Where To Launch?

[basscatman]

Is there anywhere to launch on the lake these days? Haven't been out and I'm starting to go through withdrawl!!! HELP!!

[Dutch]

Some are launching in the Beaver Creek campground off the road. You can't even drive down the road at River Run or K Dock. You could probably launch off the road at Tucker.

[basscatman]

Thanks so much! I hope to get out as soon as I can!

[Wayne SW/MO]

I've seen them launch on Forsyth/Taneyville road.

The way it's rising you might be able to launch at Empire and motor over the dam pretty soon.

[Sam]

I haven't been to look at it this year, but you might try that new launch ramp at the end of Hwy. MM. Highway MM is about 2 miles north of Highway K where you normally turn east to K Dock - there's a big convenience store on the corner of MM and the highway.

I watched that ramp being built two years ago, and it looks like it's made for high water. The ramp and the road to it come down a straight hill to the lake, and it seems like the launch angle would stay about the same no matter how high the water gets. At a normal lake level of 653 feet there's only 2 or 3 feet of water in front of the new ramp, so it's built for higher water. I guess, but I don't know, that it's meant as a replacement for the K Dock ramp as I've heard they plan to raise the permanent normal lake level to 660 or so. That would put the K Dock parking lot underwater - though not as far underwater as it is now.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I've heard they plan to raise the permanent normal lake level to 660 or so.

It will cover up a lot of fine bank fishing spots. What gets me is they are selling it as necessary for the non native trout that have seemingly survived for over 50 years under the present flows.

[Sam]

It will cover up a lot of fine bank fishing spots. What gets me is they are selling it as necessary for the non native trout that have seemingly survived for over 50 years under the present flows.

I didn't know it had anything to do with trout. I sure don't think of Bull Shoals as a trout lake, except between Swan and Powersite where there's always some stockers that have washed over the dam. After this flood, I bet there's a lot more Taneycomo trout in Bull Shoals now, huh?

I've got mixed feelings about the permanent Bull Shoals water level being raised. It'll cover up a lot of good banks, brush, and flooded trees that I know now. On the other hand, upper B.S. has a lot of big flats that are normally too shallow to be much good for anything. 7 or 8 more feet of water could cause a whole lot of new territory to hold fish.

It'd be nice to never again have to search for that channel going into K Dock in the middle of the night in low water. But if the water stays high, I guess we wouldn't be going to K Dock any more anyway.

[Wayne SW/MO]

If I understand it right Sam it is to provide a stronger flow in the White, below the dam. It appears this year that they sorely need that 5' of flood pool.

[Sam]

If I understand it right Sam it is to provide a stronger flow in the White, below the dam. It appears this year that they sorely need that 5' of flood pool.

Got it. You mean the trout fishery in the White River below Bull Shoals Dam.

I was thinking you meant trout that wash over Powersite Dam into Bull Shoals - a.k.a. "walleye food".