Can you believe this weather? What a reprieve from the bitter winter ice storm we all had just 2 weeks ago. Mild temperatures brought out the fisherpeople over the weekend, at least here on Lake Taneycomo. But our trout didn't mind cause they still bit pretty good.
Generation has been anyone's guess. Water was off for most of the week last week but lake levels rose an average of 2 feet as the ice melted so the Corp saw the need to run 2 units for most of the weekend. Anglers who were coming to wade below the dam Saturday and Sunday were not happy. They were confined to the outlets for thier fishing unless they gave in and rented a boat. Looks like this trend may continue this week with some water running most of the day until lake levels drop a bit (Table Rock).
I think our trout have seen some thread fin shad come through the dam from Table Rock Lake. I understand TR's water temp dipped below 40 degrees last week and that usually triggers a shad kill. Shad get sucked thru the turbines at Table Rock Dam and into Taneycomo and our trout absolutely LOVE them. Consequently, they will hit almost anything white and shiny. I prefer to throw white 1/8th oz jigs and I did this evening for a couple of hours before dark.
I boated to the dam about 4:30 pm today. The warm weather was way too inviting not to go out. Very little wind and I'd say less than 2 units running, I started with a white 1/8th oz jigs at the cable. Not much at first, broke off the white jig on the bottom so I grabbed my other rod which had a sculpin 1/8th oz jig on it and began throwing it. Caught a couple of rainbows on the first drift down... I noticed the water dropping so I didn't drift past rebar hole- boated back up to the cable to try that stretch again. I really like throwing a white jig simply because I believe I have a better chance to catch a brown trout than throwing any other color so I tied a white jig back on. Glad I did. The trout wouldn't leave it alone! Bites on every cast and fish-on on almost every cast.
As I drifted past rebar, I kept hitting the trolling motor to slow myself down. I wanted to fish as much as this water as I could. Pulled in behind the root wad that sits in the channel below rebar and casted out in the channel there for a while, catching 5 or 6 rainbows and one brown. I should have taken a pic or two of some of the trout- they were nice, 15 inch plus and colored up beautifully. But I couldn't stop fishing... just too good and I was hoping for a bigger fish to take the jig.
Drifted on down to the KOA (now Trophy Run Development) and kept hooking rainbows plus 2 more browns. Talked to Rich Looten before heading in for the night.
The water never did shut down like I thought it might. Kept running one unit which was perfect.
This weekend, the guys and gals were doing real well throwing "hardware", or spoons, spinners and crankbaits. "Lots of trolling going on", someone in our shop reported Saturday afternoon. That was part of our recommendation to our guests was to troll slowly with Cleos, Spin-a-Lures and F-5 or F-7 Rapalas. But don't limit yourself just to Rapalas... try whatever you have in your tackle box. Troll from Monkey Island down past Branson and even down around Rockaway Beach. There seems to be alot of trout in the lake right now... all over the place.
I reported last week that we had alot of really nice rainbows weighed in at our fishing tournament last Saturday. We hosted another fishing tournament this weekend but this time is was a private contest with a few more entries- 39 teams. Although I think the weather and water conditions were better for fishing (catching), the trout didn't agree. Better: water was running slightly, cloudy and some wind. Not as good: Sunny, no water and not much wind (the Saturday before). Everyone caught trout... still heavier trout than in years past but not as heavy as last Saturday's weights. Here's the top totals:
1- Bob Dwiggins and Bill Freise won with 8.94 pounds
2- Knopfel and Niemoeler with 8.34
3- Jerry Dudley and Colton Neel - 8.28
4- Gerry Dwiggins and Bruce Wucher - 8.24
5- Riffel and Whiteman - 8-12
6- Neel and Merget - 7.98
7- Greifzu and Johnston - 7.92
8- Greifzu and Regot - 7.64
9- Burckhardt and Biermann - 7.54
10- Wehnert and Wehnert - 7.46
Eight trout were weighed. No keeper brown trout were caught. Big rainbow was a 2.86 lb caught by the Riffel/Whiteman team. Five more teams weighed in over 7 pounds and 8 teams over 6 pounds.
Most of the trout were caught either trolling or casting lures although live bait was legal at this contest.
With the water running, Bill Beck reported drifted egg flies on the bottom from Lookout to Fall Creek and catching alot of nice rainbows today. Peach and yellow are the best colors. Just use a split shot to get it to the bottom. With only 2 units or less running, the current isn't that fast and it isn't that deep so you don't need alot of weight.
Same thing from Fall Creek down - drift a Gulp Power Egg on the bottom using a split shot. Use a white and another color on the same hook- pink, orange or yellow. Also try a night crawler or a minnow using the same rig. When the water stops, same rig, shoot some air into a night crawler and fish it tight-line on the bottom, casting it just off the channel on the flat side of the lake.
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