Editors General Comments: May 1 – 0515 Zero generators on, Taneycomo is at 701.5 and Table Rock is at 912.0 The water was off for a good part of Friday and yesterday.
Very little affects the fishing on
Trophy Trout Area: Special Regulations apply to the Trophy Trout Area running from Table Rock Dam to the mouth of Fall Creek. Click here for an overview of these regulations.
Gary’s Comments – May 1 – Went out about 1600 and came in about 1830 with one genertor on, windy, and the Lake Level at 704.5. Normal is about 701-701.5.Used basically same tachnique as shown for Apr. 30 except this time it was me swtiching to the Peach Furbug. The size 12 River Run Peach Furbug. was the fly or jig of the day. Caught about 18-25 fish with the biggest in the 15-17 inch range. A bunch were in the 13-15 inch area.Apr 30 – Howard Couch and I went out at about 3::30 p.m. for an hour. Bright sun, wind, and algae on the surface but the water was off. Howard started off with the size 16 Red Tunsten Bead Head Midge and I started off with the size 12 River Run Peach Furbug. Howard, within a few minutes, for one reason or another, switched over to the Furbug. I used a fly rod and 6x Orvis Mirage Tippet with the indicator set at a depth of about 4-4 ½ feet. It didn’t make any difference whether we were fishing in 8 feet of water or 4 feet of water, the depth of the indicator was left the same. We caught between 16 and 20 fish when we left to go pick up the girls for dinner.
Fly Fishing Only by River Run Outfitters – Apr. 26 – Trips this past Friday and over the weekend with one of two generators has been very good. Three boats out Friday with the water in the high 704 range and it fished very well. Two of the boats had brand new fly fishers. Everyone caught fish 15-30 each. Most on the black or olive zebra midge. Saturday fished well and Sunday was one of those days we dream of. Water was off for more than 8 hours. We were catching fish on almost every cast. Everything was working, scuds, midges, soft hackles, green holographic crackle backs to name a few. Monday we had water all day but fishing was still very good. Tuesday the water was off until 11:30 a.m. Had three boats out and one of our guides comment was “the fish are jumping into the boats”! Again, almost every thing worked. Ha good fly fishing gal out Tuesday on her birthday. If she didn’t get a hit on the third drift, we checked the fly to make certain something was not wrong as they were hitting that good. Half day probably boated 30 plus fish and missed twice that many. We fished the olive and rusty brown zebra midges. Also threw an olive flash and soft hackle. The other boats never changed from the red tungsten bead head midge.
Fly Fishing and Spin Fishing By Chartered Waters Guide Service and Fly Shop .-.Apr. 26 [Wade fishing at damhooking up virtually every drift most of the day. The wind stayed down and the water stayed off till around 11:00 – 12:00 then 1 unit came on. We fished the rise with pink Bit Scuds, coral Soft Shelled Scuds, wine/ginger SG Bugs and gray Razorbacks. All caught fish equally and rising water always finds the fish very active. Early on before the water rose it was ginger G-Bugs in a #20 with gray Bit Scuds also in a #20 as the top flies. I gave Michael a black #16 Soft Shelled Scud with a wine/ginger 2-Smidge and he was smoking them on those too. A lot of different things were finding success both before and during the rise. …We were [wade] fishing it at 701.5 early when it was off so the rise wasn’t significant. We did a little sight casting on our way out on the shoal below outlet #3. Some nice fish were working the shallow water and these guys were able to place some flies in the right spot and watch the take from some great fish. #18 and #20 olive Bit Scuds and the ever productive ginger G-Bug were great for the shallow fish. When we’re sight casting in water that’s around a foot deep I’ll take off all the weight (sometimes I’ll use a #10 wt) and half a palsa float and let the scud drop slowly in the water….
Guide Bob Klein of “Bob’s Guide Service” – Apr. 27 – Reported no change from last report. Fishing is fishing good to excellent. From Fall Creek to Short Creek use night crawlers and minnows. From Short Creek to Branson drift bubblegum and white power bait or night crawlers. From Branson to
Water Off Conditions (not generating power from Table Rock Dam) – Air injected night crawlers or
Water On Conditions – Orange and Chartreuse Power eggs with the Chartreuse on shank of hook and the Orange on tip, white Power Eggs, bubble gum power bait, or inflated night crawlers bounced off the bottom using the standard “Lake Taneycomo Drift Rig.” which is readily available at all Marinas and most resorts on the Lake.
An excellent place to get your Lake Taneycomo Questions answered, or any question relating to the fishing and other outdoor topics in the Branson area, is the “Branson Outdoors Activities Forum” which is monitored by your editor and other local outdoor enthusiasts.
