Great weather we are having.  No rain.   Sunny skies and temperatures in the 80-90s.  Slight chance for isolated showers during the afternoon Sunday and very slight chances Monday morning.  Tuesday looks like the best chances for rain at this time.

Still running some level of water 24/7.  Yesterday it bounced around from 2400 cfs to as much as 3700 cfs then they cranked it up around noon to three units at more than 8000 cfs and levels in the 708 plus range.  Today is projected to be more of the same but the increase coming a little later in the day.  With this weekend being “free fishing” weekend, let’s hope they keep the level low or OFF!

Had several trips scheduled for this past Saturday.  With the pouring down rain we had Saturday morning, a couple of them scheduled to a

Rich – 6/5/16

later date and a couple moved to Sunday.  Stan took Rich from Kansas out for the day.  Rich had blast.  He is a new fly fisher and fell in love.  Red worm under the big ruby were the patterns for him.  Carolyn had Brad and his father-in-law, Mick.  They also were from Kansas.  Good, fun day for these two guys.  Brad is fairly new with a couple years under his belt, and Mick grew up in Colorado fly fishing with his father out there.

Mick – 060516

However, he had not been fishing for some time and this was a great experience for him.  Their best patterns were the big ruby with a size 16 red d-ribbed midge dropper.  We also stripped the tiger tail and either the green holographic crackleback dropper or filoplume dropper.   We actually caught several browns that day.

Bill – 6/7/16

Tuesday, Bill spent the morning on the river with Carolyn.  Good day for Bill on the big ruby with a red San Juan worm dropper and stripping the tiger tail with a filoplume trailer.

Gina had Wednesday Jim out on Wednesday.  Jim had a good day, but then Jim always has a good day when he is on the water, on the ruby 2 midge and stripping the holographic green crackleback and a shad trailer.  Fun day working the high bank.

Had some rain early this morning and they are forecasting chances for rain this evening.  Looks like we have chances again tomorrow (30-45%), but sunshine by Sunday.  Best part, the sunshine forecast is the projection for more of next week.

After Monday last week, we have had some level of generation every day.  Projection for today was a lot one unit until 1:00 and then the equivalent of three units for six hours; then down to a high one and back to the low one.  No clue what the weekend will bring.

Brenda – 6/1/16

Stan on the water Wednesday with Charlie and his wife, Brenda.  Good day for them on the red San Juan

Charlie – 6/1/16

worm under the big ruby midge.  Gina had Wednesday Jim for

Jim – 060116

the day.  They fished the chartreuse egg, black size 12 midge and stripped the tiger tail.   Darrell and Carolyn had a family from Texas on the water for half days on Wednesday and Thursday.  They all attended the Orvis school at Dogwood Canyon and wanted to hone their skills on the water.  Carolyn took

Jack – 6/2/16

Chad and their son, Jack.  Darrell had Stacie and their daughter, Shelby.  Great family and lots of fun.  Jack was a catching machine stripping the holographic green crackleback behind a tiger tail the first day we were out.  Actually, everyone did well with this technique.  Good days for everyone and they each

Chad – 6/1/2016

caught some nice size fish.  Stan was on the water Thursday with Jeff and his wife, Hilary.  They had a good day on the red San Juan worm with a black copperhead midge dropper.

Stacie & Shelby – 6/2/16

Although rain was forecast for this weekend, we had very little rain.  There was a light show for a short time on Friday.  Chances for rain show up again next Tuesday and Wednesday, but if the forecast is as good as what we just had….or didn’t have…who knows!    Beautiful, sunny day today.

A couple of units ran all day Friday.  Saturday we saw no generation until 4:00 p.m. when they fired up one unit.  Once that was over, it was back to zero generating until today around noon.  They were not supposed to run anything today until 5:00 p.m.  Anyway, they only ran for 3-4 hours and it is now off again.  We should see no generation until late in the day tomorrow and again on Tuesday.  We will see…..

Stan on the water Friday with Rick from St. Louis and his six year old grandson, Olver.  This was Oliver’s first experience fly fishing.  Not a lot of fish, but grandpa and grandson had a fun time.

Chad & Aaron – 5/29/16

Saturday, Stan took Aaron and his friend Chad out for 1/2 a day.  This was Chad’s first time with a fly rod and Aaron had fished with us a year or so ago.   The bite was on pretty good early in the day, then died out.  They moved down river a little ways and it was back to catching.  Good day for the guys, especially on the copperhead black zebra with a ruby 2 dropper.   I also know that the tiger tail with the holographic green crackleback trailer using a 3 ips sinking leader was working very well.  Even caught fish on the big ugly dry.  Fish came up and nailed it!

