Wow!  Had a few nights of single digits.  It felt pretty darn cold Wednesday morning when I got into my car and the outside temperature gauge read 7 degrees!  Must say that today felt pretty good even though it was 15 degrees when we ventured outside the house.  Did turn out to be a nice day today with sunshine all day, temperatures got into the mid 30s and very little wind.  What a difference.  We dodged the bullet on snow fall.  Little signs of it here and there but the roads were never covered and the stairs and drive in front of the store had no signs of snow by mid day on Monday.  Temperatures will continue nice, for this time of the year, mid to upper 30s tomorrow, 40s Saturday, and upper 30s to 40s both Sunday and Monday.  However, there is mention of moisture of some kind.

Generation schedule had been consistent so far this week.  On the morning around 5:00 or 6:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. or noon, then off for 5-6 hours.  Gets it down far enough to do some good fishing and wading.  And, it looks like that trend might continue Friday.  The projection is for the generators to go off at 11:00 a.m. with 6 hours of off time tomorrow morning/afternoon. 

One of our customers came in Tuesday afternoon, to warm up I think, and said he had had a great day up near the hatchery.  Water was off and he was fishing between outlets 1 and 2 toward the south bank.  He was fishing a Big Ugly with a primrose and pearl midge dropper.  Said it made him think of the “good old days”, when you had a fish on almost every cast.  His last breakoff made him leave the water as he could not tie on another fly!  Too cold. 

Just a reminder to mark your calendars.  March 5, 2011.  We will have John Gouker and Jim Haeck from Schmidt Outfitters in Wellston, Michigan here to do a presentation on fishing for steelhead  in Michigan.   Both have been involved in fly fishing for many years.  John is a full time, year around fly fishing guide and fly fishing instructor for Schmidt, while Jim guides some time, he spends most of his time in the shop.  Both fish the Little and Big Manistee Rivers for steelhead, trout and smallmouth bass.  They will also tie a few steelhead flies and give a demo on spey and switch rod casting.  They plan to have provide time to let interested people try their hand at these techniques.  For a chance to shake the cabin fever, get out and learn about something new and different, mark those calendars!  MARCH 5, 2011.    John is giving away a free guide trip and one night’s stay at Schmidt’s in a drawing of people who attend the presentation!  Better be there!  More detailed information to follow.  Stay tuned!…

Great fly tying clinic this past Saturday.  Clinic was full, so if you are thinking about coming to any of the upcoming ones, be sure to give us a call so we can put you on the list.

We did get some snow over night.  So far, it is not too much and the roads are in good condition.  Temperature going to struggle to get into the low 30s today with more snow on the way late today and through the night.  They are saying a possibility of 1 inch more on top of the dusting we already have.  Temperatures will be in the 20s Tuesday and Wednesday, then a warming trend, into the 30s! Thursday and possibly 40s Friday and Saturday.  Right now, there is a possibility of moisture on Saturday.  Off water time both Friday and Saturday.  Yesterday they ran a couple geneerators all day starting at 5:00 a.m.  Generating right now but the projection is for it to be off around noon for five hours. 

Had a few groups of fishers in the shop yesterday.  Some had been fishing and were heading home; others just getting here and going fishing.  One father and son had a wonderful day on the water Friday.  Both had caught more fish than they had caught in a long time.  They were wading up in the hatchery area.  Another group was a mixed bag.  Some had had a good day fishing, but a few in their group said they spent a little too much time in the trees.  Scuds, tan fur balls and black wooly buggers were some of the patterns they had been throwing.  I stopped at the boat ramp Saturday around 3:00 p.m. to see circles everywhere.  Had to throw a line, which I did for 30 minutes or so.  Caught several fish on the ruby midge and the primrose & pearl midge.

Gina and Stan took Dan, his son, Danson, and his son-in-law Jonathan out for half a day yesterday.  The last dine Dan fished with us it was his third time to have a fly rod in his hands.  He had definitely fallen in love with fly fishing, and he received a new fly rod for Christmas.   Yesterday was its first day on the water and as Gina said “He got the skunk off the new rod”.  Picture below is of his first fish on the new rod!  Stan took Danson and Jonathan.  Both of these guys are brand new to fly fishing.  Everyone did well and had a good number of fish on as well as making it to the boat!  Best patterns were the pink or cerise San Juan worms, dropped below the large ruby midge.

Danson & Jonathan - 1/5/11

Dan's first fish on new fly rod

Wish I knew another tune, but, the water is running.  However, guess this is pretty normal.  Run generators during the week to keep power going for heating.  We did see them off this past weekend.  Thank you very much! Weather continues to cooperate.  40s the past two days and expect to see that again today and probably into Saturday when it could be even a little warmer.  But remember, what goes up must come down.  Sunday’s forecast looks like 30s and at this time, a possibility of some moisture of some kind.  Projection for today is…..water is running!  It will run between the equivalent of two generations and one generator all day.  

