Wow!  In the upper 80s yesterday and right now it is 55.  We might get into the lower 60s today but it better hurry up!  Tomorrow’s forecast says mid 50s and a pretty good chance for more rain.  Thursday through Saturday looks like upper to mid 60s with a few thunderstorms possible on Saturday.  Back into the 70s Sunday followed by 80s early next week.

We continue to see a low to medium one unit running.  This is putting the tailwater level in the low to high 704 foot range.  So far, Table Rock Lake is still below power pool so not certain what to expect in the way of no or more generation patterns at this time.

Fun day on the water yesterday for Carolyn who took Pam and her father, John, out for half a day.  John has not fly fished for many years, but after he got the hang of it again, it was a very good day

John – 5/12/14

both both of them.  Pam and her daughter, Tiffany were on the water in February with Carolyn as part of Tiffany’s graduation treat.  We took a series of pictures of John’s fish as he caught them, and they just progressed from small to pretty darn nice!  

Pam – 5/12/14

A couple of beautiful days with temperatures in the 80s, light to moderate winds and a low one unit running.  Sweet!  Today, Sunday, appears to be a repeat.  I feel bad not being on the water!  Looks like a pretty good chance for rain tomorrow with isolated thunderstorms in the morning becoming more widespread in the afternoon. and continuing into early Tuesday morning.  This rain will drop our temperatures into the upper 60s Tuesday and Wednesday.  Slight chances of rain into the weekend with temperatures from the low 70s into the low 80s by Monday.

A nice low flow the past three days and again today.  The projection for tomorrow is more of the same.  With this flow, the level is in the 703 to 704 feet range all day.  We are definitely below power pool, so any generation will be the result of power demands somewhere. 

Jack and Joe, from Colorado, spend all day on the water with Stan Friday.  Great drift with the low flow and really good day fishing for these guys on the copperhead black midge under the big ruby.  Darrell had Billy, from Illinois, out for the second day of fishing.  They had a very good 1/2 day on Tuesday, and Billy came back for a full day.  Another great day stripping the CQ streamer or holographic green crackleback.  Don’t ask him about the one that got away!  Mike, from Texas, spent the morning with Jim.  Great day for them on the hot hare’s ear nymph, copperhead black midge and the CQ streamer. 

A “no longer new fly fishers” day Saturday.  Stan took Kristen and Rusty from Jefferson City out for their first outting with a fly rod.  Great day for these two.  Hope they don’t think fishing is this easy all the time!  It was the big ruby with the black tunghead midge all day.   And a great day for Matt and Jessica, from Joplin, who spent the morning out with

Jessica’s 1st rainbow on a fly rod – 5/10/14

Carolyn.   Started the morning with the lightning bug and a copperhead black midge dropper but before the day was over, Jessica was stripping the holographic crackleback just under the surface and catching fish.  Matt fished the deeper water and was using the 2.6 ips sinking leader and the crackleback. 

Mat – 5/10/14

Fishing has been good for almost every we have talked to, even with the low one unit going.  It is just a little more water than they are used to when wading, but after they figure it out, they agree that fishing is very good.

We have had a run of really hot (90s) days.  Glad to say the high today will probably be the low 80s and there is a chance for thunderstorms this afternoon.  Low 80s tomorrow with a chance for scattered thunderstorms mainly in the morning.  80s Saturday and Sunday with Monday looking at some more scattered thunderstorms and highs in the upper 70s.  70s from Wednesday into the weekend and showers are, right now, out of the picture.

Lots of wading water.  Every day since last Friday we have had wadeable water in the morning, and then starting up maybe two units around 2:00 p.m.  Today was the exception, but even at that, it is low enough to wade.  Only running a low one unit, so there is a nice flow and the level is around 703-704 feet. 

It has been a busy week…..so I am a little behind. 

