At least this morning was in the low 40s…..didn’t have to scrap my window.  Looks like a nice weekend in store.  Temperatures through Saturday will be in the 70s.  Sunday is cooling down a little, but still in the 60s.  Ever so slight chance of rain Saturday night.  So far, next week doesn’t look bad either with temperatures in the mid to upper 60s.

Generators off yesterday until late.  Little surprise today.  They were not supposed to generate anything until this evening, but we had a surprise equivalent of one generator fire up at 9:00 a.m.  I think it was on for a couple hours then back off.   Every day is a surprise!

Jim on the water Monday with Steve from Illinois.  Will get a fishing report from them when they get off the water today.  Yesterday, Mark, from Grain Valley spent the day with Jim.  Tough fishing in the a.m. but it certainly took a turn to the good by afternoon.  Good day for them on the CQ streamer.

Scraped ice off my window yesterday.  The past three mornings have been in the 30s.  Fortunately, it did warm up during the middle of the day, but the wind has been downright nasty for the past 4-5 days.  Looks like another morning in the 30s tomorrow, then a slight warm up.  Morning temperatures in the 40s with the days warming up to the mid to upper 60s.  By the weekend the projection is low to mid 70s, and clear skies.  Sunday some precipitation might be moving in which will increase in chances by next Monday.

This past week has probably seen more water running time that water off time.  Today, however, they ran a low two generators for a couple hours this morning and it is now off and should be for the rest of the day.  We had up and down generation both Friday and Saturday.  Last Thursday was pretty nice with a low one generator for a couple hours in the middle of the day.  Tomorrow, we will have a low one generator early in the morning, ramping up to a low two, then back down to a low one.

Fishing has been good almost every day this past week.  Stan had Mike from Iowa on the water this past Monday morning.  Good day for them on the P&P under the Big Ugly.  Matt and his wife, Gievanna, from Kansas, went out for half a day with Darrell.  They too had a good day.  They were fishing the P&P and the black zebra with the copper head.  Jim had a couple of his regulars, Morgan and Larry, from Georgia out all day.  They were catching fish on the CQ streamer, or a blood worm dropped under the P&P. 

Tuesday it was Joe and his friend, Darrell, from Springfield out for the morning with Stan.  This was Darrell’s first time fly fishing and he picked up casting pretty quickly.  They did well with the red midge dropped under the big ruby as they had three generators running when they put in.  It dropped down to two units, and lots of wind. 

Jill - 10/23/12

 Carolyn had Bryan and Jill out for the day Tuesday.   Jill is pretty new to fly fishing, but she seems to really like it and is catching on fast.   Think our best pattern was the ruby midge.  Also caught fish below the Lookout Island stripping the holographic green crackleback and a CQ midge. 

Jim left town, so Wednesday, Carolyn took Morgan and Larry out for half a day.  Good day for these guys on the CQ streamer, filoplume and a size 18 ruby midge with a blood worm dropper.  Stan and Darrell had a group from Arizona out for half a day.  Darrell took Dave and Clark, and Stan took Tom.  Darrell’s new fly fishers had a good day on the P&P midge.  Stan had the ruby or the P&P on Tom. 

Richard - 10/24/12

 Richard and his son, Kevin, from Nebraska spent the morning with Dana.  They did well with the P&P midge dropped from the Big Ugly.

Dan - 10/25/12

Thursday, Gina took Dan and his son Danson out for half a day.  Dan has been out with Gina before, but this was Danson’s first time.  These guys are from Texas.   They had a good day on the copper dun midge dropped from the Big Ugly, or the P&P midge.  Dan also caught a few stripping the CQ streamer.  This was the day the cold front came through and the fish shut down around noon.  They mnaged to get off the water just before the rain started.  Another one of those windy days!

And another windy day, Friday.  Darrell and Stan had the group from Arizona out for another half-day float.  Big ruby with a small ruby dropper for Darrell’s guys, Clark and Dave, and the red midge for Tom who was with Stan. 

Pam - 10/26/12

 Doug and his wife, Pam from Kansas spent a late morning start half day on the water with Carolyn.  Pam now has the nickname of “trout magnet”.  She had a very good day on a P&P dropped from an egg pattern.  Doug was just going to go along for the ride and watch Pam.    That didn’t last long.  Before we knew it, Doug had a P&P dropper from his red midge.  Several nice 15-16 inch rainbows for for Pam.  Fun day on the water, despite the WIND@!

