Still looking at the chance of showers tomorrow evening into Thursday, with temperatures Thursday in the 50s.  Friday and Saturday look like low to mid 60s and chances of showers again Saturday night into Sunday.  Beautiful today….sunny, mid 70s and probably some wind as the day progresses.  We have had a bit of wind the past few days.

Generation has been a bit bizzar.  On all day both Saturday and Sunday, although it was about the equivalent to a low one generator most of the day.  Monday it went from a low one to a low two then off for six hours beginning at 9;00 a.m..  Today’s projection looks pretty much the same but it should be off for about seven hours beginning at 9:00 a.m. 

With all the relocation of gravel which occurred earlier this year due to the flooding, and the draw down of the lake so they can work on Powersite Dam, we are seeing dry gravel bars in places we have never seen before.  Some areas have channels just wide enough for one, maybe two boats to squeek through.  This, of course, will not be the norm once the draw down is finished, but it is certainly making boat access difficult, if not impossible, on the upper part of the lake.  They are also using this draw down time to start placing the structure in the upper section of the river.  Lots of big boulders piled along the banks waiting for placement.  Understand they had a Cat in the water yesterday doing work across from outlet 2  in the Hatchery Area.  Should be nice when they get this project finished.  More holding places for those trout!

Darrell and Jim took a group from California fishing yesterday morning.  All of they are pretty new to fly fishing, but some friends of their’s had fished with us in August and told them they needed to go fishing with us if they came to the area.  So…..Judy and Jew were with Darrell.  They had a fun day using the ruby midge.  Leonard and Jan were with Jim and caught fish on the black zebra, the ugly midge, and a blood worm dropper.  Lots of instruction.  Bob from Michigan spend the day on the water with Stan.  They had a fun and interesting day just negotiating the water.  Lots of fish piled up in places due to the low water.  They fished and caught fish on the holographic green crackleback dry as well as under the sinking tip.  Also did well on the flashback tan scud.  Bob’s ready to go fishing again on Thursday!

Great weather for this time of the year.  It was in the 60s this weekend and will be in the upper 60s to low 70s today and tomorrow.  Chance of showers moving in Wednesday night into Thursday.  Temperatures dropping a little to the low to mid 60s by the weekend.  See a chance of showers on Saturday, but that’s a few days away….subject to change!

Generation over the weekend was non-stop, but low flow.  The equivalent of a one generator all weekend although they were running two.  Again today, they are planning to shut down the generators around 10:00-11:00 a.m. and keep them off for about five-six hours.  Once on, it will run the balance of the day.  The the MDC started placing structure (big boulders) on the upper portion of Taneycomo last Friday during the generation shut down.  Understand they have already started working some more today, and will probably get more structure placed during today’s shut down.

The placement of the new system at Powersite Dam is progressing well.  Appears they are about 1/2 day complete and think they will finish up some time next week.  We will get a further update this coming Thursday and let you know.

Darrell had Bill and James, from Columbia, on the water Saturday morning.  Didn’t tear them up, but caught fish on the ruby midge with a primrose & pearl midge dropper. 

Branda and Gerald, from Independence, spent the day with Stan Sunday.  They fished the Big Ugly with a copper dun midge dropper and the red midge.  Also fished a size 22 black midge emerger and and a holographic green crackleback using a sink tip line.   Bryan, from St. Louis, took the two-day fly fishing school.  Saturday morning, he and Carolyn did the classroom portion and then spent the afternoon working on casting.  On the water Sunday, he learned the dropper rigging and got to work a sinking leader.  Casting has improved and he learned the slack dry-fly cast as well as the reach cast.  Think he had fun and learned a bit.

It is now cloudy and rainy.  Hit the high temperature earlier today and it is now 59 degrees.  Looks like tomorrow we will see more showers, but through the weekend into Monday, no rain and temperatures in the low to mid 60s.

Pretty much the same generation patters today that we have seen the past two days.  Projection for tomorrow is pretty much the same.

Stan and Gina on the water this morning.  Stan had Bill from Williamsburg, VA.  They had a fun day with the red midge and red San Juan worm dropper.  The highlight of the outting was catching fish in the film on the size 20 black midge pupa.  For a while they were coming up like crazy!  Gina had Dan from Waco, TX out again.  They did some more work on casting and even caught a few fish, including a white bass while they were stripping a floozie.  Those floozies will attract anything!