Rain has been in the forecast almost every day this past week.  So days it was early in the morning, but most of the time it has waiting until late in the day.  That is the cast today.  Light showers started around 1:00 p.m. but we are expecting some heaving stuff later today.  The weekend looks pretty good.  Slight chances (20%) for showers both Saturday and Sunday with 40% presently forecast for Monday.  More of the same Tuesday and Wednesday, then we back off a little for next weekend.

No change in the generation pattern.  Low one unit more of the day.  Every afternoon they bumped it up to a full two units or even three.  Today the projection was the equivalent of one all day and so far that is what they are doing.  It is actually scheduled to be off all day Saturday except the equivalent of one unit for one hour beginning at 4:00 p.m.  The same on Sunday beginning at 5:00 p.m. and Monday looks the same the equivalent of one unit for three hours starting at 2:00 p.m.  Wow!  Let’s hope this is the case.

David and Doug, from Kansas, were on the water all day Monday with Jim.  They caught fish on the tiger tail, a pink San Juan worm under the big ruby.  Darrell’s guy, Jim, also from Kansas, was fishing the red San Juan worm.  David, from Colorado, fished the morning with Stan.  Red San Juan worm and white grub were their patterns.

Natalie – 5/25/16

Wednesday, Gina and Natalie dodged the rain in the morning.  They went out at noon and got in a half day fishing.  Best patterns were the white grub and tiger tail.

Gary and his son, Darren, and grandson, Colby spent Thursday morning on the water with Stan and Carolyn.  This was

Colby – 5/26/16

Colby’s first time with a fly rod.  Darrell had another new fly fisher on the water, Garin, from Oklahoma.  They had a good day on the red San Juan worm.

Garin – 5/26/16

Gary and Barry from the Kansas City area were fishing all day with Jim.  Tiger tail, white grub and pink

Jim – 5/26/16

San Juan worm were their patterns.   Gina had her Wednesday Jim out for most of the day.  Best pattern was the tiger tail and they also caught some on a chartreuse egg with a black midge dropper.  Thursday was a busy day!

Unfortunately, there are chances of rain almost every dy this week.  Sunny this morning, but chances of scattered showers this afternoon and into tonight.  Tomorrow looks like more of the same.  Wednesday has a 50% chance of scattered thunderstorms in the morning.  Thursday the best chances are later in the day.  Right now, Friday has the best chance for rain.  We will see what happens.  As you know, our weather forecast are maybe 50% right and 50% wrong!

No chance in the generation pattern.  30 mwh, which comes out to 2400- 3700 cubic feet per second as they never stay right with the 30.  It fluctuated up and down, so we get less and more during the day.  This keeps the tail water level somewhere in the 704 to maybe low 705 range.

Travous – 5/19/16

Fairly new fly fishers on the water Thursday.  Travous and his wife, Karen took a one day fly fishing class.  We started with the normal classroom coverage of line, leaders, other equipment, bugs, etc.  After lunch it was to the water for the roll cast and regular cast.  Did let them fish for a short time so we could go through nymph and streamer work.  Fun day and they are well on their way to enjoying this great sport.

Saturday, Darrell had Bryan from Alabama on the water in the morning.  Bryan caught fish on the red San Juan worm and a small ruby midge.  Carolyn had a great lady, Lea, out for the morning.  What a fun time.  This 88 year old lady could cast rings around many casters and what a delight to take fishing.  She caught fish on the chartreuse egg and the white grub.  Dale spent the day on the water with Jim.   This was his birthday gift from his wife, Cheryl.  Good birthday fishing day for Dale catching on the tiger tail, peach egg and the ruby midge.  Dale and Jim always have a fun day on the water.  Last, but not least, Stan took Vince from Arkansas out for the morning.  Caught several fish, but really did not hone on “the” fly.  Stan said it was a fish per fly day.  Good news, no wind and temperatures in the upper 70s.

