Low Water- Sycamore Tree to Fall Creek

Water Conditions:  Water off.

Layout:  At the point of the sycamore tree, the bottom is almost all gravel with some clay close to the deep bank (east) but not much.  Below the tree and for the next 200 feet, there are some small diameter tree stumps on the bottom of the channel, so close to the bottom you won't see them from the surface unless the alke is drawn down very low.  As the channel opens up and switches sides of the lake, the channel deepens some.  From that point on, the west bank becomes the channel side and the bank is all clay and so is the bottom of the channel with gravel on the shallow flat.  There are quite a few downed trees along the channel side all the wat down to the mouth of Fall Creek and continuing downstream.

What to look for:  Again, look to the channel edge for holding trout, especially in the narrow channel at the sycamore tree and down.  And again, look for browns around structure and in the deep channel holes.  There's not a whole lot of difference between here and the rest of the stretch above the tree- only the clay bank material after the channel changes sides of the lake.  You will find more tree structure, thus more brown trout.

Use beaded nymphs under a strike indicator if they are holding under the surface and appear to be feeding on bugs. Set the indicator alittle deeper than they appear- squirrel tail, hares ear, pheasant tail, sow bugs, brassies, thread jigs, scuds- from #10 to #18.  A strike may be hard, taking the float all the way under, or it may be suttle, just barely moving the float.  Set the hook hard and fast.  Helpful Hint:  Keep an eye on the slack in the line.  Mend the line to get the longest and best dead drift. When setting the hook you need all the slack out or you won't get a good hook set.  Strip weighted woolies and streamers through this area also.  Use 3x to 5x tippet and a long leader.  Good colors are gray, olive, brown and black in sizes #4's to #10.  Cast wherever fish are.  Work the banks and esp around trees and big boulders. Double bunnies and leeches also are good for bigger trout in the winter. Against the bluff bank is good for browns.  They tend to cruise this bank looking for small forage fish and bugs dropping out fo the trees.  Look for a very aggressive strike.

Dries--   Cast terrestrials along the bluff bank in the summer and fall months.  Later in the fall, we have huge midge hatches- unbelievable hatches- and our trout gourge themselves on the larva, the emergers and dries.  The very best place to nab feeding trout are right up against the banks.... as I said before, when their backs are out of the water.  Hoppers, humpies, ants, elk hair caddis, renegades, cicadas and adams- anything big and bulky.  Most of the trout you will catch will be nice ones- both rainbows and browns.

           Spin Fishing......  Use 2- or 4-pound, green line.  Throw jigs either with or without a strike indicator.  With a float, use 1/80th or 1/100th oz. jigs in ginger, olive, brown, black, black/yellow, white, pink or gray.  Why all the colors.... trout change their eating habits sometimes on an hourly basis.  Use this in the edge of the current line- throw upsteam and let it float down in front of you, watching the float carefully.  When throwing a jig straight, use a 1/16 oz. and the same colors- white, sulpin and black are the best colors. Work the jig fast or slow, depending on the mood of the trout at any given time-- letting the jig drop as long as possible on the retreive.  Trout tend to strike the jig as it falls and you may or may not feel the strike.  If you're using a light colored jig, watch the jig and when it dissappears- set the hook.  That's what makes jig fishing a challenge-- a finess style that takes a lot of touch.  Helpful Hint:  If the fish are striking short and you're missing a lot of hits, pinch off the marabou tail making it shorter.  Spoons like Cleos, Buoyants and Super Dupers worked slowly or with a jerky action can be good.  Crank baits such as rapalas, rogues and other similar shaped lures are excellent baits for bigger trout- rainbows and browns.  Work them hard area structure and the banks.  Work them hard and fast, jerking them through the water, stopping them 2 or 3 times after getting them down.  More times then not, they will get hit on the stop.  At night, work them slow on the surface and wait for the blow up- just like bass fishing.

Best Conditions:  Low light and a slight to medium wind.

Worse Conditions:  Bright sun and no wind.
 
 
 

Copyright:  Dec. 1999  Lilleys' Landing Resort, LLE, Branson, Missouri 
Phil Lilley, Jim Turner