2020 MDC Survey, Lake Taneycomo

[snagged in outlet 3]

There's nothing down there...

[JestersHK]

I've honestly never been down past the landing...

1. I don't boat fish all that much.

2. I guess it's hard for me to leave a sure thing by going up lake...

What's fishing like on the other side of the dam in bull shoals? It's not tail water type water correct?

I need to plan an exploration trip... 

 

[Ryan Miloshewski]

Down lake there is 100% some monsters. But it is such big water. And deep. It would take some time to hook into one. I think you'd almost have to troll with downriggers and just cover water. Once you get down by Powersite it looks like TR/BS.

[Bill Babler]

For the past couple of months we have caught multiple rainbow's with Par markings, I mean lots of them  in the 4 to 6 inch range.  Caught 2 today on egg patterns in the restricted zone prior to the moss over.

In September and I have been extremely busy my clients  have caught and for the most part released well over a 1000, possibly closer to 1500 rainbows since bringing a brown to the boat.  During that span of time we have used night crawlers, jerkbaits, scuds, egg patterns, jigs  and of course the Berkley power worm along with the trout magnet which seems to have reinvented it's self.  That is probably as long as I have ever fished without catching a single brown trout.  I have seen several chasing rainbows but have not had a client hook one in over a month.

For the months of August and September and I have fished here since 1972, we have caught and released more quality fish than probably any total single year during that 2 month period.  In the last 2 months the fishing for both numbers and fantastic quality have simply amazed me,   With the numbers of fishermen on the water the fishing has been simply to good to be true.

That was up until today when the moss came.  

[Travis Swift]

So if we did lose a bunch of big brown trout over Powersite during the floods I would think it's conceivable to think that Bullshoals is deep enough to possibly sustain Brown Trout and if so there could be a bunch of big Triploid Brown trout swimming around in there getting stupid big on the abundant forage?  Don't Browns thrive in a little warmer water than Rainbows?  I maybe way off base, just curious but it is a thought that they have survived down there and could be growing huge?  

[tjm]

 

23 minutes ago, Travis Swift said:

Don't Browns thrive in a little warmer water than Rainbows? 

Remembering what I've read, as fry I think they do (maybe 10*F), perhaps as adults browns can stand a couple degrees warmer water but both are in trouble between 70-75F, best I recall, below 68F is better for browns below 65F is better for rainbow, maybe.

[Travis Swift]

4 minutes ago, tjm said:

 

Remembering what I've read, as fry I think they do (maybe 10*F), perhaps as adults browns can stand a couple degrees warmer water but both are in trouble between 70-75F, best I recall, below 68F is better for browns below 65F is better for rainbow, maybe.

Rainbows survive in Trock and are caught on occasion and dang nice ones at that so it's at least possible some Browns could be in Bull Shoals and thriving.  

[tjm]

Lakes almost always have water cool enough  at depth, I guess, then it becomes an O2 concern. Both those lakes get continuous re-stocking of both trouts from upstream, so yes there should be some survival up to the lifespan of the trout.  I think only the piscivorous  members of either species could survive long term, but  that is just a guess. 

[Phil Lilley]

I know a person who caught (and released) 5 browns a couple of nights ago below Powersite - all between 20 and 24 inches.

Locals have always been pretty quiet about their catches there... and for good reason.  It's a great fishery in their back yard that would be inundated by anglers from all over if it got out that stripers/walleye/whites/big brown were being caught at any given time.

You don't see much here about it... there's a reason for it.

[txdave]

In the 70's my uncle talked about going to Peel AR and dragging night crawlers for trout. No idea what kind they caught. Also, back then I caught a 22 inch rainbow fishing under lights at night fishing for white bass.