 This has been a strange August so far... but typical at the same time. Weather has been on the cool side with some rain thrown in. This weeks appears to be on the cool side with rain today. Should be good for fishing. On the typical side, our trout fishing is fair- only fair. It usually gets alittle tough in August. Our water gets real clear and the trout become picky, it seems. It's not the amount of rainbows stocked - MDC stocks the same amount in August they do in June and July. It's just typical late summer doldrums.
That's not to say trout can't be had. Water has been off in the mornings and running starting about 2 pm till dark each day. This has been consistant for the past couple of weeks. It gives fly fishers a chance to wade below the dam as well as boaters time to still fish using crawlers and gulp eggs below Fall Creek. The clearer water means dropping to 2-pound line will get you more bites. I fished the earlier part of the week last week. One morning I threw 3/32nd oz jigs straight, no float, below Fall Creek for 3 hours and boated my limit of rainbows - four. I missed quite a few bites and lost several before getting them to the boat. I used 2-lb line and tried brown, sculpin, sculpin/ginger and brown/orange. At the same time, there were friends of mine fishing from a pontoon in the same area using crawlers and Gulp eggs on the bottom. They'd catch one or two in one spot and then I'd have them move downlake, not more than 400 yards. They started close to Fall Creek and ended the morning at Short Creek with 12 nice rainbows. Another good report - after the water starts, drifting from Short Creek down past Cooper Creek has been pretty decent using Gulp eggs, one white or yellow and one pink or orange. Stay away from the bluff side of the alke because of down trees and other looming snags. Only use as much weight to get you to the bottom -- you'll feel the strike better and not get snagged up as much. Also after the water starts, work a medium to large crank bait along the bluffs and snags for browns and rainbows. Later in the day is better for browns. Bill Babler- Fished Taneycomo several times in the last week with different degrees of success. As far as I have been up is Lookout. I have not been able to fish the lake on moving water, just under hot, bright, and very still conditions.
Lower restricted area to Mouth of Fall Creek has been producing some bites, but it also has had plenty of fishermen. I really have not seen schools of trout and with the current conditions, they would be visible.
Two flies for me are working with some degree of success over others. The first being a sculpin micro jig in 256 oz. With the low water right now I am fishing it about 3 ft. below the indicator. Best bite is occurring from Casket Rock, the Big Rock on the South East Shore across from the Tennis Courts, to the Fall Creek Ramp. With the low non-flowing water, fish this fly on a complete dead drift, only shocking the indicator very infrequently. Most takes are extremely light.
Grey or Silver scud in sizes 14 thru 18 with a red tie at the head are the second choice. Again fish this scud a bit deeper, to drag it on the bottom or just above. The trout will pick it right off the bottom, no problem. Not much movement is required. Same locations.
In the afternoons when the water starts, size 14 and 16 peach eggs are reported to be the best bet.
Fall Creek, to Short Creek; Bite early is very good on 256th. oz micro's in ginger with a gold head or sculpin with a orange or gold head. Fish these flies through the area of the old Fall Creek dock, just where the dock used to sit. I am using about 7ft. of tippet to an indicator here. If you see trout midging or any surface action, fling your fly in that direction, and you most often will get bit. Move the fly a bit more here than in the restricted zone on this deeper water. The trout are not well positioned and need the movement on the fly to keep contact with it.
As the sun hits the water in the same area, Inflated Night crawlers are working to some extent, and catching very quality fish in the up to 22 inch class, with stringers of 14 to 16 inch trout being the norm, rather than the exception. Numbers are not high however but patients will lead to a very quality limit.
Day before yesterday, We had two limits that I will guess averaged 16.5 inches, but the total for the 4 hr. trip was only 13 trout
Keep your boat anchored on the shallow side and throw into the deeper bluff channel. Be prepared to be patient, and just wait. Boat traffic is your friend, as the fish are not moving much and when a boat comes by it repositions the fish. You get a bite on a passing boat most every time.
Bob Kline is guiding the lower end and fishing the Corn Field, Bull Creek, and the mouth of Cedar. He reports about 30 fish in half day trips on orange and chartruse powerbait, but the fish are not near the quality as from Fall Creek, through Cooper Creek.
I have had two reports in the last week telling me the Branson Landing area, from Monkey Island through Roark Creek, are extremely slow.
All it takes is the stocking boat thru there one time to change that as you know. Bill Babler White River Outfitters fishing guide service whiteriverbb@msn.com 417-332-7016 |
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