April 28 fishing report

[Phil Lilley]

Generation patterns have remained constant here on Lake Taneycomo for the last week.  Operators have run about 8,000 cubic feet per second of water for a couple of hours in the morning (two units) then dropped back to 3,000 to 5,000 c.f.s. for the rest of the day.

Long term, we should see this pattern for quite a while.  Beaver Lake is holding at 1127.7 feet, which is seven feet above power pool.  While this seems high, the U.S. Corps of Army Engineers likes to hold Beaver high in the spring, waiting for hot summer months to start generating for power.  Table Rock Lake, on the other hand, is holding at 915.2 feet, right at power pool.  Recent rains have kept these lakes at the same level even though both dams are releasing water.  That's why I think this pattern won't change until lake levels drop significantly.

The water temperature has held to about 47 degrees with visibility about four-feet deep.  There's mossy algae coming from Table Rock Lake through the dam that is staying suspended in our lake, but that is normal for this time of year.  Typically we see it through the month of May.  It is a nuisance to us fishermen -- forcing us to check and clean off our hooks every once in a while -- but the fish don't mind it.  We know they actually eat it since we find it in their stomachs.  May be that's why olive jigs are a good lure this time of year!

I am glad to report trout fishing has picked up the last few days!  We were beginning to wonder where our rainbows had all gone.  Our weather conditions had not been the best, though,  with the extra weeks of cold and wind.  But this past week, spring finally arrived!  It's warm and the wind hasn't been too bad at all.  That makes for better fishing conditions, from handling a boat, to casting and feeling the bite.

Drifting bait has been very productive, from Fall Creek to past Cooper Creek using minnows, night crawlers and white Gulp Eggs.  Only use enough weight to get your rig to the bottom.  You will catch more fish and lose fewer rigs.  Spoons have been good, too.  Gold seems to be the color with a flash of red.  Buoyant gold in the 1/6th ounce and Colorado silver/gold in the 1/8th ounce worked slowly with a twitch have been the best.

If the current is slow, when only one unit is running, you can anchor along the edges and fish a minnow or night crawler below the boat and do well.

Captain Steve Dickey is catching fish using either a white or sculpin 1/32nd-ounce jig under a float five- to six-feet deep, drifting  from the cable at the dam all the way down to our place (Lilleys' Landing.)  But you have to "bump it" or move the float, thus moving the jig.  This doesn't have to be a big bump, just enough to move the float a bit.  He's also using a #12 gray scud under a float about the same distance with a small split shot to get and keep it close to the bottom, drifting it all through the trophy area.  The pink Powerworm is still doing well from Fall Creek to the Branson Landing, fished on a small jig head under a float five- to seven-feet deep.

Captain Duane Doty is catching fish the same way as Dickey,  plus he's drifting a smaller #14 gray scud on the bottom using a small split shot and concentrating on the Narrows.

Some guys staying here at the resort this weekend set out to catch some big browns, using Duane's technique of dragging or trolling crank baits on the bottom.  They started at the cable and to their surprise they were successful!  But not for catching brown trout.  They caught walleye instead.  Five of them yesterday and 5 again today.  The smallest caught was 19 inches and biggest was around 24.  And yes they did keep them... who wouldn't!

[MickinMO]

When using the powerworm and jig, what is the proper way to thread the worm onto the jig? Is like you would a grub or worm if you were bass fishing or how you would a nightcrawler as seen on your One Casts?

[JestersHK]

Dang save some of those stinking walters for me this weekend! LOL  

Glad to hear fishing is picking up!  Thursday can't get here soon enough...

[Seth]

On 4/29/2018 at 8:02 AM, MickinMO said:

When using the powerworm and jig, what is the proper way to thread the worm onto the jig? Is like you would a grub or worm if you were bass fishing or how you would a nightcrawler as seen on your One Casts?

Break it in half and thread it on the hook inline like you would a grub, NED rig, etc.

[Phil Lilley]

11 hours ago, Seth said:

Break it in half and thread it on the hook inline like you would a grub, NED rig, etc.

Exactly.