Dale - 10/27/12

Yesterday, Gina took Dale and Glenn from Oklahoma out again.  good day for these guys.  First and biggest fish of the day was a 17-1/2 inch rainbow on a Big Ugly.  Other flies were the P&P or ruby midges dropped under an egg pattern.    Stan had Jim from Oklahoma out all day.  they did well on the red midge and the P&P midge.  Vicki and Steve from the St. Louis area spent the morning with Darrell.  They had such a good time last year, they wanted to try it again.  Good day for them on the P&P and red midges.

Fishing is good.  Talking to lots of fishers and everyone is catching fish, still on lots of different patterns.  Black or olive leech patterns, black zebra midges, red midges, P&P, gray scuds, cracklebacks, small wooly buggers, the CQ streamer, different color sculpin patterns, and I know I’m missing some.  Better go fishing!  Still not seeing many browns, but some very nice rainbows!

Other than the wind, beautiful days.  Yesterday out down right warm!  Today it is in the 80s and that is the projection for the next couple of days.  It does look like we will have a cool down by Friday when temperatures will drop to the 50s.  Whoa!

Other than last Thursday, we are still enjoying little generation during the day.  They will run a low something every afternoon (yesterday it was a bit more than it has been), but only for a couple hours, then it is off again.

We have a couple boats on the river last Thursday with four generators going.  Fortunately, the trips did not go out until after the generators had been on for a while so the water cleaned up a little.  Jim had Randy from Texas out for the morning.  Randy fishes every other year, so it’s work on technique for a while before they start catching.  Best patterns were the CQ streamer, red midge and a gray scud.  John from Colorado decided he wanted to try our Missouri fly fishing, so he took a half day with Stan.  Lots most water than he normally sees.  They had a good day, despite the water, on the big ruby with a P&P dropper.  Lots of fluctuating water and lots of wind!  Good thing John could cast. 

Saturday, Jim took Jeff and Lisa out for half a day.  They had a good time and caught fish on the size 10 CQ streamer. 

Trish - 102112

Trish and Mike from Texas were out with Carolyn Sunday.  She caught this nice fat male on a P&P midge under the Big Ugly.  Good day on the P&P, golden variant sculpin and the holographic green crackleback.  John from Colorado had to fish one more time before going home, so he spent the morning on the water again with Stan.  Good day for him also on the P&P midge.  Water certainly look different this time (he was out in four generators last Thursday). 

Having to work for your fish.  But, they are there and they are feeding.  The bite is very soft so set the hook on anything unusual.  Streamer fishing seems to be more productive, but even here, the fish are bumping the fly several times before they take it.

Had a little rain Tuesday night and some sprinkles during the day yesterday.  Otherwise, it was a pretty nice day.  Sun in and out most of the day.  Today is sunny, but a bit cooler.  Looks like we will be in the mid 60s today with lots of wind.  Tomorrow should be 60s again.  By the weekend we will be mid to upper 70s and mostly sunny.  Slight chance of rain early next week but temperatures continuing in the upper 70s.

Surprise, surprise when we check the level this morning and found they were generating four generators!  Haven’t seen that in a while.  However, I think we need it.  The water was getting pretty “ucky” with very little generation each day.  They had projected a low one this morning, with a ramp up to a low two and then back down to a low one for the afternoon.  To be continued…..we’ll see what they really do as the day progresses.

Three boats on the water Tuesday.  Pretty day with low water.  Jim had Craig & Gail from Michigan out all day.  Good day for these two stripping the CQ streamer.  Dana had Ron from Connecticut out again.  They spent their half day strilling crtacklebacks and the CQ streamer.

Bob - 10/16/12

First fish on a dry fly for Bob from Oklahoma, who spent the morning on the water with Stan.  The Big Ugly nailed this fish, or the fish nailed his Big Ugly!.  Good day for Bob on the Big Ugly, P&P midge and stripping the holographic green crackleback. 

Few more reports of seeing some nice fish cruising.  Still no great numbers, but at least fishers are seeing some.

