Gates To Stay Open May Be Through This Weekend

[Phil Lilley]

Word is they are keeping the gates open at least through the week, may be into the weekend.

We are seeing shad in the lake all the way down to the Branson Landing and trout spitting up shad that far down. This is UNPRECEDENTED in the years I've been here - for this many shad to enter the lake from the spill gates.

Rick Lisek said he was one of the only boats up below the dam this morning and they had over 80 trout caught before 10:30 am on shad flies.

I caught some real pigs last evening. Some of the biggest were just up and down from the Fall Creek line. All on white 1/8th oz jigs.

KY3 did report yesterday or the day before on how dangerous this high water is to swimmers and boaters... they do this every time they spill water over the gates, although no boating accidents have occurred, at least on Taneycomo. I'm all for warning the public about dangerous situations but to disregard the positive side of the high water is poor. Of course I am bias in my observation!!!

We do our best helping our people be safe on the water. I sent 5 guys who rented a jon boat for 3 days out in one of our pontoons instead, for the same money, because I wanted them to boat to the dam and experience this incredible fishing event. Not that jons are unsafe up there - they are as long as you don't do anything stupid like anchor or drift into trees... it was just easier for 5 to fish from a pontoon than a 5-seat jon boat... and safer.

Know the rules!! A party of three here were going to the dam and fishing with the right lures but kept rainbows in the slot. They didn't know. But they know now. Release rainbows longer than 12 inches and and less than 20 inches. Over 20-inches... take a pic and release 'em, if you please. They'll get bigger for you next time. Browns have to be 20 inches to keep lake wide.

[John W Kelly]

I have driven a boat (a pontoon) only twice, ever, and that was for a very short distance. Sunday afternoon, my wife and I rented a G3 boat for a couple of hours from Lilleys Landing and had a blast. We went down to Branson Landing and back up to the dam for a couple of long drifts. Caught several on a white marabou, then time was up (Dangit!). Navigating the water, drifting, fishing, and getting the boat back in the slip wasn't any problem. There wasn't much floating debris in the water and it was relatively clear. I did see someone toss an anchor out in the fast current and thought that didn't look to smart...

It was great out there catching fish in the free range while drifting past the few anglers who were cramped along the bank .

[gotmuddy]

how close can you get to the dam on table rock?

[Quillback]

Going to be some fat trout with all those shad.

[Phil Lilley]

how close can you get to the dam on table rock?

There's a cable. I think 600-800 feet?

[Feathers and Fins]

Errr stripers might have to wait this is sounding like a time to go pull some big baits behind me for some big browns

[hookinear]

F&F. Me and my old man were there the 9th-11th. Threw a trout magnet rainbow trout colored sinking rapala and threw them at the cable down to the boat ramp and landed 17 browns that were 15"-19.5" and I know I lost another 10+ at the boat. Fast retrieve close to the surface at the cable and let it sink the farther you get downstream. Over the flats next to outlet 3 and behind the island was good too. Never caught that many big browns that quick in my life. Amazing trip

[Seth]

So you were throwing a rubber trout magnet in the trophy area? That's a no-no since it's rubber right? I had good luck on pink trout magnets when we were down in July around Monkey Island but I didn't fish them above the cable thinking they were illegal.

[Travis Swift]

Trout magnet jerkbait I'm sure.

[johndarin]

It's a jerkbait made by Trout Magnet that is a hard bait. They are called Trout Magnet Trout Cranks.