Lake Taneycomo Trout Fishing Report, June 1

[Phil Lilley]

This is Phil Lilley with the Lake Taneycomo trout fishing report. Sorry about the formal introduction, but it's specifically for google iBots. We're trying to move up in searches for Taneycomo fishing reports. As far as the trout fishing on Taneycomo, it's still very, very good. And our guides are still singing the praises of Trout Magnets. And yes, here at Lilleys' Landing Resort, we finally have some in stock. A couple of weeks ago when I first reported Trout Magnets were the hot ticket on our lake, I was lovingly accused of having an overstock of the small trout lures, but the fact is we never have carried them in our shop up until this Tuesday when we received our first shipment. We're already reordering...

Rick Lisek, one of our fishing guides, says pink and cotton candy are the best colors he's using, and he's fishing from Fall Creek clear down to Cooper Creek. I've also heard there's a bunch of trout down in front of the Kanakuk Family Camp below the Branson Landing and Trout Magnets and 1/50th oz jigs under an indicator are doing the trick. If you don't like throwing a jig and float, cast a Cleo or Rooster tail, especially early in the morning, and you'll do pretty good. Gold or nickel/blue are the best colors in Cleos and brown or pink in Rooster tails.

Ricky swears by Trout Magnet's line - SOS. Now I'm a Tectan or Trilene man, but I'll have to try their line and let you know. They do make (and we carry) a small spool of fluorocarbon for less money than Rio, and, as always, I strongly suggest tying 36 inches of fluorocarbon onto the end of your line. Our water is very clear right now and fluorocarbon will greatly increase your catch rate. I'd use the three-ound or 6x. Again, we don't have any SOS line in our shop -- but will the first part of next week. Scotty's Trout Dock downtown carries it.

The U.S. Corps of Army Engineers has been running just a little water all day the last few days. Down here at Lilleys', we can hardly tell they're running any water, but uplake you'll see the current pick up as you get closer to the dam. Most of us love this kind of generation. It's enough to keep everything moving but not so much that you can't fly fish or spin fish anywhere.

When using bait, I'd shy away from drift rigs tied with 1/8th-ounce bells because they're really too heavy. I'd use smaller split shots to get the bait to the bottom, just enough to keep your bait there but not enough to grab every rock or stick that's down there.

Night crawlers are catching more trout right now than Power Bait and catching bigger trout to boot. Inject them with air, even if you're drifting them in this slow current. You'll get bit faster.

Fly fishing: I posted a report yesterday after I drove up and waded in above the Missouri Department of Conservation boat ramp and did rather well. Here's my report. With this water the Corps is running, the trout I had in front of me yesterday were aggressively feeding in the current, and my #16 zebra midge was what they were looking for. If you're boating it, I'd use the same set up with maybe a slightly bigger zebra and fish it deeper below the indicator. Rusty, primrose and pearl, red and black zebras have been working as well as #12 brown, olive or gray scuds. Also try a red or pink san juan worm, but make sure you're fishing it bumping on the bottom.

Don't overlook the shallow side of the lake. These fish don't see a lot of pressure. I've seen bigger rainbows in less than two feet of water lately where most people are fishing in three feet or more.

[jstickley]

Are the Trout Magnet baits legal in the trophy area, given that the bodies are made of soft plastic?