We experienced a little window of opportunity yesterday when they shut down the generators on Table Rock.  At 10:00 a.m., just as the projection stated, they shut back the generators to two then off at 11:00.  By 11:00 a.m. the level was at 702.5 feet and at normal pool by 2:00 p.m.  Back on at 4:00 p.m. with two then ramped up to four generators within the hour.  Pretty nice day too!  Sun was out, in the 30s with a little wind.  Today is another day.  Full four generators going with the level staying pretty steady at 710.1.  The next few days are predicted to be pretty nice as far as the weather goes.  Low to mid 40s tomorrow and mid 40s on Saturday.  Both days threatening some sun mixed in with the clouds. 

For those people who were able to hit that window of opportunity yesterday, fishing was great.  Stan walked down by the Hatchery area just to watch.  He said everyone was catching fish…..fishers throwing scuds, midges, streamers, soft hackles….didn’t matter. 

One of our customers who just left  the shop missed the off water yesterday but managed to fish today.  He said he had a wonderful day!  He said he must had a fish on a least on every third cast.  He was fishing the holographic red large tungsten beadhead midge (our high water midge) with a cerise San Juan worm dropper.  The ratio of takes was about 50% on each pattern.  When they shut off these patterns, he finished up with a size 14 tan scud.

Sounds like fishing is pretty good.

Just a little over a week ago, we were hit with 6-8 inches of white stuff, depending on where you were in the Branson area.  We posted pictures on this site of our snow covered shop and drift boats!  Weather forecasters were projecting another "monster" snow fall for our area beginning Sunday night and running through yesterday.  As it turned out, it was a beautiful snow!  Define "beautiful snow".  It is a snow that covers everything with pure, white puffs of snow, EXCEPT the roads and not in the quantity predicted!  Everywhere you look, the leafless trees are white wisps pointing up toward the blue sky background while the cedar and pine trees are gently bending toward the ground under the weight of the snow covering.  It really is a beautiful sight.

Now, for the important stuff.  Beaver and Table Rock Lakes continue generation almost non-stop.  Beaver has shut down a couple of times for 5 to 6 hours early in the morning over the past four days, but otherwise, they are pretty much running near capacity.  Both lakes are less than two feet from normal power pool and probably would have been at power pool except for the run off we have been getting from the snow falls.  I am ready for Spring!

Not too many people fishing the past week.  Talked to one customer who had a great day by one of the outlets.  He said he caught lots of fish on a gray scud.  Even with the deep water, he was catching them as shallow as two feet and as deep at 6 feet.  One of the guys we know had been out over the weekend floating and did very well.  Said most of his better fish were caught below Fall Creek.  Darrell took an hour or so yesterday to toss some gray scuds, chamois leech and the red tungsten beadhead midge in around outlet two and caught several fish before he broke off.  Satisfied fish were still around, he roll up and found a place to warm up. 

Hey Louisiana friends….How About Those Saints!  Congratulations!

What a crazy few days we have had!  Wednesday the weather forecast started looking real bleak with a winter snow advisory for Banson and the surrounding areas.  Some snow starting Thursday night which continued all day Friday.  By Saturday, sure enough, we had 6-7 inches of white stuff over most of Branson.  We made out pretty good as parts of Oklahoma and Arkansas were hit much harder than we were.  Hope you guys are starting to thaw out and get back to normal soon!  Water continues to flow 24/7 and today, for a change, Table Rock dropped back to three generators, at least for a while.  Table Rock is now at  916.1 feet, while Beaver is down to 1121. 6 feet.  At this rate, Beaver should be at pool level within a couple of days.  However, don’t get too excited, as we will have some additional water from the run off of this snow melt.  Do see a light at the end of the tunnel though…barring any more major rain or snow fall.

That’s a lot of snow! – 1-30-10

Wednesday, Jim and Mike, from Kansas, took to the water for a 1/2 day float.  Very good day on the water using the red midge, with the pink San Juan dropper or the bright orange San Juan.  Mike is fairly new to fly fishing, so they worked on lots of techniques and skills.

This weekend was "Winter Retreat" gathering of the River Runners Women’s Fly Fishing Club (RRWFFC) and was held in Branson from 1/29 to 2/1.  This group of women fly fishers….correction, die hard women fly fishers…is over 60 members strong.  Over 20 had signed up and planned to attent this gathering.  Unfortunately, due to weather and road conditions beyond their control, the final count of those who made it was 7.  Lucky Seven!  It was a gathering not to be forgotten.  With great anticipation and due to the fact that a few came in early to beat the weather, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, were filled with fly tying, exchanging patterns and tying techniques, eating, watching fly fishing DVDs, sleeping, and hoping the snow would stop and the weather would improve.  Snow stopped, sun came out, snow started melting and the river said "come on down".   Sunday’s day warmed up into the lower 40s, knocked the snow off the drift boats and fly lines were flying.  Everyone caught fish on the high water tungsten beadhead midges, cerise or hot pink San Juan worms, and the most fun of the day, an olive wooly bugger or bug-eyed bugger on the intermediate sink line or using a sinking leader.  Fish were a mixed bag, a nice, colorful 15 incher (many of them males), then a "dink".  Catch of the day was a beautiful 19 inch rainbow that Peggy landed on a bug-eyed bugger. 

