Lilleys' Lake Taneycomo Fishing Report, August 30

[Phil Lilley]

Weather change!! This is a good fishing thing. Cooler temperatures here on Lake Taneycomo mean cool breezes (and chop on the water!), a little rain, clouds and less generation in the afternoon, all good for fishing and fishermen. But what are our trout biting on?

I won't lie, catching trout has been a little tough this last week. Our water is still cold and very clear. I believe the lake right now is full of trout, at least this upper part of Taneycomo. Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery has been stocking rainbows both last week and this week in preparation for the big holiday weekend. Weather and plenty of trout -- everything's coming together for a nice trout fishing weekend.

There's been no generation at night into the morning every day for the last month it seems. Then generation starts most days about 1 p.m. but some days it starts mid morning and builds to 4 units by 3 p.m.. But with mild temperatures in the forecast, we may see that change to less generation in the afternoons. We will see.

Yesterday, I found clouds and a nice south breeze as I boated up to Fall Creek mid morning. I tied on a olive micro jig using 7x fluorocarbon tippet with a #16 black Zebra Midge as a dropper 18 inches below the jig. I was fishing in about 5 feet of water so I set the small float 4 feet from the first fly.



It wasn't fast action but I was getting a bite every 4 to 5 minutes. My breeze would come and go and my bites followed. When there was a chop, they bit. When there wasn't, not so much.

I caught 8 rainbows, 2 on the jig and 6 on the Zebra. I missed a dozen strikes and hooked another dozen that didn't get in the boat. That's been a common tale lately -- lots of short bites and long ranged releases. Our trout are tentative when feeding, at least on what we're offering.

I did not try 6x tippet so I'm not sure if it would make a big difference but it goes without saying, smaller tippet equals more bites.



This shows the chop that was on the surface yesterday morning.  Perfect!

I got up below the dam Thursday morning for a short time. I only fished one place -- just above outlet #2. I offered a #18 red Zebra Midge under a very small float and fished it 12 to 24 inches deep. I had several very soft takes with only one hookup -- a small rainbow.

I walked up to outlet #1 just looking at fish. What I saw was impressive -- quite a few 20-inch class rainbows cruising around. With the slick conditions, no wind and sunny skies, it may be tough to fool these big fish but I'd throw a sculpin at them if I had another chance. That or may be a big, ugly dry fly -- something they haven't seen much.

The trophy area had been fishing fairly well and should be good this weekend because of the wind and clouds in the forecast. In the mornings, I'd throw what I threw yesterday -- a jig with a midge dropper. When the water starts, I'd fish a float, setting it deep with enough split shots to get your fly to the bottom using a #12 grey scud of a white San Juan worm.

Guide, Jeremy Hunt had his clients fishing with what he calls a Gut Worm which is a big white San Juan. Even with no generation, rainbows were eating this fly. Jeremy would watch the big white fly and when it disappeared he'd tell the client to set the hook. It worked!



Below Fall Creek, inflating night crawlers with air is catching some really nice rainbows from Fall Creek down to Lilleys' Landing. I'd stay off the bluff banks and fish the middle to shallow side of the lake. I'd also try that jig and float or a Trout Magnet and float. Fish them deep if it's sunny but only 4-5 feet deep if cloudy, early and late in the day.



Photos courtesy of Capt Steve Dickey, fishing guide.

[Travis Swift]

I would like to add a small quick report. We made a quick trip down here this weekend and wasn't able to stay on the water. The last hour and a half of daylight last evening I was able to slip down to the landing and fish off one of the docks. I caught 19 rainbows. They were of average size but I had a couple 16 inchers mixed in. All fish came on a trout magnet fished under a small float.

Travis

[Phil Lilley]

That's some good fishing! There must be a bunch of rainbows at the Landing. Thanks for sharing!!

[Travis Swift]

It was a good evening for sure. I agree there must be alot because I missed as many as I caught. The size of some of them was fairly impressive. Can't wait to see you at Thanksgiving Phil. We should be at your place the whole week.

Travis