Category Archives: Fishing

Branson’s Tri-Lakes add to the uniqueness that is Branson

Table Rock Lake's Still Waters Lakeside Resort on Indian Point.

The Branson area is oft times referred to as the “Tri-Lakes” area because of its three lakes Table Rock Lake, Lake Taneycomo and Bull Shoals Lake. Together they provide fishermen, boaters and water sports enthusiasts with a year round selection of activities of every type from swimming, scuba diving and fishing to boating, wakeboarding, water skiing, parasailing and just about any other water sport or fun type of activity.

Of the three lakes, the two most often used by Branson visitors would be Table Rock Lake with its 741 miles of shore line and the 22 mile long Lake Taneycomo. Both are situated within less than 10 minutes of the famed Branson Strip, with all its fabulous live shows, attractions, thousands of hotel and motel rooms of every type, shopping and everything else that makes Branson the popular vacation destination that it is.

The 43,100 surface acre Table Rock Lake is the “crown jewel” of Branson’s water related recreational activities. Its warm waters provide the source for the majority of the water related sports activities in the Tri-Lakes and some of the finest bass fishing in the United States. Convenient public access to Table Rock Lake, from Branson, is available through the State Park Marina located just south of Table Rock Dam on State Highway 165 and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers boat ramps located at Moon Shine Beach, immediately north of the Table Rock Dam on Highway 165 and Indian Point Park located 8 miles west of Branson on State Highway 76, and about two miles south on Indian Point Road.

Tammy Johnson, the Director of Operations for the Branson Tourism Center, points out that there are a variety of campgrounds and other lodging facilities located right on the shores and within minutes of the lake. “Two properties that immediately come to mind,” she said. “is the iconic Chateau on the Lake standing high above the lake near the dam and the Still Waters Lakeside Resort located right on the lake on  Indian Point.” She also points out that one of the most popular camping areas on Table Rock Lake is the “State Park Campground” located along with the State Park Marina just south of Table Rock Dam on State Highway 165.

Lake Taneycomo is a long narrow lake that runs from the foot of Table Rock Dam to the Power Site Dam, and the headwaters of Bull Shoals Lake, 22 mile downstream. It is a cold water lake due to the temperature of the water being discharged into the lake through power generation at the Table Rock Dam. In terms of the number of fish caught, Lake Taneycomo is one of the finest Rainbow and Brown Trout fisheries in the country.

Its cold water is not conducive to the same type of water activities as are the warm waters of Table Rock Lake. Although there is some excellent bass fishing available toward its lower end and in its creeks, Lake Taneycomo’s primary water activity is boating and trout fishing.

Lake Taneycomo has a number of lakeside resorts such as Trout Hollow and Lilley’s Landing and the city of Branson operates a lakeside campground with full facilities just south of Branson Landing on Box Car Willie Drive. Convenient access to the lake is provided at the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery, the Cooper Creek Launch Area and the south end of the city of Branson’s campground. Scotty’s Trout Dock, located near the public launch area in the city campground is a great source of information, boat rentals, bait, and guide services.

Bull Shoals Lake, a 45, 000 thousand acre impoundment, with over 1050 miles of shoreline, offers the same type of boating and fishing as does Table Rock Lake. Except for fishermen and probably because of the closeness of Table Rock Lake to Branson, Bull Shoals Lake does not play a major role in the water activities of most Branson visitors even though it is but 20 minutes away.

Branson’s “Tri-Lakes” not only provide a variety of water sports and activities, but in offering it so close to everything else that Branson offers they provide an element of uniqueness that helps make Branson such a special place.

Table Rock Lake guide, Larry “Doc” Seger breaks into PAA’s top ten

CPAA's Jim Thompson, right and Larry "Doc" Seger.

BRANSON, Mo. “I am honored to be fishing in the PAA this year and satisfied, at this point, with my tenth place finish in my first tournament,” said Larry “Doc” Seger, a Table Rock Lake guide from Kimberling City, Mo. Doc’s comment came shortly after the Professional Angler’s Association (PAA) held their first tournament of the “2011 Bass Pro Shops Tournament Series presented by Carrot Stix” on Lake Lanier in northeast Georgia March 31st through April 2nd.

“I caught every fish on a Chompers 3/8 ounce Pro Shaky Head Jig with a Green Pumpkin Salty Sinker soaked in Chompers Formula G Garlic,” he said. During the first two days he limited out, but on the last day he only caught two fish. He said that last day was windy, the bass had changed the way they were hitting and he had trouble feeling the hits. As a result, although he estimates he had about 10 bites, he only hooked and brought two to the boat.

Doc indicated that his satisfaction at this point stems from the fact that he took tenth place out of a field of over 60 of the finest professional fishermen in the country, won over $6,900 in his first PAA tournament and is in an excellent position to qualify for the “Toyota Texas Bass Classic” (TTBC) to be held October 28 – 30 at Lake Conroe in Conroe, TX. The top 15 finishers in the PAA’s regular tournament series, consisting of three tournaments, the one just completed at Lake Lanier, the second to be held on Table Rock Lake June 23 – 25 and the third on Neely Henry Lake in Gadsden, AL August 18 – 20, will go on to compete in the TTBC.

The TTBC has a unique championship format in that its field is made up of the top 15 fishermen from the three major national bass fishing circuits, the FLW, BASS, and the PAA all fishing against each other. Last year the TTBC was won by Brian Snowden of Reeds Spring, Mo, who bested Mike Iaconelli by just over a pound and won $110,000 and a new bass boat in the process.

Seger points that just qualifying for TTBC means that you have already earned tens of thousands of dollars in cash and prizes as a result of fishing just the three PAA Tournaments. “Depending on the number of competitors in each tournament there is up to $250,000 in cash and prizes to be won in each,” he continued.

He said that he is focusing on one tournament at a time with the next PAA tournament being conducted on his home lake and the lake that he guides on, “Table Rock Lake.” When asked if that gave him an advantage he said that although fishing your home lake is obviously an advantage that the playing field is leveled for all the fishermen by the PAA’s 30 day off limits rule. This rule prohibits any tournament fisherman from fishing on a tournament lake within 30 days of the tournament.

Doc says the journey with PAA has been a wonderful experience starting with his winning the Central Pro-Am Association’s “Angler of the Year” in 2010. One of the prizes for winning that title was an all expense ‘ride’ to fish the entire 2011 PAA Tournament Series, including paid entry fees, food, fuel and lodging allowances worth, with entry fees etc. over $18,000. He credits his experience in fishing with the Central Pro-Am Association over the years for helping put him his current position.

Jim Thompson the owner of Central Pro-Am Association said, “Larry is a great fisherman and all-around good guy. We congratulate him on his great finish, are very proud of his accomplishments and wish him well on his wonderful journey.”