The Group	Getting Ready

The Float-A-Thon	Fish of the Day

Had some rain last weekend, and as we were driving to Springfield early Monday morning, noticed that all the streams, many of which run into Table Rock Lake, were up and running.  Combined with dropping Beaver, we are now seeing four generators 24/7.  Beaver is now down to 1123.8 feet (power pool is 1120.0).  It has dropped three feet in one week.  Unfortunately, we do have some weather in the forecast.  We’ll just have to see what materializes.  If the forecast is correct, we could have several inches of white stuff, mixed with icy stuff starting late tonight, through tomorrow and possibly into Friday.  To be continued….

Trip out Sunday, at least a short half day trip.  Jim has had Ted and Janis from Oklahoma out a couple of time.  They brought their son and daughter-in-law this time so they could give it a try.  Bryan and Hanna were with Stan and Ted and Janice with Jim.  Stan said Bryan was casting pretty good by the time they got about half way through the trip.  Both boated some fish on the cerise San Juan worm, and Hanna enjoyed the hot soup about as much as any thing!  It was a little breezy, overcast and only in the 30s, so it got a bit cool which prompted everyone to think "off the river early".  Jim’s boat, only Ted was fishing as Janis had a broken wrist, was catching fish on the red midge with the pink San Juan worm. 

Based on where you were in the river Saturday, fishing was pretty good.  One of the guys who came into the shop Sunday said he had had a great day standing in the water (only running two generators this day) below outlet three.  He was throwing the size 6 or 8 bug-eyed bugger. 

Table Rock continues to generate 24/7 and they are dumping Beaver Lake.  So, we will probably see this trend continue, at least until gets close to or reaches their power pool of 1120 feet.  Table Rock has gone up to just above 913 feet, but it is still below power pool and, although they are running Beaver full board, Table Rock is only running two generators most of the time with tailwater levels ranging from 704 to 705 plus most of the time.  Cooler weather is in store for the coming week, so maybe by the time the weather gets more agreeable, so will the water flow!

Lots of folks out fishing this past few days.  Everyone has been doing well and some very good, depending on there they were in the river.  In the Hatchery area, those fishing across from the Hatchery, behind and on the front side of the island have been doing very well.  Thursday was especially good near the edges with the burgundy holoshimmer midge in an 18.  Some of the guys out yesterday did well with the pink San Juan worm or stripping a black wooly bugger.  Today was a little slower for some, but again, the area by the island was fishing well.

 Below is a picture of a beautiful rainbow Mike, from Jefferson City, caught on, as he put it "He was hungry for Mexican food, san-juan worm."  He caught this up in the Hatchery area and he meaasured 21 inches.  Good job! 

So far, we have had some pretty nice weather since last Thursday.   Most days have been in the 40s and 50s.  Today was very nice, especially with the sun out.  Generation is still 2 to 3 generaors 24/7.  Since they started dumping Beaver, we came up a 10th of a foot today, but are still well under the power pool level.    Beaver came down 3/10ths of a foot.  We will just have to see what happens over the next few days. 

Jim had Mark from Kansas on the water Saturday.  They spent a full day catching fish on the size 16 red midge with the pink San Juan worm dropper.  Also used a size 18 black midge, and of course, Jim had him doing some streamer work with the bug-eyed bugger.

I took to the water yesterday just because I needed a fix!  Had a wonderful day.  A couple different kayaks on the water fishing and this was just about it except for one other guide.  Checked to make certain the regular patterns, red midge and pink worms were working, and they were.  Changed out my gear and started stripping the natural pine squirrel scuplin off the back edges of Lookout Island.  Caught several fish on this until one hit it and kept on going.  That was my only pine squirrel (bad planning), so I tried a couple other patterns.  The black wooly bugger caught 4 or 5, but didn’t fish as well as the sculpin.  Only had a little time to fish since I didn’t get on the water until 1:30, so I rolled it up and headed in.  All in all, it was a great day. 

Darrell and friends, Duffy and Jim went out for a fun day and had a very good day.  They caught lots of fish on midges, San Juan worms and a sculpin olive pine squirrel sculpin.  Perfect day with good temperatures, very little wind and he said they only saw one other person who was in a kayak on the water. 

Temperatures continue to be more normal.  Projections for the next few days indicate today will be the coolest, in the 40s, for the next five days.  Even looks like we might get near or in the 60s by next weekend.  Could not bring up the generation projection for this weekend….it is unavailable, at least at the site I normally go to.  However, looking at the actual generation pattern this morning, looks like they are continuing the pattern we have experienced for the past week or so.  Probably a low two generators, maybe a high one, with levels in the 703 plus range up to 705.  Table Rock now site at 711.9, well below power pool.

