We continue to see the low generation pattern through most of the day.  They did crank up the generators Monday afternoon as well as Tuesday, and again today around 3:00 p.m.  Pattern for Thursday is more of the same with, according to the projecting, not quite as much generation when they fire up around 3:00 p.m. 

Adam Thormann & 18" Rainbow - 5/12/12

Mike, from Oklahoma who also has a place in Branson, and his daughter’s friend, Adam took a 1/2 day float with Stan this past Saturday.  Very good day on the water for these guys.  This Adam’s first fly fishing trip and he certainly got off to a great start.  Caught on quickly to casting and the landed the largest fish on the outting.  Best patterns were with big ruby and an olive wooly bugger.  Low one generator going for the entire drift.  Great! 

Monday, Stan had Pat from South Carolina on the water all day.  Pat fished with us several years ago and was glad to be back.  He is to fish again on Wednesday with Gina.   Stan and he had a very good day on the with the red midge, the big ruby and a holographic green crackleback.   

Rebecca with 17" rainbow - 5/15/12

Gina had Rebecca and Bobbi on the water Tueday.  Rebecca lives near Montauk and really loves that fishery….can’t blame her.  Bobbi is from Kansas.  They all had a great fun day on the big ruby with a size 18 ruby dropper, the flasher, and a gray scud.  Sounds like they had a good celebration day for Rebecca’s birthday.  Carolyn had Ginger and Mark, from Houston out for a half day instructional /catching (that’s part of the learning curve) day.  Quick learners.  Had the roll cast down in no time as well as the regular cast.  As I always tell people when they learning to cast, “when you are learning, once you catch your first fish, your casting will go to to poop in no time.”  Did for a while, but they came around and the casts were looking pretty good again by the end of the trip.  Now for more practice!  We had a really good catching as well as fun day on the big ruby and stripping a size 12 olive wooly bugger.  I think they like it! 

Another nice weekend of weather.  Temperatures in the 70s and it was overcast off and on.  Threat of rain, but each day it slipped by us.  Looks like a continuing trend with temperatures moving into the upper 70s Monday and low to mid 80s by Wednesday.  Right now, no rain in the forecast. 

Interesting generation pattern over the past three days.  They have been holding to about half of one generator.  It has put the tailwater level to a maximum of 704.59 feet during this period with it as low as 703.1.  The projection for Monday is more of the same, but we know about the Monday projection after the weekend.  Let’s see what it is. 

Overall, fishing has been good.  Bill and Laura from Mexico took a full day float with Stan on Thursday.  They had taken the Fly Fishing school at Dogwood Canyon and wanted to try out their new learned sport!  Good day for the two of them on the black zebra midge.  They really loved the Branson area and said they would certainly be back.  

Laura - 5/10/12

Jim was out that day with Jim and Charlie.  They had very good day on an olive/brown gold eye sculpin, a blood worm and the rusty midge.  The Louisiana Kerrs spent all day Friday on the river with Darrell and Carolyn.  Started out a little slow in the morning, but certainly picked up in the afternoon.  Dawn started her morning out with a nice 17 inch rainbow, picked an 18 incher and finished off the afternoon with a 19 inch rainbow.   Best patterns for all of us were a white San Juan worm, cerise San Juan worm, ruby midge, black zebra midge and James Albert caught a few stripping a white wooly bugger. 

Dawn with fat 18" rainbow - 5/11/12

Saturday, Jim had Ron and Mike, from Springfield, Mo. out for half a day.  They had a good day on a bug-eye sculpin and a soft hackle.  Carolyn had David, from Ozark, out for half a day instructional trip.  We worked on knots, casting, bugs, more casting and eventually catching.  Best patterns for David were the ruby midge and the cerise San Juan worm. 

David - 5/12/12

Weather is wonderful.  More typical May weather.  Temperatures in the 70s and light wind.  No rain expected until possibly this coming Sunday. 

What do we believe with the projected generation schedule.  Saturday we were to have the equivalent of a low one generator almost all day.  In fact no generation until around noon when they turned on one for maybe an hour then ramped it up more.  Sunday’s projection was the same as Saturday, the equivalent of a low one almost all day.  We saw no generation until about 4:00 p.m. and then it was low for 3-4 hours then off.  Monday, more of the same, equivalent of one most of the day and we saw no generation until 9:00 a.m., then one to two generators during the day.  Today is the first dzy is has somewhat been as projected.

