Cool this morning.  Almost noon and it’s still 56 degrees.  Supposed to be in the mid 60s for a high today.  Monday looks like upper 60s.  Tuesday shows a chance for showers and mid 60s.  Rain out of the forecast after Tuesday and temperatures are running in the upper 60s again.  Clouding up toward the weekend and temperatures in the low 60s and some chances for showers are showing up.

Every day has been a surprise this past week.  Water projected to be on all day, it turns off.  Water not to come on until 2:00 p.m. or later, it comes on in the a.m.  Oh well…..guess that’s life in a tailwater.

Jan and Mike, from Oklahoma fished half a day with Carolyn on Monday.  This was the first surprise day.  We were settled down at Lookout Island fishing the riffles and having a good day.  Jan was catching fish on the big ruby with either a red soft hackle dropper or a ruby 2, and Mike was catching while stripping a nice sculpin pattern.  At some point, we noticed the drift boat was pretty far up on the rocks!  About that time, phone rings and the person on the other end advises that the water had been shut off!!  Moved the boat out further into the water and continued catching.  So the morning consisted of relocating boat then back to fishing until time to come off.

Tuesday, Jan and Mike had another half day on the water with Carolyn.  What a difference a day makes.  After beating the water to a froth and a little while, we decided to go in early and try again on Wednesday.  Jim had Mark and Joanne out for what was to have been a full day.  They fished hard and caught a few fish and called it a half day.

Back to the river for Jan and Mike on Wednesday.  Again, what a difference a day makes.  Another good day on the big ruby with P&P or ruby 2 dropper.  Stripping was not a good technique for us that day.  Had an unexpected blip of water in the morning for a short time.  Off, then back on around 2:00 p.m.

Thursday, Jim took Bob from Oklahoma out for 1/2 a day.  Bob is pretty new so Jim worked on skills with him.  They caught a few fish on the ruby, P&P and hot hare’s ear nymph.  Stan had a couple of his regulars out.  Gary and Bob and also from Oklahoma.  They had a good day on mainly on the P&P.  The biggest problem was the 7X tippet.  Gotta watch those hook sets!

Gina on the water with Gary and Bob Friday.  Back to what a difference a day makes!  Another tough day.  The guys caught a few fish.  Water off, then on, then off again.  Something about working on a project at Beaver Dam and they needed to run water (not projected) here for the project.  Stan had Jack and Patti out for half a day.  They were victims of the on, off, on water.  They caught a few fish on the P&P.  Eve, who took a two-day fly fishing school last month came back for more.  Full day trip with Carolyn.  Fortunately, we were out long enough that the up and down water eventually was a benefit for us.  Best pattern was the ruby 2.

Darrell and Stan out yesterday with a group of guys.  Darrell took Randy and John.  They had a slow day but boated a few fish on the copper dun and the ruby 2.  Stan’s guys. Dave and Dave, caught a few more.  They stayed with the

Christina – 10/23/15

copper dun all morning.  Carolyn had Christina and John out for the morning.  This was Christina’s first time and I don’t think it will be her last.  She caught on to casting very quickly….that is, until she landed a fish, then it was hurry back into the water to get another one.  We all know how that goes.  We’re in such a

John – 10/24/15

hurry to get our fly back into the water, we forget about the casting part.  This too shall pass.  Fun day, neat couple.  Our best patterns were the copper dun and ruby 2 midges…..on 7X, of course!

Warmer than normal temperatures this past week…in the 80s.  Looks like today might be our last 80s day and then pretty good chances of rain tomorrow and probably Saturday morning.  More seasonal temperatures in the 60s through the weekend into next week.  60% chance for showers on Tuesday, then partly cloudy Wednesday and back to sunshine Thursday with temperatures till in the low 60s to upper 50s.

Big surprise on Monday when the projection schedule said 40 mwh all day which meant not quite a full generator for the day.  Around 11:00 a.m. the bottom fell out of the river as they had turned off the generators!  No generation on Tuesday until 2:00 and they turned on two units for four hours or so.  Yesterday, no units until 11:00 when them bumped it for less than an hour…then back off.  At 2:00 p.m. they cranked on a unit, then another.  Around 5:00 it ramped down until nothing was running again.  Today, the projection is no generation until 2:00 p.m.

