Effective Mar. 1, new fishing regulations impacting on Lake Taneycomo will go into effect. Although their primary effect will be on those fishing for Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout they will also impact those fishing for other specifies such as bass, crappie, carp, suckers, etc. in upper Lake Taneycomo.
As of Mar. 1, these new regulations require that anyone fishing on Lake Taneycomo, between the Highway 65 Bridge connecting Branson and Hollister and Table Rock Dam, must have a Trout Permit in addition to the prescribed Fishing Permit regardless of what species they are fishing for or whether or not the fisherman is in possession of any trout.
Under the old regulations, those fishing between the Highway 65 Bridge and Table Rock Dam were only required to have a Fishing Permit. A Trout Permit was required only if they were going to keep trout. Those fishing for bass or other species or who did not keep the trout they caught within that area on Lake Taneycomo did not have to have a Trout Permit. Under the new regulations they have to.
The Trout Permit rules remain unchanged for those fishing between the Power Site Dam in Forsyth and the Highway 65 Bridge. No permit other than a Fishing Permit is required to fish for or possess species other than trout or to just catch and immediately release trout within that area. The Trout Permit is required if the fisherman is in possession of trout.
As of Mar. 1, the “daily possession limit” for trout and the “total possession limit” for trout on Lake Taneycomo will be reduced. The daily limit is reduced from five to four trout, of which one may be a Brown Trout over 20 inches, and the total possession limit is reduced from ten to eight.
Another regulation is imposing a 15 inch size limit on Brown Trout statewide. That has no impact on Lake Taneycomo because it has a more restrictive size limit for Brown Trout that covers the whole lake. It requires that that all Brown Trout less than twenty inches in length be released immediately unharmed after being caught.
It should be remembered that all required annual Fishing Permits and Trout Permits expire on Feb.28 of each year.
About Gary Groman aka The Ole Seagull
Editor of The Branson Courier
