Taneycomo Report

[Bill Babler]

Don't know what time it started but there were two generators running when our corporate trip left Lilleys' at 9 AM. 7 guide boats in the upper restricted area for a pass or two.

When the group arrived at Lookout the lake was running solid full of moss and a black color, that I have never seen.

Lots of guide trips today and some of the boys that were already on scene said it was unfishable.

Immediatly 4 guide boats headed for Branson, and beat the flow. They reported good fishing on hardware and powerbait from Monkey thru the Landing, until the water arrived, and then yuck.

I had been on the phone getting calls all morning from the guides already in the restricted area, wanting me to tell them what they could do.

My answer was to have patients and let the moss subside. For most of them it never did.

I on the other hand with the two generators running, but the lake extremely low decided to go to rebar, to see what the upper lake looked like.

I don't advise this move unless you know ever inch of that area. I was running in under two feet of water at 60 mph, and thats how I got there.

If my boat would have came off plane, I would still be on the riffle at Point Royal, 1.8 ft.

From rebar to Clay Banks, the water was running clear, clean and absolutely beautiful.

Clay Banks thru Lookout, and then completely thru Short Creek, down to Cooper, it was unbelieveable, with dead moss and vegetation coming off the bottom in huge hunks and billions of basketball size chunks.

Clay Banks thru Fall Creek, was by far the worst.

I made 4 drifts on rebar and caught fish every pass on a midge egg fly combo.

By using a full pink micro with a chrome head, Myself and Buster were able to catch fish thru Fall Creek.

You could drag nothing, in that section, or use any fly with dubbing, as it would become a moss ball immediatly.

Fished until 2 PM and it stayed bad, as the bottom of the lake is just peeling off.

Typical run was the egg and midge from rebar to Clay Banks, then a quick rod switch with the pink micro to Fall Creek. Upper 3/4 mile would be about 8 to 10 takes per pass and the lower 2.5 miles would be about 6 takes per pass.

I believe you boys that are wading will be okedoke, the worst of it is from the Conservation Ramp, thru Fall Creek. If you watch close while your drifting, you can see the moss pealing off the bottom as the water runs.

There were several of the guys, that struggled, but most of the vets, caught at least enough to make there clients happy. We grumbled alot, but caugtht fish.

I believe we had 30 and Buster had about the same. One of the guys that was the first to head downtown, had about 40 on a cleo, in front of Scotty's, to the Landing. He reported swarms of fresh fish in the water down there. When the generation hit town, he said it was all over, as your spoon would gomm up right away.

It will get better.

[WebFreeman]

60 mph? Sounds like a fun ride.

[Danoinark]

What do you think was causing the moss to peel like that..?

Because of the lower water levels, was the moss dying off and clumping up, then peeling away?

Dano

[WebFreeman]

I still can't get over the 60 mph! Did you client have to change their shorts? That would worth the guide trip in itself!

[Bill Babler]

At 60 that boat dosent even know its getting started. 77 is top speed I have had it on GPS, on Table Rock.

The way these boat are designed that is nothing, but a walk in the park.

There were no other boats or humans on those waters, while I was traveling at that speed. I did have to wait for one boat to drift off the landing strip before I could start my taxi down the runway.

The dying vegetation I believe was exposed to the sun during the draw down.

It died dried out and is now peeling off the bottom and floating to the top or flowing with the current.

[WebFreeman]

I guess it's a combo of speed and 18 inches of water. I wasn't trying to imply you weren't being safe. But zipping on the lake in that shallow water seems pretty exciting.

[denjac]

Bill should be a Mexican cab driver. lol. I know the feeling in shallow water. Fished the Missouri river in South Dakota. Shallow and lots of gravel bars. Ask Captain Rick about it. Found out you can get up in 18 inches of water. All sand bottom up there so no rocks.

[FRENZEL]

The only good thing was that all the trout I caught fought hard and were fat. Really big guts. This was a 17 3/4 inch rainbow that had moss coming out both sides. Look at all the junk in the water.