What A Mess!!!!

[Bill Babler]

Really started fishing Taneycomo hard 33 years ago, so you know I'm old and cranky. In all those years, I have never seen our lake in such a condition.

When they dropped the lake to work on our Savior and the Wonder and Thrill all of Branson, the Landing, Last Week. they exposed huge quanitles of the lake floor to the sun. This perpetuated one of the biggest moss and alge die offs I have ever seen.

I am sure million of aquatic insects were also killed and left high and dry along for the scuds, sowbugs, and sculpins.

From Andy's to Cooper, the water was virtually unfishable by any other method than a 1 pound weight and a 2 ought bass hook with a crawler attached.

Moss was so thick, it looked like there was a 4 inch thick quilt on the lake. This is unforgivable, and riduculas. The smell and stench of the dying vegetation is sickning.

Do you think they are ever concerned about the enviornmental impact of the things they do??? It is just always about the all might dollar.

I believe we will pay the price for the lake drop for the rest of the year. We had, had such a great start.

In the short term, they need to flush this puppy out and run it hard for a couple of days to clean up this mess.

Water temps at Cooper this PM were getting very close to the 65 degree mark so I am wondering why we don't have a perge. Posted generation schedule says tomorrow at 3PM for an hour. That won't do it!!!

Mud, Moss and Alge, thats my ideal trout stream. Way to go Powers that be, you might have really messed it up this time

What else can we do for the Landing, why not just wipe out the entire upper end of the lake.

This was just not right.

[Rusty]

Sorry to hear that Bill. I heard a rumor the other day, that MDC is going to rename Taneycomo to Branson Landing, "where we can do no wrong".

[gonefishin]

So which do you think is worse them drawing down for the sake of BL or gravel mining

[Bill Babler]

What really Irks me is that, did anyone look into the damage that this could cause to a very fragile fishery. The etomology of this body of water was severly compromised.

Is putting in a boat ramp a Pillar or anything worth the cost of what this did to the eco-structure of this fishery?

Other area's when they want to add a shoreline water structure, they drive connecting pillars and pump the water from the area in which they wish to work to maintain the integerty of the water. Why not here? Why comprimise a 10 mile section of the lake.

What is really worse, is this is the feed yard for the entire upper section with acres of gravel being sterlized in the hot sun.

I am no Attorney, but I would bet some law was either broken or bent somewhere. Money, was behind this. Somebody got a chunk!!

Anytime the Branson Landing calls for something they throw all caution to the wind and just let the chips fall where they will.

This has simply got to stop.

Maby a federal law suit or two will make them think before they act next time.

Just what in the hell is so important that they can do this to the upper lake, and who is allowing this?

I'm thinking that lots of money is changing hands and lots of palms are being greased beyond belief.

[gonefishin]

It irks me too. Those who have the bucks can get away with anything.

Where are all the big Bluegill hanging out on the Rock? Or better yet big Redear?

[MrDucky]

Do you think if Johnny Morris knew what this addition to his or near his store would do to the lake , Would he of still allowed it to happen? It seems really sad that Branson Landing needs more (Attractions) , Its just silly

[SilverMallard]

Johnny probably personally ordered it, MrDucky.

Y'all need to realize that as long as the USACE is the org charged with issuing these types of permits, they are going to do stupid stuff from an eco standpoint. They are all about BUILDING THINGS in the water. They cater to industry, transportation, and agriculture; and fisheries and the environment come WAY, WAY, WAY down their list of priorities. But you can bet the farm that when HCW, Johnny Morris, or Pete Herschend decide they want something done around here; it's going to happen. This is a virtually unchageable reality for the foreseeable future. So we might as well get used to it and quit being "shocked" and complaining about it. Because the FIRST thing that would have to change is to get the USACE out of the environmental protection business. And that's a BIG, NATIONAL job.

[Guest lbt]

Hell yes he would have allowed it he does not care. He philosophy only revolves around money thats why he now has 42 stores full of junk!

When is the last time you saw Johnny down on Taney fishing, you know he is to busy travailing the world in his jet going to Nascar races and fishing his so called private water in Colorado. He claims that he owns miles of private water in Colorado but I guess he has paid one of the land owners that borders him to let him have rights to the water. I believe he actually only owns about 600' of land that borders the water on the Frying Pan River I could be wrong though.

It is all about Money I have actually heard him say when some one confronted him about some prices in his store that were way below what the factory told him to sell the product for, they do that so that everyone keeps on level playing field and no one store can undercut the other. His Reply was what are you going to do about,It's not like you will pull your product from my store, he laughed and turned away. In the next couple of weeks I saw the rep in the store and he was pulling his product from the shelf. I asked him what he was doing and he said he had enough he was going to take care of the small store where they actually care what they are doing.

I believe that Wall-Mart, Bass Pro, and Cabelas will always be here but if you think one second that they actually care about the little people or the smaller finer things in life you are mistaken and I feel that the only time they will get involed is if they think that it will make them look better and if they can actually get something from it as in increased revenue.

I totally understand where Bill is coming from and and have fished down at Taney almost just as long as Bill has.I feel that there has been some oversight to some laws and regulations by the city council of Bronson and also feel that the corp has looked the other way for a while as well.

They might need to consider how much that Fishery actually brings in for Revenue to the city of Branson And I'm not just Talking about Taney I'm talking about all of the area down there you mess up the fisheries and people will stop coming. They think people will just come to shop I don't think so how many men out there will come to Branson just to shop. My wife will fish right next to me but there are days that she does not want to fish I will send her to shop while I fish.

Real Quick to drive my point in I agree Bill, and the big guys all they want is money and will only do something that is right is if money is in voled. I might be wrong. Maybe we should call Johnny Morris up and ask him to help I assure you he will say what do I get out of this.

[gonefishin]

Unfortunately when people become successful they quit thinking what is good for them is good for everyone and start believing it. At that point they run rough shod over everyone and everything in their path.

[Yellowbee]

Oh this is great - my son and I are heading for Coopers Creek this coming Thursday for some needed R&R (and a belated birthday present to me from my son) I hope some of the "JUNK" has been flushed out by the time we get there or we'll probably have to head way down river - not the best choice in my book. Any suggestions?