Trolling for trout

[Ralda]

I just bought my first ever boat. It's a 12 foot flat bottom that i haul in the back of my truck. I'm mostly a river fisher but do have a 55lb thrust trolling motor on it. I'd like to get any advice someone is willing to offer about the best location, season, and typical bait for trolling for lake taneycomo trout. Any help at all would be appreciated. I plan on camping at taneycomo several times this summer as well ans bringing the boat.

[Phil Lilley]

Bet Duane can stir you in the right direction.

[ubear]

look at cabellas catalog and search for a cowbell or ford fender......... these are spinners to which you you attach a hook behind and use a worm. i use the cowbell that is 24 inches long. you tro these in areas where there are few logs to keep from loosing them due to costs of the cowbell.

i use garcia 5000c and old worm rods to troll with.

go down stream with trolling motor to make sure they stay off bottom

a 12 to 14 inch smash these or you get a peck peck peck as they eat the worm

i first fished these on taneycomo in about 1977 with a guide Milo Holvick spelling? he was a retired dairy farmer that fished out of the dock near the end of main street..... to the campground. he fished a stick steering boat ...... as i do today.

my wife and i have caught many many fish dragging a cowbell....... most people stare at the rig it is old school but it does catch fish.

[duckydoty]

If they are running any amount of water, about the only direction you will be able to go is down stream. 55 pounds thrust just won't be enough to go upstream for very long against a heavy current. I used a 45 pound thrust trolling motor on an 8 foot 100 pound duck hunting layout boat and could cover about 5 miles of trolling before the battery would start to die. Just wanted to warn you about that. Now for the fishing part of trolling Taney. Spoons like Cleo's and kastmasters are a good choice for trolling. 4 pound test and varying your speed to find what they want. Right in front of the Landing would be a good spot along with the bridges area.

[Gatorjet]

Just wondering how much trolling you could do with a "trolling" motor. I think that is somewhat of a misnomer. With a small car topper, I would think you would only have one battery, and how long would the charge last with constant use. Possibly some different techniques would give you longer on lake time. Jigs, jig & float, stick baits, and spoons could be fished in productive areas not far from a boat ramp.

I also would not want to be down lake from my launch point with only an electric motor if generation started, and you hadn't arranged for someone to pick you up down lake. Even a good wind blowing against your direction could turn your "trolling rig" into a drift boat pretty quick.

Third, I'm not sure a 12' car topper would be the safest boat to be in on Taneycomo during times of high boat traffic. I remember a couple friends bringing a little 12' Jon with a small gas motor one year for the R.A.W.tournament. after launching, while one of the guys was pulling over to the dock a couple boats went by. Not close, or anything, just normal traffic. I was bit worried for my friends safety, but non the less amused by his reaction while he held on for dear life as the boat bobbed like the proverbial cork in the ocean. He said Silver Dollar City didn't have a thing on that ride for thrills, and chills! Luckily, Phil had a cancellation, and they rented a bigger boat for the tournament.

[Ralda]

Ok, thanks for the advice. Looks like I'll,concentrate on jig fishing in creeks rather than main lake fishing.