Saturday, Stan took Kelly and Ben out for the day.  These fly fishers had a really good day on the lightning bug under the P&P midge.  Jim and Dana had a two boat trip.  Keith and Brandi

Dan – 5/3/14

have fished with Jim before so he took them and their friend Dan, who is a new fly fisher, went with Dana.  Picture of Dan with his first trout on a fly rod.  In the afternoon, Jim took a couple guys, Peerry and Ivan, from Canada out for the rest of the day.  Bet Jim slept well that night!   Good day for everyone on the CQ streamer. 

Tanya – 5/4/14

Sunday, Dana had Tanya and Bob, from North Carolina, on the water.  These two had a great day on the CQ streamer.   Kevin and Jerry, two new fly fishers, spent all day with Jim.  Needless to say, he put them through all the casting instruction, but he did let them catch some fish.  They had a very good day too on the CQ, P&P and hot hare’s ear nymph.  Stan had Andrew and John, from Canada, out all day.  They also were fairly new fly fishes.  He said they weren’t new fly fishers any more when they came in.  Another great day.  There best patterns were the P&P early in the day then the lightning bug in the afternoon. 

Monday was the first day of a two-day school Robert and Byron from Oklahoma.  Joel Tweeten from Minnesota, was paired up with Darrel (from Minnesota).  Good half day for Joel on the P&P and copper dun midges.  Carl and Harry from Joplin spent half a day with Jim.  Great day on the CQ, P&P and especially the hot hare’s ear nymph. 

Another great day on the CQ, P&P amd hot hare’s ear for Jim and Steve, from Clinton.  They spent the morning fishing with Jim.  Chuck, from Colorado, had a great day on the P&P and lightning bug.  He fished with Stan.  A little down time when they turned on a couple units in the afternoon as it dirtied up the water. 

If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.  Another catching day on the P&P and hot hare’s ear.  Jim had Fred and Troy from Nixa out for the morning.  Jeff didn’t get enough fishing when he fished with Dana last month, so he came back for more.  They had a really good morning on the CQ and rusty midge.  Jon and Morris finished up their two half days on Wednesday.  They fished with Stan on Monday and again Wednesday.  Good days for these guys on the P&P and copperhead black zebra. 

Connie – 5/7/14

Right spot at the right time!  That’s where we were when the two units came on.  Excellent day for  Connie and David, from Oklahoma who had booked a half day trip that turned into a full day with Carolyn.  It was stripping the holographic green or silver cracklebacks and bringing in a enough fish that Connie said she was tired of catching fish!!  Warned them that this was truly an exception.  Probably will not happen again.

Bottom line, fishing has been very good!!

Nice and sunny today with temperatures in the low 80s.  90s tomorrow and Monday.  upper 80s tuesday and Wednesday, dropping to the low 80s Thursday and a chance of isoladed thunderstorms.  More chances of thunderstorms Friday and Saturday with temperatures in the upper 70s.  Back to the 80s and clear by Sunday.

Water off most of the day yesterday.  Off today until late when a unit will come on and off most of Sunday and even Monday until 3:00 p.m.

Darrell took Terry, from Defiance, and his friend, Tom, from Texas out for half a day Wednesday.  Windy!  and a couple units running.  Very good outting for these guys mainly stripping the holographic green crackleback on a sinking leader.  Mike, from Texas, spent the day with Carolyn  They had a really good, fun day, mainly pulling streamers and exploring for new areas. 

Jim – 5/1/14

Thursday, Jim, from Illinois, spent the day on the water with Carolyn.  Another WINDY day, with one unit going.  Great day for Jim on the black midge or lightning bug dropped from the big ruby.  He also pulled some on the holographic green crackleback. 

It made Wanda’s day Friday to catch a pretty brown.  She spent half a day on the water with Carolyn catching on the silver head black midge early, and as the water dropper more, the black midge with a copper head. 

