Fishing Buddy Report

[Phil Lilley]

by Edward Spence

After driving from Oklahoma City on Monday, Dec. 3, I hit the water at about 3:00 PM and fished the rebar area. I used a #12 black bead head Woolly Bugger and caught six rainbows in about an hour. They were hitting it on the swing with the largest at 13 inches and the rest 10 to 12 inches. It got pretty cold when the sun went behind the dam so I quit at about 4:00.

Tuesday morning they generated until about 9:30 so I didn't get into the water until 10:00. I went downstream from the gravel bar and fished with the Wooly Bugger until after 11:00 and caught three rainbows in the eleven to twelve inch range. I moved to the rebar area and caught one more thirteen inch rainbow. I was having several strikes, but fishing was generally slow for everyone. I switched to a #12 yellow Crackleback and moved near the top of the rebar hole and started catching fish. I don't know how many I caught but it was probably at least 25 or 30. I was catching a fish about every other cast. Most were in the 8 to 12 inch category with one rainbow at 13 inches and one brown at 15 inches. I was fishing the Crackleback wet with a sinking leader. Although I hated to leave I got hungry and quit for some lunch at 1:30.

I was back fishing at 3:00 and quickly caught two more rainbows of 12 and 13 inches before the Crackleback quit working. By then I was in the shade which may have had an effect. I changed over to a #14 Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle and worked the rebar area with no success before quitting at 4:20.

The weather on Tuesday was absolutely perfect. It was sunny and warm with no wind. I think it was one of the best days fishing I've had at Taneycomo. I'm glad I could make it.