Lilley's Lake Taneycomo fishing report, June 29

[Phil Lilley]

It's been a while since my last written fishing report, mainly because water conditions and fishing hasn't changed that much in the last few weeks.  If anything, catching has become tougher for most people.  The best dock fishing and wade fishing below the dam has been narrowed down to late night and early morning -- and I mean 11 p.m. until  5 a.m.. That's when the water has been shut down, at least during weekdays.  Weekends, dam operators have been running less water.

We're seeing a lot of green algae flowing down the lake, especially in the mornings as the flow builds to four units.  In talking to Tracy and Steve, we're not sure if it's coming from Table Rock through the turbines or breaking loose from the bottom of Taneycomo. My guess is it's from Table Rock.  The algae is better in the afternoon and evening but still there.  The guides say they check their client's hooks about every two minutes for algae because they just won't get bites if there's green stuff on the fly or bait.

The numbers of trophy trout have dropped a bit recently, but we're still seeing quality rainbows caught in the 13- to 15-inch range, above and below Fall Creek.  The hot spots reportedly have been down around Monkey Island and between the bridges towards the Landing.  The Missouri Department of Conservation stocking boat was seen dumping in new rainbows at the Landing yesterday, so that should increase chances of catching in that area up lake this week.

Another spot I've heard about is down just up from the mouth of Bull Creek down by Rockaway Beach.  The water is much slower down there and easier to navigate when drifting and even slow enough to use an anchor (off the bow only).

The rig that has been the best is one Gulp white egg over half a night crawler on a #8 hook using a 1/4-ounce bell weight.  Also, from the Landing down lake, try a pink or pink/white Trout Magnet under a float six- to eight-feet deep.  Freshly stocked trout will usually take something moving through the water that's flashy like a Cleo or Kastmaster.

In the trophy area, drifting a pink or white San Juan Worm, a gray or orange #12 scud or an egg fly on the bottom is still catching some good fish.

Chuck Gries had a client out the other day who was lucky to hook and land a big rainbow on a fly rod!  It was 24.25-inches long with a 14-inch girth.  That's a feat in anyone's book!!

Table Rock's lake level is slowly dropping but Beaver and Bull Shoals lakes are holding.  All the talk about our lake being dropped to work on Powersite Dam has finally gone away.  The news media really reported it wrong, but Empire Electric and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers didn't help with a poorly worded news release.  Even at that, they are not dropping Bull Shoals as they stated.  It is at the same level as it was the last time I wrote a report (692 feet).  It has to drop to 680 feet before they can start work on Powersite Dam.  Table Rock is at 926.09 and is dropping only a few inches per day.  They are holding Beaver Lake at 1129 feet.