Yes, the water stayed off all day yesterday as projected and the projection for today is the same pattern.  Projection showed no water until 6:00 a.m. when they will run the equivalent of two generators for one hour, then four generators for two hours and back to 2 generators for one hour then off at 10:00 a.m. for the balance of the day. 

Everyone on the water had smiling faces and were catching lots of fish on various patterns.  Stan, Bob and Gary, we catching them all day on the Lightening Bug, size 18; Burgundy Midge, size 18; the size 8 Bug-Eyed Bugger; and Burgundy Crackleback, size 14.  Probably the number one pattern was the Burgundy Midge.  Some of our customers who were on the water fishing, sent some folks up to get the Burgundy Midge as it was working so well for them. 

REMEMBER EVERYONE – Your 2008 licenses expired at midnight February 28, 2009 ! !

LADIES – Don’t forget the Women’s Fly Fishing Clinic being offered on April 25, 2009.  This is a full day clinic that will give you everything you need to know to get started fly fishing.  Check under www.riverrunoutfitters.com/fly-school/ to learn more about the clinics. 

LAST, BUT NOT LEAST – Mark your Calendars for APRIL 18, 2009.  Come help us celebrate our 10 year anniversary.  Door prizes, hourly drawing, games, product reps., casting instruction, hot dogs, and lots of fun!  Everything begins at 9:00 a.m.

They did not follow the projection Monday, but they did yesterday…..almost.  Projection was for the water to turn off around 10:00 a.m. both days and leave it off until 6:00 or 7:00 p.m.  Monday they ran all day and yesterday they did turn it off at 10:00 a.m. and kept it off until 5:00 p.m.  This morning it again is following projection.  Off at 10:00 a.m.  Projection is to be off all day.  So far, so good.  Weather is great……sunny, little breezy, but we can handle that!

Friends came in from the river yesterday afternoon and they did well on the size 18 red burgundy midge and the blondie crackleback.  Just had a call from one of our boats on the water today and they had caught several fish on the size 18 lightening bug.  Certain there will be several other patterns they used with success by the time they come off this afternoon.  That was just their first report for the first hour.  Think it was a hint for me to tie up some more! 

Still running water with four generators on around 6:00 or 7:00 a.m for 3-4 hours, then shut down to equivalent of two generators for 8 hours, then back up for 3 hours and off until the next morning.  Today was a bit of a change with three generators on this morning and still running only three.  According to the projection website, there will be no generation tomorrow.  Be still my beating heart!!

Jim had a couple guys from one of the shops in Michigan on the water Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  Jim works in the shop and John is a guide.  They had a great time catching fish on the red tungsten midge and a couple variations of the bug-eyed bugger.  The icing on the cake was the weather!  One of the guys, think  it waas Jim, commented he was glad he brought his shorts!  John was going back home to 200 inches of snow!  Ugh!

Stan had Jim and Kevin from Oklahoms out for a couple half days Thursday and Friday.  Thursday they caught lots of fish on the holographic green cracklebacks, and the bug-eyed bugger on sink tips.  On the drift out they picked up several more fish on the red tungsten midge.  Friday was almost a repeat of Thursday, but they did boat a few more nicer sized fish.  It was tough for them to drive back home this morning in the snow.

Water continues to run nonstop except for off at 11:00 p.m. then back on each morning by 6:00 a.m.  Running the equivalent of four generators for 2-4 hours then cutting back to the equivalent of two.  Still keeps the level in the area of 707.5 with the two generators running.  We are still a little over power pool.  Anxious to see what the pattern is going to be once we reacdh 915.0

Darrell had Jim, from South Dakota, and Dean out on Saturday.  Little slow start looking for fish, but when they found then and started throwing the sinking leader with the olive filoplume it was a great afternoon.  Dean called today looking for a sinking leader.  First time he had fished with one and really like it.  He said they were hooking fish every cast for a while!   He was hoping Jim had the materials to tie up some filoplumes. 

We have seen an almost duplicate pattern of water generation for the past four days.  Off at midnight for 5 hours, then four generators raising the level to 710.2 (plus or minus) until they turn it off again.  Today’s projection looks a little different…..we’ll see.

Did have boats on the water all weekend.  Darrell took out a previous customer from Nebraska, Scott and his son Justin.  Justin is pretty new to fly fishing.  They had a good day on the black midge, size 18 and the red tungsten size 16 midge. 

Stan and I both spent Valentine’s Day on the water.  He had a pair of brothers, Mark and Mike on the water.  I also had brothers, Dave and Justin out.  Stan’s guys did well down below Lookout Island on the pink lady or red roe egg patterns.  We slipped in above them and started catching them on the olive filoplume on a sink tip.  Sunday I took Jim and his son Ross out.  This was after scooping the snow and ice out of my boat and saying "what are we doing?"  We picked up a few fish on the bank below the boat ramp on the pink lady egg pattern, then proceeded down to the seam below Lookout Island.  It did not fish nearly as well Sunday as the day before.  We did have a good time and it was worth the scooping.  Mornings both Saturday and Sunday were slow.

