Generators off yesterday at 7:00 a.m. and are still off.  It is 7:30 a.m. Sunday, May 31.  Projection is to be off all day, but I just imagine they will turn them on by some time this afternoon…..we’ll see!

Strange ritual going on yesterday in the river.  Lots of people standing in the water yelling "Hi!" and "Good to see you again" as well as many other greetings of those who have not seen each other for several months or better.  AND, they were all catching fish.  Think the fish were as happy as the fly fishers that the water was off.  It was a beautiful day.  Sunny, warm and a bit of a breeze to keep a chop on the water.  In the area where Stan and I were fishing, I know people were catching fish on dark olive size 18 soft hackles, black wooly buggers, olive wooly buggers, and the holographic green cracklebacks.  Think we all caught a "gazillion" fish….well maybe not quite that many but it was a great day!

As I write, 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 30, 2009, the water is off!  The projection for today was that the water would be off all day.  Can we believe that?  Not really, as it was on this morning until 7:00 a.m.  So, with that in mind, can we believe it will be off the balance of the day?  Not sure, but I am certainly going to go stand in the river for a while and smile….at least until I hear a horn blow.

Wednesday and Thursday, Stan had Mike and Fred from Oklahoma on and in the water fishing.  They were only scheduled for Wednesday, but after that day, they wanted to hit it again.  Lots of fish in the two half days on the size 12 olive wooly bugger, red midge and holographic green crackleback.

Thursday, Darrell had Marshall, also from Oklahoma out for half a day.  They did very well on the olive filoplume on a sink tip. 

Marshall – 5/28/09

Jim had a couple from Kansas, Mark and Linda.  This was Linda’s second time in two years, but Mark gets to fish a little more frequently.  They boated from fish on the #10 Bug-Eyed Bugger, the red midge and a gray scud. 

Friday we had three boats out.  Jim had the Joe and Joe team from Kansas.  Both Joes have fished for many years, but are new to fly fishing.  They learned a lot, caught fish on the red midge and #14 Miracle Scud and had a good time. 

Darrell had Mark and Dale from Arkansas on the water.  They have a fly shop and guide shop on the Spring River.  They had a good day on the red midge and olive filoplume and have a few new techniques to take back and try on their home water. 

Carolyn had a couple, Jan and Mike from Oklahoma, who have been fishing with us for a long time.  A couple years ago they brought their entire family, sons, daughters, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law to either fly  fish with us learn how.  This is a great outdoor family loves all kinds of fishing and hunting.  Think a few of them have fly fishing pretty high up on their "like" list.  Two months ago, Mike had a life changing event….he lost his vision.  The main thing he and Jan have not lost is their love and skill in fly fishing.  We had a great day stripping holographic green cracklebacks, olive wooly buggers and Jan did some work with a Lightening Bug and size 18 burgundy midge dropper.

Jan & Mike with his nice 18" Rainbow – 5/29/09

One of several doubles – 5/29/09

Other than early this morning, they have been generating all day.  Off at midnight and back on around 6:00 a.m. with one generator.  Projection is to ramp up to four by 2:00 p.m. today.  Have not running quite as high of water the past two days, but it is still too high to wade.  Table Rock is holding at 916.3, but we still have the excess water in Beaver to deal with.  They are just about one foot from their flood pool; almost 9 feet above power pool.

Jim had a fly fishing couple, Mark and Mary, from Idaho out for a full day Tuesday.  They started the day off pretty good catching fish on the #6 Bug-eyed  Bugger, red size 16 midge and a gray scud.  Just after lunch a nasty black cloud loomed overhead with indications of heavy rain and who knew what else.  They decided it was time to get off the water and headed in early.  Gina was on the water with Gene from Oklahoma.  He had been out with us berfore and decided to do it again.  She got Gene into some nice fish on the holographic green crackleback, the bug-eyed bugger and the size 18 burgundy midge dropped from the size 16 red midge.  Fortunately Gene had just purchased a new rain jacket the day before so he got a chance to give it the "acid test".  They got into some rain just a little before they got off the water.  

Gene – 5/26/09

As I said in yesterday’s report, water still running most of the time, but it has been off or low in the early morning, with one or two generators going, then ramping up during the morning and usually up to all four by noon.