Busy, busy, busy!  Not complaining….just behind!  Gina on the water last Wednesday with Bonnie

Bonnie – 10/14/15

from Arkansas.  She has been trying to use her Christmas present!  Finally, and it was a good day for them.  Bonnie caught stripping and fishing a bug ugly with either a P&P or black copperhead midge dropper.

Ted – 10/16/15

Darrell on the water last Friday with Ted and Wade from Oklahoma.  The guys had a good day on a red soft hackle and the ruby 2.   Stan and Carolyn were out with a group of fishers who were also from Oklahoma.  Stan took Terry and Carolyn had Seth and Kevin.  Good day for this group.  Stan had Terry catching on the P&P midge and a size 16 gray scud.  Seth and Kevin were catching on the big ruby with either a size 16 miracle scud dropper, a P&P or a red soft hackle.

Last Saturday, Jim took Jason (must

One of Jason’s fish – 10/17/15

have been Oklahoma week), from Oklahoma out for the day.  Good day for Jason pulling a bug eye tiger tail or nymhing the miracle scud.  Storm and Sammy from Arkansas fish half a day with Stan.  They did well on the ruby 2 and P&P midges.

Sunday was another day.  The equivalent of one unit running and fishing was tough.  Gina took Rudy from North Carolina out for the morning.  They caught fish on the ruby 2, had hits on the JQ and Tiger Tail and maybe hooked a few on those.  Stan had Ken, who is now a local, out for the day.  They worked hard and caught a few fish on the P&P, but decided it wasn’t worth it and came off after a half a day.

Susan – 10/18/15

Steve and Susan were out with Carolyn.  The wind was also a factor that day, so we tucked in behind an island and did managed to bring in a few fish on the miracle scud under the big ruby.  I think Steve owed Susan dinner as she caught the most fish.

Monday was definitely a better day

Steve – 10/18/15

on the water.  Stan had Don from Arkansas out for the afternoon.  He had a very good day on the P&P and Ruby 2 midges.  Jim was working his guys, Curtis and Leonard, mainly on streamers.  They caught a few on the white worm, but it was primarily the bug eye for them.  Jan and Mike, from Oklahoma, have been long-time fishers with Carolyn.  She had them out for the morning and it was a very good day for these two.  Mike was pulling a sculpin pattern and Jan was catching on the ruby 2 midge, red San Juan worm or miracle scud dropped under the Big Ruby.  Great weather and great day!

Beautiful weather.  70s for the most part and lots of sun.  I think there is a threat of 60s for Friday through the weekend.  But, sunny to party sunny so that won’t be so bad.  Back into the low to mid 70s next week.

Water pretty stable all weekend.  Projection for today is more of the same.  Low water most of the day with a ramp up to the equivalent of a low three units at 3:00 p.m. for a couple hours.  Then, back to the equivalent of one unit for the rest of the evening.

Wanda – 10/9/15

Tough day, but a great day for Wanda last Friday.  Not very many fish to the boat, but if you look very closely, you will see she caught this nice rainbow on a size 18 parachute black dry!  Jim  had Paul and Ken from Nebraska out for half a day and they had a good day stripping the size 10 bug eye bugger.

Saturday, Carolyn took Wendy and Melody out for the day.  They just got back from Montana and still

Wendy – 10/10/15

hadn’t had their fill of fishing!  We had a good day on the big ruby with either a ruby 2 or size 16 gray scud dropper.  Also caught fish stripping a sculpin pattern and even caught a few on the big ugly dry!

Stan had Dennis and Eric out for half a day on Sunday.  Eric was new to fly fishing and had a wonderful day.  He caught fish on the black copperhead midge under the bug ruby.  Dennis wanted dry fly fishing only,  so he was fishing and catching on the big ugly.

Barb’s 1st – 10/12/15

Barb from Illinois had catching a trout on a fly rod on her “bucket list”.  So, Sunday, she and Carolyn took off to fill this bucket list.  Barb’s first fish was on a lightning bug dropped below the big ruby.  She thinks she likes it!  Jim had Mike from Texas out for half a day working on streamers.  They had a good day on the bug eye bugger, the miracle scud and the ruby midge.

