Think we got some rain yesterday!  Going to be cloudy, windy and cool today….probably in the 40s.  Tomorrow, however, is taking a turn around the corner again and will be in the upper 50s to lower 60s.   Believe I heard that Sunday will be in the 70s; down side is the possibililty of showers.  At least through Thursday next week, it looks like 50s and 60s.  Partly cloudy Monday, sunny Tuesday and Wednesday and mostly cloudy Thursday.  Let’s hope we get no more rain for a while until this soaks in.  Generation schedule is another issue.  Although they were not supposed to run much water yesterday, after the rains slowed down, the generators fired up.  At 4:00 p.m., they turned on all four generators which are still running right now.  Although they projected running only one this morning, they ran four, but did turn them off….as projected.  The lake has not come up too much (when I checked at 11:30 a.m. Table Rock Lake was at 907.0), but we still have not seen the results of the run off. 

Monday started out cloudy and cool.  Stan took Mike, one of our regulars from Oklahoma, out for a half day float.  When they got to the water, the horn sounded but no water.  Headed up toward the big hole to beat the water flow, but no water…false alarm.  Anyway, they had a great day on the water.  Most fish Mike had ever caught in a short outting.  It was a midge day, the rusty, primrose & pearl and the copper dun.

DON’T FORGET – CHECK, CLEAN OR DRY you gear!  Let’s keep didymo from spreading to other waters!

Okay everyone, we have a job to do…..protect our fisheries!  I know many of us have been hearing about “didymo” or “rock snot” in the White River system and we think “boy that doesn’t sound good” and go on our way.  Didymo is an invasive alga that can form large thick mats on the bottom of streams smothering aquatic life vital to the food chain that supports fish.  Didymo has been found in the White River in Arkansas.  There was just recently suspect of Didymo in Taneycomo, but I just spoke with our Hatchery biologist this morning and he said that the suspicious alga was not Didymo, our water is still unaffected…at this point.  So, our job is to keep it this way!

I think of the times I hit the water here on Taneycomo early in the day the horn blows, so I check the schedule and no generation is predicted for Bull Shoals, so off to Bull Shoals to finish the day of fishing…..or visa versa.  Bull Shoals horn blows and off to Taneycomo or Roaring River.  Did I take time to CHECK, CLEAN OR DRY my equipment!!??

The Missouri Department of Conservation has prepared a great flier on what to do to help stop the spead of didymo.  They will soon be holding public meetings to discuss this threat and what we can do to help prevent it from speading to Missouri streams.  In the meantime, we can be proactive.  Below are some of their recommendations:

Before entering the water:

CHECK – Remove all visible clumps of algae and plant material from fishing gear, waders, equipment, water shoes and sandals, canoes and kayaks, and anything else that has been in the water. 

CLEAN – Clean your gear in a 2% household bleach solution (1/3 cup per gallon water), 5% saltwater solution (1 cup per gallon water) or dishwashing detergent.  Scrub boats and other “hard” items thoroughly; completely soak equipment, felt-sole waders, personal flotation devices and other “soft” items for at least 20 minutes!!!!

OR

DRY – Allow any item that has been in contact with the water to completely dry; the item should be exposed to sunlight and left to dry for at least  48 hours.

We are fortunate to have so many great fisheries in Missouri.  Let’s give them a “little tender love and care”!

Just a recap of what is going on at River Run Outfitters for the next few weeks.

• March 5, 2011 – The Great Escape!  Escape from that cabin fever.   We will start the morning with coffee and donuts at 9:00 a.m.  Presentation from the Michigan guys at 10:00 a.m. on steelhead fishing.  After their presentation, we will have spey and switch rod casting demos and an opportunity for interested people to try their hand at it.  Hots dogs at noon, few fly tyers, drawings – the biggie is a full day guide trip for two of steelhead fishing in Michigan.  Includes a night stay at Schmidt Outfitters lodge.  We’ll have casting instruction, a few new rods for you to shake, games, more drawings, extra cuts on sale items….and more.  
• APRIL 16, 2011 – Women’s Fly Fishing Clinic
• From now through the first week in April, we still have fly tying clinics scheduled every Saturday morning.  Be sure to sign up early!  They have been filling up fast!