What a neat day on the water Sunday.  Darrell and Stan were out with Dawn, James Albert, Albert, and a friend of James Albert, Kash.  All these folks are from Louisiana and true die-hard fly fishers!  Jim was on the water with Dee Dee from California and her daughter, Michelle from New York.  Carolyn was out with Lynn and her husband David from here in Missouri.  Lynn had tried fly fishing several times before this outting and never caught a fish.  We definitely broke this jinx!  It was overcast all day and the fog never really left the area.  It stayed on or a little above the water most of the day.  When it started drizzling right after lunch, it lifted for a little while, but soon rolled back in.  At one time during the day, all of us were within shouting range of each other stripping #12 olive wooly buggers, #12 filoplumes, #6 bug-eyed buggers or a holographic crackle back using the sink tip line.  It was definitely a strippping day and the fish were taking all of those patterns and everyone was hooking up.  On the drift from the boat ramp to the shallow water on Pointe Royale Island, the red San Juan worm, or red midge  picked fish along the way. 

Generation pattern Saturday was off early in the morning for two hours, then ramped up with one generator, followed by two by 5:00 a.m., three shortly after then four by noon.  Slowed down a little at 10:00 p.m. last night, but they never shut it down.  Had two generators going when we hit the water this morning and cranked on the third at 9:00 a.m. and the fourth shortly after that. 

Jim on the water all day Friday with Rubin from California.  Rubin said he did more dry fly fishing than anything, so this nymphing, midging and streamer fishing was going to be new for him.  The fast water was new for him too!  Once he got the hand of it, he had a good day on the bug eyed bugger, red midge and gray scud. 

Stan out Friday and Saturday with Rick and his son Brett from Town & Country, MO.  Rick just got delivery on his new drift boat, a Hog Island, and wanted Stan to take them out and break it in right and give him some more help in learning how to handle it.  They broke it in great with a lot of fish to the boat both days on the size 12 olive wooly bugger on a sink tip, the red midge and the lightening bug.  When Brett came off the water Friday afternoon, he learned how to tie the red midge and caught fish on his midges Saturday! 

Saturday Darrell had Rick’s daughter and son-in-law, Hunter out for a half day.  Think they wanted to keep an eye on Dad to make certain he didn’t wreck the boat.  They had fun and caught fish on the red midge and the lightening bug. 

Jim was also on the water Saturday.  He had Bill, and his friend Frank, from Lampe, MO.  Good day for them throwing #6 bug-eyed buggers #8 sculpins off shoal drops. 

Past four days, we have seen a change in the water generation pattern.  Tuesday it was cut back to the equivalent of two generators from midnight to around 11:00 a.m. when they ramped it up to three and then four generators by noon.  Wednesday it was off until 6:00 a.m. and ramped up again around 11:00 a.m. or noon.  Thursday the equivalent of one generator until 6:00 a.m. and ramping up again to the final four.  This morning it was off until 7:00 a.m. when the equivalent of one generator started and two came on at 9:00 a.m (which is what their projection stated……scares me!).

Boats on the water every day with this change in generation pattern and fishing has been very good!  Darrell was out Wednesday with some friends and they caught a boat load of fish on everything, the olive filoplume, holographic green crackle back, red midge, and red San Juan were just a few of the patterns they threw and caught fish on.  Yesterday he had Paul from MA. out and he had a great day.  They were throwing the red midge and red San Juan.  With the water off early this morning, the fish were really out there midging.  When we get to wading again, the fishing looks like it is really going to be good.  The other thing about the fish we have been catching the past few days is that most of them are running 14 inches and better.

Yes, we had a change in the generation pattern today!  It was shut down to the equivalent of one generator at midnight last night and stayed at this level until 5:00 a.m. when they raised it slightly to a level of 705.4 or so and two generators going.  At 10:00 a.m. the third generator came on and by 1:00 p.m. the fourth generator kicked in.  Nice to report something other than four generators going 24/7!

Jim on the water Sunday with Howard from Waynesville.  Pulled #6 olive Bug-eyed Buggers most of the half day with good success.  Also threw the red midge with the pink San Juan dropper.  