Haley's first with fly rod - 5/5/12

Did an oops on the trip I had out Saturday.  I did not post Haley’s picture with her first trout on a fly rod for the first time.   Sorry Haley. 

And another new young fly fisher on the water Monday.  David and his son, Noah spent half a day with Stan as they started generating around 9:00 a.m.  Noah has been fly fishing previously with his Dad and it certainly shows.  This guy didn’t catch the most fish, but he caught the largest. 

Noah - 5/7/12

They had a fun day on the red midge and the holographic green crackleback.  Keep up the good work Noah!

Had a short burst of rain come through this afternoon.  It didn’t last too long and probably did not dump very much rain in the area.  Forecast for tomorrow is another chance of rain.  Once we get through tomorrow, looks like no more rain until Sunday and Monday of next week.  Temperatures a little cooler; inthe mid to upper 70s.  Looks like quite a bit of sunshine.

What can I say about the generation pattern.  The projection for this weekend was a lot one generator all weekend.  Guess what?  We had not generation yesterday morning and nothing again today.  They did turn it on yesterday at noon.  Ran a low one generator for two hours and turned on two at 3:00 p.m. followed by three at 4:00 p.m.  Today they did not turn anything on until 4:00 p.m.  Looks like one generator then two generators by 6:00 p.m.  Projection for tomorrow is again, a low one most of they day.  It will be interesting to see if it is zero again until some time late morning or early afternoon.  Sure does make planning difficult doesn’t it?

Darrell on the water Friday with Nick and his brother Michael.  They had a  good day on the primrose & pearl midge and pulling the 56er.  Mike and Nick liked this pattern so well, they were on the water again Saturday catching fish on the 56er. 

Saylor's heading to the water - 5/5/12

Saturday, Marcie and Bob took their grand daughter, Haley, out for her first experience fly fishing.  Beautiful day and, at least for while, the water was off!  Haley was quick to learn the roll cast and the pick up and lay down cast.  We still need a little work on setting the hook.  Once she had one on the hook, she did a fine job of bringing in the fish.  Neat young lady who is into Irish dancing.   Grandmother, Marcie is also working on hook set.  She loves to fly fish and has a very good cast and line management….but she gets so excited when she gets a hit, watch out for that hook set!  Love it!  Grandfather, Bob, was with Stan and they caught almost all their fish on the the big ruby and the size 18 ruby dropper.  That was the pattern of the day in Carolyn’s boat too.  Fishing was definitely not as fast and furious as it had been earlier in the week but we were getting hits and catching fish.   Monday, last week, was awesome.  Tuesday was still very good.  Wednesday was not as good.  And, by Friday and Saturday, it was okay, but certainly not fast and furious.  Jim was on the river with Dale.  He had him on the water experimenting with new modification to the red ass.  Seems it worked pretty good for for them.  Maybe a new pattern in the works.

Talked to some fishers coming in to the shop and they have all said it was a pretty good day today.  Grey scuds were working well in the Hatchery area.  Stan and Dana had a guide’s day on the water and had a good day on the Hare’s ear nymphs.  When they slowed down on this, the size 18 olive midge started working.  When the wind came up and they quit this pattern, the primrose and pearl worked for a while.  Picked up a couple on the size 22 black midge and it was time to get off as a storm was heading our way.

Weather was wonderful, especially yesterday when it was in the 80s after the rain went through.  Today it was again in the 80s but it was a bit windy.  Looks like we have a continuation of 80 degree temperatures through the weekend plus plenty of sunshine.  No chances of rain in the forecast at this time.

Ran the water over the weekend.  Then, turned it off Monday and again today.  As I said before, didn’t make a lot of sense to run it on the weekend and turn it off during the week.  But, the way it fished yesterday and today…..who cares!  Fishing has been grrreat the past two days.  According to the projection, it will be off again tomorrow until 2:00 p.m.  We did get some rain last night.  Remains to be seen as to how much impact it will have on Table Rock, and, in turn, on Taneycomo. 

