ABOUT TABLE ROCK LAKE
AS A GUEST
As a guest at Rock View Resort for your Branson vacation, you can experience what fishing is all about on Table Rock Lake.
Visit Missouri Department of Conservation for information on fishing Licenses
NATIONALLY RENOWNED
This nationally renowned lake is famous for excellent bass and crappie fishing all year round
CREATION OF TABLE ROCK
Since its creation in 1959 Table Rock Lake has been considered one of the premier multi-species fisheries in our nation. Here are a few facts about Table Rock Lake. Table Rock Lake was formed by damming the White River. It is a hydroelectric & flood-control Highland Reservoir/Impoundment, not a lake. At normal pool (915 msl) its waters cover 43,100 acres with a shoreline of 745 miles, while at flood pool (931 msl) its waters cover 52,300 acres with a shoreline of 857 miles. Its maximum depth at normal pool is 220 feet & its waters are in both the state of Missouri & Arkansas with over 90% of its waters being in southwest Missouri. Table Rock Lake is fed by 3 major tributaries, Long Creek, the James River & the Kings River. Only 15% of the lakes shoreline has been developed, the Western or Upper Section of the lake is the more developed (busier / crowded) section with numerous facilities available. The Eastern or Lower Section of the lake is considered the quieter section with fewer recreational boaters, less traffic, & fewer facilities.
THE LAKE
As the lake bottom is comprised of limestone, bedrock, chunk rock, and gravel, little if any aquatic vegetation (weeds) will be found in the lake when at normal (915 msl) or below normal pool. By far the dominant cover (fish holding habitat) found on Table Rock Lake is timber. The type of cover will vary, but you will find the following in abundance throughout the lake. Standing visible (above the surface) are cedar trees, various hardwood trees and pole timber, and remember, what you see above also exists below. Also there are numerous areas of lake bottom where trees were sawed off and left lying on the lake bottom along with their stumps. These stump and brush fields are harder to find than the visible flooded timber but well worth the time and effort needed to locate them. As these areas do not receive as much fishing pressure and provide excellent fish holding cover and habitat some fish species use them year round. Along with acre after acre of natural fish cover and habitat (timber) you will find numerous manmade fish attractors. Bass Pro Shops working in conjunction with the Missouri Department of Conservation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers collect, weigh, and sink thousands of Christmas trees (brush piles) throughout the lake annually. These manmade fish attractors form structure on the lake bottom which attracts minnows and other aquatic life forms that the fish feed on, so in turn many fish species are naturally attracted to and hold either in them or very close by. If you don’t like fishing timber or tire of it, the lake also offers points, islands (both visible and submerged), river and creek channels, irp rap, sheer rock bluffs, submerged road beds, boat docks, building foundations and old bridge abutments.
WORLD CLASS
Finally I have to mention the “WORLD CLASS” trout fishing that takes place year-round just below the Table Rock Dam on Lake Taneycomo. Water from the bottom of Table Rock Lake, from a depth of 220 feet, flows into and forms Lake Taneycomo. This water is extremely cold and just what the trout (rainbows and browns) love and need to thrive. When combined with the Missouri Department of Conservation’s regular stocking of thousands of trout from the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery into Lake Taneycomo, a true trophy trout fishery has been established. What is considered the “TROPHY AREA” is a short 3 mile or 5 minute drive from our resort. This area is designated as a shore or wade fishing only area and only lures can be used, no live bait, processed bait, or food bait of any type is allowed. Also, a strict catch and release policy is in effect. Only trophy fish that exceed a specific size limit (in inches) can be kept. Without a doubt this is a year-round fly-fisherman’s dream come true. Although the “TROPHY AREA” produces fish year-round, many claim that the very best months to fish it are November, December, January and February. Some of our guests concentrate their efforts on Table Rock while others set their sights on the trout of Lake Taneycomo. Others get the best of both worlds by double-dipping and fishing both on the same day. It is quite common for guests to start out on Lake Taneycomo early in the morning, catch their limit of trout, come back to the resort, clean their catch, and then go out on Table Rock for the balance of the day. Others start out on Table Rock and after their evening meal make the short run over to Lake Taneycomo and squeeze in a couple of hours of trout fishing as the sun goes down.
