Thomas Hill Lake

[Fat Sucker]

Anyone ever fish for hybrids on Thomas Hill in the winter near the warm water discharge and have any luck? I've heard this is a great place to catch some nice sized hybrids. Any info on flies, lures, and/or places to fish would be greatly appreciated. I have a boat so was thinking of heading up there to give it a shot.

[Bill Butts]

Fat Sucker,

Your hunch is correct, Thomas Hill is a very good fishery for Hybrids.

I have not fished it, but researched it extensively a while back in anticipaton of a trip.

The best info about the fishery I found was from two MDC agents that work that area.

Sorry I don't have their names at my fingertips, but what I found was that the reservoir lays in two different counties.

Due to that fact, there were two MDC (MO Dept of Conservation)agents in each of the counties that spend time on that fishery.

I talked with two of them in detail, one of which was a very nice woman who was very helpful and said she'd seen fly fishermen paddle a canoe across the discharge channel in to order to then hike up channel a ways to wade and successfully catch some the Hybrids you inquired about. Sounds good huh?

I have fished other discharge waters like TH, and what you need to prepare yourself to fish is from near the surface to about 3-4' deep.

If you're going to fly fish, a floating or intermediate line for near surface presentations and a type 3 sink tip line for 3-4' depth presentations is what you will need.

Basic patterns that imitate 2-4" shad is about all you need. That should include the realistic coloration of gray and white, but also a chartreuse/white version for times of dark sky and/or off-color water for greater visibility.

You should be able to contact the MDC office in Moberly (if I recall correct) for the names and #s of the agents.

Good luck, and please report your experiences.

Hope this is helpful.

Bill

[rangerman]

FS,

Bill was right. make sure you call the agents first to check the lake conditions. Some years I will fish it extensively in the winter, other years it may stay muddy all year.

I called about a month ago and it was still muddy.

I have done real well on fat rap pearl glass shads when they were surfacing and also the larger model pearl Bomber Fat Free shads, along with large 1/2 to 3/4 ounce road runners with tails also in white.

I did get a couple of twelve pounders out of there last year with the assorted 20 inchers and below. If you hit it right it is a blast.

This time of year make sure you pack tire chains with you as the ramps can be treacherous.

The last time I put in up there it was exactly 1 degree. As long as you are dressed right it really isn't bad.

[Fat Sucker]

FS,

Bill was right. make sure you call the agents first to check the lake conditions. Some years I will fish it extensively in the winter, other years it may stay muddy all year.

I called about a month ago and it was still muddy.

I have done real well on fat rap pearl glass shads when they were surfacing and also the larger model pearl Bomber Fat Free shads, along with large 1/2 to 3/4 ounce road runners with tails also in white.

I did get a couple of twelve pounders out of there last year with the assorted 20 inchers and below. If you hit it right it is a blast.

This time of year make sure you pack tire chains with you as the ramps can be treacherous.

The last time I put in up there it was exactly 1 degree. As long as you are dressed right it really isn't bad.

Thanks RM and BB. I really appreciate the info. Will definitely check with the agents before I head up there. I figure an 8 wt flyrod and good reel will do the trick, but what about conventional gear? How heavy of a rod do you use and what pound line? Do you typically blind cast for them or troll? Do you ever see them crashing the surface? Thanks again for the insight.

[Bill B.]

Go check it out. You won't need a boat. Make sure you go on a weekday, when the plant usually runs at a greater capacity, making the water warmer. Get to the boat ramp at the hot-water outlet right at earliest light. Walk the trail around to the discharge mouth--maybe a couple hundred yards, max. From there, you can make roll casts to any fish that may be chasing shad in the current at daybreak. At low or normal water level, you can easily fish up the canal to the first back bay/strip pit.

[Fat Sucker]

Go check it out. You won't need a boat. Make sure you go on a weekday, when the plant usually runs at a greater capacity, making the water warmer. Get to the boat ramp at the hot-water outlet right at earliest light. Walk the trail around to the discharge mouth--maybe a couple hundred yards, max. From there, you can make roll casts to any fish that may be chasing shad in the current at daybreak. At low or normal water level, you can easily fish up the canal to the first back bay/strip pit.

Thanks Bill B. and the others who replied. I really appreciate it. I will definitely go check it out soon as long as the conditions permit and report back.