Dan & White Bass - 10/26/11

Several days of delightful weather, but we are started to see some change yesterday.  It was warm with the temperature in the low 80s, and lots of wind.  Blowing in some weather.  We did get some  rain this morning and expect more this afternoon with a cool down to the mid to upper 50s Thursday and Friday; then back into the low 60s over the weekend.

With the Lake Taneycomo draw down that started Sunday, we have seen generation both Monday and Tuesday almost all day.  Projection for today is more of the same….non-stop generation in the one to two generator levels.  We will just have to see if this trend continues.

Now to catch up on trips!  Missed posting last Thursday when  Jim had Derek and Travis, from Lake Lotawana, out for the morning.  These guys had a pretty good day on the size 14 red midge, a red San Juan worm, and a size 10 olive bugger.  Also, Stan had one of his regulars, Robert Hellman, from Illinois.  They had a good day on the red San Juan worm when the water was running.  After they turned off the generators, they started fishing the Bug Ugly with a P&P dropper.  Robert landed two 17″ on the Big Ugly.  He really had fun with this. 

We covered Friday, so on to Saturday.  Darrell out all day with Dan and Malcomb from the St. Louis area.  Boated quite a few fish, but they worked for all of them.  Best patterns were the primrose & pearl midge and holographic green crackleback. 

Alexander's 1st Fly Fishing Trip - 10/22/11

Jason and his ten year old son, Alexander, spent the morning with Jim.  Several people on the water cheered when they saw Alexander land his first fist on a fly rod.   A new fly fisher is born!  Their best patterns were the black zebra and ugly midges, with a blood worm dropper.  Carolyn had a fun day with Bryan and his father, Richard.  They are both from Miami, OK.  Neither of them get out and fly fish as much as they should so they both really enjoyed the day.  It was Richard’s day as he landed the most fish.  Our best fly was the filoplume.

Richard - 10/22/11

Dane had Ron from Arkansas out for the morning.  Ron has a drift boat and fishes the Little Red down near Heber Springs, AR.  They had their best fishing also on the olive filoplume.

Monday, Darrell took John and Linda, from Abilene, TX out.  As a matter of fact, he had them on the water both Monday and Tuesday mornings.  This was our first day to see the affect of the draw down.  It appears, so far, they are going to run some water during the draw down.  Anywhere from one to three generators at an equivalent flow of one to two.  With the draw down affect, it seems to have more flow than normal.  Anyway, they worked hard for their fish, but did catch some both days.  Monday was the P&P and big ruby midge and Tuesday it was the red San Juan worm.  

Cindy - 10/24/11

 Cindy and Kerry, from Grain Valley spent the morning with Carolyn.  This was a learning experience for both of them as they are new to fly fishing.  Pretty good day, especially for Cindy.  Told her “she had the front of the boat syndrome”.  Usually, the person on the front of the boat catches the most fish.   Our best paterns were the copper dun midge dropped off the big Ruby.  Also caught some on the holographic green crackleback stripping it under the sinking leader.  Stan had Bill and Kathy from Overland Park, KS.  They fly fisher all over the place!  Good day for these folks on the red San Juan worm, red midge and the Big Ugly wih  primrose & pearl midge. 

Yesterday, Stan had John and Travis out.  Travis is from Kansas and John was originally from New York.  Tough day.  In addition to nasty wind, both are beginning fly fishers.  Did boat some fish on the red midgte and olive wooly bugger.

Hearing both moaning and groaning as well as good reports on fishing in the hatchery area.  Lots of fish around the outlets when they release oxygen.  Otherwise, catching some nice fish in areas up there as well as having pretty tough days.  Small gray scuds and red San Juan worms, seem to be the best patterns so far this week.

Lovely day today once it warmed up.  Think it was in the 30s when we got on the water, but certainly turned out great.  Almost hit 70 with sunshine and very little wind.  So far, through Tuesday, still looks like mid to upper 70s with a possible cool down by Wednesday and maybe some showers.

Funky generation today.  Nothing until 6:00 a.m. and it was on for about two hours and off again.  Supposed to come on at 4:00 p.m. but nothing happened at 4:00.  Generation for tomorrow and Sunday look like no generation except for a one hour low one generator around 6:00 p.m. 

