Destinations

Where rivers and lakes abound
Taneycomo

by Jeff Joiner

Missouri is a state rich with opportunities to get outdoors.Whether you hunt deer, fish for trout, canoe fast flowing streams or just take in the beauty, Missouri has a place for you.

Found in the midst of the hustle and bustle of Branson’s entertainment development, Lake Taneycomo, just below Table Rock Dam, is a quiet respite from the lights of Highway 76, known as sthe “strip.”

Lake Taneycomo is actually well known not for floating but for trout fishing and many of the state’s largest brown and rainbow trout have come from the lake which is stocked by the Missouri Department of Conservation. Visitors can see where trout are raised at the Conservation Department’s Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery, the state’s largest cold water hatchery.

The hatchery is located on Lake Taneycomo at the base of Table Rock Dam and is open to the public daily except on holidays. The hatchery includes a visitor center with an aquarium as well as hiking trails, and boat ramp and access points for fishing in Lake Taneycomo.

For information about the hatchery call (417) 334-4865, or write the hatchery at 483 Hatchery Rd., Branson, Mo., 65616. For information about trout fishing visit the Conservation Department’s web site at www.conservation.state.mo.us.