BRANSON, Mo.- In this week’s Daybreak on the Lake, Anchor Jesse Inman takes a trip down to Table Rock Lake to learn how it looks for trout fishing this year.
Jesse caught up with Chuck Gries, the owner of Angler’s Outfitters. Gries is usually either out catching trout or working at the shop with his wife, Lynn. It’s the last driveway before the fish hatchery near the dam, and they specialize in fly fishing.
“To me, it’s a lot more fun. You’re active. You aren’t just casting a line with some bait on it, sitting in a chair waiting for the bite. You’re actually doing something with it. You could be strippin’ flies; you could be drifting an indicator; there’s so many different things. You could be fishing a dry fly on top, see the fish come up and eat it. There’s just so many different things you can do,” says Gries.
If that sounds like a lot, Greis says it’s easy to get the hang of.
“It’s really not that tough. I just had a lady and her husband out the other day, and she’s never done it before. She ended up catching the bigger one at 21 inches. It usually takes about one fish on the fly rod, and they’re hooked,” he says.
Gries adds this year has been busier than normal due to the trout biting a lot better than bass in some parts of the lake.
“Sunday’s the only day I’ve got open that week,” he says.
Gries says the area of Table Rock near the dam has been a tough fishing spot. He recommends anglers go further up the lake to the Kimberling City area, where the water is a little more stained.
But for trout, the fish have been bigger than usual thanks to some changes at the hatchery.
“They’ve cut the numbers down on their release a bit from 750,000 to 500,000, so that has given us a really huge food base on these trout. They’re getting really fat, really healthy, and they fight real good,” says Gries.
Greis says just a few miles away at Lake Taneycomo might be your best bet.
“Taneycomo is one of the premier spots in the country. Last year we had a 40 lb, 4 oz caught out here. Big brown, 41.25 inches, so yeah. We’re getting some really nice fish.”
If you are out fishing, send us some pictures of your catch! Click here to find Jesse Inman on Facebook and send him a picture with your latest fish and where you caught it.
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