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Lake Taneycomo (Table Rock Tailwater on White River) (Please call me or email if you have any questions on fishing here...I'll definately send you in the right direction) (870) 435-6529 Email Although there is much confusion regarding the geographical characteristics of this tailwater fishery, the bottom line is that Lake Taneycomo offers similar trout fishing as the other Ozark trout rivers. Taneycomo is technically a lake because it is impounded between two dams on the White River. Table Rock Dam is the starting point for the tailrace, and the first two miles below the dam offer the best wading conditions during low water. There are four hydroelectric generators at the Table Rock Dam’s Power Plant, and water levels below the dam can increase dramatically. It is possible for the water to rise 9.5 feet in a matter of minutes. Therefore, if you hear the horns (they are very loud here), be sure to waste little time in getting back to your access point. Because of Powersite Dam located some 22 miles down river from Table Rock Dam, there are several unique dynamics that affect fishing on Lake Taneycomo. First of all, it can take all day for the water by Table Rock Dam to drop out completely after power generation stops, and sometimes the lake will “back-up” all the way to the dam during falling water. This can slow down the fishing until the flow resumes its normal downstream procession. The first three miles of Lake Taneycomo below Table Rock Dam offer a wealth of access for wading during low water. Because the water here is predominantly slow and deepish, this is a great place for a beginner to gain some confidence. The most appealing aspect of this fishery is the trophy slot limit regulations from Table Rock Dam down to Fall Creek (Approx. 3 miles). Fish concentrations in this area are mind boggling, and because of the rich, White River habitat in this tailwater, the rainbows grow very quickly to lengths of 16 to 20 inches. The trophy area is the only place I fish on Lake Taneycomo because no bait is allowed. You are allowed to keep 5 rainbows, but they must be under 12 inches or over 20 inches (of course I keep 0). Very few anglers keep any fish here. Brown trout must be 20 inches to be possessed on the entire lake, and this regulation has been in effect since 1986. The slow, deep water of lower Lake Taneycomo is the perfect incubator for producing world-class brown trout, and these monsters will ascend the shallows below Table Rock Dam for the spawn and if there is a shad kill. There are also good numbers of resident, lunker browns that inhabit the lower end of the trophy area. Scuds and sowbugs are the primary forage, but there are also lots of sculpins, crawfish, shad, and terrestrials (like worms, hoppers, and ants) throughout the entire lake. Midge hatches are a daily occurrence, and they are especially thick in the winter on sunny days when the water is falling out. Although dry fly imitations can be fantastic during the right conditions, most fish here will key in on the pupa and emerging phases of the midge hatch. Small flies and fine tippets are essential for taking big fish. Spring, summer, and fall offer up some caddis and mayfly hatches, but for a big fish try a hopper in yellow, tan, or olive. Most of the time, nymphs will be your most consistent producers, and because we fish many different depths of water on upper Lake Taneycomo, our imitations range from size 24 to size 8. Scuds and sow bugs in dull, basic colors work very well, and soft hackles in every conceivable shade will work at some time or another when stripped slowly. A midge pupa pattern fished at varying depths is another effective technique. Please contact me for the latest information. One of my favorite times to fish Lake Taneycomo is during high water flows. There is some decent wading available with up to two generators running, but if flows exceed this level, a boat is necessary for safe and effective fishing. The best patterns for high water here should be bigger than what you would use on low water, but small patterns can still be effective in lighter flows. San Juan worms and egg patterns are high water staples, but scuds and streamers will produce the bigger fish sometimes. Releases at all the dams are very hard to predict, so please don’t plan on wading all day if you come here, especially in the spring and summer. The action while drift fishing from a boat can be explosive on high water, and it seems like you catch more big fish when the water is up. For strictly trophy fishing, try dead-drifting BIG streamer and terrestrial patterns along bank structure. Many of the guides I work with are all familiar with this section of the White River, and we have found that this fishery is the perfect place to catch lots of strong and colorful rainbows with the chance at a brown over ten pounds!!! Crowds can be a problem up by Table Rock Dam when the water is low, but there is much more secluded water just downstream from where the masses congregate. For all my guide trips to Lake Taneycomo, I put the boat in (even if the water is low) because there is some very private fishing areas that are best accessed by boat. When the water rises we fish the entire trophy section. Guide trips here cost slightly more, and you will need to purchase a Missouri fishing license (the cost is per day is currently five dollars and a trout stamp is NOT required for catch-and-release fishing. Yearly licenses are also available.). Prices for Lake Taneycomo fly fishing trips** The price for one day is: Email Me I will do guide trips on Taneycomo under certain circumstances...please contact me for availability and pricing. I can also set you up with the best guides who work that water full time upon request. One and a half days (two people): This is the perfect option for those who wish to spend one night near Lake Taneycomo. The sights and sound of Branson, Missouri are just minutes from Table Rock Dam, but the fishing and accommodations are quiet and secluded. Two days (two people): This is the best way to get a full Lake Taneycomo experience. The price includes one nights lodging and breakfast before the second day of fishing. Prices for one-person trips are the same, minus fifty dollars/day . Please call for more details and for current fishing conditions. (870) 435-6529**

