Fishing Report

[Phil Lilley]

<p><img src="http://forums.ozarkanglers.com/images/2010/craig_250.jpg" width="250" height="188" hspace="4" vspace="4" align="right">Let me start off this report off on a good foot. I made a bold statement a few days ago, posting it on my facebook page as well as on the forum -- and I meant what I said. This morning's fishing just reinforces my belief. The trout fishing on Lake Taneycomo is the best I've ever seen it. We're approaching our 27th aniversary here at the resort, so this boast covers decades . . .</p>

<p>It's simply never been better.</p>

<p>How? As for rainbows, we are catching large, fat, strong ones in good numbers almost every day, mainly in the trophy area and mostly on jigs. If I were to go out right now and make a drift from Big Hole (a quarter-mile below the dam) to Fall Creek (about three miles) and either use white or sculpin colored one-eighth ounce jigs, I could conservatively estimate catching 25 rainbows. The biggest would push 20 inches, but the average would be about 15 inches. There would be small ones mixed in, but we're seeing numerous 16- to 19-inch rainbows, fat and hard fighters, coming out of this area of the lake right now. It's simply incredible.</p>

<p>I could tell you story after story of anglers this week saying they've had the fishing trip of a lifetime. John Johnson and Brent Henderson of Kingfisher, OK, have been fishing here since John was a kid -- and he's older than I am. He said it was the best catching trip by far. Brent had several browns pushing 20 inches and one brown measuring 22 inches.</p>

<p>My sister Lisa reported that four anglers fishing together this weekend came in and filled out four catch-and-release forms for four rainbows they'd caught over 20 inches and then released. Bob Wehnert filled one out this morning for his very first rainbow caught and released over 20 inches, caught on a white jig just below Lookout.</p>

<p>Then there's Craig Viscardis, Curtis's son, whom I took out for about 90 minutes Sunday morning before church. His first fish was a huge rainbow, measuring longer than 25 inches and maybe weighing seven to eight pounds. He caught it on a white jig.</p>

<p>Now for the report: Lakes are down to normal, but there's a little rain in the forecast. The fronts with rain have completely missed us for the past two weeks, and we are dry with little precipitation in almost four weeks. We could use some rain, honestly. But this means that the U.S. Corps of Army Engineers has lowered Beaver and Table Rock to the point that little water needs to run through Taneycomo. </p>

<p>Remember, one unit (and we have four units at Table Rock Dam) equals 55 megawatts of generation power. Four full units is 220 megawatts. If you look at these two links to Corps' sites (<a href="http://ozarkanglers.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=17240" target="_blank">Levels</a> and <a href="http://www.swpa.gov/generationschedules.aspx" target="_blank">Schedule</a>), you'll see where officials list what megawatts they are or will run. The last five days, less than 55 megawatts have been generated, but they've used two units to do so. If you call the automated number (417-336-5083) to see what the generation is, don't pay attention to the water level instead of the number of units running. The level has been about 704.5 feet, which is a little more than three feet above no generation at all -- about 25 megawatts. This is very wadeable below the dam, if that's what you like to do. It also produces an ideal slow current to drift flies or jigs under an indicator. And it's a great flow for throwing jigs, as we've been doing. They did leave the water completely off yesterday for a while, and I wouldn't be surprised if they left it off in the days to come, unless we get a good rain. Then all bets are off.</p>

<p>We are working 1/8 and 1/32nd-ounce white or sculpin jigs off the bottom, fishing the channel side of the lake from Lookout Island down to the mouth of Fall Creek . . . and really down even farther. We fished the bluff bank from Fall Creek down to Short Creek the other day and caught mainly smaller rainbows but did manage to boat at least four rainbows longer than 15 inches and two browns that both measured 17 inches. We are boating all the way to Big Hole but not any farther. It's just too tricky to boat up past rebar with the water so shallow. There's also no reason to since the fishing is so great downlake from there.</p>

<p>Fish the jigs straight with no float. Hold the rod high and jump the jig, letting it settle down. You need to work the jig at the speed that lets the jig reach the bottom, but you don't want it to drag because you'll lose it or grab a bunch of moss that's growing on the rocks.</p>

<p>If you're fishing a white jig -- and have a good pair of sun glasses -- watch the white jig. If it disappears, set the hook because it's either in a fish's mouth or on the bottom under moss.</p>

<p>Vince and I fished fly rods the other evening and caught some nice trout -- not as many and not as nice as we have been catching on jigs, though. We are doing the best on 1/100th-ounce pink, white or brown jigs and Turner Micro Jigs in 1/256th-ounce olive, sculpin or pink. We set the jig five- to six-feet deep, depending on the depth of water where we are drifting. If we're in the channel, it's six feet. If we're fishing up on the flats, it maybe 40 inches. The trout are not hammering the jig either. It's a soft touch, with just a little jig movement. You have to be quick, too ,since they aren't keeping it their mouth for very long.</p>

<p>We also tried #14 gray scuds and did pretty well. I tied on a red San Juan worm and caught a few rainbows. Vince tried an egg fly over a black #14 zebra and caught rainbows on the zebra, but not the egg. We tie them about 18 inches apart in tandem.</p>

<p>Saturday was a dark, cloudy day. Maybe that triggered the hatch we witnessed up in the trophy area -- a huge mayfly hatch, as well as big, dark brown midges flies surfacing all over the water. It was pretty amazing. The trout didn't seem to react to them in big numbers. They were coming up here and there and jumping after the bigger mayflies. I tried a dry, but it didn't get a look.</p>

<p>Below the trophy area, anglers are still catching those plump rainbows we've been seeing for four months now. The weather has been absolutely perfect with very little wind and a gentle current. Many anglers have taken off the bell weights on their drift rigs and replaced them with small split shots due to the slower current. Just use enough weight to get your bait to the bottom, feeling it tick every once in a while. This way you'll feel the bite better. Minnows and night crawlers are still catching the bigger rainbows, which have been in the lake longer than the freshly stocked ones. Gulp eggs in white plus another color like pink or orange are working, too.</p>

<p>Some fishermen have fared well trolling in this slower current. I would suggest trolling jigs -- yes jigs. If not jigs, then in-line spinners, but be sure to use a swivel so that your line doesn't get all twisted up.</p>