Okay, now for some more important stuff.  Weather is still very nice for this time of the year.  Monday was not too pretty, especially in the middle of the day.  Cloudy, windy and just down right cold!  Yesterday was a pretty nice day especially with the sunshine.  Today, is cloudy, expecting temperatures in the 50s and mostly cloudy all day.  Sounds like tomorrow is going to be a little nasty; low 50s  with showers and thunderstorms, possibly severe.  Friday look for upper 40s and partly sunny, Saturday upper 50s, Sunday upper 50s to low 60s and chance of showers, Monday upper 50s again with a chance of showers.  Tuesday mid 50s and partly cloudy.  As much as we don’t like the rain, we certainly can use some as we are still in a slight drought condition. 

Now for water generation.  Getting some fishing time in almost every day.  Other than this past Sunday, we have had off generation from around 8:00 a.m. until late afternoon.  Today is no different.  Had some generation going this morning at it shut down around 8:30 a.m.  Right now, (9:30 a.m.), the level has dropped to 902.3 and it is projected to be off until 6:00 p.m.   

Fished with our Louisiana friends Saturday.  Fished good, but not great.  Fish seemed to be spotty.  Catch several fish fast and furious, then nothing.  Change locations or flies and another flurry.  Still catching lots of  “dinks”, but also caught several nice ones.  Most of the fish Saturday were caught on a size 14 Hare’s Ear nymph, the primrose & pearl midge, a chamois worm, and a hot pink San Juan.  James Albert caught a couple nice ones on a sculpin pattern.

LEGAIL WITH 17" RAINBOW!

Stan had Larry and Legail on the water Sunday.  They are from an area outside St. Louis, Missouri.  Generation was at the equivalent of one generator running all day.  Good day on the water, with Legail catching the largest, a 17 inch rainbow.  Best patterns were the red midge, a size 16 beadhead Hare’s Ear, and the holographic green crackleback. 

Monday, Carolyn took Sheila and Jerry out for half a day.  This was Sheila’s learn to fly fish day.  We started with the roll cast, of course, then proceeded to the pick up and lay down cast.  Little work on knots.  By this time is was getting colder and standing in the water trying to tie a knot with cold fingers is not a pretty sight!  To be continued…  Caught fish on the copper dun midge (we had caught a little midge flying around and this looked like the color), and finished up the day with an olive filoplume.  Fishing was pretty good, sticking and keeping them stuck was not so good.  Jerry finished up the day with an 10-11 pound (24 inch) beautiful female rainbow…on the olive filoplume.   Good day!

 How about this group of fishers? 

Okay....who's turn to run the boat?

That is the only word to describe what has occurred in only one week.  If I remember correctly, last Thursday, maybe it was Wednesday, as I was driving to work, I looked at my car outside temperature and it was 6 degrees below zero.  Today, as I was driving to work…same time, 7:30 a.m., it said 62 degrees!  What a difference a week makes.  What a weather change.  All week, it has been abolutely wonderful.  Temperatures in the 50s, 60s, and today in the 70s.  Think it is going back to 60s tomorrow, and 50s over the weekend and into next week.  Very little generation most of the week until today!  They projected a low one generator all day, but in fact ran the equivalent of two generators using three.  Projection for tomorrow is a low one generator until noon, when they will, according to the projection!..turn it off for 7-8 hours.   We will see what, in fact, they do run tomorrow….to be continued……

Fishing has been very good, almost great.  Talking to lots of fishers and most of them are catching lots of fish and several of the ones they are catching are in the upper teens to twenty inch range.  Beautiful rainbows, full color and good size.  Catching on lots of patterns.  One fisher came in yesterday and he had a great time on a yellow humpy.  Olive leech pattern, olive wooly buggers, primrose & pearl midge, dark color sculpin, light gray scuds, white and olive 100th oz. jigs, McCune sculpin as well as the olive wool head sculpin.   And, of course, the holographic green crackleback!  Had one customer call me today to say how great the fishing was.  He and hie wife caught several rainbows in the upper teens and 20s on the holographic green crackleback yesterday.  Said fish were taking them dry as well as stripping sub-surface.   They were really excited and happy, as are many other fishers.  Even with the water running today, and limited space for many fishers to wet a line, those fishing were catching good numbers of fish.