Roaring River, Bennett springs, and Montauk trout Parks in Missouri

While the Ozark's cold-release tailwaters are truly the area’s best trophy trout fishing, the state-managed trout parks throughout southern Missouri offer fly anglers some excellent wading in a spring-creek type of setting. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) manages the trout parks as put-and-take fisheries with several small catch and release and fly-only areas. With the purchase of a daily trout tag (this is MANDATORY before fishing the parks) for 3 dollars you are entitled to keep 5 rainbows, but with more and more people practicing catch and release, there are many bigger, holdover fish around. Also, the three-month WINTER catch and release season is a great time to fish in solitude for healthy-sized, rising trout. Most of the hatcheries at the parks release their brood stock (these are BIG trout used for gathering roe and sperm in the hatching process) before the winter season commences, so there are often scores of fish over 4 pounds in the streams. The best patterns for the parks tend to be small midges and medium-sized caddis imitations fished on the surface. Many nymphs can produce, as well as streamers in olive, black, and brown. Remember, all the parks are located on natural, cold water springs, so heavy rains can often “put off” the fishing for several days as the water rises and gets dirty. Dry conditions in the warmer months can make the trout very wary when the water flow is reduced to a trickle. The only parks I have fished extensively are Bennett Springs and Roaring River, but I have heard that Montauk State Park area has the best trophy fishing around any of the parks. If anyone is interested in a guide trip here, we will be sure and research Montauk thoroughly beforehand, and can get you with the best guide. Roaring River State Park is a great place for a beginner to learn the art of dry fly fishing, and the river is very small and easy to fish. The FLY ONLY section is our favorite place to go, and there seems to always be some nice fish on this lower stretch of the park’s trout water. Try to match the hatches with natural colored midges and caddis flies. Emmergers can also work well. Small streamers can be fun to fish because you can usually watch the fish follow the fly and take it with fury. Bennett Springs is much bigger water than that of Roaring River State Park, so caution is advised when wading. There are tons of fish everywhere here, but we prefer the upper stretches of this spring creek. Fish can always be seen rising along the banks but the dry fly fishing here is quite hatch dependant. Caddis and midge patterns are effective, and little emmergers fished on the swing can do the trick when your surface offerings are repeatedly refused. Wooly Buggers, hoppers, and ant patterns will work well on windy days. The biggest drawback to the fishery at Bennett is the rampant practice of cleaning one’s catch in the stream. Often by 10 in the morning, hoards of fish can be seen aggressively attacking trout remains during the “gut hatch”, and the fish will often refuse any natural presentation until they stop keying in on the added food. I have tried to convince the MDC to halt this practice (by installing fish cleaning stations), but the agent told me that the stream’s users want to keep it this way. The best thing to do if the fish are feeding on guts in lieu of your offerings is to find areas where few fish have been cleaned in the river. All in all, the trout parks of Missouri are a close by alternative to the unpredictable tailwater fisheries. You can almost always catch fish while wading, and the setting is quite aesthetically pleasing. I do not recommend fishing Bennett Springs on weekends, especially during the spring and summer, unless you like to fish in a crowd. Arkansas Trophy Trout is now offering two-day fly fishing trips to Roaring River. It may be possible to fish Roaring River one day and Lake Taneycomo or the White River on the second day. Below are the prices. The trout parks may be just what you are looking for to gain confidence before fishing the bigger rivers. ****Please contact Arkansas Trophy Trout for custom packages. We may also be able to arrange one-day trips to Bennett Springs and Roaring River upon request.

Dry Run Creek: Outing for kids under 16 years old

Dry Run Creek is the affluent waters from the Norfork National Fish Hatchery. These hatchery waters are extremely rich in nutrients and oxygen, so many big fish are attracted to Dry Run from the Norfork Tailwater. For many years, Dry Run Creek was closed to fishing, but in the late 1980’s, the AGFC designated this quarter mile stream the state’s first catch and release area. Dry Run is only open to kids under 16 years old and disabled individuals. Artificial flies and lures (single, barbless hook) ONLY. A licensed adult must accompany children. The special fishery at Dry Run Creek has all the characteristics of a secluded mountain creek except that there are huge fish EVERYWHERE. Five pounders are common, ten pounders are caught often, and fish over 20 pounds are not out of the question (certain times of year). This is why many consider Dry Run Creek the best trout stream in the world. Even though Dry Run Creek is managed with kids in mind, wading can be dangerous in parts of the slick, fast flow. The best places to begin are where there is a path or stairs to the creek. Short rods and leaders will help prevent snags and tangles, and waders are a must because the water is so cold. There are plenty of BIG rainbows and cutthroats in Dry Run Creek, and during the spawn, tons of browns ascend the creek to propagate. The numbers of browns in Dry Run can be so high that surveys showed that if the creek was a mile long (it is about a quarter mile long) there would be 80,000 fish in there. A nine-year old client of Gabe’s hooked into a brown that was at least 18 pounds, but in such a narrow place, landing this type of hog takes a lot of luck. Gabe also had a young lady tangle with a rainbow over 20 pounds several years back!!! For some reason, there are almost no brook trout in Dry Run, and I think this has to do with the brookies tendencies to avoid intense competition. The best flies are usually brightly colored and easy to see. Scuds and bead head flies seem to be the most consistent producers. To avoid losing all your flies, use 5x or 4x tippets. Because the sheer numbers of fish in Dry Run Creek, it is inevitable that some fish will get foul hooked. To avoid over stressing the fish out, you should try and break the line or land the trout ASAP. Most of the kids I guide in Dry Run Creek express that they have had “the most fun of their lives”, and almost all pursue fly fishing at some level or another. For your child’s first fly fishing experience, Dry Run Creek is the ultimate place to learn. Guide Fees: Half day: 150 dollars(from 8:30 am to 12:30pm): and this includes all flies, waders (for the kids), and rods*. Please call for the availability of half-day trips. Full day: 225 dollars(as long as your kid(s) can take it): and this includes all flies, tackle, waders, lunches, and rods. A replacement fee of fifty dollars will be assessed for rods broken due to negligence (i.e. Stepped on, snapped against a tree, etc.) to cover my replacement costs.