Had a little weather over the weekend.  Rained Friday and Saturday nights.  Fortunately, everyone was able to get on the river both days before the rain.  Biggest problem was the wind.  Today is pretty windy too.  Looks like upper 70s and low 80s through Wednesday, when we will have a chance for showers again.  After Wednesday, temperatures drop to the mid to upper 60s through next weekend.  Good news, no rain.

We continue to see mostly wadeable water every day.  Each day this past week, they have turned on the equivalent of one low or one full generator for only 2-4 hours during the day.  Otherwise, no generation.

Despite the dry summer, with the rains we have had off and on the past couple of weeks, we are seeing some color in the trees.  It’s not going to be our normal Fall colors, but it is still pretty.  It is especially pretty floating down the river to see the colors along the river. 

Gary and Debbie, from Florida, spent last Monday morning on the river with Darrell.  Good day for these two on the P&P and black copper head midges. 

Mountain Dance - 10/9/12

Stan and Carolyn had a group from Texas out for half a day Monday.  Carolyn took Carolyn, aka Mountain Dance, and Stan had Jack and Mary Kay.  Good day for everyone on the P&P and holographic green crackleback. 

Wednesday, Dave and Lynelle, from Kansas City, spent a full day with Stan.  Good day for these two on the #18 black zebra with copperhead, the plain black zebra and a holographic green crackleback.  Mountain Dance had to catch some more fish, so she spent the morning on the water with Carolyn again.  Another good day on the black copperheaded zebra and when they fired up a generators, we went to a larger black midge with a cerise San Juan worm dropper.  Also caught a few stripping the golden variant sculpin.

Larry, from Overland Park, KS. and a friend, Lucy, from Texas, spent most of Saturday with Stan.  Little tougher day Saturday, especially in the morning ( it has been slower in the mornings from 8:00 until 10:30 or so), but pulled off a good day as it progressed on the P&P midge.  Lucy caught a nice 19″ rainbow.   Jim was out on an instructional session with a family, Tom, Jo Lynne, and their son, Jason. 

Feeling some chilly mornings the past few days.  Low 40s several mornings.  This morning felt pretty good and it has been a beautiful, sunny day as have the past few days.  Looks like we might have a chance of showers tomorrow through Saturday.  Friday really looks like the best chances.  Temperatures should be in the mid to upper 70s for the next several days.

Lots of wading time every day.  Ran some water this morning early this morning and say they will run a low one this evening for three hours.  Other than that, very little generation which converts to lots of wading time.

Lots of trips out over the past week and in between that was the annual Southern Council FF Conclave held in Mountain Home each year.  Last Tuesday, Jim had Jack and Frank from California out for the day.  Great day for these guys, mainly midging and scuding, especially the P&P, blood worm and olive scud.  Did pull a few with the CQ streamer, but it was spotty.  Stan had Dub and Ron, from Texas, out all day.  These guys also had a great day on the ruby & P&P midges. 

Wednesday, Bob and Bob, from Oklahoma, spent half a day with Stan.  Both were brand new to fly fishing, but caught on real quick.  They had a very good day on the P&P and ruby midges. 

Alex - 10/4/12

Phil, who lives here in Branson, had a visitor from Romania, Alex.  He wanted to introduce him to fly fishing so Gina took the two of them out on Thursday.  As we have been experiencing here lately, mornings have been starting out slow.  This morning was no different, but Alex did hook into a nixe 16-1/2″ rainbow for one of his first trout on a fly rod.  Fishing did pick up and they had a wonderful, fun day.

Gina and Carolyn spent Friday and Saturday at the Conclave.  Rainy Friday and they were running water at Bull Shoals.  Saturday was a little nicer, but still running water.  The alternative was Norfork. 

Friday, Jim had Dale, from Missouri out all day.  Think this was a birthday present.  Good day for Dale pulling the streamers.  Darrell and Stan had three generations out on Friday.  Stan had Eric, his father, Dale and Darrell had Eric’s two sons, Ben and Adam.  All were new to fly fishing and wanted to give it a try.  Fun day for everyone and everyone caught some fish.  Stan had his guys on the P&P, size 18 ruby as well as the big ruby.  Darrell had Ben and Adam throwing the P&P and black midge with copper head. 