Looks like partly cloudy days for just about the next week with temperatures in the los 80s tomorrow through Friday.  Weekend looks like low 70s.  Not seeing much in the way of rain.

The generation pattern continues to be low flow in the morning.  Generally, they have been using two units to run the equivalent of one unit.  However, a few of the days, they have cranked it up to the equivalent of a very low two units.  They are still ramping up to a full two units or more in the afternoon around 2:00-3:00 p.m. for a few hours then back down to the one unit level or so.

The Conclave was this weekend in Mountain Home, AR., so I’m a little behind again.  Anyway, it’s “ketchup” time.  Jim on the water last Wednesday with Steve from Kansas.  Steve wanted to bone up on his streamer techniques, so they spent the day pulling streamers on various sinking lines.  Caught some fish on the bug eye tiger tail.

Jim – 9/30/15

Gina had Wednesday Jim out for the day and they started with streamers, but really had the most fun in the afternoon when they threw a dry with the black copperhead midge dropper.   Chris from Texas spent the morning on the river with Darrell.  Tough day, but Chris did catch a few fish on the ruby 2 dropped below the big ruby.   Stan had Frank and his son, Doug out for half a day.  Not a bad day, but certainly not a great day on a big ruby with the ruby 2 dropper for them.  They fished again on Thursday using the same rig.

Friday, Jim had Jim and Harriett from Kansas out for half a day.  New fishers, so they worked on casting and line management.  Caught a few fish on the green midge, and

Buck – 10/2/15

miracle scud.  Buck from Mississippi decided he wanted to try his hand at fly fishing so Darrell took him out for half a day.  He caught on a big P&P with a ruby 2 dropper.

Geoff – 10/3/15

Saturday, Carolyn took Geoff and Tony out for half a day.  We managed to pull off a decent day on the big ruby with the ruby 2 dropper and a few stripping the tiger tail.

Tony wanted to share his cigar with one of the

Tony – 10/3/15

fish he caught.  Needless to say, it was a fun day on the water!

Nice overcast sky today with temperatures right now in the 60s.  Might hit the low 70s later this afternoon.  Low 70s to upper 60s through the weekend into next week with a hint of showers late next week.  I just looked out the window and, yes I am seeing hints of color in the trees.

The generation continues to be a low to full one unit in the morning (they might be using two generators to accomplish this) with a kick up to a full two units or more by 2-3:00 p.m.

Sunday, Stan and Jim took a group of guys out for the day.  Two of them were from Canada and the other two were from Texas.  George and Jeff were with Jim and found some fish stripping the tiger tail or JQ streamers.  Stan and his guys caught a few on the ruby midge.

Roger with 1st on fly rod – 9/28/15

Fun trip on the water Monday for Carolyn.  She had Roger and Doug from Indiana.  Doug had some previous experience with a fly rod, but this was Roger’s first time and they both wanted to learn about fly fishing.  The fishing Gods were smiling on us that day as we were able to experience catching on a dry fly….a hopper, catching on an emerger…a red size 16 soft hackle. catching while nymphing….a ruby 2 or red d-ribbed midge dropper under the big ruby, and catching while stripping (they were both a little hesitant about this one!)….stripping the tiger tail on a 2.6 ips sinking leader.  They got the complete package!  Could not have been any better.  Stan had Chuck from Sikeston out for half a day.  They caught a few fish, but just could not find the right spot or pattern.

Jim took Grey and Gary from Oklahoma out Tuesday.  He worked with these guys on streamers and they did well on the bug eye tiger tail.

Great weather.  Cloudy today with the high in the low 80s.  Same. at least through Thursday.  Wednesday there is a chance of drizzle in the afternoon and evening.  By Friday, it looks like upper 70s and a chance of rain starting Saturday evening.

Generation this week has been not quite a full one unit every day although they have used two to three generators to do this.  Very confusing.  Over the weekend, and the projection is that it will continue Monday, they have only run the equivalent of not quite a full one unit.  Great flow and one can definitely wade.

Fishing has been good to very good this past week and into the weekend.  Stan and Carolyn had three of our regulars out both Tuesday and Thursday….Sam, Eric and John.  They wanted to do a full

John – 9/22/15

day, but because the water junked up quite a bit when they fired up the extra two to three units for a few hours in the afternoon, we highly recommended a healthy half day.  Worked out great.  We caught fish both days on the ruby 2 or lightning

Eric – 9/24/15

bug dropped from the big ruby, or stripping the tiger tail under a 2.6 ips sinking leader.

