Fishing Report and more 4/18

[lilley]

Fishing buddy, Vince Elfrink and I boated up to Table Rock Dam about 5 pm this evening to check out the fishing as well as the condition of the lake. I was very anxious about what we would see after the onslaught of last week's water.

We were shocked!! But also pleasantly surprised of what we found.

I knew about the houses and docks damaged. I saw most of that before I left for Boston Sunday. What I hadn't seen or heard about was the damage to the bank and trees from Fall Creek to the dam. The high dirt banks were washed out, loosing up to 20-30 feet of structure to the torrent of water. Dozens of large trees that seemed to be well enough away from the edge were fallen straight down into the lake like someone had pulled the rug out from underneath them. Condos at Fall Creek, buildings that were 10 or more feet from the edge of the dirt bluff are now hanging over the edge, I'm sure vacated, their future unknown. The drop is more than 25 feet to the bottom and no way to get rock to stabilize the bank but by barge and I believe barges cannot make the trip this far up lake because of the depth of water.

Up lake at Lookout Island, about 2 miles below the dam, 5 or 6 big sycamores were laying on their sides at the top of the island, uprooted from the flow of water.

Between the island and the old KOA Campground, the dirt bank lost I estimate 30 or more feet. Cedars and hardwoods lay like wrecked cars on a freeway at the foot of the bank in the lake. Thank goodness for the riprap at the campground or more silt would have been washed into the lake.

The bank below the boat ramp a short distance upstream and across the lake- same thing. Not as many trees down but the dirt bank has been eroded back quite a bit.

Several trees are noticeably gone at Rocking Chair, a favorite fishing spot across the lake and up lake from the boat ramp.

The most notable evidence of last week’s flood event was seen last as we pulled up to the cable just below the dam. The banks on both side of the lake were scoured by the currents. It looked like every bit of silt and sand has been washed from the rocks and around tree roots, especially along the south bank. It's quite a sight.






Following docks are along the south bank in the Riverpointe Estates neighborhood. I took them in low light so they're alittle grainy.













High banks were no match for the high water and current.




Dozens of trees along the lake fallen to the high water and current.




Condos at Fall Creek.




Head of Lookout Island.




Down from KOA. South bank.




KOA just above dirt bank.





South bank.




South bank across from outlet #1





Just above outlet #1


Now for the fishing...

We had found trout fishing to be good but somehow difficult before the additional flood gates were opened last week. The trout were on the bottom and the current was making is hard to get a lure to the bottom and keep it there long enough to get “bitten”. But we did well.

In the past when the gates were opened at Table Rock, our trout flourished on the extra food the water washed up and into the lake…. Up from the bottom were bugs and in from Table Rock were small fishes like shad that the trout loved. This time was no different. White jigs, white shad flies, bright San Juan worms and even scuds were very effective, again, if you could get them to the bottom while drifting in the current.

Presently, the Corp has dropped Taneycomo’s lake levels to their lowest since February, running only 3 or 4 units. This makes even easier to drift these same lures… less water, less current, easier to get them to the bottom.

Vince and I made 4 drifts from the dam down about a mile and caught a dozen trout on each drift. Most measured between 12 and 17 inches but we couldn’t help but notice their condition. They were thick bodied and strong fighters. Most had grown back all their fins which rainbows loose in the hatchery’s concrete raceways and all were colored up bright and beautiful. We also had a couple of brown trout mixed in with the rainbows.

Overall fishing, we thought, was very good. Water was a little color and 43 degrees. I’d say Lake Taneycomo trout fishing is back in business… and better than ever.






Here's a nice sunset pic a clicked as the sun came out just before dropping behind the dam.

[CHRISTISAM2001]

Thanks for sharing your pictures!!

[flyfishinggolfer]

Excellent fishing report. Thank you very much. Is it going to be wadeable anytime soon. Fly