Lilley's Lake Taneycomo Fishing Report, March 25

[Phil Lilley]

I've been hesitant about writing a fishing report for Taneycomo this week because I know as soon as I do the Corps will change the generation pattern and thus completely blow my report of out the water.  So I'm going to write a short one and wait for the change which I think will happen in the next couple of days.

They've been blowing 15,000 cubic feet of water per second since March 15.  That's 14,256,000,000 cubic feet of water or 106,634,000,000 gallons of water in 11 days.  The flow is equal to 4 full tubines running but only 3 are online so they're making up for the extra flow by spilling 5,000 c.f.s. over and through 5 gates.

Water temperature is about 41 coming through the turbines and about 45 over the top.  When mixed, we're seeing 44 degrees down around the resort.  Clarity is pretty clear.

We've seen some shad come over the top of the dam for sure but we might be seeing some come through the turbines.  White jigs are doing ok but dragging white shad flies is producing a lot more fish.  I've been really trying to make my jigs work but I just can't beat the numbers of rainbows mainly being caught between the dam and Trophy Run.

Phil Stone's clients caught some nice rainbows drifting from Lookout through the Narrows dragging small 1/16th ounce jigs on the bottom on Wednesday.  And others are dragging a double scud rig on the same drift, using a #10 or #12 gray scuds with 4-pound line.

Again, I worked the bluff bank using an 1/8th-ounce white jig and only caught a couple on one drift... not the success I'd think I'd have if these fish are seeing shad.

From Fall Creek down, the water is fast and it's hard to get anything to the bottom unless you're drifting from the big log cabin down and staying on the inside of the lake.  Scuds, minnows and night crawlers are doing just ok here.  You really need to stay down below the Riverpointe Estates boat ramp, I think, to get a good drift.  The flat from Short Creek to Trout Hollow has been producing good numbers of rainbows.

Drifting minnows from the bend past our place and staying middle to inside of the lake has been pretty good too.

The creek downtown are the best and easiest place to catch a limit of rainbows.  They're going up into Turkey, Coon and Roark Creek to get out of the current and finding warmer water.  Our guides are still catching them on the Pink worm under a float, fishing it 4-feet deep, 4-pound line.  I've also heard of people catching them throwing spoons and rooster tails.

Table Rock is approaching 916 feet, only 1 foot over power pool.  It should hit it by tomorrow morning, depending on how much rain falls today.  Honestly, I'm surprised they've ran it this hard as long as they have, and I'm really not sure if they will slow it down once the level drops below 916 feet.  But chances are they will back off a bit, at least shutting down the spill gates.  This will slow the water down and make it easier to fish, especially in areas like just below Fall Creek where a lot of big trout are usually caught.

We will see.

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[Bill Babler]

Supplement:

Really a very small number of bites per day with all this flow. Yesterday we started to see some stained water coming over the top from Long Creek. Surface temps are a steady 44.1 degrees. 

Shad fly and white 1/8th. oz. Jig under an indicator has been my go to along with the straight line jig. Have also caught some on a shad fly size 10 scud combo on a drift rig with 3/8 oz weight down to a 3/16 oz. Moss still can be bad and a lot of cleaning is common. 

If you can throw a jerk bait, this bite can be good early, but it stops way to soon. Mega bass 110 plus one in French pearl, in the restricted zone. It just seems the zone is by far out fishing the catch and keep area now.

Last 2 days our fish have started to look more stressed. Last week we caught very few that were not toad fat. Last two days on the 17 we boated they looked like they needed a break and a high calorie dinner or three. 

Both Phil Stone and I fished with some bait for part of our day yesterday. He pulled crawlers from Fall Creek to Trout Hollow for over an hour yesterday with no bites. I pulled from Lilleys thru Cooper with minnows and crawlers for an hour with no bites. Its really hard right now if people want to keep fish. Most of the guides that are not fishing the creeks can't catch enough keeper quality trout for their clients. 

There is only so much room in the creeks and from what I heard today tempers have been starting to flair due to fisherman being on top of each other and lots and lots of back and forth boat traffic, pretty much trout park closeness and then throw in boats and motors.  I don't need that. 

I'm also thinking at Table Rock 916 level things will change for the better. 

Until then good luck

[Guest MOfish447]

I wonder if going way up in creeks with a flat bottom or kayak would be any less crowded? For example, that park at Turkey Creek. I don't live close enough to check quickly. I just have to decide and go! 

[Phil Lilley]

3 hours ago, MOfish447 said:

I wonder if going way up in creeks with a flat bottom or kayak would be any less crowded? For example, that park at Turkey Creek. I don't live close enough to check quickly. I just have to decide and go! 

You can definitely get up higher and that might get you some good fish.

MDC is supposed to stock today and tomorrow according to a little birdie.  That should help.

I caught 2 toads on One Cast dragging a white jig from Andy's to the Narrows.  Three good bites - not too bad.  Caught some more working the inside bank below Fall Creek to RP ramp with an 1/8th oz sculpin jig.

[Bill Babler]

16 hours ago, MOfish447 said:

I wonder if going way up in creeks with a flat bottom or kayak would be any less crowded? For example, that park at Turkey Creek. I don't live close enough to check quickly. I just have to decide and go! 

Really challaging to get up there because of multiple riffles. I walked about a 1/4 mile down Roark as I can usually find some up there during high water or heavy generations, but I saw neither any trout or suckers.  I was really surprised. Game Warden was there looking for suckers and said he thought they might be up there too. Nope.

Wish I would have tried the sculpin jig. Didn't think of it. Great news on the stocking, now shut the water down and we will be back in business. 

[Guest MOfish447]

Hey thanks for the information guys!

[Phil Lilley]

The white bite in on this morning.  Phil Stone just called and said they're catching multiples on the 1/8th oz white from the cable all the way down to Fall Creek.  Much better than even yesterday's trip, he said.  One over 20 inches too - released.

[Phil Lilley]

[Phil Lilley]

Beaver is coming up today after the rain and TR is steady at 916.14 feet.  The rain probably added 2-3 days more heavy flow to the schedule.  But with the shad coming through, I'm not going to complain.

[Ryan Miloshewski]

Buddy wanted to learn to jerkbait fish so we went down Tuesday and Wednesday evenings solely with jerkbaits and smashed them. Four over 20-inches. Think outside of the box is all I can say.