Lake Taneycomo 3/14

[Ryan Miloshewski]

As I am wrapping up my current job, free time is finally something I have to use. Came down yesterday morning and fished with Blake from 6:30-3:00 pm and it was flat out tough. We landed six fish. Granted, we were definitely trying to make them bite on what we wanted, but it was a battle.

I started out throwing one of the articulated streamers I tied, a white Galloup's butt monkey. First cast I had a good fish on but never saw it since it was still fairly dark. It gave good head shakes and popped off. I had one other fish on, a smaller rainbow, and then a lot of nothing. Blake threw a 110+1 and landed two fish, a 15-inch rainbow and a 10-inch brown. 

Got down to Lookout and finally landed one, a 19-inch rainbow. Pretty cool to land a fish that size on a streamer you tied! Below Lookout I had a brown chase me nearly to the boat and it was definitely 20-inces or more. He whiffed and went back to the depths. Four hours later I was tired, but I did what I set out to do.

Blake started dragging a 762 jerkbait and landed two back-to-back as I still beat the water with the monkey. We then fished from below Fall Creek to the Landing in certain areas drifting big shiners on a rig he learned on the White. He had one fish on below Short Creek and I caught a solid 17-inch rainbow above Monkey Island. Other than that...a whole lot of nothing. 

Fishing is definitely tough and has been for a while. The size of the fish remain strong, though, and that dampens the lack of success quite a bit. We saw two fish that looked like smaller threadfin shad in the water yesterday, which may have explained the affinity to white. Not enough to call it a white bite by any means. As TR warms, not sure we'll see an influx of shad unless we get flood gates this spring. 

I'm going to give it a go today and see what happens. Nothing else to do, might as well fish! 

[hillbillyflyshack]

Some would say that was being stubborn but I say no and think it admirable for sticking to your convictions as you would not know if it worked had you not stayed with it.

[Phil Lilley]

I wish our trout hit streamers like the White River. Maybe as they mature they will someday. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

2 hours ago, Ryan Miloshewski said:

I had a brown chase me nearly to the boat and it was definitely 20-inces or more. He whiffed and went back to the depths. Four hours later I was tired, but I did what I set out to do.

That was my experience for years (decades probably) of flinging streamers.  Tons of followers that just don't commit to eating it.  Way to go though!!

[Ryan Miloshewski]

Fished 7-9 this morning. A lot better overall. Not a darn thing on the streamers so I decided to drag an egg and scud (sizes 18-20) and they were munching. Several fish were on as I caught up to the line after the cast.

But, I did lose a big, big rainbow. Drifting below Fall Creek on the flat side I had a fish hit. Gave decent head shakes, figured it was a nice one, and went to let it play. Didn't think much of it. Then it started to run upstream..except it couldn't. Had no idea what was going on so I hit the trolling motor on 10 and followed it, reeling in line. Got to where I could almost see it and it jumped straight out of the water, less than 10 feet from me. Came back down and snapped. It was 8-10 lbs if it was an ounce. Biggest rainbow I've ever had hooked on Taneycomo. The thing was a dang football and long. 

Turns out my line was double wrapped around the tip of my rod. That's what I get for using a rod I jig with for dragging..

We'll see what this afternoon brings. 

[Phil Lilley]

The bite has been so weird. Bad for 2-3 days, then great for a day maybe 2. Today almost everyone did well. 

[netboy]

1 minute ago, Phil Lilley said:

The bite has been so weird. Bad for 2-3 days, then great for a day maybe 2. Today almost everyone did well. 

Maybe the stocking truck paid a visit???😁

[Ryan Miloshewski]

3 hours ago, netboy said:

Maybe the stocking truck paid a visit???😁

Nope. Not stockers. Can confirm

[Quillback]

That's a studly trout that got off, would've liked to see you get it.

[Ryan Miloshewski]

3 hours ago, Quillback said:

That's a studly trout that got off, would've liked to see you get it.

Same...same..