Tina & Ralph from St. Robert, took half a day trip with Dana Sunday.   Both brand new.  Slow day for these two on the P&P midge.  More new fly fishers, Travis and Mike from Kansas, took half a day trip with Stan.  Pretty slow day for these guys too.  Did catch some on the P&P and ruby midges.  And the Louisiana Kerrs floated with Darrell and Carolyn Sunday.  Late morning start for this group, which probably was good.  As we mentioned, mornings have been slow for a few days.  As the day went on, fishing was good.  Dawn, who was with Carolyn, had a good day on the ruby midge dropped under the Big Ugly.  One nice 17″ rainbow.  Darrell had Albert and JA, and they did well on the P&P and copper dun midges.  As always, a really fun day!  Jim had Darrin and Mitchell, from Columbia out for half a day.  Good day pulling streamers.  They also fished the ugly midge with a blood worm dropper.

Monday, Lynda and Rich, from Belle, MO came back for more instruction and fishing with Carolyn.  They took the two day school this past June and needed a brush up.  Although the morning start out a little slow, it certainly picked up on the ruby midge and stripping the holographic green crackleback.

Down right cool this morning is the best description I can give.  Upper 40s.  Should hit the mid 70s today,.  Upper 70s to low 80s Wednesday and Thursday with a cool down over the weekend into the 60s.  Looks like a chance of showers, best on Friday but a chance also on Saturday and the lower temperatures are staying with us through much of next week.

Although the projection for this weekend was no water until late in the day both Saturday and Sunday, they turned on one generator early Saturday and earlyer than projected on Sunday.  Mondays are always up for grabs and they did generate all day.  Today, we are not supposed to see generation until around 1:00 p.m. and then it will be a low one for four hours.

Stan out Friday with David and Suzanne from Eureka.  Although they are fly fishers, this was their first time fishing Taneycomo.  Good day for these two on the red midge, the P&P, and when the water came on, the Big Ruby.

Sunday, Stan took Bob, from California out for the day.  Slow start in the morning….was for all of us, but they finished up with a good day on the P&P, red midge and stripping the CQ streamer.  Jim had a birthday boy, Joe, from Olathe out for hald a day.  Surprise trip from his wife!   They did well on the copper & black midge, red midge and the CQ streamer. 

Laura - 9/30/12

Laura, aka “just one more cast” and her husband, Scott took half a day with Carolyn Sunday.  After our slow morning start, we start picking them on first the copper & black midge.  When the sun peeked out just a little, it was the P&P midge.  Once Laura gets going, she doesn’t want to stop!

Although we were threatened with rain most of this past week, we never really had as much as they kept predicting.  Temperatures continue to range in the upper 70s to low 80s.  Today has not made the 70s, although it was supposed to.

No or low generation most of the day.  Nothing is happening today the way it was projected.  No generation was projected until last this afternoon.  Think they turned on a low one around 10:00 a.m. and it was still on at 3:00 p.m.  Good news, most everyone is catching fish with this nice low flow.

Fun day on the water this past Wednesday.  Carolyn had Jim and Brenda, from Butler on the water all day.  No generation when we started.  Fish were spotty, catch several here and several there.  Best patterns were the P&P midge in the a.m.  Clouded up, so we switched to the copper dun.  Layed off this so we finished with the ruby.  Used the big ugly for our indicators, and caught several fish on the big ugly.  Few on the CQ streamer.  Rain chased us off the water for a little while and not too long after we got back on the water, they decided to turn on a generator for a little while. 

Jim had Tom and Dave from the St. Louis area out all day Thursday.  Fairly new fly fishers and had a good day on the black midge, a blood worm, and an olive scud. 

Friday, Jim took Brian from Texas out all day.  They did well on the CQ, a black midge with copper head and a size 6 bug eye bugger.  Stan had David and Suzanne from Eureka, MO.  Fun and good day for them on the red midge, the P&P and the big ruby.  Had one generator going all day. 

Jan - 9-28-12

 Jan, from Battlefield, MO. spent the morning and early afternoon with Carolyn.  He had a good day on the P&P dropped under a peach egg. 

Today, Ted and Janis from Oklahoma spent the morning with Jim.  Best patterns were the CQ, red midge and black midge with copper head.

Temperatures have been wonderful….70s and low 80s.  Looks like we might creep into the upper 80s or low 90s by Tuesday, but back into the 80s and upper 70s for the rest of the week.  However, chances for rain are showing up by Wednesday.  It looks like 30-40% chances through Saturday. 

