December 20 Fishing Report

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Winter on Lake Taneycomo means less anglers and good fishing. This winter so far means less anglers, good fishing and one unit of generation. You can count on it. For the past 3 weeks, it’s been pretty consistent. The Corp is running one unit 24/7, with the exception of a few periods of heavier generation, to draw Table Rock Lake down to hold water from Beaver Lake, which they will start drawing down after the first of the year, according to my sources. How long will this continue? I wouldn’t think much longer. May be we’ll get a break over the Christmas holiday.

One unit equates to about 3-4 feet of water depth below Table Rock Dam. It’s enough to get a boat to the cable if you know the channel, especially above the MDC boat ramp. It’s low enough at times to get out and wade below the dam, especially the gravel bar from outlet #3 downstream, but you have to be careful. One unit isn’t a lot of current from Lookout downstream but plenty to make a good drift using flies or jigs. A pink micro jig under an indicator 6 to 8 feet deep drifting down the middle of the lake has been one hot ticket to catch some nice rainbows, reported Bill Babler, one of our guides fishing this week.

I’ve fished a few times in the stretch below Lookout and done fair. They haven’t been taking a jig thrown straight, no float, as well as they did a few weeks ago. They’ve been biting light, taking just the tail of the jig mostly. Not real hungry? Who knows.

I’ve been fishing quite a bit below Fall Creek. Seems like the trout down here have been “hungrier”. Of course using night crawlers instead of jigs is almost cheating for me… it’s really been easy to get bit but I found out I’m out of practice making the hookup using live bait. The other day I made one drift from Fall to Short Creek and used a dozen crawlers, cutting them all in half and only boating 3 rainbows. That’s 3-21 if you’re a sports fan. Of course using Gulp Eggs, you’re hooking to miss ratio is much better, I just didn’t use eggs.

Some guys reported they did real well this past week throwing small crank baits like Rapalas against the bluff banks as well as trolling. I did see boats trolling but I didn’t see them do any good while I was out. I wanted to tell them to try troll heading downstream instead of upstream. I know a guy who does real well catch browns and he trolls downstream. When trolling for King Salmon in Alaska, we troll mainly downstream.

Size and number of rainbows in the lake is very good, but it usually is this time of year. Curtis says he’s been fishing off the dock and catching rainbow after rainbows, mainly in the evenings on Gulp Eggs.