Sunday was another busy day for trips.  Jim out with Paul and Jeff from Kansas.  This was Jeff’s first time,

Nick 5/22/16

so there was a bit of training going on.  They caught fish on the tiger tail, ruby midge and peach or yellow egg patterns.  Gina has out a couple young men from Kansas, Jordan and Nick.  Jordan took our fly fishing school in 2013

Jordan – 5/22/16

and they both fished with Gina in 2014.  Back for more.  They caught fish on the tiger tail, white grub and pink worm.   Darrell and Carolyn had a father and his three, grown sons on the water for the morning.  This was part of Dad’s retirement celebration.  Darrell had John and Andrew.  They were catching on the red San Juan worm.  Carolyn took Aaron and Adam.  Our best pattern most of the morning was the red San Juan worm under the big ruby.

Adam – 5/22/16

Later, we started stripping the tiger tail with another streamer trailer.  For a while it was the tiger tail.  As the day got brighter, we tied on the holographic green crackleback as

Aaron – 5/22/16

the trailer, and they started hitting that.  Again, last but not least, Stan on the water with Rodney from Kansas.  They had a good day on the white grub, and things were back to normal….it was windy!

Looks like we are out of the rain pattern until Monday.  Very slight chance Sunday, but by early next week, we are getting a run of several days with a 60% chance of rain.  Beautiful today with temperatures in the low 70s and lots of sunshine.  That will be the trend through the weekend.

We continue to see a low to full one generator.  Today the projection is for nothing running for three hours beginning around 10:00 a.m.  That would be nice.  They they will turn back on a low one for the balance of the day.

Richard – 5/15/16

Stan on the water with Richard from Maine, this past Sunday.  Richard had a wonderful day.  Re4d San Juan worm and white grub.   Gary, from Oklahoma, spent all day on the water with Darrell.  They also had

Gary – 5/15/16

a wonderful day.  Their best patterns were the chartreuse egg, red San Juan worm and the holographic green crackleback.

Monday, Jim was doing a “stop the rain” dance.  He had Dan and Ryan out for the morning and it rained all morning.  However, the fish don’t mind a little water so the guys pulled fish stripping the bug eyed bugger and tiger rail.

Temperatures in the 60s both yesterday and today.  60s tomorrow and Tuesday with rain chances both days.  I see some sunshine for Wednesday and Thursday, then chances for showers creep in Friday and low 70s.  Right now, the weekend is looking good….80s and sunny.

Still running a low something 24/7.  Today has been consistently the lowest we have seen.  Flows are in the low 2000 to upper 1000 range.  Monday’s projection  is more of the same; 30 mwh all day.

Stan on the water Friday with one of his long time regulars, Bob from Michigan.  Hew has been fishing with Stan since 2001.  Bob and his wife are working at moving to the Branson area some day.  They bought a house here last year and plan to make it a permanent one in the future.  They had a pretty good day on the white grub and chartreuse egg pattern.  Jim had one of his regulars out too.  David is from Oklahoma.  Good day for these guys on the tiger tail, bug eyed bugger and peach egg.

Newly weds Chris and Tiffany spent Saturday morning on the water with Stan.  What a way to get started!  Fun day for the newly weds and new to fly fishers.  It was a red San Juan worm and the chartreuse egg pattern.  Congratulations!  Carolyn had out another couple of new fly fishers….Tammi and Darrell, from Oklahoma.  What a fun day we had.  After we went through the basics of roll casting, line management and hook and play, we started fishing.  Tammi had

Tammi’s 1st on fly rod – 5/14/16

Darrell down 4 to zip for a while, but Darrell started making a come back.  We drifted down to Lookout Island where we got out and worked on the regular cast.  After Darrell got the regular cast down, I put him on a sinking leader with the tiger tail and he finished up his day!

Sunny sky and low 80s today.  But, a cold front is coming through and we will see mid 60s over the weekend and low 60s Monday….with a chance for rain by Monday.  70s and back into the 80s by next weekend with chances for rain scattered throughout the week.

Still running two units at the equivalent of one more or less.  Some time during the day, it will be less than one unit, but also some time during the day it will be more.  The past couple days they have cranked it up around 2:00 p.m. to a healthy two units or even a low three.  Today is supposed to just be a low one all day.  Don’t know yet what the weekend will bring.

Jim on the water Tuesday with Ken from Kansas.  No best pattern but what they caught was pretty much on the chartreuse egg pattern.

