Based on my own personal experience, I can safely say that, for a variety of reasons, Branson is one of the finest vacation destinations anywhere. One of the reasons for that is not only the range of fun and entertaining things it offers to do, but the variety of activities available within each of those things. Most people are familiar with the broad ranges of choices available for Branson’s live shows and attractions, but one of the other areas where the scope of choices is simply amazing is fishing. Here’s three reasons why:
1. The Variety and Quality of the Fishing Available – In terms of fresh water fishing, it is not unusual for a destination to have world class fishing for “warm water” species such as Large and Smallmouth Bass or for “cold water” species such as Rainbow and Brown Trout. What is unusual however, is to have such world class fishing available for both for both within five minutes of each other at the same destination.
Table Rock Lake is a warm water lake, has a surface area of approximately 43,100 surface acres, and, along with great fishing for warm water species such as cat fish and crappie, is a world class Large Mouth and Small Mouth fishery. Lake Taneycomo is a cold water lake, 23 miles long, running between Table Rock Lake Dam and Bull Shoals Lake, and, from a fish caught per hour perspective, is one of the finest Rainbow and Brown Trout fisheries in the country.
2. You don’t have to be a professional fisherman – It’s true, each year Table Rock Lake’s great bass fishing attracts local, regional and national tournaments featuring some of the top professionals in the country. Yet, each year thousands of Branson visitors, who just want to enjoy a day fishing, have a lot of fun and enjoyment casually fishing Table Rock Lake not only for its bass, but its crappie, cat fish, “brim” and other species with great success. On Lake Taneycomo, fishermen use variety of methods from trolling, drifting, fly fishing, jig and indicator fishing along various baits including Berkley’s Power Bait and Gulp to worms, corn, bread and marshmallows to catch the majority of the 700,000 plus Rainbow and Brown Trout stocked in the lake annually. The Branson.Com Weekly Fishing Report for Table Rock Lake and Lake Taneycomo is an excellent source of information on where to fish and what is “hot” at the moment and contains links to the contributing guides sites that have a wealth of information on how to fish Table Rock Lake and Lake Taneycomo.
3. Accessibility – The fishing season on both Table Rock and Lake Taneycomo for bass and trout is year round with no closed dates. Boat access to both lakes is readily available. Public access to Table Rock Lake in the Branson Area is available through the State Park Marina and the U.S. Corps of Engineers Moonshine Beach access ramp and on Lake Taneycomo at the Cooper Creek Ramp off of Fall Creek Road and the downtown launch ramp located near Scotty’s Trout Dock. Among others, public access to fishing on Lake Taneycomo is available from the fishing docks along Branson Landing, off the downtown shore line, Cooper Creek Boat Ramp Dock and at the foot of Table Rock Dam.
Resorts such as Still Waters Resort on Table Rock Lake and Lilly’s Landing or Lake Shore Resorts on Lake Taneycomo and boat rentals through the State Park Marina on Table Rock Lake and Scotty’s Trout Dock on Lake Taneycomo provide still more access. Obviously, the resorts located on each of these lakes will have access to on site fishing with many of them offering boat rentals and docking of private boats.
A unique aspect of fishing Lake Taneycomo is that it runs right past downtown Branson and its biggest shopping attraction, Branson Landing. Fisherman can be out fishing for trout, pull their boats up to Main Street Marina, and eat lunch or get a takeout meal at The Paddlewheel right on the lake front.
It might be that there are other areas of the country that feel they have the same selection of warm water and cold water fishing that Branson has, but it is hard to imagine any other area where the quality of the fishing is as good, consistent and is provided in a more convenient or accessible manner. It is a virtual certainty that there is no vacation destination providing the choice and quality of fishing that Branson does within, not only minutes of each other, but within minutes of all the shows, attractions, entertainment, and shopping that a vacation destination such as Branson has to offer.
For additional information about fishing in Branson or tickets for any of Branson’s shows and attractions or for lodging arrangements please contact the Branson Tourism Center, one of Branson’s largest and most respected vacation planning services by calling 1-800-785-1550.