In the middle of February you have to say this was a perfect weekend….especially after subzero temperatures and lots and lots of snow!  Temperatures were in the low 50s, no generation after 10:00 a.m. and the fish were happy.  And, we can expect more of the same as far as the weather goes.  Generation is another story, but at least for Sunday, with no generation and the projection for Monday is what we have been experiencing for the past few weeks, some generation in the a.m., usually off by 10:00 a.m. and off for 8 hours or so.  This gives us time to wade fish.  with the great weather forecast for this week, 50s, 60s, what more can you ask for. 

Two boats on the water today.  Jim had Malcolm and Dan from the St Louis area out all day.  They had a very good day on the gray scud, olive bug-eyed bugger and a red midge.  Did have generation when they started out this morning, but it shut down at 10:00 a.m. 

Paul - 2/12/11

Stan was on the water with Paul and Bill.  Also a very good day on the black midge, size 18, in the morning and the size 18 primrose & pearl midge in the afternoon.  

 I even ventured out for a couple hours and also had a very good day.  Caught quite a few “dinks”, but also landed several nice, 17 inches up, on a holographic green crackleback using the sinking leader.   Beautiful, great day on the water!

Sun shining all day…snow melting, of course after some heavy shoveling!  It did reach the upper 20s today and we really have had some good melting.  Supposed to be warmer tomorrow, the next day, and the next day…. I’m hearing rumors of 50s and 60s.  No generation today and tomorrow the projection is for an 8 hours window after 10:00 a.m. 

A few brave souls were actually out fishing today.  They managed to get to the water.  For one, it was worth it.  After catching 30 some fish, he hooked the 20 inch male rainbow.  Came in to get his Trophy Trout Pin.  Congratulations Kirk!  He caught it on the size 18 rusty midge.  He also caught some on the burgundy midge as well as a few on the holographic green crackleback using the sinking leader.

Well, if it is any consolation, they have not been running a lot of water the past two days and the projection for tomorrow is no generation at all.  Now for the rest of the story….Looking out the door, I see about five inches of white stuff on the railing.  However, once we get through tonight’s single digit temperature, looks like low 30s tomorrow, upper 30s Friday, 40s Saturday and 50s Sunday, with next week looking like a warm up…..PLEASE!  I need some R&R on the river. 

Not too much to report on fishing.  Did have one of our customers come into the store yesterday to restock on black wooly buggers and cerise fat worms.  He has been catching fish on both at the Lookout area.  Said almost all of the rainbows he is catching are in spawn.  Males “milking” or eggs falling out of the females.  Great color and good size.  Same report from another fisher earlier in the week.  Also talked to a couple of the guys who work at the hatchery.  They are starting to see more shad than they had a couple weeks ago.  Dig out that white grub “Killer” pattern!

As I was driving to work this morning, I looked at the river and it was beautiful! The warm water was steaming and all the trees along the river were covered with white crystals.  Then I looked at he temperature on my car dash and it said 3 degrees!  Whoa!  I must be nuts!  It was a beautiful sight!  Don’t think we received as bad a storm as many of the people west, north and east of us did.  We did get some ice, sleet and finally snow.  However, we have been able to negotiate most roads every day since it started.  Cold temperatures yesterday and today are the most miserable.  They are projecting upper 20s to low 30s by Friday.  That will feel like a heat wave.  Saturday and Sunday look like mid 30s, with a chance of some type of precipitation Sunday afternoon into Monday.   Monday’s temperatures start dropping again for the early part of the week.   Other than six hours yesterday morning, they have been running water non-stop since Tuesday morning.  I’m certain there are plenty of places needing power for heat. 