Jim was out yesterday with one of his regulars, Bud, from the Kansas City area.  Bud brought along a friend to introduce him to the wonderful world of fly fishing.  They all had a very good day on the water.  Jim worked Bud on streamer fishing while he was working with Welby on nymph and midge-style techniques and line work.  They did well on a black bug-eyed bugger, a size 18 midge emerger and the red midge.  Meanwhile, Stan had Doc and a friend he brought to introduce to fly fishing, Les.  This is Doc’s 77th birthday and 11th year fishing with Stan.   Les got a little casting instruction before he hit the water which let him hit the water a little more "tangle free".  They had a great day on the red midge and cerise San Juan worm (thank you Bill Hunt). 

With the extremely cold weather we experienced since the snow…..single digits and below!….the generation schedule has been non-stop with the tailwater level at times in the 707 to 708 foot range.  Yesterday, we had temperatures in the low 40s.  It is now in the mid 30s and we expect 40s tomorrow and 50s by the weekend.  What a relief to be back to more normal temperatures.  Most of the snow is melted where the sun had been shining.  The shady areas are still scattered with white.   Earlier today they had four generators going with a level at 707.8 feet.  We are now running two generators at a level of 704.1.  This puts the water about 2 1/2 feet above our normal wading level.  Let’s hope that with the weather warming up a bit we might not see as much generation over the weekend.  We are well below power pool so the primary generation has probably been for power to keep everyone warm.

Talked to one of our biologist at the Hatchery yesterday about the numbers of male Rainbows we have been catching which appear to be spawning.   Think we decided these were "Johnny come latelies" from the Fall spawn.  As I mentioned last week, we have been catching lots of fully colored males in spawn and a few females dropping eggs.  One of our customers came in yesterday with a picture of a beautiful male he had caught so there are still some spawners out there.  The biologist also mentioned that with the lake and feeding rivers frozen over, we should see some shad kill within a few weeks.  If you can’t go fishing right now, better tie up some shad-colored patterns. 

So far this week, they have run two generators and maintained a fairly fishable level for waders during the day.  However, as I sat down at my computer this morning at 8:15, I heard two more horns which means they have now gone to four generators.  Probably not a problem as I doubt there would have been too many people wanting to get out there with the temperatures projected today for the low teens with 30 mph wind gusts!  They are projecting a warmup by Monday with the temperatures in the 30s!

People were venturing out this week and having some good fishing.  Had a couple guys from Indiana, Don and Jake spend two nights in one of the cabins.  They were out every morning by 9:30 and stayed out until almost dark.  It was obvious they knew how to layer and stay warm.  Don showed me a picture he had taken of a Rainbow swimming around with a sculpin sticking part way out of its mouth.  Guess what that Rainbow was eating!  They had a good time, caught lots of fish and are looking to coming back later this year….when it is warmer.   

Darrell’s Rainbow

Darrell sent me this photo of a beautiful  Rainbow he caught Monday.  He was fishing the bank down below outlet two with a tan scud.

 CADDIS SAYS "BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE, BE SURE TO COVER YOUR HEAD WHEN YOU GO OUT!"

WOW!  What a way to start the New Year!  Generation was turned on at 10:00 a.m. New Year’s Eve day and has been off except for a couple hours at midnight New Year’s eve.  Although the projection was for no generation today, they turned on two generators at 7:00 a.m. then ramped down to one.  Tailwater level has been around 704 feet.  Weather has been the main factor.  New Year’s day was pretty nice.  Think it made it into the uper 30s or lower 40s and the sun was out.  Saturday was cold, windy, cloudy and down right miserable, and Sunday was even worse!  Early Sunday morning it started snowing and we received 4-5 inches of snow which continued most of Sunday and, at times, was mixed with a little sleet. 

New Year’s day fished great.  Everyone up and down the river was catching fish on almost anything.  The sunny day midges, such as the Primrose & Pearl, Ruby and Copper Dun midges were working everywhere.  If you wanted to throw streamers, the olive wooly bugger was working in the Hatchery area and the pine squirrel sculpin was great in the Rocking Chair area.  Of course, the gray and brown scuds were catching fish.

Saturday, the black and rusty zebras were the better colors.  The pine squirrel sculpin was still working well.  In the Hatchery area, an olive gray scud was working very well for Albert (our Louisiana family)  They had started to head home Saturday because of the cold, lousy weather, but decided to stay and fish for just a little while.  Albert landed three Rainbows in the 5 to 6 pound range.  Happy fellow!  Also doing well in the upper area was the Big Ugly. 

Sunday we awoke to about 5 inches of snow on the ground!  Although it was supposed to quit at noon, it continued into the afternoon and at times was mixed with a little sleet.  A few brave souls ventured into the water that afternoon and managed to catch some fish, despite the great difficulty (at least for some of us) in getting a fly tied on with frozen fingers!  Sunday was certainly not as good as the previous two days had been.  The fish must have had better sense than the fisher people and stayed where it was warm.   Cool sight with snow on the dam instead of water streaming over the gates! 

Gina – 1/03/10

And here is one of those crazy people who was out on Sunday.  Nice Rainbow caught on a Big Ugly.