Lilleys' Taneycomo Fishing Report, August 6

[Phil Lilley]

 

Generation has remained about the same for the last several weeks. If nothing else, it's increased in volume. Table Rock continues to drop slowly and steadily--it's now dropped almost to 924 feet. Beaver Lake is still hovering around 1129 feet and Bull Shoals has dropped only a foot the past week to 689 feet. Reminder: Bull Shoals need to drop below 680 feet before they can work on Powersite Dam.

 

Lake temperature is rising while the dissolved oxygen levels are falling. This is a common occurrence each fall season on our lake but the difference this year is the temperature is higher than normal.

 

 

Here's a graph from today showing both levels.  Note both are nudging up.  Bill Babler reported he read the water at 56 degrees below Fall Creek.  That's pretty high for the first week in August.  We might be looking at water temperatures in the mid 60's later this fall.  This will put a lot of stress of our trout, especially big brown trout that will be moving up in the upper lake to spawn in October and November.  As soon as Table Rock turns over, which happens early in December normally, the situation will change for the good, sending water higher in oxygen through the turbines and into Lake Taneycomo.

 

Currently, we are not seeing any affects of the higher lake temperature.  It might even be helping the bite because the trout seem to be very active and strong.

 

 

Starting at the dam, drifting with flies, namely a pink San Juan Worm and/or a gray #10 scud has been working very good but the best bite has been early and late in the day.  During the middle of the day it's been slow.

 

Steve Dickey says that the trout are on the bottom and won't move up for a fly but the exception is a jig fished 10-12 feet deep under a float, ginger or pink in color.  He said either use a small micro or 1/100th ounce and a split shot or use an 1/132nd ounce jig that doesn't need any weight to get down.

 

Twenty-one inch rainbow caught by a client of Bill Babler.

 

Dickey said drifting the sides is better than the middle of the lake, staying about 50 feet from the bank.  Four pound line is fine.  Use only enough weight to get and keep you on the bottom.

 

The same can be used with a fly rod and fishing the flies under an indicator 10-12 feet deep.  The best bite stops just below the MDC boat ramp.

 

From Lookout Island to Fall Creek, working a marabou jig against the bluff bank has been very good.  The size of jig you use depends on how much water is running.  If no water is running, I'd throw a 1/16th ounce jig using 2-pound line.  One to 2 units, use either a 3/32nd ounce to 1/8th ounce jig and more than 2 units use the 1/8th ounce.

 

Best colors have been black, sculpin, olive, ginger, sculpin/ginger, white or pink.

 

Trout are starting to take flies on the surface.  Hoppers are top of the list with other terrestrial flies doing well, such as Stimulators and Elk Hair Caddis.

 

Stripping streamers are also producing.  Taneycomo has never been a big streamer fishery but lately fly anglers are cashing in on pounding the banks with big white, articulated flies.  White Sex Dungeons and white Circus Peanut are a couple of choices.  Work them both sides of the lake from the dam down past Fall Creek.  The action should be fast and erratic.

 

 

With 2 units or more, work the inside bend from Fall Creek down past Short Creek throwing jigs.  Don't pass by the shallow parts too quickly--that's where I've done the best.  I think these areas aren't fished that often and these trout aren't seeing many lures.

 

Below Fall Creek, drifting night crawlers is still the best way to catch your limit of rainbows.  Add a Gulp white egg to the hook before hooking the worm to make it float and to add some color.  Best areas have been from Fall to Short Creek and then from Cooper Creek down lake past the bridges.

 

 

I've been catching some nice rainbows and browns fishing both banks, throwing either a white or sculpin 1/8th ounce jig, mainly late in the afternoon and evenings.

 

[champ187xr6]

Thanks for the report Phil. For us that can't get down there as much as we would like it is nice to live vicariously thru your reports an videos.