Trout fishing prospects look good at Lake Taneycomo

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News from the region
Southwest
Published Date
03/22/2016
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BRANSON, Mo. – Fisheries staff from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) predict another good year of trout fishing at Lake Taneycomo. This is despite some fish mortality caused by poor water quality conditions this past winter at MDC's Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery, which supplies trout to Taneycomo.

The hatchery stocks about 700,000 11-inch trout into the lake each year. In 2016, MDC will continue to add rainbow trout to the lake's already-abundant population. It will stock greater numbers in summer months when fishing pressure is highest.

According to MDC, the size of the fish that will be stocked will be consistent with past years with a stocking rate decrease of 17 percent, as a result of this past winter's poor water quality issues and flooding in the cold water hatchery system. Trout inventories in the hatchery system will continue to be monitored and stocking rates will be adjusted throughout the year as appropriate. All areas of MDC's trout stocking program will be impacted by stocking rate reductions in 2016. Anglers will likely not notice this reduction at Lake Taneycomo.

"Only about 25 percent of the rainbow trout in Lake Taneycomo are harvested each year, which means this year's newcomers will be joining an already-abundant population," said Shane Bush, MDC fisheries management biologist for Lake Taneycomo. "The good news is that the trout in Lake Taneycomo are still very healthy and abundant, despite the poor water quality conditions that existed this past winter."

According to MDC, more than a quarter-million anglers fish for trout in Missouri. Trout fishing has an annual economic impact in the state of $187 million and supports more than 2,300 jobs.

More information about trout fishing can be found at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/fishing/species/trout.