PRIMARY FISH
Table Rock Lake’s primary fishing fame comes from being one of our nation’s premiere bass fishing lakes. It is not surprising that many professional bass fishermen, both veterans and rookies alike, rate Table Rock Lake as one of the “TOP TEN” in both areas of quality and quantity. Rightfully so, Table Rock Lake offers some things that other bass lakes do not. First and foremost, very few lakes across the country can boast that all 3 major species of bass swim in their waters. You will find all 3, largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass in Table Rock Lake.
MEAN MOUTH BASS
One of the things that makes Table Rock Lake unique in the world of bass fishing is that it has been blessed with a fourth species of bass, known as the mean mouth bass. Many people have never heard of and are unfamiliar with this rare species of bass. It is not a manmade hybrid. It is a mother nature hybrid which occurs naturally when 2 different bass species the smallmouth bass and spotted bass cross spawn. This rare bass species carries the traits and personalities of both the smallmouth bass and the spotted bass and pound for pound is one of the best battlers out there. Some anglers feel that it rivals the smallmouth bass for the title of the gamest fresh water fish that swims. You will have to decide for yourself, but once you hook and land one of these “PACKAGES OF TNT” there will be no doubt left in your mind as to why it is called a mean mouth.
STATE RECORD
Table Rock Lake has produced 2 of Missouri’s state record bass, a spotted bass that tipped the scales to 7 lbs. 8 oz. and a mean mouth bass that tipped the scales to 5 lbs 9 oz. Add to that largemouth bass that exceed 10 lbs. and smallmouth bass that exceed 6 lbs and you may just have found a bass fisherman’s paradise
MULTI-SPECIES
As mentioned earlier Table Rock Lake is a multi-species fishery and by no means are bass the only fish to target. Other species that you will find swimming in Table Rock’s waters include walleye, both black and white crappie, bluegill, white bass, rock bass, warmouth bass, green sunfish, longear sunfish, paddlefish, carp, bullhead, freshwater drum, channel catfish, flathead catfish, and blue catfish. Table Rock is also a year-round fishery as its waters never freeze. The average water temperature during the winter months runs around 45 degrees so some species, especially the bass, stay active all year long. It is not unusual during a warm winter, on a warm and sunny day, to find both bass and crappie moving up shallow and feeding. With such a wide variety of species available and a year round season seldom is there not a “GOOD BITE” to be found on Table Rock. So whether you are a purist who only devotes your time and efforts to one species or you just go out with some worms, minnows and crickets and see what’s biting, Table Rock Lake and its multitude of finny residents await you.
FISH HATCHERY
Located below the dam is the Missouri Conservation Fish Hatchery. Walk through the hatchery and see the “baby” trout and the “large brood stock”. About 80,000 trout are stocked each month into lakes and streams of Missouri. Inside the hatchery visitor center is an aquarium for your pleasure.
Click Here To See Some Of Our Guest Catches
WHOMEVER YOU ARE
Whether you are a seasoned avid angler who wants to target a specific species during a specific season using a specific technique, or a novice who just wants to go out for a few hours with some worms, minnows, or crickets to see who’s up to tugging on the end of your line, or a purist fly-fisherman in search of that trophy trout Table Rock Lake and Lake Taneycomo await your arrival.
FREE TABLE ROCK LAKE ACTIVITIES
Visit the dam which has created a national playground for fishermen, scuba divers and water sports enthusiasts of all ages. The dam is 1 1/4 miles long and 25 stories above the stream bed. Not only does it offer excellent recreational activities, it was designed for the control of floods and the generation of hydroelectric power.
THE DEWEY SHORT VISITOR CENTER
The Dewey Short Visitor Center is located at the dam and offers visitors FREE programs about the sights and sounds of the Ozarks. Explore the scenic trails and enjoy nature first hand. One trail is paved especially for our handicapped visitors. Inside is an aquarium and exhibits of local birds and fish for the enjoyment of the young and the young at heart. Throughout the day, a film is shown about the building of the dam. See the workers race the rising water to complete the dam.