Stan on the water yesterday with Phil, who recently became a full-time resident of the area.  Phil moved here from Kansas and “welcome to the area Phil”!  He drug along his long-time friend, Larry who had never fly fished before.  They had a good half day on the water with the red midge and pink San Juan worm dropper.  Used a few other patterns, but this seemed to be the most consistent.  Got a couple more boats hitting the water today.  We’ll see how they do.

before

Wow!  What a New Year’s Eve day!  Severe storms came through an area that included Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri very early Friday morning.  Considerable damage and fatalities in Arkansas and Missouri.  Our hearts go out to these folks for their losses.  Storms continued late into the morning and we finally got a break in the weather about 10:00 to 10:30 a.m.  The rain stopped and the clouds started thinning out.  The temperature that morning was almost 60 degrees and once the storm cleared, temperatures were in in the mid to upper 60s. 

The generation had been non-stop from 5:00 a.m. Tuesday morning until midnight New Year’s eve.  Happy New Year everyone, you had no generaton new Year’s Day.  It did fire up again this morning around 5:00 a.m. and they project it will be on for four hours.  So, far at 9:45 a.m., it is still running.  But, it is a very low one.  The tailwater is only 703.1.  Table Rock did come up 4/10s of a foot from the Friday rain.  Projection for Monday is generation; everything from low two to a normal two generators.

After the rains stopped and we got an all clear from the tornado watch, there were some brave souls wanting to finish up 2010 the best way…on the water.  Kristie and Rick from the St. Louis area, spent the rest of the morning and all afternoon with Stan.  They had a wonderful day on the red midge with a cerise San Juan worm dropper, and a peach egg pattern.  Darrell took Steve and Virgil from Kansas out for the remainer of the fishing day.  Steve had fished with Darrell before and decided he wanted to contaminate Virgil.  Better yet, this was a Christmas present to the two of them from their wives.  Virgil’s first time and he loved it.  Their flies were the ruby midge and the red midge.

Bob and Linda, our good friends from Kansas squeezed in a couple hours with Carolyn.  We were going to all go wading, but since they were running up and down two generators, we took the boat out and had one very productive float from just below outlet 3 down to the boat ramp.  Nice fish on a UV gray scud with a pink San Juan worm dropper and a big ruby midge with the pink San Juan worm dropper. 

New Year’s Day was definitely slower for most of us.  Guess it depended on where you were.  I spoke with one of our customers this morning and he said they had a great day in the gauntlet area around the big stump.  Spoke to others and they had only caught a few in several hours.  We fished for a little while (how long does it take for your fingers to freeze?…about that long).  We would catch a couple on this fly, holographic green crackleback; and a couple on another fly, etc.  Best pattern with most fish was the size 18 copper dun midge.  However, we were fishing the Rockin Chair area and below.

Just for information, the free reel deal with the purchase of an Orvis Helios or Hydros rod expired December 24, 2010.  Sorry if you missed out on this great deal.  Do still have a few great rods on sale!

2010 is just about at its end.  I hope many of you can start your New Year fly fishing….even for just a cast or two!  Know the weather is supposed to change for the worst tomorrow late afternoon.  We have had unbelievable weather for the past two days and expect pleasant temperatures tomorrow morning, but as I said, it will start deteriorating some time in the late afternoon.  Also believe we will have some wind as it will be blowing in the colder weather.  Generation schedule has been its usual crazy self.  The water was off Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Monday we had a shot of water in the morning, off for six hours mid day then back on.  After they started running water Tuesday morning around 7:00 a.m. they had not shut it down.  However, both yesterday and today, they have pretty much run the equivalent of one generator although at times they were using 2 or 3 generators to accomplish this.  May be will have the water off again this weekend from Friday though Sunday!  Everyone cross your fingers!

Stan on the water yesterday with Matt and Kelly from Oklahoma.  Nice couple of first time fly fishers.  They had a good time, learned a bit, and caught some fish on the red size 16 midge. 

Lots of folks fishing in the Hatchery area the past two days.  Have heard from great catching stories and “we need help” stories.  For the most part, however, they are catching on gray or tan scuds and red San Juan worms.