Wanda – 5/2/14

Other than yesterday afternoon, when the sky opened up and dumped water everywhere, the weather was great and so was the fishing.  Looks like a beautiful day today, but a little windy.  A cool down coming up with tomorrow in the mid 60s, dropping to the upper 50s for Wednesday, but back into the low 60s Thursday.  Moving into the upper 60s Friday.  Temps keep going up, into the 70s Saturday and 80s by Sunday.  Very little chances of moisture during this time except for a slight chance tomorrow, but that’s it.

Generators off all weekend.  We expect to see generation by 11:00 a.m. today….if not sooner.  Not certain what the week will bring, but I imagine we will see some kind of generation during each day.  That won’t be a problem once we get all this ugly algae blown out of the river. 

Ron and Renee, from Kansas, spent Friday morning on the water with Stan.  This was Renee’s first time with a fly rod and she did pretty darn good.  Ron has been fishing for quite a while and he had a hoot of a day.  He caught most of his fish stripping the holographic green crackleback and Renee caught hers on a size 16 lightning bug.  Carolyn took Walt and Jan out for most of the day.  Good day for these two.  Jan started out very good stripping an olive CQ streamer on a 2.6 ips sinking leader.  Walt was also doing well on this, but Jan’s the stripper.  Slow down in the action, so we moved and changed technique.  Walt’s turn now to shine.  It was the P&P midge until we pulled of the river.  Last cast of the day, and Walt hooked into a nice 21-1/2″ rainbow.  Way to go Walt!

Walt – 21-1/2″ rainbow – 4/25/14

Saturday afternoon, Jim hit the river with Peter, from Florida.  Their best patterns were the CQ streamer, P&P midge and a blood worm dropper.

Our dearest, oldest and oldest fisher, Doc from Oklahoma, spent all day Saturday on the water with Stan.  He is actually our first customer for a guide trip when we opened the business.  (we won’t explain the rest of “oldest”) Great day for Doc on the copper dun and P&P midges.  Meanwhile, up stream from Stan and Doc, we have to mention that Gina and Carolyn were in the midst of holding the first of our spring fly fishing clinics.  As part of the learning, we teach a couple presentation techniques, nymphing and pulling streamers.  Maggie, one of the students really got serious and landed this nice rainbow on a P&P midge.

She is well on her way to mastering this sport!

Dogwoods along the river bank

Overcast windy day today.  Pretty good chance for thunderstorms this afternoon.  Tomorrow if looking great.  Low 50s by 8:00 a.m. with a high in the upper 70s.  Wouldn’t be surprised to see low 80s.  Saturday looks great too, but by Sunday we are looking at chances for rain again.  Monday, 70s with slight chance for rain.  A slight cool down Wednesday and Thursday, upper 50s, then back into the 60s and 70s by next weekend. 

Projection on generation yesterday was the equivalent of two units all day.  They shut down the generators yesterday afternoon around 3:00 p.m.  Today it is no generation until 5:00 p.m.  Let’s hope we get some wading time in this weekend.  We will get the projection around 3:30 p.m. tomorrow for the weekend.

Fun couple of days for Stan and Carolyn.  We took Sam and two of his friends, Eric and John out Tuesday and Wednesday, for a couple days of badgering, fishing, eating, and then fishing some more. They have been friends for many years as they all

John – 4/22/14

worked together.  Very good couple of days, even with two units on Tuesday and most of Wednesday.  We were very surprised then we checked and found the generators had been turned off in the afternoon!  Big ruby, black or red, size 16 d-ribbed midges were the patterns while drifting.  When we stopped to strip patterns, it was both the holographic green crackleback and the olive CQ streamer. 

Eric – 4/23/14

However, after the water went off yesterday, I think anything would have worked!

Rained off and on most of today, Monday).  Should be in the 70s or low 80s through the weekend.  Chances of rain Sunday p.m. into Monday which will take temperatures into the 60s next week. 

Am I sounding like a broken record?  We will see two units all day tomorrow.  At least that’s down from the three units we have experienced the past several days. 

