BRANSON, Mo., July 19, 2012 – The most comprehensive fishing report available Branson’s Lake Taneycomo submitted by people who fish the lake on just about a daily basis. As used in this report “Trophy Area” refers the portion of Branson’s Lake Taneycomo between the mouth of Fall Creek and the base of Table Rock Dam. It is the primary wade fishing area, a trophy management area and has special regulations and limits in effect within the area. Natural baits, Gulp and soft plastic baits are illegal in Trophy Area. but ok for the other 19 miles of Lake Taneycomo.
Lake Taneycomo – by Eric Prey, FocusedFishing.com
Branson fishing guides have been very successful over the past week from Cooper creek through the Branson area on Lake Taneycomo. The key to success has been rotating baits and presentations throughout the day. Early in the day fish have been very aggressive around docks from Cooper through Branson, fishing guides have been using marabou jigs worked erratically around the docks to draw strikes from fish hiding under dock floats.
As the day wears on the bite changes and most fish want a more subtle approach. Successful Branson fishing guides will switch to a trout magnet in black or brown fished under a float with a 6’ leader. Allowing the bait to rest close to docks, laydowns and other cover will draw strikes from trout that become more cautious as sun light penetrate the water’s surface. Finally, when the sun is high the bite is best from Monkey Island through the Landing using a drift rig. Most of Branson Fishing Guides are rotating between Gulp or Power Bait and Live night crawlers to draw strikes from finicky fish.
Submitted by Eric Prey, FocusedFishing.com
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Phil Lilley
Lake Taneycomo by Phil Lilley, Ozark Anglers
Trout fishing has picked up dramatically with the Shepherd of the Hills stocking several thousand rainbows in the Branson Landing to Cooper Creek area. According to hatchery manager, Clint Hale, his rainbows has been averaging 11.1 inches long which is above average for our lake.
Water temperature is 47 when the water is running from Table Rock but it warms up quickly in our hot sun. Today the water in from of our resort was 59 degrees before they started running water about 6 p.m. Generation the last few days has been different almost every day. The SWA schedule has NOT been correct so it’s anyone’s guess what they’ll do with the water, especially in the afternoon/evening. Mornings–they’ve been leaving the water off and it’s been off by 10 p.m. each night.
Two of our guides called in fishing reports within the last 24 hours and both have said trout fishing has been very good on a numbers of different baits, flies and lures. Steve Dicky said in his REPORT that he’s been fishing both morning and evenings and catching fish on #18 copper dun and black Zebra Midges as well as weighted gray #18 scuds when the water is not running and worms, orange Gulp eggs and Trout Magnets when the water is running. Best area to drift and bait fish is from the Cooper Creek flat down through the Landing and the best area to fish fish in around the Narrows down to Fall Creek.
Kris Nelson says in his REPORT that micro jigs in any colors was his go-to lure yesterday, keeping it on the bottom as close as possible. Fly fishing was slower today because of a bright sun and no wind but he caught them on Zebra Midges ruby, rust, black and copper colors probably #16 or #18.
When fly fishing, best to use fluorocarbon 6x or 7x and if you’re using monofilament, definitely use 7x. Our water is very clear. If there’s no wind, our trout will look any fly over twice before taking it. Line size makes a difference.
I’ve been driving to the dam this week and wet wading, fly fishing during the day. If there’s a chop, no problem catching fish. If the surface is slick, it’s a challenge. Best to seek out some current. I waded in above the MDC boat ramp a couple of times late morning and did fair, catching a few rainbows on small midges. Again, 7x is a must. This morning I broke off 2 trout on the hook set and landed only 3 rainbows in a couple of hours of fishing. Don’t get me wrong–I love a challenge and I love sight fishing. In other words, I don’t mind not catching very many fish if I’m seeing fish and they’re responding to my presentation occasionally.
Midges that were working the best were #22 and #24 black or gray thread midges, #24 olive WD40, #18 Trout Crack and a #20 black/cooper Zebra Midge. I was fishing in 3 feet of water or less, setting my fly 3 feet under the foam indicator. Trout were picking it up and running, thus a quick hook set meant a break off if not careful.
Fished in the Rebar area yesterday and did fair. Trout appeared to be feeding on something subsurface but I couldn’t duplicate it. I caught a few on a #18 dark Trout Crack. Lincoln, who was fishing the faster water at the end of the chute, was picking them up by casting over to the south side of the stream, into the dead pockets with a #18 black Zebra Midge and mending his line so the rig would stay in the pocket long enough for the fly to get down to the fish. Others were catching trout below their feet in the fast water… I won’t elaborate.
Today, I fished the heart of the afternoon, boating above Fall Creek and stopped short of the Narrows. Bright sun, intermittent wind. Using spin cast, I tied on 5 feet of Vanish 2-pound tippet to the end of my 4-pound line, slid a carrot float up the line then tied on a 1/125th-ounce brown/orange head marabou jig, setting the float at 5 feet deep. Catching was good! Even with a slick surface, those rainbows were sucking on our jigs and we caught quite a few rainbows in the 3 hours we were out. We stayed between the end of the Narrows and the boat ramp above Fall Creek.
Submitted by Phil Lilley, Ozark Anglers
As part of its continuing commitment to serving the community, Branson Tourism Center (BTC), one of Branson’s largest and most respected sellers of vacation planning services, Branson show tickets, attraction tickets and lodging is proud to sponsor this fishing report, the Central Pro-Am Association and K.A.S.T. (Kids Are Special Too). BTC can be reached by calling 800-785-1550 or by visiting their website www.BransonTourismCenter.com. The Central Pro Am Association, through such sponsorship and that of Ranger Boats and Mercury Marine,is pleased to participate in furnishing this report to those fishing the Branson Tri-Lakes area.