TO ALL OUR WONDERFUL FRIENDS AND CUSTOMERS

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It does look like we will see some weather moving in.  Possibly rain this afternoon which could turn to sleet or snow as the temperatures start dropping.  Some of this could hang around Friday and leave us with a dusting….we hope no more….of white stuff for Christmas Day.  Temperatures Saturday and Sunday should be in the 30s but sunny.  No idea of what the generation schedule will be, but after two days of continuous generation, we had only two hours of generation this morning and it will be off the rest of the day.  Let’s hope this is the trend for the Christmas weekend!  We can all try out some of our Christmas presents!

Fishers out the past two days have all been pleased with the fishing both in quality and quantity.  Scuds both tan and gray, pink midges, copper dun midges, red San Juan worms are some of the patterns reported by our customers as doing well.  

Last, but not least, we will be closed Christmas Day to spend with friends and possibly trout!  We will open Sunday, the day after Christmas, and will also be open New Years Day.  What better way to bring in the New Year but standing in the water!  Hope we see you there. 

Past weekend and so far this week, the weather has certainly not been the typical December weather.  Temperatures in the upper 40s and low to mid 50s.  However, think this is due to change by Thursday afternoon.  50% chance of moisture Thursday and Friday.  Back to sunny, but more normal temperatures Saturday and Sunday….30s.  Generation schedule has been off, on, off, on, etc.  Pretty much as we has been experiencing, off very early in the a.m. then on for 4-5 hours by 7:00 a.m. with off time during the middle of the day.  Back on around 5:00 p.m. for 5-6 hours and back off again.  Of course, today is an exception.  They did not turn it off yesterday afternoon and the projection is for generation all day today.

Yesterday, Stan and Jim took out a family of four from Mississippi on their first fly fishing venture for trout.  Stan had Cody, who is 13, and his father Heath.  Jim had Seth, who is 10, and the mother Cindy.  Cody mentioned that he knew fly fishing had a Scout Merit Badge, so we had him tie up a San Juan worm to fish, and hopefully, catch a fish on.  From a young man we helped with his badge last month, we believe they have to catch a fish on a fly they tied.  Anyway, hope this helps him as he did catch a fish on his fly.  Everyone had a great time and caught fish.  Their best pattern was the size 18 copper dun midge.  Jim’s group also used a size 16 grey midge, the black zebra and the red midge.  Neat family and think they will be good fly fishers some day.

Had a bout with some cold weather earlier this week.  Today was a pleasant improvement.  Although overcast, the temperature was in the low 40s and we had no wind!  Tomorrow is supposed to be in the 40s as is most of the following week.  Early Christmas present?  Generation projection for tomorrow could be an early Christmas present too.  Earlier in the week we had a little off time from noon or so until 5:00 p.m.  Both Wednesday and yesterday, they can water almost all day.  The exception being early in the morning, before 6:00 a.m. and late in the day, after 11:00 p.m.  Too dark and cold for me!

However, for those fishers braving the high water and cold weather, fishing up near the Hatchery has been very good.  Scuds, midges, San Juan worms, are just some of the patterns we are hearing.  With the water off tomorrow, we are probably going to venture out and give it a try after the fly tying clinic is over.

Still have lots of great gifts and ideas for Christmas, from nippers to gloves, warm hats, mugs, and don’t fotget the free Orvis Large Arbor reel deal with the purchase of  a Hydros or Helios rod.  That would light up someone’s face for Christmas.

Today, Saturday, started out with rain early this morning.  Temperatures were in the mid 40s.  Felt pretty good going out the door.  Rain stopped, sun came out, went back in and is now back out again.  However, you can feel the temperatures falling and the wind picking up.  Supposed to be pretty cool, or down right cold, for the next couple days.  Think by Thursday or Friday, things should start warming up again.  Water has been in the off early, on for a few hours then back off for 5-6 hours and back on mode all week, including yesterday.  Today, it is off!  Don’t get too excited, the projection for tomorrow and Monday is back on again all day both days. 

Jim out all day yesterday with John from Kansas.  John fished with Jim last year and decided to give it a try again.  Despite crazy water yesterday, 710 feet in the a.m. and dropping all day, but never off, they had a pretty good day on the red midge, ruby midge, gray scud and olive wooly bugger. 

Our Louisiana guys, Albert and James Albert, kept Darrell busy.  They had a good day on the pink and dark roe egg patterns and the red big and small ruby midges.   Near the end of the trip, James Albert hooked into this nice rainbow.  Meanwhile, Carolyn and Dawn, were out playing for the day.  We had a fun and fish filled,  crazy fishing day on the UV gray scud, big ruby midge, the dark roe egg pattern, and a size 18 black zebra midge.  Although Dawn , aka “the stripper” would rather strip patterns, they just weren’t hitting these hot and heavy.  We did catch some on holographic green cracklebacks and a rockworm green soft hackle.  It was a good day on the water!  Beautiful weather…we enjoyed it to the hilt.