High water fishing?

[CaptainT16]

Just was wanting to see how you guys prefer to fish Taney when the water is running. I have attempted to fly-fish when they are running water pretty good and never seem to do any good. I will catch one or two next to the banks, but was wondering if most head out to the middle of the lake, only accesible by boat when the water is running or if they eat very much or what they do? It always happens to me when the water comes up and I just dread it, even though I hear it can get good. Do most people move farther downstream, find a boat, give up, go to spincast, just wanted to hear from everyone what they prefer to do? Thanks for the help.

[Phil Lilley]

My ideal favorite is some water, however small a flow it is to 2 units. Jig fishing is excellent. Fly fishing is excellent- both are easily manageable. But I am talking about fishing from a boat. I don't mind 3-4 units but fly fishing becomes alittle tough. Jig fishing- just go with heavier jigs.

I'm really missing some generation right now. Winter jig fishing with 2-3 units is lots of fun.

[porochi]

Yeah, high water (3-4 units) flyfishing is tough. If you're trying to wade, forget it, you can stand on the bank and maybe catch a few right off the bank, I've done that, but it's tough. From a boat, if you can get your stuff down deep, you can catch some, but like with nymphing, you have to use a lot of weight, and that's a bear to cast if you're flyfishing. If you want to flyfish during high water, need a boat, and I'd strip streamers, but get em down. I use a R-IV sink tip in those conditions. And I use my 6 wt. R-IV is a fast sinking sink tip line, and drifting from a boat, throw it upstream, let it sink down, then strip it back. To ensure I'm getting it down deep enough, often I'll shove the rod tip under water and strip. If I don't get snagged on the bottom a time or two, I ain't deep enough.

[Greg]

I've had some sucess wading during high water by dead drifting nymphs - but I put on a much bigger strike indicator and quite a bit of weight 6 or 8" above the nymph. Not much fun to cast with a fly rod. But it is really sporadic. Sometimes I'll do pretty well and other times I'll strike out.

Greg

[Wayne SW/MO]

Except for outlet 1 and sometimes 2, it leaves a lot to be desired. I've never had much luck with the water that high.

[Seth]

I usually catch a lot of fish at outlet two when the water is up, but you have to fight everybody else too. It aint as fun as when the water is offf either. You just keep drifting the same 4 foot stretch over and again thats it and then try to keep your cool when the other goofballs standing besides you snag you or your rod.

[Guest rwolfe]

We were down in May of 2004 when they were running 4 generators 24/7 for the entire 5 days we were down (if I remember correctly). We were in a boat and tied up on the downstream end of the island just up from Andy Williams place (not sure exactly what this area is called). We did quite well using the usual midges and scuds that we normally use. The water was quite a bit slower in that area, more like when they run 2 generators. Of course we also drifted quite a bit that trip as well. That was the year that a lot of white bass? came through and we caught quite a few of them on our last day below the wire by the darn. It was a very memorable trip to say the least. I had never been down when they were running so much water for such a long period of time before.

[Leonard]

I dont mind the high water..

lot of the time if they have 4 generator going.. lot of guys wont go down there..

But.. there are very few and far between place to try your luck in high water..

Chute 1.. offers some good deep nymph drifting.. but it fulls up quick.. and if you have a good little spinning rod.. you can get away from the guys fish up on the outlet and fish the open water..

of couse chute 2.. I dont fish there much.. so really have nothing to say about it...

Now the is chute 3.. between the stairs and the chute is a great little grassy area.. if they dont have 4 on all the way its possible to fish there... and in chute 3... if they have 3 generators going it a great place for jig fishing.. anytime..

the boat ramp... it got some big rock there.. but the fish trys to stack close to the bank.. this is a great spot to fish with 4 on... not very many people fishs over there.. this is the first place I useally go when they have 4 on..

[Robert]

Lots of high water today, and the temperature was brisk. I fished the upper end all day. When I got to the lake/river the dam was running 3 generators. About 10:00AM the generation let up a bit. I fished along the north edge between shoot one and two. I saw some reall huge rainbows and they were right along side in and out of the grass. Not much action, but they are near shore. Once the water got down to a level to wade I did have some action above shoot two. My best luck was with dark weighted streamers. I was casting toward the south bank, and letting the current move the fly along the bottom. Some of the fish were short striking the hook. Had to trim the tail a bit. Then the action started. It was a slow day by Taney standards, but I was out of doors, and fishing. It was also very quiet....forgot to put my hearing aid in. I'll probably just have to leave that thing in the truck.

Bob Andrews