Stan had Kim and his son Ryan from Texas out for half day Monday.  They had a great time stripping holographic green cracklebacks on a sink tip line on the flat, calm area of the Pointe Royale Island (is now with all the water running).  Also picked some in the seam off this island using the same setup.    Ryan out fished his Dad, but Kim said he was still ahead.  If Ryan likes fly fishing enough, Kim will have a fishing partner.  He can’t loose!  Carolyn on the water for a half day with Wanda and JoAnna.  We pulled a few fish out but certainly did not have the bang up days we usually having on the water!  Probably our best pattern was the red tungsten midge and the red San Juan worm.  

Carolyn on the water half day Tuesday with Richard and Barbara from Raymore.  Richard is hoping to have a fishing partner and the way Barbara handled a fly rod today, I can see a fly rod in her future.  Wasn’t certain what to expect with the change in water generation, but it was for the good.  Nice fish!  Had a couple really nice ones on that we didn’t get to the boat.  Barbara out fished Richard hands down.  Had a very good day on the size 16 Lightening Bug and the red San Juan worm.   

Yes, it’s the same old…same old story.  Running generators 24/7 with a tailwater level on Taneycomo of 710.5 plus or minus.  Table Rock is dropping and is currently at 917.4…YEAH!  However, the other lakes ae still rising or unchanged.  Beaver is holding at 1129.2 and Bull Shoals is at 668.4 (flood pool 695.00…they have some room).  Good news is that we seem to have several days ahead of us with no rain in the forecast!  Haven’t heard those words for weeks it seems like.

Stan on the water Friday with a gentleman from Florida, Howard.  He and his wife plan to spent one or two week in the area and he wanted to get in a little fly fishing.  He had a good half day using a size 12 gold beadhead olive wooly bugger and the size 16 red tungsten beadhead midge.  He said he might try it again if they do stay around for a while.

Jim was out Friday with some Missouri guys, Alec and Jim.  They spent a good part of the day throwing sink tip lines with #6 Bug-Eyed sculpin pattern and "turned a lot of fish".  Caught several too!  They also used the red midge with a pink San Juan dropper.  The guys have their own boat here so when they got back from the trip, they loaded up on bugs and were going to try it on their own Saturday.  Hope they had a good day.

Darrelll out Saturday with Malcomb and Dan from the St. Louis area.  Had a good day but had to move around alot and try lots of different patterns.  Said it was one of those "catch a few fish here on a pattern, change or move and catch a few more".  The olive filoplume, red midge and black zebra midge were their best patterns of the day.

Sounds like a broken record…..Yes, they have been generating 24/7 for the past week.  Generating between 10500 to 14500 cfs and maintaining the tailwater level in the 710.5 to as low as 708.5 (for a very brief period of time) since last Saturday.  Table Rock is down to 917.8 as of this morning.  However, Beaver is up to 1129.2.  Beaver’s flood pool is 1130.0.  They will probably start releasing their water into Table Rock soon.

Every day this week they projected rain and every day we managed to get some beautiful days for trips!  Several days after coming off the the water I said I would not have bet on the day not to have rain…..see what I know! 

Darrell out with Al from the St. Louis area on Tuesday for half day.  They pulled several fish out on the black size 18 midge dropped below the size 16 red tunghead midge.  

Wednesday, Darrell had Joe from Oklahoma back again.  Joe fished with us about the same time last year and probably thinks this high water is the "norm" around here.  They had a good day on the olive filoplume on a sink tip and the red midge. 

Carolyn on the water Wednesday and Thursday with Moses and Leonard from Illinois.  Moses started fishing with us several years ago and brings a new person with him every time.  Last year it was his son and this year, one of his best friends, Leonard.  Although Leonard fishes a lot, fly fishing was brand new to him.  We had a couple good days on the water with the size 16 Lightening Bug, Size 16 red tunghead midge, and the split personality San Juan worm (red on one end, hot pink on the other!)

Darrell couldn’t help himself.  He had to get a picture of the fog rolling along the top of the water Wednesday.  Great day on the water!

On Monday Curtis and Judy from Bixby, OK went out with Gina for a half day trip.  Good weather and good fortune were smiling on Curtis and Judy. They had blue skies, warm temperatures, high water and high spirits.  Curtis landed his first trout on a fly and decided he liked fly fishing enough to start dropping hints about getting a fly rod for Father’s Day.   Judy started landing fish right off the boat ramp and got enough hits and hook ups to keep things interesting all the way past Fall Creek.  They caught everything on  a size 16 red tungsten bead midge.  The water is still high and four generators are still running 24/7 and the tail water level is steady at 710.