Price & Marge spend half a day with Jim today.  Good day for them on the red midge, red San Juan worm, the red blood worm, and a black zebra.  Said they had a whale of a lot of fun today!  Stan and Carolyn had a family from Miami, OK.  Karen, Mark, and Ryan and one of Ryan’s friends, Joe on the water this morning.  The boys went with Stan and they had a good day on the red San Juan worm when the water was running.  When it shut down, they changed over to the primrose & pearl midge and continued catching.  As they drifted down toward Fall Creek, the copper dun was the ticket.  Fairly new fly fishers, but they brought in several fish, hooked a lot and, of course, missed several.  Carolyn had Mark and Karen.  Both are also new to fly fishing.  They also hooked and landed several fish on the red San Juan worm with the water running.  Also changed out to the primrose & pearl midge once the water dropped out.  As the current got slower and slower, they looked for something else and settled on stripping the olive filoplume on an intermediate sinking leader.  All in all, several nice fish, including at 16-1/2″, 17″ and a 19-1/2″ rainbow.  Karen like stripping the filoplume.

Karen - 19-1/2" - 10/21/11

A couple cool, windy days yesterday and today.  Today was a bit warmer and the sun was out.  Yesterday was a bit miserable.  Temperature looking up for the weekend and most of next week.  Looks like 70s most of the week.  Don’t see any rain in the forecast right now.

Generation has been a bit spastic the past few days.  Over the weekend, we had off water almost all morning both Saturday and Sunday.  Water came on Saturday around 2:00 p.m. for four hours.  Sunday it came on at 1:00 p.m. for 8 hours.  Monday we had water from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m..  Tuesday it came on at 2:00 p.m. and stayed on all night.  Wednesday water was on almost all day and shut down at 11:00 p.m.  Today it was on at 6:00 a.m., stayed on for six hours, then off and back on at 7:00 p.m.  Looks like tomorrow will be an off, on, then off and back on day again. 

As far as things to be heads of about.  October 23, 2011, they will start drawing down Taneycomo so they can put a more permanent solution for holding and releasing water at Powersite Dam.  It could take as long as three weeks to get the new system into place.  In the meantime, we will see little, if any generation, through Table Rock.  We expect to see some type of minimal flow to maintain the fishery during these three weeks. The Missouri Department of Conservation developed plans over a year ago to place structure on the upper part of Taneycomo in the Special Mangement Area.  Looks like they plan to place some of this structure during the shut down.  Big bolders have been placed in various places along the river, probably waiting for the draw down.

Last, but not least, March 1, 2011, the new fishing regulations will ban porous sole shoes in cold streams in Missouri.  This means that if your have felt sole shoes, you must either replace them, or treat them so they are no longer porous.  There is a u-tube video on the Missouri Department of Conservation site which shows one method of making your felt soles non-porour by treating them with several layers of rubber cement.  Although it is an inconvenience for many, including us….we have several felt sole bootfoot waders in stock for rental, whcih we will either have to replace or treat, BUT MDC is being proactive in trying to prevent DITTMO and other harmful algae from getting into our Missouri waters. 

Now, on to fun stuff.  Jim out with Mark, from Grain Valley, MO. Monday.  Pretty good day, especially before the four generators came on.  Size 12 gray scud, size 14 red midge, a peach egg pattern, and a size 6 bug-eyed scuplin were their flies for the day.  Rick and Mary, from Tulsa, OK. spend the morning with Carolyn.  They were scheduled for a 1/2 day wade trip as they wanted an instructional/fishing trip.  We did work on the roll cast and catch some fish on the ruby midge with the red San Juan dropper.  Got down to Lookout Island, where we worked on the pick up and lay down cast, and stripping.  Nice couple looking for something to do together for their retirement years.  Mary likes to golf and I hope we can get her as intersted in fly fishing.  Think she will be good at it.  Best flies were the ruby midge, and the red San Juan dropper.

Yesterday, Stan was on the water all day with Jim Rodman.  They had a fun day on the ruby midge, red San Juan worm, stripping a filoplume, and a partridge and orange soft hackle.  Darrell and Carolyn had the Louisiana Kerrs on the water.  Carolyn and Dawn were out with Carolyn and Albert and James Albert were with Darrell.  Carolyn was on fire in the morning, with  17″ and 16″ rainbows almost back to back.  She was getting hits right and left and Dawn saw very little action.  However, the afternoon was another story.  Dawn was fishing her Big Ugly with a midge dropper against the bank drifting down from Look Out Island.  Fun day as she watch the fish chase and take either her Big Ugly or midge. She thinks this might be her favorite way for catching fish now!  We pulled some really nice rainbows out this way.  Darrell and his guys did well on the ruby, red San Juan and pulling streamers.  James Albert caught a nich 19 inch rainbow on one of his streamers.

