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. 

Great start on the first day of the New Year!  Although the projection was for 25 megawatts, they turned the water on just before midnight last night for maybe an hour, then shut it off for the day!  The projection for tomorrow and Sunday is no generation but I think the weather might be a little cooler than today.  However, we certainly got warmed than the weather forecast!  It was pretty confortable on the water today.

Darrell was up near the Hatchery fishing with our friends from Louisiana.  They all had a good day and know that Darrell did well on the size 18 ruby and size 18 rusty midges.  I was downstream fishing just below the Rockin Chair and a little across from the boat ramp and had a wonderday on the size 18 copper dun midge.  Tried the holographic green crackleback and only caught a couple on this and missed two or three.  Did have a good time with my little size 8 pine squirrel sculpin on an intermediate sinking leader.  Got lots of hits fishing it cross current, but could not get a consistently good hook set.  Started  throwning it quarter downstream and stripping it back and did much better.  Wanted to take a picture of the pretty male Rainbows I caught today and the battery in the camera is dead!  Anyway, the male Rainbows are beautiful!  Most of the fish I caught were males.  Lots of people on the water today starting the New Year off right! 

Have to tell you that although the projection for today was 25 megawatts or a low one to two generators, they shut the water off at 10:00 a.m. and it is still off (4:30 p.m.)  Everyone coming into the shop today has been catching fish on almost everything.  Best seems to be the black midge.  Fish are coming up so griffith’s gnat and soft hackles were also working.  Projection for tomorrow is 25 megawatts.  Could we hope for a repeat of today?  Let’s see!!

HAVE A SAFE NEW YEAR’S EVE AND HOPE YOU ARE ON THE WATER SOMEWHERE STARTING YOUR NEW YEAR OFF RIGHT!!  MANY OF US WILL BE!   

What a perfect snow!  When I awoke this morning, there were about two inches of snow lining the railing around our deck.  All the trees were covered with this same beautiful snow.  It made me remember one winter day when we had a similar snow fall during the day time.  That day I could not resist and grabbed my fly rod, drove over to the Rocking Chair area and walked into the water (it was off for a change!)  There was absolutely no wind and the flakes were falling slowing from the sky and softly touching the water.  The snow muffled all the outside sounds so it was quiet as could be except for an occasional splash from a fish rising after a snow flake.  I think the fish thought there was a "hatch" of some kind as several of them were coming to the top and sipping.  With such perfect conditions could I hope to also catch some fish!  It was one of the best days I can remember.  Memories are wonderful.  In reality, I was probably freezing my buns off and fishing was so-so.  No…..I don’t think so.

Now, back to the real world.  We continue to see generation 24/7.  Projections for the past four days were for 25 megawatts every day.  This would usually make one think they would be running one generator, and rightfully so.  What they have been running has been one, two or even three generators over the past four days.  Most of the time, they have been running two generators.  Except for short periods during the day, they have maintained the tailwater level somewhere in the 703 to 705 feet range.  Levels of 703 and 704 feet are definitely wadeable in some areas, but one needs to be alert to the fact that the water could sneak up higher and catch one off guard!!  So, pay attention to what is going on around you.

Several people have been fishing over the past few days and fishing is good.  As we noted a few weeks ago, Table Rock Lake has turned over so the oxygen content in the Taneycomo tailwater is good and the fish are happy.  Over the weekend, olive or black wooly buggers were doing very well.  Monday and yesterday, in addition to the gray or brown scuds and wooly buggers, black midges were the ticket.  Had several people come in and say they had had a great day on the black midges.  They observed several hatches during the day. 

Jim had Lou and his son, Matt, out for a half-day float yesterday.  These guys from Illinois have fished with us several times before and were ready to hit the water again despite the weather.  As it turned out, it was a pretty comfortable day out there.  Everyone had "layer" well and stayed warm.  The fish were cooperative too!  They boated several fish on the red midge, a size 6 Bug-Eyed Bugger, a size 18 white midge as well as a size 24 black midge emerger. 

Checked the projection hoping they would give us a present for Christmas Day…..no generation.  According to the projection, they will be running one generator.  If we have the extremely cold weather the weather folks are forecasting, they will probably generate more than that to provide power for heat.  Not too many fishing today.  Probably getting ready for Christmas eve.  

WE WILL BE CLOSED CHRISTMAS DAY.  HOPE TO SEE YOUR SMILING FACES ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2009.  WE WILL BE OPEN FOR OUR NORMAL HOURS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR FRIENDS!!

We want to take the opportunity to thank all our friends for their support over the years.  From all the gang at River Run Outfitters, Shannon, Darrell, Stan, Gina, Carolyn, Dana, Jim, and last but not least, Caddis, we hope you and your families have a very Merry Christmas.  We wish you health, happiness and many days standing in the water catching the fish of your dreams for the New Year 2010!

This weekend, they have projected 25 mwh of generation 24/7, and it appears that is what they are running.  Right now, there is one generator going with a level of 703.5.  Expect that is what we will see through Sunday.  Little nippy this morning with the temps on the upper 20s.  Do expect it to get into the 30s before the day is over.

Not too many people on the water,  but for those who are, fishing is not too bad.  One of our customers caught a 20 inch rainbow yesterday morning on a black beadhead wooly bugger and another 20 incher yesterday afternoon on an olive beadhead wooly bugger.  He’s a happy camper.  He and a friend were wade fishing up near the Hatchery Area.

 MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR FRIENDS!!

