Lilleys' Lake Taneycomo Fishing Report, July 29

[Phil Lilley]

I reported during the week last week that trout fishing was a little tough because of the gin clear water we're getting from Table Rock. Plus it seemed like the lake was low on rainbows--that was the rumor anyhow. But towards the end of the week, catching trout got much better and this weekend fishing was back to what I'd call normal with good reports coming in. The clouds and gentle rains helped too.

Today, Monday, the generation pattern looks like it's going to be the same as last week - less than one unit in the morning building to less than 2 units through the afternoon time. Check out the SPA site for flows and times.

I had one of my toughest guide trips last Thursday morning.  My clients were seasoned salt water anglers.  The water was running ever so slightly and we were fishing the stretch between Fall Creek and Short Creek.  We started throwing marabou jigs and ended drifting with night crawlers.  Both techniques proved to be lacking.  The trout just would not take it but only chewed and sucked and spit everything out before the hook could be set.  They ended a 4 hour session with only 6 trout total.  It can be tough out there, it's not always the angler's fault for not catching fish.

What I did find is that people were waiting and going out later in the afternoon after the generation picked up and drifting with either Gulp Eggs or night crawlers from Cooper Creek down to Monkey Island.  Most were catching their limits on only one drift.

One great technique that worked very well this weekend when there was no generation was using a micro jig under a float 5 feet deep using 6x or 7x depending on how aggressive the trout were PLUS tying on a 12-inch section of 7x tippet to the micro jig and dropping a #16 black Zebra with a copper head under it.  So you have a float, 5 feet of 6x tippet, a micro jig (black worked best), 12-inches of 7x tippet and a #16 black Zebra midge with a copper head.  Fishing guide Rick Lisek showed me this technique.  Of course it would work above or below Fall Creek.

I used a similar technique yesterday while taking my mom and son Greg out fishing.  I used a Miracle fly instead of a micro jig and caught just as many on the Miracle as I did on the Zebra.  The Miracle was a oregon cheese color.



Friday afternoon, fishing in the rain was very good.  We fished, again, between Fall Creek and Short Creek, middle of the lake to the deep side using the micro jig/Zebra midge combo and caught a lot of trout including a nice 18-inhc brown (pic).  It restored confidence in me that there was truly a good number of trout in that area.  Come to find out, other guides had caught good trout in that area as well as up in the trophy area last week.

This morning, fishing guide Bill Babler, reported trout fishing was nothing short of excellent, his clients catching in excess of 50 rainbows almost all on Trout Magnets.  They fished from Short Creek to Trout Hollow Resort, using a pink/white magnet under a float 4 to 5 feet deep and using 6x tippet.

I recommend light line again this week.  Even if the drift rigs your buying have 4-pound line, add a short piece of 6 or 7x tippet to the end and tie your hook on that.  Tie them together using a triple surgeon's knot (Link).  It's an easy knot to tie.  The simulation only shows a double tie.  Put the line through one more time for a triple knot.