The past two days have been very good on the river.  They ran water all day Thursday.  Although they said they were going to cut back the flow a little during the day, they did not.  It was pretty high almost all day.  Friday the projection was for the water to be off and IT WAS!  It is scheduled to be off all day today, and so far, it is. 

Thursday Stan and Shannon took a drift boat out to do a little fun fishing (said they were going to do some research).  With the high water, they did well on the size 16 Red tungsten midge with either a pink or hot orange San Juan dropper.  Worked a few seams with the intermediate sink tip and the burgundy holoshimmer crackleback and this too caught several fish.

Yesterday, with the water off, Darrell and Shannon were both on the water fishing (guides don’t get to fish too often so they grab every chance they get).  Darrell was fishing the area up near the Hatchery and Shannon was fishing the Rockin Chair and below areas.  Although they both caught fish on soft hackles, cracklebacks, black midges, and the copper dun midge, when Darrell changed to the size 18 Rusty midge and Shannon put on a holographic brown midge, they picked up the pace!  Fishing was so good neither wanted to quit but their hands were cold.  Had one of our customers who was fishing the area down by the KOA (now Trophy Run) bend come in to get more feathers to tie the olive filoplume.  Said he was having a great day on the filoplume as well as a dark brown stone fly nymph he has been tying. Fishing is definitely picking up!

They have been generating water non-stop since the morning of the 17th.  The past four days, we have seen 4 generators almost all day. 

However, fishing is good.  Several people finding spots to throw a line up in the Hatchery Area and catching lots of fish.   As the gentlemen who came in today told me, "They are certainly full of fight".  He was having a good day with the tan scud and a tan small egg-type pattern dropped below it.   A couple of guys who came in yesterday were having a good day on pretty much the same set up.

We had two boats on the water yesterday.  Great weather, not much wind, sun shining, and fish were hitting.  Jim had a couple from Oklahoma. Ted and Janice, who are just getting started.  Their first fly fishing experience was last August with Jim, and I think this was their second outting.  Stan had his (gotta watch the wording on this) oldest customer in terms of years (10 years now) he has been taking trips with us on the water yesterday.  Doc tries to be on the water every year on his birthday.  Think he has only hit the date once as the weather is usually pretty nasty on many days in January, but we get close.  Anyway, Doc and Mac, who lives in Branson, were out with Stan.  They had a wonderful day and boated lots of fish.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOC!  Both boats primary fly was the red tungsten midge, size 16, with either a hot pink or flaming orange San Juan worm dropper.  Jim also used a grey scud with a holographic back.

Another pretty day today and have one boat on the water.  Wish it was me instead of them!!

Fishing over the past four days has been very good.  Both Friday, Sunday and yesterday,  if you stripped a fly past a trout, you would get a hit or catch a fish.  Satruday was a bit slower, but it was cold and cloudy.  Even the weather was nice every day except Saturday.  Lots of flies have been working.    Size 12 through 16 cracklebacks in holographic green, pumpkin, or burgundy holoshimmer; size 8 golden variant sculpin pattern; size 9 or 10 olive wooly buggers and the size 12 filoplume.  Although folks were also catching fish on the grey scuds, sizes 14 and smaller, white grub, size 12 and various colored size 18 midges, action was just faster on stripped patterns.  Saturday and when it clouded over Sunday, the dark sculpin olive size 10 worked well.  You will notice a lot of smaller, silver fish in the water right now.  Taneycomo recently received a load of 10.3 inch average size trout from the Neosho facility. 

Stan was on the water yesterday with a couple guys from Joplin.  They caught fish on all of the above plus the Big Ugly and the copper dun midge dropper.  Had a great day on the water.

Water was off Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. then back on for only two hours.  It remained off until Monday morning at 6:00 a.m.  Pattern during the week was on in the a.m. around 6:00 for 4-5 hours then off for 4-5 hours then back on until after dark.  They turned it off before 10:00 a.m. this morning. 

FREE FLY TYING CLINICS – Don’t forget to check out the schedule on the fly tying clinics.  We are focusing on patterns which we know work well in Taneycomo.  Everything – fly tying tools and materials are included in the clinics.  AND, we discuss a little about fishing some of the various patterns we tie.

WINTER SPECIAL RATES ARE IN EFFECT  for cabin rentals – 10% off.  Special deal on guide trips too.  Book a full day and get a $50.00 gift certificate toward store merchandise or $25.00 for a 1/2 day. 

Although they have generated water every day since December 30, lots of folks were able to start the New Year standing in the water!  Other than January 2, the trend has been for the water to come on around 6:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. then off until 3:00 p.m. (on the 3rd) to 6:00 p.m.  They then shut it down again around 9:00-10:00 p.m.