We want to take the opportunity to thank all our friends for their support over the years.  From all the gang at River Run Outfitters, Shannon, Darrell, Stan, Gina, Carolyn, Dana, Jim, and last but not least, Caddis, we hope you and your families have a very Merry Christmas.  We wish you health, happiness and many days standing in the water catching the fish of your dreams for the New Year 2010!

They continue to run a low two generators every day 24/7 with a few increases throughout the day.  Beaver runs a few hours every day, but not enough to have a significant impact on Table Rock.  Looking at the temperatures in Table Rock Lake, it appears the lake has turned over.  It is now cooler at the surface than at 140 feet and the oxygen levels are good throughout. 

A few brave souls have been fishing around the outlet areas.  Everyone says it is pretty slow.  Catch a few fish then nothing for a while.  Not even seeing many fish in the area.     

I give up.  They continue to generate at least two generators and the Table Rock level is now at 913.2 feet.  Not too great for getting out and fishing this past week into Saturday as it was pretty cold, or wet, or windy!  After today, it will warm up a little and all we can do is keep watching and hoping that they shut off the generation some time soon.

Dana and one of his clients, Marshall, from Oklahoma, braved the (supposed to be nice) cold, drizzly day Saturday.  It was fairly slow pickin’ that day but they did boat some fish on the pink San Juan, the red San Juan and a brown scud.  Some of our regular customers were also on the water and they had a hard time finding many fish. 

"Happy Hooker", "The Stripper" and "Trout Mum"

We did make a rebound on Sunday.  If you thought Mrs. Claus was on the water Sunday, it was three crazy women out chasing trout.  They did wish they had some rain deer to pull the drift boat so they could fish more instead of rowing.  Trout Mum hooked up first on a red midge.  Beautifully colored, nice Rainbow.  We proceeded to catch fish on red midges, pink or orange San Juan worms as well as the chamois worm (got it right that time!) and really had a fun day.  Stan was out with friends, Bob and Linda from Kansas.  They caught fish on all of the above plus a black wooly bugger.  Dawn’s son, James Albert and significant other, Albert, were at Lookout Island catching fish, also on all of the above.  I believe James Albert even caught a few on a dry. 

  Nice 17 incher!

Gina and Carolyn finished up the day at the gravel bar above Fall Creek stripping the holographic green crackleback.   The day started out a bit cold and nippy but ended on a perfect note!

Thought it was cold over the weekend but with the wind blowing 20-30 mph this morning and the temperature in the teens, it was REALLY cold!  We are expecting a single digit for tonight’s temp.  Actually saw snow flakes on my way into the shop this morning!  Too soon….not ready for this!  Table Rock continues to run water even thought the lake level is now down to 913.8 feet.  This morning when I checked at 8:00 a.m., they were running four generators and the tailwater level was at 707.2.  This is pretty much in line with the projection for today.  The equivalent of one generator from midnight to 7:00 a.m. when they would run the equivalent of two to three generators for three hours then back to one. 

Better layer up if you are going to hit the water over the next few days.  One of the layers many people ignore is the one next to the skin, the inner layer.  Wear something that will wick or move perspiration away from the skin such as a light weight polypropylene, polyester or silk.  Many of these products will state that they "wick".  Over this add your insulating layer such as thermal underwear in a weight best for the temperature and level of activity you will be in.  Generally, light to mid-weight thermal underwear is adequate for our fishing conditions here.  Over this, your normal wear such as shirts, sweathers, pants, etc.  Last, but not least, a shell which will protect from the wind, rain or snow.  Good idea to again look at items which breath as well as protect.   AND, don’t forget your head.  Wear a cap, hat or something to keep down the heat loss through your head.  Hands…..I can’t function when my hands get cold.  I always keep a couple heat packs in my pockets so I can put my hands in there and warm them up.  Carry a towel so you can keep your hands dry.  Once they get cold, you’re dead meat!  If you can function with gloves on, this is a good idea, then you can put your heat packs on the back of your hand inside the glove or at the wrist area, depending on how your gloves fit.  By all means, keep a set in your pocket.  According to the weather station this morning, we should see the 40s again by the weekend.  Certainly hope so. 

Jim and Kevin, from Sullivan, Missouri, ventured out all day this past Saturday.  Kevin was so happy we had a guide crazy enough to "hang tuff and stay out the entire day with him".  They caught fish on the red midge, orange San Juan and chamoise worm. 

Shiver!  Came into work this morning and my car was registering 16 degrees!  It is supposed to warm up both today and tomorrow to the lower to mid 40s.  Think we have a chance for some type of precipitation by Tuesday.  Sounds like water is running everywhere.  They have even opened the gates on Greer’s Ferry which is the source for the Little Red.  We are still running a low four generators at a tailwater level fluctuating between 706 and 707 feet.  Unfortunately, that is the projection through the weekend. 

Stan was on the water Thursday with Don Ballard, a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient for his brave actions during the Vietnam War.  He and his friend, Carrol, are both from Missouri.  They were here for all the activities at College of the Ozarks earlier in the week.  Don wanted to try his hand at fly fishing, so out they went.  Great guys!  Pretty brisk that afternoon, so they went out for a quick float, caught fish on the high-water ruby midge, learned a lot and drifted on it. 

With the water running, most folks….and there are not too many of them….are fishing around the outlet area.  Couple of our customers have been in and reported they have been doing very well on the bright pink San Juan worm as well as the chamoise worm.  The one fellow had caught a couple nice browns that he estimated would be in the 20 inch range.