This past March I made a trip to Lake Taneycomo in southern Missouri in the heart of the Ozark Mountains near Branson. It had been at least 15 years since I had last fished this great trout fishery and I was eager to try my luck. So with the truck packed, I and three buddies hit the road.

  As is the custom when fishermen pass through this region, we made a stop at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, Missouri. This allowed us to kill a little time while picking up some last minute supplies, buy fishing licenses and get a new anchor for my pontoon boat.

  As we had done in the past, we stayed at Lilley’s Landing making the Lilly Pad our base of operations. Lilley’s offers great accommodations at competitive rates. They offer boat rentals with new Yamaha motors if you don’t feel like dragging your boat along with you although they do rent covered boat slips if you do bring it along. They also have one of the best stocked tackle shops on the lake if not in all of Branson. If you need it for trout fishing, they have it.

  The first morning to kill a little time before the office opened so we could get our boat assignments, we headed down to the dock for a little fishing. I must boast here that I caught the first fish of the trip, a rainbow about ten inches long. Not wanting to start filling my limit just yet, I gently released it.

  One major change that had occurred since my trip years before was the daily creel limit. It used to be five fish a day with only one of the five being a brown trout over twenty inches long. Now it is four fish a day with one of the four being a brownie over twenty inches. Also they had created a "trophy trout area" on the lake from Fall Creek up to the dam at Table Rock Lake. This "trophy" area covers three and half miles so there are many places to try your luck. In the trophy area you are only allowed to use artificial baits but none that are soft. That is to say you can use baits that have feathers but no soft plastics like grubs, worms, Power Bait, etc. Also there is a slot length on rainbows. Any fish under twenty inches in length must be released. The same twenty inch rule for browns applies lake wide. Make sure to educate yourself on the rules before you venture above Fall Creek. Go to: http://ozarkanglers.com/lt-regs.php for the lowdown.

  Anyway, once we got our boat assignments we headed up to the trophy area to try our luck. The water was running fast but it didn’t take to long to reach the dam. Since we had already tied on our lures, the fishing started as soon as the motors were cut off. After several drifts, Tommy hooked into a fish. It was his first trout and ended up being a brownie about fourteen inches long. I had forgotten my camera so this moment is lost in time.

  A few more drifts and we noticed the water was getting shallow. They had decreased the flow through the powerhouse and since we didn’t want to end up buying new props, we decided to head back downstream. When the water gets low, the going can get tough on the upper reaches of the lake as gravel bars start showing their ugly heads.

  Once below Fall Creek out came the minnows and night crawlers. There were a few fish caught but the action didn’t heat up until everyone switched to Power Bait. Seemed the trout loved orange, chartreuse, white and pink or combinations there of. I had my best luck with orange and chartreuse.

  That afternoon and the all the next day the Power Bait really paid off! We boated rainbow after rainbow keeping only the bigger fish to fill our creels. There were a few small browns caught by Tommy and Tim but Kenny and I never hooked one. By our best estimates each boat caught at least sixty fish each. We had a lot of fun!

  Though we tried our best to release the fish we weren’t keeping unharmed, there were a few small ones that had been gut hooked and weren’t going to survive and floated back to the surface once released. It made us feel bad until the Blue Herons came in, snapped them up, took them the bank and swallowed them down in one bite. It was quite something to see and it made us feel better knowing the fish hadn’t gone to waste.

  One thing I learned this trip was how to tell a newly released fish from the hatchery from one that had been in the lake awhile. If the flesh of the trout is white then it hasn’t been in the lake to long. If the flesh is pink, then the fish has been in the lake awhile or was born in the wild. The reason I was told is in the type of food that they eat. Hatchery raised fish are raised on prepared food and take on the white color but once in the lake and eating wild food they take one the familiar pink color.

  The weather was perfect this trip. A little cold in the mornings but turning sunny and warm in the afternoons wishing I had put on shorts. We all had a lot of fun and the plan is to go back next March. With our luck it will probably be snowing. Until then keep your lines tight. – James Burns

  There is growing evidence that Carbon Monoxide-related illnesses, injuries, and fatalities on the water may be far greater than reported. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is asking recreational boaters to take special care during the busy July 4th holiday weekend, and any time they are on the water.

  Carbon Monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless, tasteless, and highly toxic gas produced by boat engines, generators, and stoves. Some boaters are aware that CO can accumulate inside engine compartments, and few understand that the gas can pool in deadly concentrations outside the boat as well – around engine and generator exhaust outlets, under and around swim platforms, and even in an open cabin when conditions are right.

  Many boating safety professionals believe that Carbon Monoxide-related injuries and fatalities may go under-reported because they are attributed to other causes such as seasickness or intoxication. There is growing concern that as many as 15% of the deaths attributed to drowning, in fact, occurred when a swimmer was already unconscious from exposure to Carbon Monoxide.

  Boaters can greatly reduce the risk to themselves and their passengers by following a few simple suggestions. Know where exhaust outlets for the engines and generator are on the boat, and keep everyone clear. Understand how and where CO can accumulate – for example, when slow speeds and a following wind create a back-draft that draws CO into the cabin. Never allow high-risk behaviors like leak surfing. Do not sit or hang on, under, or around back deck or swim platforms when the engine or generator is running. Treat symptoms, such as headache, dizziness, and nausea, as possible CO poisonings until another cause is pinpointed.

  Remember – It’s About Time. Boat Safe; Boat Fun.

  From the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Visit their site at http://www.state.tn.us/twra.