Today, Stan had Robert Hellman, from Chicago.  He had a good day on the red San Juan worm and finished off the day with the Big Ugly with a P&P midge dropper.  He loved this!  He thinks it might be one of his favorite ways to catch fish too.

Weather continues to be great, but I understand we are in for a cool down.  Chances of scattered showers tomorrow, then temperatures start to drop.  After Monday, we are looking at upper 50s to low 60s during the day through Thursday.  Probably get a freeze one or two nights during the week.  Friday looks a little warmer… into the mid 60s.

Wading time, wading time and more wading time.  During the week we saw generation coming on around 3:00 p.m. for 5-6 hours and then off for the rest of the evening.  This weekend, we again had two hours of generation in the afternoon and it was not very high.  One could fish right though it in many areas. 

It is a good thing that a bad day fishing is better than any day working.  We have had some good days and some not so good days of catching.  Fishing has been fine!

Susan - 10/13/11

Thursday, Gind took Gary and Susan, from Galena, Kansas out for the day.  They both had taken the Orvis Fly Fishing School held at Dogwood Canyon, but Susan had not yet had a lot of experience actually fishing.  They had a pretty good day on a size 12 olive wooly bugger and floozie, the flasher and a size 18 UV tan scud.  Darrell was out again with Jeff and his son, Nate.  They had a

Jeff - 10/13/11

good day on the primrose & pearl midge and a gray scud.  Jeff may start leaving Nate home as he is starting to out fish him!  Bud and his friend, Ron, from Lee’s Summit spent the morning with Jim.  Good day for these guys on the black and primrose & pearl midges, a blood worm dropper and a gray scud. 

Friday, I think all of us would agree was one of those tough days, especially depending on where you were fishing.  Up around or near the hatchery and outlet areas, fishing was not so bad, but lower on down the river, with the low dissolved oxygen levels, it was slow…..but, still better than working!  Stan had Robert from Maryland out for the morning.  Robert is a good fly fisher who loves to throw dries.  Their best fly was the Bug Ugly dry with a size 18 white midge dropper.  Also caught a few on the holographic crackleback.  Carolyn had Jake from Oklahoma out for a morning of instruction.  We worked on the roll cast, pick up and lay down cast and a little on false casting.   Jake was a good student, quick learner and was throwing a pretty nice line.  He didn’t get to work very much on playing and bringing in fish however.  He did hook a fish strippping the holographic green crackleback and had hits on the Bug Ugly dry and a few hits on the primrose & pearl midge.  Close, but no cigar!   Wayne and Colleen from Hawaii, were out all day with Jim.  They had also fished with him on Monday.  Wanted to fish Wednesday, but this trip was rained out.  Friday’s flies were the primrose & pearl midge, brown midge, blood worm dropper and a size 18 tan scud. 

Saturday was still slow in the lower part of the river.  Darrell had Terry from Minnesota out for the morning.  I bet a lot of Minnesota fishing talk was going on since Darrell is also from Minnesota.  Their best flies were the ruby midge, the primrose & pearl midge and the Big Ugly.  Stan had Joe and his wife, Jean out.  These folks are from Kentucky and Joe had fished with us back in 2004.  This was Jean’s first experience with a fly rod.  Stan said they really didn’t have any good flies that day!  Kevin and his son, Adam, spent the morning with Jim learning casting and line management.  They did get to catch some fish.  Patterns used were the sculpin bugger, tan scud, gray sowbug and a blood worm dropper.

Talked to several fishers today.  Still slow, but catching fish on the Big Ugly, especially with the good chop on the water from the wind.  Also working was the barbell golden varient sculpin.

Trees are starting to turn, and with the nice and much needed rain we have had over the past two days, should turn even more.  Maybe a pretty Fall after all.  Temperatures in the upper 70s, low 80s into early next week.  Expecting some cooler temperatures by Tuesday, probably in the mid 60s.  No more rain for a while.

Lots and lots of wading time.  Generation pattern has been stable with no generation in the a.m., then on around 3:00 p.m. for 5-6 hours and back off.  Last weekend, we only saw a low one generator come on both Saturday and Sunday arounf 5:00 p.m. and stay on for 1-2 hours, then back off.  Might see the same trend this weekend…..remember, I said MIGHT.  We’ll see what the projection says tomorrow around 4:30 p.m.