David - 4/30/12

David, from Oklahoma, decided he wanted to learn how to fly fish, so he contacted us and we provided a one-person fly fishing clinic.  He spent the morning in classroom learning knots, bugs, equipment and a basic understanding of tippets, leaders and the various fly line configurations.  Worked out well as it was raining Monday morning.  Once he got through all this, it was to the water to learn the roll cast and the pick up and lay down cast.  Roll cast came pretty quickly so, it was soon time for him to tie on a fly and work on presentation.  Biggest issue to learn was recognizing a “hit”.  Still some work to do there, but casting definitely improved during the afternoon as well as catching.  I believe he is definitely going home and practice and it a new member of to the sport of fly fishing!   Welcome David! 

Gary - 21" rainbow - 5/1/12

Stan on the water today with Phil of Branson, and his friend, Gary from Kansas.  Living in Kansas, doubt that Gary gets to fish for trout as frequently as Phil.   But he made up for it today.  Nice 21″ rainbow that he caught on the holographic green crackleback.  They had a wonderful day on the crackleback and a size 18 ruby midge.  Almost everyone who came into the shop today had had a great day.  Catching lots of fish on almost everything for the past two days.  It’s been one of those get a fly into the water and you’ll probably catch a fish.  Shannon had great success today on his hot hare  nymph.  He was fishing with Mac who lives at Pointe Royale and Mac was catching on the holographic green crackleback.  Another fellow came in and he had had a awesome day on the size 12 olive wooly bugger.  The WD40, size 14 hare’s ear soft hackle, rusty midge, primrose & pearl midge…the list goes on.  I don’t know if it could get much better.  Better go fishing…soon!

Looks like our best chances for rain will be Sunday or Monday, depending on who you listen to.  After that, we’re out of the wooods until much later in the week or into next week.  Temperatures continue in the 70 to low 80s. 

I think we have things all mixed up.  They have had the generators off for a good while every day this week except Friday, today and, according to the projection, Sunday.  Monday, they are projecting no generation.  Shouldn’t it be just the opposite?  Run during the week and turn it off for the weekend.  Oh well, gives us something to grunch about.

Ed and Sue from Ohio, spent Wednesday morning on the river with Stan.  These folks do quite a bit of fly fishing and had never fish Taneycomo.  They had a good day, especially on the size 14 Hare’s ear soft hackle.  Also caught some on the holographic green crackleback.   Think they liked our fishery and will come back. 

Now what more could a guy ask for than to have three lovely ladies on the “creek” at one time.  Jim spent Thursday morning in the water with Linda, her daughter Pam, and her grand daughter, Reagan, teaching them the fine art of fly fishing.  Everyone caught fish, and they had a great time.  Primrose & pearl midge and blood worm were their pattern’s of the day. 

Cale - 4/26/12

Darrell was in a teaching mode too.  He had Jim and his grandson, Cale out for the morning.  Jim learnd how to fish with us a couple years ago, and thought it was time his grandson learned.  they had a fun and productive day on the ruby midge.  Cale doesn’t say much, but he sure knows how to smile!  Jim and Cale are from Oklahoma.

Friday, Jim took Dwan and his friend Allan out for a half day.  Dwan has fished with Jim several years now and brought Allan to learn what it is all about.  Lots of instruction mixed in with catching.  Another red midge day, with the size 18 dropped off the size 16 one.  also landed some on the bug-eyed bugger. 

Today was a “remember when” day as far as catching is concerned.  Rick and Kritsi from near St. Louis, fish with us several times a year.  Today was one of those casting and catching days.  Lots of fish to the boat, mainly on the big ruby midge.  Also caught some on the crackleback.  There was no wind today and the generators were keeping the level right around 705. feet.  Great drift.

Remember the mayfly hatch I saw Saturday while on the river.  Just got a report from Stan and another fisher who are both on the water right now that the gold beadhead size 14-16 hare’s ear nymph, size 16 pheasant tail nymph, and size 14 hare’s ear soft hackle are all catching very well!

Weather looking good for this week.  70s today with sunshine, but some wind.  Wednesday through Friday looks like 80s with a chance of showers Saturday and Sunday.  Otherwise, temperatures in the mid 70s Saturday dropping to mid 60s Sunday and upper 60s by Monday. 

No generation yesterday until 5:00 p.m.  They were supposed to leave it off again today until 5:00 p.m., but they have been playing with it a little all morning.  They keep blowing the horn for generation, and something comes on for a short time, then nothing….  It was sitting at 702.5 at noon and they are stating zero generators running.  It is supposed to be off again today until 5:00 p.m.