Lots of people on the water over the New Year weekend, and the weather was awesome!  Think it was in the 70s on January 3!  Wow!  Fishing has been pretty good.  Know a 7 pounder was caught at the rebar hole yesterday or the day before.  Otherwise, it has been either very good one day and "have to work for them" the next.  Still catching them on lots of flies.  Gray scuds, copper dun midges, holographic green cracklebacks, various egg patterns, and red or hot pink San Juans are what we are hearing the most.    

There has been no generation since December 23 around 10:00 a.m.  Did get quite a bit of rain yesterday but our tailwater level is still at 914.0.  May see some effect of runofff today.

Went to the water for a couple hours Friday.  It was wonderful to see all the smiling faces up and down the river standing in the water fly fishing!  I put on my sink tip and after a few minutes with no hits on my black wooly bugger, I switched to the size 12 olive filoplume and started catching fish. Action slowed down, so I changed to a size 12 holographic green crackleback and things picked up again.  John, one of our friends, was across from me fishing his streamer patterns close to the bank on the ledge side above the boat ramp where he too was having a good day.  Didn’t take too long and my two hours were over.  Had to get back to the shop as I promised Stan I just needed "a little fix".  Walking out from the river, saw one of our customers who was fishing up more toward the rock mound at the Rockin Chair area, and he said his best fly was a soft hackle. 

Customers coming into the store yesterday were catching them on almost everything, especially before the storm blew through.  A beautiful day today and the water is still off.  Know they will have to run some water some time, but enjoy it while you can.

         Merry Christmas Everyone!   

                                              Caddis

Water has not been running since 10:00 a.m. on the 23rd, Tuesday.  They followed the schedule yesterday and kept it off.  Today’s schedule says it will be off all day.  Don’t know yet what they are planning for tomorrow.  Weather is windy, but in the 50s this morning.  Supposed to be warm tomorrow and Friday.  Better go fishing!

FROM EVERYONE HERE AT RIVER RUN OUTFITTERS – MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOU FAMILY!  We’ll see you on the water after Christmas. 

Several of us plan to be on the water New Year’s Day.  Hope you will join us.  Shop is closed for Christmas but will be open on Friday with our regular hours through the end of the year, including New Year’s Day!  We will be open.  Stop by, warm up and have a cup of coffee on us!

Don’t know why, but they ran generators all weekend.  Projection for both days was 40 MW or 2000 to 6000 cfs.  This morning they had three generators going, but the level was 706.  Yesterday they had two generators going and the level was in the upper 704’s most of the time.  We are definitely below power pool as is Beaver.  Both Beaver and Bull Shoals are not generating today.  Maybe we will be off tomorrow.

On the water yesterday with a real tough little lady.  Cierra, who is 7 going on 25, and her father Brian.  We did not start until about 10:30 hoping it would warm up a little and the wind would die down a bit.  Had a few brief periods of time when the wind layed down a bit, but for the most part it was a windy day!  Cierra managed to get a couple fish to the boat, and all on her own.  She has a wicked roll cast.  She caught one beautiful 16 incher which gave her a real fight.  It kept going into the fast water and pulling out her line.  She stuck with it and got it in!  She had lots of hits during the outing, but just could not consistently get a good hook set.  Know she is not alone with this problem, lots of us still have trouble some days with getting a good hook set.  Dad brought several fish to the boat but seemed to be having the most fun watching Cierra.  Hot pink and red San Juans were the ticket yesterday.  Caught a few on the lightening bug and red midge.  By the last hour of the day, we were all looking for hand warmers and more stuff to put on…..but it was a good day!

Ladies:

Orvis is trying to make certain they provide women fly fishers with the best equipment.  In order to do this, they need our help.  If you would click on the link below and complete the survey, they will have a better idea of our needs.  This is in no way an endorsement for Orvis, nor will Orvis place you on a mailing list.  The only reason they might get back in contact with you is if they have a questions regarding your answers on the survey.

Thank you for your assistance.  Please help Orvis help us with good equipment. 

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=DcWdfzKkfUU8m4kI9EJ0Sg_3d_3d

Carolyn Parker

Dissolved oxygen level is UP!!  Water temperature is dropping, AND fishing is UP!  What more could we ask for for Christmas?  Talked to the folks at the Hatchery today after checking the information on the Real Time Data site, and they confirmed conditions started improving with our water shortly after Thanksgiving.  Lake started turning over, and the cold nights have been cooling it off.  That accounts for one of our guides, Darrell, calling me from the water a couple days ago to report he caught 30 fish in about 30 minutes.  Gray and tan scuds. 

Generation schedule shows the water turning off today at 10:00 a.m and staying off until 5:00 p.m.  Remainds to be seen if they follow their projection.  Weather is going to be a little misty, but temperatures in the 40s.  Sounds like it is time to hit the water!