Stan on the water Monday with Jack and Mary Kay from Texas.  We met these folks when we did a presentation to their club in Dallas last month.  Both are fly fishers and had not done much nymph fishing.  They accomplished their mission with this and caught several fish on the rusty midge in the early morning, then the primrose & pearl midge later in the morning.  Also caught several stripping the holographic green crackleback.

Valley and Julie, from Oklahoma came up after the Mountain Home Conclave and they and Carolyn went out on the “Cacklecraft” and had fun.  We threw big uglies dry, the chernoble ant (what is that supposed to look like!?), stripping holographic green cracklebacks off the shallow banks, and drifting chartreuse egg patterns with a big red San Juan worm.  Did get some hits, but no takers on a big Dolly Llama streamer.  Think this streamer was bigger than many of the fish!  We just did a bunch of fun, funky stuff and caught fish!

Chances of showers today, maybe some sprinkles this morning, but better chances after noon.  Again, some chances tomorrow and Wednesday, with temperatures holding in the mid to upper 70s.  Think I saw 80s early next week. 

Taneycomo continues to see lots of wading time in the mornings.  Over the weekend, they only turned on a low one generator around 3:00 p.m. and kept it on a coupld hours Saturday and only one hour yesterday.  We expect to see generation again this afternoon, but the water is off right now. 

Thursday, Jim had Jim and Charlie from Springfield, MO. on the water again.  They had a great half day on thr rusty and primrose & pearl midges, a blood worm, and stripping a size 12 bug-eyed sculpin. 

Stan out with Rick and Kristie  from Town & Country, MO.  Quick half day.  They flew into Branson and got to the shop around 8:30 a.m.  Caught some fish on the primrose & pearl midge and a red San Juan worm and had to be off the water at 12:30 p.m. 

Meanwhile, Gina and Carolyn were working hard at the Sounthern Council FFF Conclave held in Mountain Home, Arkansas.  We had a great time seeing old friends and making new friends.  Unfortunately, they ran water all the time we were there, so fishing was NOT.  Did have some great grub…fall off the bone ribs… fixed by Mark Ballew from Oklahoma.

Handed out two “catch and release pins” yesterday for two 0ver 20 inch browns caught on the good old gray scud.  Taked to several other folks who were catching in this same patterns.  Also talked to Jim, who lives at Pointe Royale, who was catching, but finally lost all of his holographic green cracklebacks to fish yesterday morning.

Weather continues to be great.  Cool, crisp mornings, in the 40s and the days warming up to low 70s or low 80s.  This morning’s sunrise was beautiful.  Rich reddish orange streaks above the sky line.  Chances of rain creeping into the forecast early next week.  However, continued mild temperatures.

Generation continues to give us waders lots of wading time inthe mornings until around 3:00 p.m.  On for 4-6 hours, off again until the next afternoon.

Ron, who spends most of his time here in Branson, took the two day fly fishing school.  Definitely “hooked”.  After spending the first day in class room then at the water’s edge learning the various casts, Ron spent Monday standing in the water putting everything together.  I heard him uttering as he was bringing in another fish, that he might never pick up a spinning rod again!  Best pattern was the primrose & pearl midge, but he did get a few hits and fish strippping the holographic green crackleback. 

Mike and Natalie, from Texas, spent the morning on the water with Jim Tuesday.  They had a good day on the rusty and black midges with the blood worm dropper.  Natalie is fairly new to fly fishing, but she obviously had beginners luck….think she outfished Mike!.  Way to go Natalie.

Yesterday, Stan had Wendell and Glenn out for the morning.  We had not seen Wendell for a couple of years as he had been having some health problems.  Good to see you back on the water Wendell!  Unfortunately, it was a slow morning for these guys.  About the time they were ready to come in, fishing picked up and they started hitting the holographic green crackleback dry!  Up until then, although slow, their best pattern was the primrose & pearl midge.  Joel from Minnesota, needed a refresher course.  He spent the morning with Jim and they caught fish on a size 18 gray scud, the rusty midge and a blood worm dropper.  Joel just needs to fly fish more.

Going to the Conclave in Mountain Home, Arkansas Friday and Saturday.  If you don’t have anything to do and have never attended this event, it is fun and informative.  Hope the generation will be off so we can wet a line in that part of the White River.