Shad!

[Seth]

Leonard caught a nice paddlefish on the fly rod a few years ago when water was super high. That fish had to of came over the dam unless there are paddlefish in Bull Shoals? There are plenty of them on Tablerock I know for sure.

[Phil Lilley]

There are alot of them in Taney. He moved up. They do come over the top when the gates are open but the ones we see and in pieces.

[fozzie.]

Leonard caught a nice paddlefish on the fly rod a few years ago when water was super high. That fish had to of came over the dam unless there are paddlefish in Bull Shoals? There are plenty of them on Tablerock I know for sure.

That's wild, anyone know how big it was?

[Phil Lilley]

Hey, if Harrison Ford survived that fall in The Fugitive, anything is possible.

Seriously though, there's just no way that smallie Phil caught flopped over the dam and fell into Taney. That fish was a pig and gravity would have wreaked havoc on his internal organs...and even if it didn't he'd probably stroke out from the stress. I guess there's no way to prove he didn't come over from TR, but man, I really don't think so. I could accept the argument that some fry or even fingerlings could wash over and survive, but that big boy? Doubt it. Very nice fish by the way Phil.

I would agree but for the fact that stripers survive the fall over Beaver Dam when their gates are open. The only argument is that there are big smallies and gar and paddle fish in Taney before gates are open and I know alot of these warmwater fish do move up during heavy generation and especially when they open the gates, more so if the water is warmer coming over the top. In this last event, they didn't as much cause the water wasn't as warm.

[Leonard]

That's wild, anyone know how big it was?

Cant tell you the "EXCACT" weight.. but everyone who has seen it or has snagged spoons says it about 60-65lbs..

caught on a 7wt using 8lbs Maxima as leader

[Gatorjet]

Those smb, walleyes, whites, crappie and others come from the lower lake where they reside most of the year. Only during flood gate events do they venture into the upper lake for a feeding bonanza. Very rarely are these fish caught during normal

So I guess their Rainbow and Brownie pals send them a text inviting them to the feast.

Seriously, I would doubt that they can tell from the flow in the lower lake that the gates are open and dumping large amounts of food into Taney. As mentioned, stocking is done from airplanes. Tagging "other species" of fish in lower Taney would be interesting, but I don't think MDC would find it useful enough for the expense.

[laker67]

So I guess their Rainbow and Brownie pals send them a text inviting them to the feast.

Seriously, I would doubt that they can tell from the flow in the lower lake that the gates are open and dumping large amounts of food into Taney. As mentioned, stocking is done from airplanes. Tagging "other species" of fish in lower Taney would be interesting, but I don't think MDC would find it useful enough for the expense.

Rising water signals feeding opportunities to all fish. Anadromous fish use their sense of smell to travel hundreds of miles to spawning sites. Do Table Rock fish rush to the flood gates and yell booyah as they take the dive?

[Phil Lilley]

So I guess their Rainbow and Brownie pals send them a text inviting them to the feast.

Seriously, I would doubt that they can tell from the flow in the lower lake that the gates are open and dumping large amounts of food into Taney. As mentioned, stocking is done from airplanes. Tagging "other species" of fish in lower Taney would be interesting, but I don't think MDC would find it useful enough for the expense.

I should not have said "lower lake". I've seen paddle fish, gar, blue gill, bass and even crappie as far up as our place. Whatever triggers the move, they move.

The flood gates would have to be open, what, 12 inches, 15 inches to allow a fish this size to go through. I'll have to check to see how far they were open.

[Gatorjet]

Possibly spawning along with the rising water. I'm sure that fish at mid lake would move up to the dam area rather soon after the gates open. The high flow would have to continue for some time for others from farther down lake to be encouraged to continue to the dam unless they were already moving up to spawn. The spoonbill in the lake is quite interesting. I never knew they were in there. A lot of the blame for the lower population of spoonies in LoO is Truman Dam blocking their spawning run. MDC says that is why they have to continually stock there. It's really surprising that there would be any in Taney.

[Phil Lilley]

Gates were opened 12 inches.

In 08, they were opened 2.5 feet, the most they've ever been open.