Taneycomo Fishing

[Phil Lilley]

Haven't posted in a while mainly cause I haven't been fishing much lately.

Drove up Friday and fished mid afternoon. Waded in just above the MDC boat ramp. Caught 11 rainbows between 10 and 13 inches on a #20 black Zebra midge under a palsa 12 inches deep. 7x fl tippet. Water was pretty slick and fish were spooky. Had to cast out in the current to get bit, let it moved down till the float disappeared.

I've taken the boat out a couple of evenings, once with the water running and then last evening when it was not. Running- threw a 3/32nd oz sculpin, olive, brown/orange and white jigs and missed way more than I hooked. Didn't really do that well. Went to a jig and float using a 1/32nd oz brown jig with orange head and caught 2 small rainbows. All drifting from the dam to Fall Creek. I think that was Saturday.

Last evening, with less than a unit running, I ran up to the Red House between Lookout and the Narrows and threw a stimulator against the bluff bank - nothing. Dropped back down to within sight of our dock. Trout were midging, and have been midging real well from this area to our dock the last, I-don't-know, 4 or 5 evenings. Caught 8 rainbows from 8 inches to 13 on the same Zebra under the palsa before it got too dark to see.

There's lots of rainbows in this area - has been for a week or more. I'm sure you can catch them on a jig and float too, marabou or micro. But it sure is fun targeting them with the fly rod. They take the midge almost every time you throw at a rise.

Cleaned 4 rainbows, I think the first time this year, and threw them on the grill for a late supper.