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The sun was barely emerging above the wooded bluff along Branson’s Lake Taneycomo causing the forest creatures to awaken. A tufted titmouse chirped followed by a chorus of others while a blue jay scolded an intruding squirrel. Dimples on the lake’s surface marked where trout rose to insects.
A fishing friend dubbed this ‘magic hour’ – that moment when dawn beckons wild creatures to begin their day of survival, protecting their territory and finding food for themselves and their young.
I had donned a life jacket and listened dutifully to NFL Hall of Famer and Hobie’s Ambassador, Jackie Smith, while he explained the angler friendly features of their new Pro Angler kayak.
With the indoctrination finished I headed for the surfacing trout. A floating rig baited with bright red imitation salmon eggs bounced off small rocks on the bottom behind the kayak while I pedaled slowly upstream in 10 feet of crystal clear water.
The feeling of being an intimate part of the lake and its surroundings was unmistakable and incomparable – almost mesmerizing. One could easily imagine being the only inhabitant in a vast wilderness.
Persistent tugs at my rod tip signaled a trout sampling my bait rig – a snap of the wrist and the fight was on. Trout are amazing on light tackle in Taneycomo’s chilly waters, never seeming to give up, always struggling to free themselves from the hook.
Over the next few hours this event repeated itself numerous times. Every trout displayed memorable survival instincts by leaping and slashing, causing their silver and rainbow colored sides to glisten in the morning light.
Throughout most of the lake, anglers use baits like worms and soft plastic imitations of creatures or salmon eggs. In past years, trolling cowbells trailed by small Helin Flatfish also produced fish.
A special trophy section of the lake, from above Fall Creek to the dam, is reserved for artificial flies and hard plastic lures. No live bait or soft plastics may be used at any time. Wading anglers use fly rods to cast dry flies or nymphs while boat anglers often drift with diminutive jig-flies below a tiny float. This method is especially productive when there is low to medium current in the lake.
In the non-restricted portion of the lake, boaters often float along with drift rigs baited with nightcrawlers, canned sweet corn kernels or soft plastic baits like Berkley’s GULP! Floating Salmon Eggs in chartreuse or flame red color.
Drift rigs are usually homemade, consisting of fluorocarbon line, a small hook on one end and a small bell sinker at the other end.
The sun was barely emerging above the wooded bluff along Branson’s Lake Taneycomo causing the forest creatures to awaken. A tufted titmouse chirped followed by a chorus of others while a blue jay scolded an intruding squirrel. Dimples on the lake’s surface marked where trout rose to insects.
A fishing friend dubbed this ‘magic hour’ – that moment when dawn beckons wild creatures to begin their day of survival, protecting their territory and finding food for themselves and their young.
I had donned a life jacket and listened dutifully to NFL Hall of Famer and Hobie’s Ambassador, Jackie Smith, while he explained the angler friendly features of their new Pro Angler kayak.
With the indoctrination finished I headed for the surfacing trout. A floating rig baited with bright red imitation salmon eggs bounced off small rocks on the bottom behind the kayak while I pedaled slowly upstream in 10 feet of crystal clear water.
The feeling of being an intimate part of the lake and its surroundings was unmistakable and incomparable – almost mesmerizing. One could easily imagine being the only inhabitant in a vast wilderness.
Persistent tugs at my rod tip signaled a trout sampling my bait rig – a snap of the wrist and the fight was on. Trout are amazing on light tackle in Taneycomo’s chilly waters, never seeming to give up, always struggling to free themselves from the hook.
Over the next few hours this event repeated itself numerous times. Every trout displayed memorable survival instincts by leaping and slashing, causing their silver and rainbow colored sides to glisten in the morning light.
Throughout most of the lake, anglers use baits like worms and soft plastic imitations of creatures or salmon eggs. In past years, trolling cowbells trailed by small Helin Flatfish also produced fish.
A special trophy section of the lake, from above Fall Creek to the dam, is reserved for artificial flies and hard plastic lures. No live bait or soft plastics may be used at any time. Wading anglers use fly rods to cast dry flies or nymphs while boat anglers often drift with diminutive jig-flies below a tiny float. This method is especially productive when there is low to medium current in the lake.
In the non-restricted portion of the lake, boaters often float along with drift rigs baited with nightcrawlers, canned sweet corn kernels or soft plastic baits like Berkley’s GULP! Floating Salmon Eggs in chartreuse or flame red color.
Drift rigs are usually homemade, consisting of fluorocarbon line, a small hook on one end and a small bell sinker at the other end.
“I use 24 to 36 inches of 4-pound test fluorocarbon line and attach a 1/8-ounce bell sinker to one end and tie an Eagle Claw snell or salmon egg hook to the other end,” said Capt. Don House of the Branson Fishing Guide Service, (www.bransonfishingguideservice.com). He prefers a #6 or #8 hook.
House doesn’t use a three-way swivel for connection to the main line believing the swivel tangles too often. Like most guides, he ties a loop six to 12 inches from the bell sinker and attaches his main line from the rod to that loop. Three commonly used knots are the Dropper, Perfection and Surgeon’s loop.
Depending on current flow, anglers should cast in front of or to the side of the boat and allow the bait to free-float at the same speed of the boat.
When no current is present, move the boat just fast enough for the weight to drag on the bottom which keeps the floating bait at eye level to the trout. This was extremely easy to accomplish from the Hobie Pro Angler since the speed and direction is so easily controlled (www.hobiecat.com/fishing/models_proangler.html#).
While there are many excellent spots on the lake, we found the flat above, below and in front of Lilley’s Landing (www.lilleyslanding.com) to be especially productive. When the Table Rock Dam was completed, cold water poured into Taneycomo’s headwaters making the lake unsuitable for warm water species like bass, walleye and catfish.
Resembling a 22-mile long river more than a lake, its potential for holding and growing trout was quickly realized and Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery was constructed to raise trout, compensating for the loss of warm-water fish that originally existed.
The hatchery provides about 700,000 trout annually for stocking Taneycomo. Freshwater shrimp gathered from Ozark creeks were stocked to create a food supply for the flourishing trout. The result is happy, fast-growing trout to fuel the fishery.
An abundance of activities are available entertain anglers who grow tired of catching trout. Check out Big Cedar Lodge (www.bigcedar.com) and the numerous live shows in Branson along with Silver Dollar City, the largest family owned theme park in North America.
And, be sure to visit the Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery on Highway 165 just south of Branson at the Table Rock Lake dam. Guided hatchery tours are provided during the summer with self-guided tours available the rest of the year.