Lots of fishing this past weekend.  Stan on the water Saturday with Jim and Jim, from Kansas.  Bet that was a confusing day.  Good day for them on the big ruby with the size 16 red midge dropper.  It was another guys and gals day Saturday.  Darrell took the guys, Gary and Gary, and Jim had the gals, Judy and Cheryl.  CQ streamer, red midge, black midge and P&P midge were the patterns for them.  New fly fishers from Texas, Jim and Mary, spent half a day with Dana.  Red midge, black midge and red San Juan worm worked for them.  

Mark and his father, Mike spent Sunday morning with Stan.  They also went out again with him on Monday.  Good two days for these guys on the big ruby, red midge and stripping green crackleback under a 5.6 ips sinking

Mike & 17″ rainbow – 4/20/14

 leader.   

Monday, Jim took Jeff and his son, Matt out for a great day of instruction.  Matt just turned 18 and he has a great life ahead of him enjoying the wonderful art of fly fishing.  Good day for these guys on the CQ streamer and the red midge.  Carolyn finished the second day of instructional/fishing with Scott and his brother, Mark.  Fun guys to fish with.  Wanted to give them the opportunity to learn various presentation techniques.  With the heavy water running at Taneycomo, decided to go to Roaring River.  There they had the opportunity to work emergers, nymph style fish, dry fly and pull steamers.  Mark caught his first fish on a fly rod using a beadhead soft hackle.  What a way to start your fishing experience.   I think Scott caught his first fish on a P&P midge.

Scott – 4/19/14

Mark – 4/19/14

Driving to work this morning, and what a beautiful drive it is, I looked around and I now see nothing but green….green grass and green trees.  I think it’s almost here!  Looking at 70s through the weekend and into the middle of next week.  Thursday should hit 80 with a slight chance of showers.  Back into the 70s through next weekend.  We still have a slight chance of showers this Sunday, but if we get them, it will be late.  Best chance for showers will be Monday morning.

More of the same with the generation schedule.  2-3 units ran all day yesterday and we expect to see that again today. 

Tough day on the water yesterday for Stan, who took Fred, from Texas, out for half a day.  They worked hard for every fish they caught thanks to more extremes on the amount of water flowing and the number of times they ran it up, then down, then up again!  Big ruby with the size 16 red tunghead d-rib midge.

Nice sunny, 66 degrees right now with very little (what a change) wind.  And, the wind should stay calm today.  Friday is predicted to be in the low 70s with winds light and variable.  70s through the weekend and into early next week.  Mid week is slowing low 80s.   We do have a slight chance for Sunday showers continuing into Monday.  I think I heard showers would be later in the day Sunday, if we get some.

No change in the generation pattern here on Taneycomo….it continues to run non-stop.  All I can say is that we are at 915.8′ on Table Rock Lake right now.

Our annual group from Texas arrived this week.  They are infiltrated by one guy from New York and another from California.  Three boats of these guys on the water Tuesday having a great time and catching fish.  Jim took Lou and Old Timer.  They were catching on the size 10 CQ streamer and the ruby.  Jim also noted they missed and lost quite a few.  Darrell had Jim and Richard.  It was the CQ streamer and big ruby for them too.  Stan had to be different.  His guys, another Richard and Dale, were catching on the black midge and a lightning bug.  It was a cold, windy, day on the water

Richard – 4/15/14

 but everyone had a good day catching fish.  Beautiful fish Richard!

Wednesday, Dana took Jeff, from Defiance, MO out for half a day.  They had a good day on the size 16 red midge dropped under the big ruby and also stripping the CQ streamer.  

Yesterday, Stan took Mat from Virginia out for a good day on the water.  Mat was skeptical about catching fish in this much water, but it turned out to be another good day.  Big ruby with either a red midge or lightning bug dropper and stripping the CQ streamer.

