Kayaking

[Brent Graaf]

Hello.  New to the forum and also new to fishing the upper portion of the lake.  I have been fishing the lower portion in Rockaway the last few weeks with great success from my kayak, using powerbait.  

My question, and sorry if its ignorant, but does anyone kayak fish the upper portion of the lake from dam on down?  Ive never seen them generate and not sure how safe it is if one was to get caught while they are generating.  I understand they blow a horn?  Would it be good to have a troller on kayak?  I also use an anchor down by Rockaway so i dont drift.  

Thanks!  

[Gavin]

You could have a quick ride if they turn the faucet on. High fast slick clear water is not that dangerous in a kayak, but it is high consequence if you dump. Forget your stuff and the boat and get to shore as fast as possible. PFD for sure.

[ColdWaterFshr]

I've canoe'd it a couple times.  Gavin is right.  

Also, early morning and evening fog is a concern.  Make sure you are visible to other boats.

[Phil Lilley]

A lot of people kayak upper Taney, most for pleasure.  But there's a good number of them that fish.  Jigs and stick baits will catch a lot of trout.

But use common sense - what the other guys said.

They are running some water in the afternoons - none in the mornings.  It's 5 miles+ from the dam to Cooper Creek Access.

Just remember the regulations above Fall Creek - no soft plastics, nothing that soft or smells.  And the slot limit on rainbows.

[mhumke]

I have kayaked it about a half dozen times.  I have never started at the dam but often at the MDC ramp just down from the dam or cooper creek area.  I have had pretty good success and even caught a 20 inch brown in a kayak on a rapalla across from the landing that was fun.  I try to stay out of the middle and more to one side of the bank or the other just to stay out of the way of boat traffic.  You can get into the creeks and out of the current and have pretty good luck.  I have always felt very safe even when the water is humming along, but always always wear a life jacket!!     

[Brent Graaf]

Thanks for the tips guys.  Im relatively new to kayaking and fishing.  My GF got me hooked on trout fishing last year floating the Niangua.  Ive got a couple kayaks now.  Ive been using my Native Slayer 12 on como.  It is a 12' SOT.  

I mainly have 5 to 5'6" rods.  Ultra lite and lite with shimano stradic 1000 reels.  I have a 5'6" shimano med rod paired with a Lews pro magnesium baitcaster.   The baitcaster is giving me fits.  All ive ever used is spinning reels and havent gotten the feel for the baitcaster yet.   I wadded it up bad sunday.  Had to cut my line.  Put the line in my mouth.   While trying to clear out the mess on the bail i felt a tug on my mouth.  Sure enough....   nice trout. 14-15".   Had to reel in with hands.  LOL.  

And yes.  I understand the rules on fall creek.  12 and under can keep and 20 and over can keep.  Anything in between has to be released. 4 limit per day. With only one brown 20+.   Spinners.  Jerkbaits and flies only in trophy area.  

 

I wanna try catching a big brown.  Does anyone ever catch big browns on the lower section of the lake?  If so.  Wheres a good area to look.  My personal best was last friday evening.  17" rainbow.  Fun times!  

Thanks

[trout4me]

I rarely post on here because I have little time to fish...but enjoy reading of others' successes.  I want you to be really cautious based on a recent experience:  My son and I did have the opportunity to come down on the first week of August to fish one evening.  Plan was to launch at the landing (letting my wife shop) and boat up to the dam.  Lot's of water moving, so I'm sure they were running 4 units.  Everything working as planned until we approached the Trout Hollow dock, and slowed down for 3 people in kayaks.  They were spread about 50 yards apart when I noticed the last kayak flipping over, most likely due to the wakes of the boats ahead of mine.  I pointed to the guy in the first kayak, but the current was too swift for him to turn around and get back upstream to help.  I motioned that I would help, and motored up to the person.  I found a 20's age girl clinging to the side of a dock with no life jacket on begging for help.  The current was so strong we had a really hard time getting the boat in position for my son to grab the dock so we could help her.  After us both finally grabbing the dock he put his  life jacket on her, and I jumped on the dock to pull on her onto the dock.  I'm afraid if she let go, she would have been swept into or under the next dock......and who knows how that would have gone.  I'm not looking for praise......I just want people to be extra cautious! Any by all means....please wear a life jacket.  I told her to thank the Lord that we were there at that time.  Things don't happen by accident.

 

[ColdWaterFshr]

Pretty scary story there trout4me.  Glad you were there to rescue.  That could've ended very wrong.

Brent - if you are new to kayaking, then I would say upper Taney is probably NOT a good idea.  Much more narrow up there, more boat traffic for sure than the lower end, and the wakes from big boats as trout4me says, will easily flip even experienced kayakers.  Very high consequence water as Gavin said, especially if water running,  ICE cold water will suck the strength out of you in seconds.

 

[ollie]

Since you are relatively new to kayaking I wouldn't recommend the upper end of Taney. Too much can go wrong if you haven't encountered all that can be thrown at you. I am a seasoned paddler and I'm not so sure I would do the upper end unless I knew for sure they weren't going to generate power. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

The problem at Taney or any other tail water is generation. Today, wind blowing upstream and no generation. Very benign Conditions. Monday around 2 pm generating water and if you are not a seasoned paddler you could be in trouble QUICKLY!

Not only being seasoned but understanding the current generation conditions is probably more important.