Wednesday, Jim took a family of three out for an instructional trip.  These guys were from Michigan so they hit it off right away.  Jim took them down to Lookout Island so they could all get into the water where it was easier for him to work with them on casting or other necessary skills to stick a fish.  Successful day as everyone was getting their flies into the water and catching some fish.  They caught some on the chartreuse egg pattern, ruby and, of course, he had them pulling streamers so they caught a few on the tiger tail.  Carolyn had Wanda out for the first time this year.  Not

Wanda – 20 incher – 5/11/16

a ton of fish, but one of the ones she brought to the boat she thought weighed a ton. It gave her a good 15 minute fight!  Best pattern was the chartreuse egg.

Thursday, Gina and Jim were on the water for a half day.  Pretty good day for them on

Jim – 5/12/16

the peach or chartreuse egg with a root beer midge dropper.   Carolyn had Mike and Kathy from Arkansas out for most of the day.  Mike has been fishing Taneycomo and with us for several years.  Kathy is just getting

Kathy & Carolyn – 5/12/16

started and this was her second time with a fly rod.  We had a fun day on the chartreuse egg, white grub and, stripping the holographic green crackleback.

Mike – 5/12/16

Great three days we have had this week.  However, it looks like we might get some rain, especially tomorrow….even severe.  Tuesday looks nice with slight chances for rain and temperatures in the upper 80s.  Wednesday shows increased for rain again with temperatures remaining in the 80s.  Thursday and Friday look dry and warm.  By the weekend and into early next week, 50/50 chances for rain again.

Non-stop generation for the past four days.  It has been fairly low during that time period with only one or two units running and when they have had two units going, it has always been less than a full two.  The projection for tomorrow is more of the same; less than a full unit all day until 2:00 p.m. when they will ramp up to two units for 3-4 hours.

With this low flow we have been having, we knew it was make for a great drift speed and probably some good fishing.  However, it has been tough.  Stan was on the water Friday with Chuck from the Sikeston area.  Half a day and they worked hard for their fish.  The best pattern was the white grub.

Saturday, Stan took Larry and Jackie from Virginia out for half a day.  Another tough day but they did catch fish….again on the white grub.  Jim’s guy, Henry, from Michigan spent the day on the water with the tiger tail, shad pattern and white grub.  Not a bang up days, but they brought several fish to the boat and had a good time.

Connie – 5/8/16

Sunday was another day.   Carolyn took Connie and David, from Oklahoma out for half a day.  First 45 minutes to hour was totally nothing.  I’m drifting areas I haven’t drifted for a long while.  Tried several patterns with nothing.  What’s the brightest thing in the box?  Chartreuse egg pattern!  Yes, our water is still off colored.

David – 5/8/16

Put one on David’s line and I think it was his first cast and we finally brought a fish to the boat.  After a minor disaster was taken care of (lost the anchor) Connie got a chartreuse egg and the catch was on.  Several of the fish were so fat we had a hard time getting our hands around them.  Good day on the water.  But as we were saying earlier in the day when nothing was happening, any days on the water is a good day….catching fish or not!

Weather has been beautiful.  Upper 60s to mid 70s with sunny skies.  We are looking at more of the same through the weekend.  After today, we will see 80s through Sunday.  Unfortunately, Monday through Wednesday have rain chances each day.  Temperatures are still holding in the 80s, but it might be a weight 80s.

No generation in the a.m. both Tuesday and yesterday.  We do have a low one unit running today, but it probably is not enough to really mess up the fishing.  Hoping we will se no generation tomorrow and again this weekend.

Several of our customers have been coming in to restock on the holographic green crackleback.  Seems they are hitting that pattern really well, especially just drifting it in the film with an occasional strip.  Also working on the sink tip stripping it, but not as well as just in the film.

More of the same coming off the guide trips.  Absolutely awesome days.  Bob and his wife, Sandy, fished with Stan again this year.  They went out on Monday and definitely topped the very good time they had on their last trip.

Tuesday, Stan took Brooks and his son Brad out for almost a full day.  They started up the generators around 7:00 a.m. so we knew the water was trashed.  We suggested they wait for a little while, so the guys hung around the shop for a  couple hours after their scheduled 8:00 a.m. start and got to the water until 10:00 a.m.  Great plan.  The generators had turned off and the water was dropping.  Wonderful day for Brooks and Brad.  A tan filoplume and white grub were their best patterns.

Dana took Jeff out Wednesday morning for half a day.  Crackleback, tan filoplume and white grub were their patterns.  Another really outstanding trip.  It’s going to slow down some time, but in the meantime, we are certainly enjoying it.

If you see the schedule is for the water to be off, you better get out there and fish.  You will not be sorry.