Gina had a couple of her regulars out Wednesday and Thursday.  Very

Dale – 9/24/15

good day for these guys stripping the JQ streamer or drifting the lightning bug or ruby 2 on Wednesday.  Wednesday they were looking for the big boys.  Stuck with articulated sculpin on sink tip all morning.  Later they had fun on dry fly with

Glenn – 9/24/15

dropper. then drifted out with the egg and a midge dropper.  The catch of the day was one of Dale’s browns.  It was about 16 inches with a five

Partial digested sculpin

inch sculpin partially in his mouth.  He tried to claim a 21 inch fish!  (16 inches plus 5 inches!!)  Got it?!  Fun day on the water.

Darrell and Jim out Wednesday with a group of guys, Andy, Mike Gary and Banker.  Good day for these guys on the hot hare’s ear, but eye streamer, ruby and P&P midges.

Mike – 9/25/15

Friday, Darrell took Mike from Arkansas out for the day.  Beautiful rainbow!  Best pattern was the ruby 2 under the big ruby.  Stan had Bill and Chris from California out for half a day.  These two have fished all over the world and had a good time fishing Taneycomo!  Good day, mainly on a hopper pattern with a ruby 2 dropper.

Tom and Clay spent Saturday on the water with Jim learning a little more about fly fishing and pulling streamers.  It was a tiger tail and JQ streamer day for them.

Beautiful weather these past few days.  Not too hot, just enough wind and no rain!  Looks like more of the same for the next week.  Temperatures in the low to mid-80s and no sigh of rain…at least not yet.

Generation schedule has been pretty consistent.  The equivalent of a low one unit (many days they are running two units to do this) in the morning until early afternoon.  At 2:00 p.m. they are turning on another one or two units for 3-4 hours, then back to the low one for the balance of the night.

The first few days after they changed the schedule to a low one unit in the a.m. then ramping up to the equivalent of two units or more, it was nasty water, especially after the ramp up.  So, we had a few really challenging days on the water.  Stan on the water with Ted and Charles from Indiana last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  They caught fish, but the best day was at the end of the week.  Things started clearing up a little.  Best patterns for them were the big ruby with the d-ribbed red tunghead dropper.

Jim out Thursday with David from Oklahoma.  They caught fish working on David’s streamer techniques pulling a bug eye.  Mel and Steve spent half a day with Darrell.  It was the size 16 red d-ribbed tunghead midge for them.

Perilyn – 9/21/15

Monday, Carolyn had a couple of fairly new fly fishers, Perilyn and her father, Terry.  We worked hard and came off the water with a pretty good day.  Best patterns were the big ruby with either the red d-ribbed tunghead midge or the lightning bug.  They also caught a few stripping the tiger tail.  Looks like a couple of good casters in the making.  Stan took a couple brand

Terry – 9/21/15

new fly fishers, Brian and his nephew Isaac out for half a day.  Good day for them on the ruby 2 or the cherise worm.

Today and tomorrow are going to be warm….90s.  Saturday looks like a good cool down, into the upper 70s and Sunday even cooler with low 70s and possibly some showers.  Next week starts out in the upper 70s with partly cloudy, then back into the low 80s and lots of sunshine.

Yuckie water Tuesday.  Had the same low flow we have been experiencing; somewhere in the not quite the equivalent of a full one unit although they were using 2-3 generators to do this.  At 1:00 or 2:00 p.m., they turned on three units and the river junked up like you could not believe.  Pretty much the same scenario again yesterday.

Tuesday, Jim took a couple new ladies to fly fishing, Regina and Marta out for a half day.  They wanted to learn how to cast and catch some fish.  Slow day for everyone.  They caught a few fish on the ruby midge, a brown San Juan worm and the bug eye bugger.  Stan had Dennis and Jeff from Indiana out for the day.  They too caught a few fish, mainly on the red size 16 d-ribbed midge under the big ruby.  Carolyn had Eve

Eve – 9/15/15

out for her second day of a two-day fly fishing school.  Good thing she needed to work on her casting skills as catching was not a real good option. Glad to say, however, she did catch her first fish on a fly rod.   This mess caught everyone totally by surprise.