Although Beaver continues to rise, Table Rock did go down 2/10ths of a foot from yesterday morning same time.

Since the rains came this week, Table Rock Lake level has gone up to 916.0 as of 8:00 a.m. today.  Consequently, they have been running four generators all day.  the past two days, they have shut it down around 11:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. the next day.  Schedule looks like that will be the pattern again today.  Probably what we are going to see for the next few days.  Wish I could predict the weekend!

VALENTINE’S DAY is coming.  Don’t forget your sweetheart.  Ladies like fly fishing equipment too!!!

Well, it was just too good to last very long.  No generation and warm weather in February!!??  Generation started back up Friday morning at 6:00……just in time for all you weekend fishers.  Bummer!  Had a couple hours from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m Friday with no generation, then ramped up the balance of the day.  Off at midnight until 6:00 Saturday morning and has been running continuously until last night at midnight.  However, they did turn one generator on this morning at 7:00 and have now ramped up to four.  

A good size group from the 89er Chaper of TU out of Oklahoma City, OK. came in Thursday afternoon.  They did get in some good fishing Thursday and Friday.  Tougher on Saturday due to the water, but they did catch fish.  Several of them came into the shop Saturday and said they were "sold" on the filoplume.  Got the materials and instructions on how to tie this extremely simple but effective little pattern. 

Stan had a full day on the water with Mike from Tulsa, OK.  He was with the OK City guys but had a full day trip booked so he went drifting.  They had a very good day on the red midge with the Pink San Juan dropper after the water came on.  Before generation, Mike was stripping the holographic green crackleback. 

John and Teresa were out Sunday with Jim for a short full day.  They had to get back to Hutchinson so they opted to get off a little early.  Wonderful day with the red midge, red San Juan and gray scud.

Gina and I went out to do some research Sunday (also known at goofing off!).  We had a wonderful day.  Warm, overcast, two generators and no wind!  We fished the olive filoplume and a test model crackleback Gina came up with using our sink tips.  Both did well, although I think the crackleback worked better in some locations.  It is a size 8 bright green with grizzly hackle.   Still in the testing mode, but we’ll let you know if it is going to be a good pattern as soon as we test it a little more.  Tough job, but someone has to do it!  We also fished the red midge and a pink San Juan.  Gina caught one really nice fish on the worm in the slack water area just above the Lookout Island on that.  With only two generators going, we were able to get out and wade off the gravel bar just above where the Fall Creek Dock once was.  Good finish to our day. 

Water has been off most of the past six days.  They ran water Monday most of the day, but after they shut it down that afternoon at 3:00, we have not seen any generation until this morning.  Schedule shows generation for about three hours today then off for the balance of the day.  AND, the weather is great!  48 degrees on my way into the shop this morning.  Will be in the 60s today and through the weekend, although there is a chance of rain moving in Saturday evening or Sunday morning.  Temps. still good.

Fishing has been good.  Everyone coming into the shop is catching fish on various patterns.  Stan was on the river with Philip from Indiana on Wednesday (one of the coldest days of this week).  They had a fun day on the Primrose & Pearl Soft Hackle, size 18.  Also caught several fish on the sink tip strippping holographic green or pumpkin cracklebacks.  Other good bugs were the Primrose & Pearl midge or Black midge (size 18) fished 2 to 4 feet deep. 

Darrell had Greg and Vickie from Kansas on a float.  Their best fly of the day was the Primrose & Pearl size 18 midge.  Although Greg caught the numbers, Vickie caught the largest.  

Shannon was on the water yesterday (goofing off again!) and had a great day with the holographic copper midge in a size 18.  One other person also reported doing well on this midge.

Started to get a little precipitation Monday afternoon, and by the time it was all over, some places in the Branson area had received quite a bit of ice, sleet and snow.  Unfortunately, several docks along the river have been damaged to some degree by the heavy weight of the ice.  We are glad to say it is all over and today is sunny so we will get some melting.  Hats off to our State and County crews who have done a very good job of getting and keeping the main roads clear and salted.  We were able to get to the shop every day to check on Caddis. 

Even with the cold, freezing weather, at least one person was at the water yesterday. 

This should be an interesting trip to off load a boat!

Just a pretty picture!

YES, we are open and will be holding the fly tying clinic this Saturday.  Weather is sunny for today, tomorrow and Saturday.  Saturday is projected to be near or in the 50s.  This will only be a memory if a few days!