Generation schedule continues to be nice to the waders.  A little blip this morning when they turned on one generator at 8:00 a.m.  which was not projected.  However, they only kept it on for a couple hours and it was back off.  Every day this past week we have had morning wading with no generation.

Last weekend, all week, and again this weekend, fishing has been very good.   Stan had David and his friend, Deanne on the water last Monday (yes, I know I’m behind!).  They had a good half day, especially on the P&P midge.  David did catch some on a dark olive soft hackle, but P&P was the main bug.  This was Deanne’s first time fly fishing and she did very well and she really likes it.

Marge - 9/18/12

Marge and Tom, from California spent Tuesday morning with Carolyn.  Good day for these two.  Again, it was the P&P and an egg pattern.  What a crazy day.  At one time, we dubbed ourselves “the three stoogies”.   Every trip is a learning process as they only fish here and that is once a year or every other year.  We laughed so much we could hardly see what we were doing for the tears in our eyes.  Dana had Ron, from Connecticut, out for half a day.  They did well on the b-bug, and a red San Juan worm.  A new fly fisher from Oklahoma, Rick, spent the morning in a learning mode with Jim.  Good learning day and a good fishing day on the P&P, blood worm, and a size 10 CQ streamer.  Stan had Mark out all day.   

Good day for Mark with  two 19 inch rainbows among his catch for the day. The black headed black zebra midge and the ruby midge were their flies for the day.   Thursday, Darrell had Larry, from Oklahoma out for half a day.  They had a good day on the copper dun and P&P midges.   Carolyn had Chris and his wife Stephanie out that morning.  This was Stephanie’s first fly fishing outting.  She did very well and caught a good number of fish for her first time.  Think she even likes it!

Stephanie - 9/20/12

Our UK connection, Dave and Kate spent all day Friday on the water with Stan.  Good day for these folks.  P&P until the water came on and then it was the big ruby and a red San Juan worm.  Jim had Jim and Charlie from Springfield, out half a day Friday and Darrell had their friends, Howard and Dan.    Jim’s guys pulled the CQ streamer all morning and Darrell’s  boat used the P&P and a gray scud.

Sharon - 9/21/12

Gina had Sharon and her grandson, Ian out in the morning.  Very good day for them on the CQ streamer and filoplume.  Carolyn had JA out for the day.  morning started slow, then they caught fish on the CQ streamer, a hopper, a hopper with an egg dropper, the P&P and then the water came on.  Three generators and it trashed up!  Threw a lot of streamers after that, but the water was so trashed and dirty, not much luck. 

Saturday, James (aka Jack) and his wife Mary spend the day with Carolyn.  Very good day for these two.  It was just a pleasant day…not too hot…clear skies, but a little wind.   The P&P, CQ streamer and, once the water came, on the big ruby and an egg or P&P midge dropper were the flies for the day.

Mary - 9/22/12

Lots of rain over the past three days.  Looks like about one and a third inches but Table Rock Lake only came up about two-tenths of a foot.  After we get through today, which was overcast, a little scattered sprinkles, we are looking at mostly sunny skies through the weekend.  Temperatures will be in the low 70s this coming weekend and into the upper 70s by Monday.  The balance of next week looks like low to mid 80s.

We continue to see lots of wading time in the mornings.  Generation starting up as early as noon (today) or as late as 4:00 p.m.  Yesterday was the glitch as they ran a low one generator in the morning then two in the afternoon.  Projection for tomorrow is one generator late in the afternoon and then for only one hour.  Otherwise zero generators!

For those fishers who were brave enough to fish this past weekend, they had some good fishing.  Darrell and Jim both our Friday.  Darrell had Mel and Miles from the St. Louis area.  They had a good day on the size 12 zebra midge with the copper head and an egg pattern.  Jim’s guys, Bud and Ernie from Lee’s Summit caught lots of fish on the black midge, a gray scud and stripping the CQ streamer. 

Saturday, Darrell had two more guys from the St. Louis area out all day.  (several member of the Ozark Fly Fishers were in town this weekend)  They had a very good day on the CQ streamer and the copper dun midge.  

Lots of fishers we spoke with had really good fishing over the weekend.  The fish certainly didn’t mind the rain!  Good patterns this morning were the CQ steamer early and the filoplume.