Wednesday was a little bit better catching day than Tuesday.  Still had the algae and other slimy grass, etc. floating when the generators were cranked up.  Darrell had Mel and Larry out for half a day.  Late start, so they probably hit the bad water sooner in their trip than the rest of us.  Best pattern for them was the size 16 red d-ribbed midge.  Carolyn’s regulars from California, Tom and Marge had a fun day.  Not a ton of fish, but definitely active when hooked!  Best patterns were either the lightning bug or red d-ribbed midge under the big ruby.  Wednesday Jim was out with Gina

Jim – 9/16/15

most of the day.  Caught some early stripping a size 12 olive bugger.  Later it was the lightning bug or L’il ruby midge and one on the big pink worm in the dirty water.

The past two morning is has actually been brisk when I walked out the door.  Almost went back in the house for a jacket.  Great weather!  Now with the hint of color in the trees and these kind of mornings, once feels like Fall is quickly approaching.  Looks like low 80s tomorrow and Tuesday, moving to mid to upper 80s the rest of the week.  By weekend, back to the 70s with a few thunderstorms possible Friday afternoon into Saturday.  After the rain moves on, it’s back into the 70s.

Not quite a full one generator running most of the day for the past three days.  Projection for Monday is more of the same.

Stan on the water last Tuesday with Dan and Barry.  They like our fishery.  Good day for them on the big ruby with the size 16 red D-ribbed midge.  They stayed and fished on their own for several days and had a wonderful time.

Thursday, Stay took Matt and Health from Connecticut out for half a day.  Lots of fish, bur nothing of great size.  It was another big ruby and size 16 red D-ribbed midge day.  Darrell had Earl and his son, Ian out for half a day.  They both did well on the same set up.

Dan and his friend Zamir, from the Springfield area, spent half a day on the water with Stan on Saturday.  Good day for these guys on the big ruby, red D-ribbed midge and the black copperhead midge.  Darrell had Ed and his friend Rick, from Kansas out fishing pretty much the same setup.

Boy, did it pour yesterday around noon!  Slacked off for a while then dumped again around 4:00 p.m.  We had quite a bit of rain this morning but once this moves through it looks like several days of dry weather and great temperatures.  80s today and tomorrow with the weekend into next week looking like 70s.  By the way, we are seeing hints of color in the trees.  With all the moisture we have had this year, it should be a pretty Fall.

We have seen not quite a full one unit of water flow most of each day this past holiday weekend.  However, when you call to get the generation output, you will hear they are running two units.  If you listen to the rest of the information, you will hear that Taneycomo is somewhere in the 704.5 range +/- and the cfs is 3400 or less.  Each day, they have bumped the level up to 705 or 707, so be conscious of how high the after is when you are wading.  They have been holding pretty true to the projection schedule.

Saturday, Stan had Tom from the Kansas City area out for half a day.  Slow start, but once the fishing warmed up, Tom did well, mainly on the ruby 2 under the big ruby.  Nice drift as the water flow was hovering around 3300 cfs.  Jim look Scott & “Rizzo” from St. Joseph area out both Saturday and Sunday.  They came off early Saturday as it was just to hot to spend the whole day and they had already had a good day on the tiger tail, ruby midge and brown San Juan worm.  Sunday was also good on the same patterns and a little cooler so they made it most of the day.  Darrell took Warren from Texas out Sunday.  Warren had a good day on the

Warren’s rainbow – 9/6/15

ruby 2, an egg pattern, and the worm brown San Juan worm.  He caught several beautiful fish like this one.

Monday, Carolyn took Finny from Texas and Dave, a local fisher, out for half a day.  Fishing was spotty, but we worked our way into a pretty good day on the big ruby with a #16 red d-ribbed midge.  Hooked some on the holographic green crackleback, but best fish of the day was on the big ugly.  Stan had Charlie, who grew up in Argentina, out for half a day. Some really good fishing in his part of the world.  He did have a good, fun day and caught fish on the red d-ribbed midge under the big ruby.  Best pattern and most fun for him, however, was the copper “L’il Easy”.