 |
| Stan Parker, River Run Outfitters, launching a McKenzie style drift boat for a fly fishing trip on Lake Taneycomo. It is just one of the many fishing experiences available on Branson’s Tri-Lakes. |
Could Branson, Missouri, known as “the live music show capital of the world” also be the “fresh water fishing capital of the world?” At the very least, it certainly is one of the most unique.
As the White River winds its unique northern route through the Branson area turning south to the Mississippi River, between Rockaway Beach and Forsythe, Missouri, it flows through three impoundments that form Branson’s Tri-Lakes, Table Rock Lake, Lake Taneycomo, and Bull Shoals Lake. Each provides a varied choice of fresh water fishing and together they provide a combination of quality fishing for both “warm” and “cold” species, and natural scenic beauty, all within minutes of all that Branson has to offer.
From Beaver Lake in northwestern Arkansas, the White River flows into Table Rock Lake, one of the premier bass fishing lakes in America. Table Rock Lake has a surface area of approximately 43,100 surface acres, 745 miles of shoreline, and a lake elevation above mean sea level of 915 feet at the top of its Conservation Pool. It offers a wide variety of quality fishing for “warm water” species from Paddlefish to Crappie and Bass.
Table Rock Lake’s reputation for being a quality multi-species bass fishery has lead to many national and regional tournaments being held on the lake. The prestigious FLW Stren Series Championship was held on Table Rock during the first week of November 2008 and the Walmart FLW Tournament will be held March 12-15, 2009. Regionally Table Rock Lake hosts numerous bass tournaments two of which will be hosted by the Central Pro-Am Association.
As the White River flows out of Table Rock Lake Dam it forms the “headwaters” of Lake Taneycomo providing 22 miles of some of the finest “cold water” Rainbow and Brown Trout fishing in the Midwest. In terms of pure numbers of trout caught per hour of fishing and convenient public access to trout fishing Lake Taneycomo is hard to beat. The current Missouri state record Brown Trout, weighing 27 pounds 10-ounces was caught from Lake Taneycomo.
A unique aspect of fishing Lake Taneycomo is that it runs right past downtown Branson and it’s biggest shopping attraction Branson Landing. Fisherman can be out fishing for trout and pull their boats up to one of the landings marinas get out and eat lunch at one of the landing’s restaurants or get a takeout meal from Shorty Small right on the lake front.
The “tail waters” of Lake Taneycomo, just below the Powersite Dam near Forsythe Missouri is the southernmost portion of Bull Shoals Lake, the third of the Tri-Lakes area lakes. Although the 45,000 thousand acre impoundment, with over 1050 miles of shoreline offers the same type of “warm water” fishing as Table Rock Lake it is more “rustic,” does not have as much development around its shoreline as Table Rock Lake and the vast majority of it is not conveniently fished from Branson, but the portion that is provides some great fishing.
The area right below Powersite Dam is called the “Pothole” and is noted for White Bass run in the spring. The entire southern area of Bull Shoals from the Missouri Stateline to the Powersite Dam and its tributary creeks is noted for its Crappie, Blue Gill, Walleye, and Bass, particularly “Stripers” fishing. The Missouri State Record Large Mouth Bass, Striped Bass, and Walleye have all been caught in this area.
There may be other areas in the country that have the same selection of warm water fishing or cold water fishing that Branson has, but it is hard to imagine any other area where the same fishing quality and experience is provided in a more convenient or accessible manner. One thing is for sure, there is no other area where this variety of fishing is offered within minutes of each other and the all the shows, attractions, entertainment, and shopping that Branson has to offer.
