Lilley's Lake Taneycomo fishing report, July, 2025

[Phil Lilley]

We've seen a great deal of water pass our dock this spring and summer!  And it continues to run but there's a light at the end of this tunnel.  Table Rock Lake is dropping one foot every 3 days and is almost down to it's power pool lever (917 feet).  Before it gets there, I predict we'll see some variation of flows and possibly some periods when the water is off.  We will see.  It's below 919 feet now and they're still running 3 units at about 10,000 cfs.  By the time we publish this report, flows may have changed.

Fishing on Lake Taneycomo has been fair for most of the summer.  I say fair because it's been tough for most anglers.  But the past couple of weeks it has improved.  It's been tough I think because of the heavy flows which has not stopped in well over a month.  It's just simply hard to get a lure or bait to the bottom where most of the fish are holding.  Some have mastered it.  Our guides are consistently reporting catches of trophy trout most days - there are good numbers of 20+ inch rainbows and browns in the lake.

I have personally caught 5 trophy rainbows this week, all on the 1/16th-ounce sculpin/ginger jig with a brown head.  All the rainbows have been in the trophy area except one.  Several guides have told me their clients have landed up to 3 trophies in an 4-hour trip.  Captain Blake Wilson says the bite actually isn't picking up till later in the morning, about 9 a.m. lately.

In the trophy area, they're been drifting the following flies on drift rigs and using the Provo Rig:  #12 tan scuds, fl.orange egg fly, cream mega worm, cerise San Juan worm.  As the water slows down, instead of using a #12 scud, use a smaller size, down to a #16.  These flies do work below Fall Creek but you can switch to Powerbait and worms.  Both have been doing pretty good.  Gulp Eggs in white and orange have been the best.  We have had a few trophies caught and released below Fall Creek using night crawlers.

I have talked to guests here at the resort drifting bait the last couple of weeks and one thing is for sure -- there's no one hot spot.  Usually I advise people to drift from Fall Creek to Short Creek or go down by Monkey Island or the Landing.  But right now, all those places are good, plus drifting down in front of our place.  Rainbows seems to be spread our throughout this area.

 

 

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[Phil Lilley]

Looking at the schedule today it looks like they're going to be scaling back generation in the next 3 days.  Monday shows 50 mw flow in the mornings.  Table Rock's level should be down to about 917.5 or less by then.

[Nick Adams]

You guys should do a video on the Provo Rig.

[Phil Lilley]

1 hour ago, Nick Adams said:

You guys should do a video on the Provo Rig.

We actually did and couple of days not long ago.  But we'll do more.  I'll tag them.

[Nick Adams]

24 minutes ago, Phil Lilley said:

We actually did and couple of days not long ago

Oh wow. Thanks. I look forward to seeing it!!

[Phil Lilley]

 

This playlist is called "Slip Bobber".  See if it helps.

[Phil Lilley]

Utah rig, provo rig, slip bobber... lots of names.

[snagged in outlet 3]

9 minutes ago, Phil Lilley said:

Utah rig, provo rig, slip bobber... lots of names.

I recommended Blake Wilson to a buddy of mine at work and they went out today.  3 young girls and their dad.  They were dragging rigs with Blake and caught 32 in 4 hours.   My buddy said his girls had a great time!   Trip was 10 to 2 today.  

[Nick Adams]

@Phil Lilley With the new generation schedule, would it be better to rent a boat in the afternoon? Looks like the water was off this morning?

[Phil Lilley]

It's off tomorrow all morning too.  Bet this is the new pattern.  

Four units in the afternoon... drift egg fly and scud on the bottom when the water comes on.