbless hook in the upper regulated waters.

The relult are greater # of larger fish but again there are areas that are not fishable except by boat and it has to be the right boat unless you want to leave parts of it on the bottom.

Again Drew .... interesting take but I do disagree with opening the upper section to bait fishing. There is much more pressure on Taney than during the times you mentioned and it would be so crowded it would be impossible to fish if the upper section were opened to bait fishing.

From Fall Creek down there is ample opportunities to catch all of the fish that you want and includes some of the best water on the Lake.

It would be nice though if more dock access like is found on the riverfront in Branson was available for bait fishermen. The only place to fish from the shore outside of the resorts is at Coopers creek.

Thanks for another view Drew it is what makes the Forum interesting.

[Phil Lilley]

I am in the minority here, but if what I read is true, before length limits, before browns and before Powerbait, Taney had massive rainbow trout. Now, with browns, there are nice fish in the lake of both species, but both are hatchery managed, and if someone takes a 13" brown or bow from the lake, in a month or two it will be restocked, so I don't see the loss there. If someone takes a 20 pound brown, it would be tragic to some (not me, stockers are stockers, no matter how big), however, it was not a wild fish, and does not have the value (IMO) of a wild fish.

The MDC focuses on deer during deer season because it is a cash cow, possibly more so than the state's artificially sustained trout fisheries. Frankly, fishing on Taney would be nice due to the size of the fish, but it would not have the same allure as chasing a wild rainbow on any of Missouri's wild trout creeks. I would estimate that the state spends more money on trout annually than they do on deer, especially over the last three years.

I would suggest opening up the regulations to allow bait in the upper lake, to the dismay of most fly fishermen on here, but that would make some of these things, that are constantly griped about, moot.

Several members on here make Taney out to be the best trout fishery in the world and while, for size of fish, it is a decent fishery, it is not in the same class as the fisheries out west that possess trout naturally and are not completely reliant upon hatchery fish. Love Taney for what it is, do not make it out to be something it isn't.

"Before browns and PB, Taney had massive rainbows..." Browns were first stocked in the late 70's, then regularly starting in early 80's. They bumped up the numbers of rainbows dramatically starting in the early to mid 80's. They basically overstocked the lake with rainbows (1.5 million). PB came along in '90? Not sure.

I'm trying to follow your reasoning on the importance of a small and large trout and the wild trout comment and am having trouble with it. We don't have wild trout. All are stocked. Only a few places in the state where there are wild trout, wild in the fact they are hatched and raised in that stream.

Deer vs Trout - I'm sure there are numbers out there. But there are 2 numbers: $ towards MDC and $ towards the economy.

I have fished some of those streams in the West... it's tough to catch those buggers and I'm pretty decent with a fly rod. For the general public, they're impossible unless the regs allow bait fishing which most don't, esp the wild trout streams.

Taney is a "put, grow & take" lake. Use to be a "put and take" lake before the regs. Average stay of a stocked rainbow used to be 30 days. Now with the trophy area, they are given a chance to grow- and they do= that's very evident.

Novice anglers can come here and dunk a worm below Fall Creek and have a decent chance to catch an eighteen-inch rainbow - they do all the time. That's pretty darn good compared to most places, with the exception of a trout farm.

What we have works for everyone. Tweak it and protect it, I think that's all we're asking for.

[Wayne SW/MO]

The bottom line for the tailwater is probably a catch and release only which would make enforcement easy. I don't think it would hurt the econmy, in fact I suspect it would help it.

[vanven]

I would hate to see the restrictions on the upper end of Taney lifted. There simply is not enough easily accessable water to accomodate everyone. I have fished Beaver once, and despite it being a beautiful place to fish the experience was horrible. Too many people parked along the bank with lines everywhere making large portions of the water inaccessible. The geography of Taney makes it ideal for wading and I would hate to see that wasted.

Of course this statement comes from a dedicated catch and release fly fisherman who has made his thoughts on powerbait fishing known in the past

-Jerod

[Phil Lilley]

The bottom line for the tailwater is probably a catch and release only which would make enforcement easy. I don't think it would hurt the econmy, in fact I suspect it would help it.

It's a management issue, Wayne, not economy. MDC felt c&r would over populate the upper lake, deplete the food base and stunt growth. They made the slot so that rainbows would be taken so that over population wouldn't happen.

[Wayne SW/MO]

They made the slot so that rainbows would be taken so that over population wouldn't happen.

I've heard that Phil, but personally I think its a bad theory given the fact that trout know no boundary's. I would think there is a lot of movement in and out of the area by the larger trout, and I suspect the smaller ones would also follow the food sources.

I believe its the MDC mentality that you must allow a harvest in all waters, no matter how technical. Its the same reason they continue to allow gigging in areas obviously being hurt by it.

I mentioned the economy only because Taney is such an important draw for the area. I'm sure some non-fishermen would believe a full catch and release would keep some from fishing that area, but I think the number would be minuscule. I the years I've fished there I've only seen three fish kept, and one was a new record for the shortest 20" fish.

[Sam]

A better comparison to Taney is the White in Arkansas. Upper section produces large Browns and Bows. Regs?

You can't even fish the upper part during spawn and is catch and release other times. The regs there are stricter but you can keep 5 fish instead of 4. Don't get caught fising with a barbless hook in the upper regulated waters.

I'm not a trout fisherman, but I'm glad you guys have a good place at Taneycomo to fish for 'em as you obviously enjoy it a lot. Different strokes, different folks - and that's a good thing.

You've got me curious, trying to figure why barbless hooks would be banned on the White in Arkansas. With a barbless hook, I'd think you could C/R trout or any other fish until the cows come home and Conservation would be happy about it because you're not damaging the fish.

Why in the world wouldn't barbless hooks be allowed? Explain, please.

[fishbobber]

Why not change the restricted area back? Simply because the restricted area has worked... for everyone.

Anyone can go up to the trophy area and catch nice rainbows using the same techniques they would below the line - just change your soft plastic bait to a fly. No additional gear or talent in needed.

As far as the 5 rainbow limit, that is debatable. They changed the number and the average size of trout which could be argued from now till eternity if that was right or now. That's a personal preference thing.

I think these regulations can be like the 5 rainbow limit, they can be argued from now until eternity if they are right or not. That's a personal preference thing.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Sam I believe he had one of those moments we all have, and he meant barbed.

[Fly_Guy]

nasty scummy powerbait users. It's like those ingrates that use minnows for crappie, or leeches and worms for walleye, or kittens for muskie, or lure deer with salt licks. No good worthless blinkity blankers! The only people worth the air they breath are people like me, who won't be caught dead using a fly larger than #18.

Regs are fine on taney - it's a compromise, and a great trout fishery because of it. We have it all as far as trout go, here in SWMO - if you want the wild trout experience, fish Crane - if you want to wade and fly fish for large trout, there's a whole host of places. If you want to drift .... powerpait....(ugg), there are places for it. If you want quick supper, or an experience for the kids, fish the trout parks. I think the issue was enforcing the regs, which, due to lack of agents, is where you and I come in.