As I said, great time to be sitting at home with a roaring fire in the fireplace and tying flies.  Get all caught up so when this weather breaks, you can hit the water with a good quantity of flies in your vest.  Just before the storm hit, Monday to be exact, a fisher came into the store to stock back up on flies.  He had been fishing the size 18 rusty midge and quit fishing when he broke off on the 47th fish on that fly.  Better include a few of these in the ones your are tying!

A REMINDER!  – March 5, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. here at the shop we will have John and Jim from Schmidt Outfitters in Michigan giving a presentation on fishing for steelhead in Michigan.  John has graciously offered to do a drawing for a full day guide trip for two as well as a one night stay in their lodge for two people.  Remember….you can’t win if you don’t show up and enter the drawing.  They are also doing a switch and spey rod demonstration and will show you how to do this, if you are interested.  They will demo some steelhead fly tying and we will have a few other tiers here at the shop tying flies.  We will even have some hot dogs, beans, chips and pop if you get the “hungries”!  Come on by….make it day…take in the activites…go catch a few fish…eat a hot dog.  Great way to break out of the cabin fever blaaas!

Last week we saw temperatures creeping up into a grand finale of upper 60s on Friday and 70s on Saturday.  Today?…..40s, overcast and a little windy.  Forecast is not good.   Tomorrow is supposed to be in the 40s with showers in the afternoon, changing to freezing rain in the pm.  Tuesday low 30s with some kind of precipitation; Wednesday low 20s and windy; Thuesday low 20s and partly cloudy; Friday mid 30s and sunny.  If we can believe it, Saturday they are saying sunny, and low to mid 40s.  Generation has been pretty consistent.  Water on in the a.m. for a few hours and off by 10:00-11:00 a.m.  Off until 5:00-6:00 p.m.  With the wonder Friday we had, we were also fortunate that the generators were off all day!  They were also off all day Saturday and today just as projected by SWPA.  Monday looks like the on in the a.m. then off by 9:00-10:00 a.m for 8-9 hours. 

Lots of fishers out Friday.  Blame them?  Good reports on catching.  Although the normal gray or tan scuds were working, black wooly buggers, dark sculpin patterns, and holographic green cracklebacks seemed to be the best patterns. 

Jim and Stan both out Saturday.  Jim had Jim and his nephew, Danny out for half a day.  They are from Fayetteville, AR.  This was Danny first attempt at fly fishing, and Jim wanted Jim to show him the ropes….which he did.  Fish were a bit picky Saturday, but they picked up several fish on a size 12 olive sculpin, a size 16 gray scud and a size 18 gray sow bug.   Stan had Doc from Tulsa out for the day.  This was his annual birthday celebration trip.  Doc turned 78 this month.  Happy Birthday Doc!  They worked for them, but caught several fish on a size 18 burgundy midge under a size 18 Primrose & Pearl midge.  

After the fly tying clinic where we tied the Barr’s Copper John, Carolyn sneaked off for a little while and fished with Dawn from Louisiana.  We picked a few fish on various patterns, but couldn’t find anything consistent.  RedSan Juan worm, black wooly, size 16 red ass soft hackle (James Albert), holographic green crackleback and an olive filoplume.  One of the fishers on the bank was going well with olive filoplume fishing the riffles at the Rockin Chair area.  It was such a beautiful day, it would have been a great day even if we hadn’t caught one fish!  Not too many days on the water in January were it is in the 70s!

For every day we have like today, it is just one less day of winter weather.  Beautiful outside today!  It was in the 50s with lots of sunshine.  Water was off most of the day and projection is for it to be off almost all day tomorrow.  Weather forecast continue to be good through Saturday and then it looks like we have a cold from coming in again by Monday or Tuesday.

With the nice weather a few more people have been venturing out into the water.  Good reports coming in from most.  One of the guys said it fished better for him yesterday than today, but he still had a good day today.  Small tan scuds, 16 and smaller, olive wooly buggers, egg patterns and copper dun midges are what I am hearing the most.  I’m feeling an escape plan in the works.  Got to get out of here and go fishing!