After weeks of non-stop heavy flow from Table Rock Lake, we’re back to turbines-only, medium flows here on Lake Taneycomo. Table Rock’s power pool changed from 915 to 917 feet (summer pool), which has taken some of the pressure off to drop TR’s levels; thus, the slower flows. But there is rain in the forecast. At this point, I’m not sure what it would take for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to open the gates again.
Assuming there is not much rain coming, I would guess we should start seeing more regulated flows. Operators at the dam might start shutting it down for periods of time during the day, or night. We will see.
As for the current conditions, they are running 6,300 cub per second, or two units 24 hours a day. Water temperature is holding at about 46 degrees. The trout I’ve caught the last few days have been very hard fighters, so the colder water isn’t bothering them. Lots of high jumping and hard pulling.
The white jig bite has slowed down but hasn’t gone away. Early morning and late evening the jerk bait bite has been fair, drawing not big numbers but a few big fish. We had a 30-inch brown brought in, measured and released earlier in the week, caught on a jerk bait down lake close to Cooper Creek.
I’ve done pretty well throwing olive or sculpin/ginger jigs, and I’ve heard black/chartreuse has been pretty productive, too. I’ve mainly thrown a 1/16th-ounce on two-pound line and worked the banks as well as out in the middle of the lake. If the water slows down, drop to a 1/25th ounce.
Drifting with a scud, egg fly or a San Juan worm is still catching a lot of trout both above and below Fall Creek. I’ve seen some very large midge hatches, especially late in the evening. I haven’t tried them yet, but midge patterns should start working — zebras, soft hackles, pupa’s – all stages. And I’ve also seem some mayflies, but have not seen any trout rise to them.
Scuds – tan or gray. Size – #14 and #16’s.
Thursday evening I didn’t want to boat up very far, so I fished the bluff across from the resort with a 1/16th-ounce sculpin/ginger jig with a brown head on two-pound line. I ended up landing a dozen decent-sized rainbows in my hour of fishing — which I was very happy about. I did the best by backing out towards the middle of the lake and casting towards the bank, letting the jig sink close to the bottom (10-12 feet deep) and working it back. There does seem to be a lot of trout in that area of the lake right now. And I’m sure there’s a big brown trout or two lurking in the same area.
Drifting night crawlers, minnows and Powerbait from Fall Creek down should be drawing more bites. I did try a night crawler one evening, but the trout weren’t hungry :(.
