I'll be making several trips to Tulsa and Springfield later this year to visit relatives and want to try the trout fishing on Taneycomo. Any advice for this location (flies, spots)? From what I have read, scuds under a strike indicator seem to be a popular choice pretty much throughout the year.

Robert?

I am not an expert on Taneycomo, but I have fished it multiple days several times over the past 15 years. Here is some general stuff.
� The flow when they not generating at Table Rock Dam is nil and the river acts like a lake.
� The river fishes very differently based on flow.
� There are several wade in access points at the state park/Shepard of the Hills.
� The water coming off Table Rock say down to Falls Creek is cold even in the summer. My guess is it is 45 to 48 now.
� From the dam to Falls Creek is good fishing- no barbs and catch and release only.
� Best guess right now for not being there is for bobber/strike indicator is #18 to #24 Midges.
� The water is usually very clear � 9 to 12 ft 6x tippet would probably be a good starting point.
� The bows usually bite softly.
For specifics check with the folks at River Run Outfitter � they are good folks and will be willing to help. They fish the upper section from the dam on a daily basis in drift boats.
The will have any fly tying material or pre-tied flies you will need.
River Run posts regular reports on the fishing above Falls Creek and has a number of fly patterns/recipes they fish online.
http://www.riverrunoutfitters.com/
Middle to the lower part of the river the folks at Lilly�s Landing will be a good source of �current� information. They have a well-stocked shop.
� I usually fish 1/80, 1/100, 1/124 jigs in white and yellow either on a fly rod or on ultra light spinning rigged with 4 or 6-pound line with a 6 or 7x leader, a tiny piece of split shot and a foam bobber.
� Midges should also work.
� During the summer tourist season, there is a lot of pressure on the river once you leave the trophy are below the dam � the rainbows are spooky.
� Lilly�s website has a lot of information on Taneycomo.
http://www.lilleyslanding.com

If you stay overnight in Branson � I always stay at Lilly�s if with a fishing-buddy. It is very convenient, quiet and reasonable. If you are feeling a bit lazy I have caught plenty off the docks there. If with the wife then we stay at Big Cedar � nice place but too pricey and too far away unless you want to fish Tablerock�but it keeps the wife happy.
If you get a chance and feel like a splurge � hire Carolyn the owner at River Run Outfitters for a drift boat trip. She has got be in her 70�s but she can push the drift boat upstream no problem. She can put you on fish, she can improve you casting, teach you about fishing the river, she is a fishing machine�and she is fun to fish with. Watching her cast big streamers into the wind while anchored above the riffles is awesome.
If you have some articulated mice and are up for some late evening night fishing � the docks at Lilley�s or the public boat launch over at Cotter Ark�.3x,4x or 5x tippet on a 7wt�.on a 5wt if you feel lucky�.load up your best double hall and strip it back steady.

My 2cents and hope it helps

I just got back from fishing the White River under the Bull Shoals dam. Had one very slow day, and one very productive day (great day actually). The White is very high right now due to flooding up in Northern Missouri. Hopper bite was good early if you could find some shallow water, but was totally turned off by 10AM. We were very productive on a weighted egg pattern in peach with a purple san juan worm as a dropper.

Not really sure if that will translate to any help for you at Taneycomo. But as Table Rock/Taneycomo feed into Bull Shoals/White River, I think there may be some similarities.

Riverdog - that is outstanding information, thanks very much! Carolyn sounds a little like my in-laws long time family friend, Miss Gerri, that introduced me to surf fishing on the Texas coast many years ago.

Coff - I have fished the White a couple of times and had pretty good luck using egg patterns or little pink plastic worms on a 1/80 ounce jig. I was struck by how clear and cold the water was, and how quickly it rose then they started releasing more at the dam.

You also might consider the Beaver Dam Tailwater, upstream and west of Taneycomo on the White. It's at Eureka Springs, AR. I don't know if it's a longer or shorter drive from Tulsa, but imagine it's roughly similar (drive). There's some decent wading to be found there. When I was there they had me fishing mostly a pheasant tail to decent effect.

Grey,tan,olive,uv,and black scuds sz 16-22. Also small 16-18 yellow soft hackles as a dropper if not going double scud. The best soft hackle fishing I've had on the Taney was single fly often swinging it producing best. If you want to try and tangle with a giant in the dark shoot me a pm and I can probably help. Fished the Taney hard last 12 years or so but the last ten of have been almost 100% at night targeting big Browns. If going double scud I like a 16 followed by an 18-22 still to early right now for good egg fishing imo hold that for fall thru spring.

oh and BTW - if you are looking for food...the following is "usually" inhabited by locals rather tourists. The good is good and reaonable and you can avoid the strip. http://dannasbbq.com/

If you are looking for a top shelf meal - https://www.keetercenter.edu/Dining.aspx

It is located at College of the Ozarks - a college that requires it's students to work and not borrow money for the college. Every student graduates debt free. My wife and I found it when we toured of the campus.It is one of the top two or three resturanunts in Branon. I had a chance to talk with the chef...an amazing man. He and two more professionaly trained chefs run the place and train the students. The remainder of the staff are students who from all over the world staff the frontend, backend, and kitchem who rotate through semester by semester as part of the work program.

My wife and I eat there #1 because the food is good, and #2 because it supports a place that provides an education for young people who would have difficulty affording one and or wind up in massive debt...while teaching them to work and not expect a free ride. The young folks that we have encountered are your typical entitled brat.