A reminder – APRIL 26, Full Day Fly Fishing Clinic.  We still have some room in this clinic if you, or you know someone who wants to get started fly fishing.  Half day classroom working on knots, understanding equipment, and a little bit about bugs in the morning.  After lunch it’s to the water to learn roll cast, pick up and lay down cast and shooting line.  If we’re lucky, we might hook and play a fiah!

According to the weather forecast, we might be in for some weather later today and into tonight.  Thunderstorms, possibly severe, especially this evening.  This, in turn, will certainly cool down the 80 degree days we have be experiencing.  We even have a freeze watch in effect from Monday evening through Tuesday morning!  But, by Tuesday afternoon, we will be back into the upper 50s and mid to upper 60s through Friday.  The weekend looks like 70s!

Generation has been non-stop for the past seven days.  Pretty much running the equivalent, of course plus or minus, of 2 units every day (100 mwh)  So, we have seen the cfs vary from 8600 to 4400.  Ahh……life in a tailwater!

A whole lot of fishing going on.  Some not so good days, some good days, and some really good days.  Just depends on how much fluctuation of the the water and how much wind we get!  Stan out last Wednesday with
Marvin, from Indiana, and his friend Richard.  Tough day (thank you Mr. Wind), but they caught quite a few fish on the big ruby with the little ruby dropper.  Carolyn had Gary, from Wisconson, out all day.  We managed to find a spot where the wind wasn’t quite so bad and had a good day on the black

Paula – 4/10/14

midge under the big ruby or a size 12 cerise San Juan worm.  Paula, from Cleveland, MO. spent the first day of her two day’s fishing with Gina.  They had a good couple days on the big ruby, black midge and blue poison tunghead.  Stan and Carolyn had two couples from Wyoming out for half a day.  Stan took the guys, Ed and Terry, and Carolyn had the ladies, Nancy and Denise.   Stan’s guys are fly fishers and they had a really good day on the big ruby with the black midge dropper.  One of Carolyn’s ladies, Nancy, is pretty new.  After mastering the roll cast, she held her own on catching as did Denise.  Fun couple of ladies to fish with.  We hooked fish on the black midge under the big ruby and the cerise San Juan worm.  Lots of “rodeo catches”!  

Rich – 4/11/14

 JP and Rich spent Friday on the water with Carolyn.  The guys worked hard and finished up with a pretty good day.  Fish were spotty, but when it dried up in one place, we’d move and the bit was on again.  Hits were steady all morning.  Best patterns were…..yep! the black midge under the big ruby or cerise San Juan worm.  Stan had Jeff and Karen from Iowa out.  They are both pretty new to fly fishing.  Tough day for them with the heavy currents, but they certainly caught some fish and had a fun morning.  Dana took Kurt and his wife Lynne out for their first half day of fishing with him.  Kurt has been fly fishing for a few years and Lynne is just getting started.  These two are from Texas.  First day a little slower than the second, but they caught fish on the red midge and red San Juan worm   Saturday, Phil and Kellie, from Kansas spent the morning with Darrell.  Good day for these two on the CQ streamer, red midge and the P&P.  Kellie is new to fly fishing and just “wanted to catch one fish”.  Well, after one fish, she wanted to catch another!  Stan and Carolyn had two couples from Florida out all day.

Dawn – 4/12/14

Stan had John and Claire and Carolyn took Dawn and Bill.  Hoot of a day for everyone.  All are pretty good fly flingers and we had a great day on the water.  Same old, same old, big ruby with size 16 black midge and some stripping a holographic green crackleback.  Bill’s bottom bug, the size 16 black midge caught enough fish he dubbed it “the magic fly” .  Needless to say, he took that fly (unfortunately it had broken) home with him.  The group had been fishing in Arkansas for two days before they fished with us so by 4:00 p.m., Claire said her arm had had it!  Time for some R&R and a glass of wine!  I like the way this lady thinks.