Sorry Rich, I forgot your half day on the water with Dana last week.  Rich and Dana were out with the flotilia we had going last Wednesday.  Think that was the Texas day.  This was one of Dana’s better days.  Rule one with drift boats (I can talk about this as I have done it)…don’t let go of your rope when you launch a boat, especially with three generators going.  Anyway, he caught the boat a little way downstream and was able to get Rich onto the water where he could catch some fish.  Their best pattern was the size 12 cerise San Juan worm.  They did catch a few on a size 14 olive wooly bugger.

Larry - 4/19/12

Larry, from Oklahoma, spent the morning on the water Thursday with Darrell.  They had a really good day on the ruby midge with a red midge dropper,  and the holographic green crackleback stipping under a sink tip.  Jim had Darrin from here in Missouri out for the morning.  They too did well on the red midge and ruby midge dropper as well as a bug-eyed sculpin pattern.

Saturday was another flotilla day.  Darrell on the water with Betty and her friend Courtney.  Dana had the other half of this group, Mac and Courtney’s husband, Bob.  They all had a fun day and caught fish on the red midge, a pink midge, a cerise San Juan worm, and the burgundy midge.  This was a pretty new experience for Bob and Courtney.  Jim had Larry and his son, Jeff out for the day.  Both these guys were brand new to fly fishing.  Jim had them standing in the water getting a real work out on casting, mending, setting hooks and keeping fish on the line to bring them in!  By the end of the day, there was success and they landed several fish on the double red midge rig as well as a golden sculpin.  Stan also had a couple new fly fishers on the water, Geoff and Tony.  Same scenario, casting, mending, setting hooks and keeping them there.  Takes a while, but once you get the hang of it, it’s fish to the boat.  Their best flies were the red midge and stripping the holographic green crackleback.  Last, but not

Gordon - 4/21/12

least, Carolyn had JP and Gordon out for the day.   Most of our fish were caught on the red midge with a fl. pink San Juan worm dropper.  We caught a few on the olive wooly bugger, but couldn’t find a really good spot for stripping.   We saw a beautiful mayfly hatch on the bank below Fall Creek Dock.  Probably a size 14.

JP and the flipper - 4/21/12

 Sunday was a “cacklecraft” day.  Gerrie and Holly from Columbia, MO spent the day with Carolyn.  Both new fly fishers who prevailed over the gusty, windy day.  With the wind coming right up and down the river, it was very difficult to get your fly line out very far, especially if you’re new to the sport.  So, we improvised.  Cast it into the current then wiggle, wiggle the line to get more out to drift with the current.  Get enough out and it was strip, strip, and set the hook on the size 12 olive wooly bugger.  Holly is going to be a natural stripper.  Think there are two more women fly fishers on the water!  On the drift out, and earlier in the day, we caught fish on the ruby midge with the fl. pink San Juan dropper, but both ladies preferred pulling the bugger. 

Gerrie - 4/22/12

 OMG – they turned the water off Monday and the fish thought it was a holiday.  So did several of the local fly fishers.  It was Shannon’s day off and he was wearing out his arm catching fish on his hot hare nymph.  Mac was standing just a little upstream from him catching them on the holographic green crackleback both with and and a while without hackle.  After a while it wasn’t all holographic green as they had worn off the green and it was half silver and no hackle!  Another customer was catching them on the primrose & pearl midge and I spoke to a couple fishers down below the boat ramp in the shallows area above Trophy Run who were having a good day on a partridge and yellow soft hackle.  Talked to Darrell earlier, who was up between outlets one and two and he was catching on the big ugly with the P&P dropper.  I had a wonderful couple hours on the primrose & pearl midge and a soft hackle once I gave up on pulling streamers.  Water is off again today as I mentioned earlier and I’m hearing from fishers coming in who have been fishing, that it is another good day.  Stan is out there pulling them in on the crackleback!  Tough duty.

Just had to let everyone know that, as projected, the generators are off as I write. They are supposed to be off until around 5:00 p.m…..that remains to be seen.  Hope it happens as I’m going fishing.

Weather will be crisp this morning, but we should have mid 60s today and lots of sunshine.  Hope we don’t have the wind we had yesterday.  Tough fishing in all that wind.

Will get a post up later today.  Fishing, overall, has been good with the high water.  Would like to see how it is going to be with the low water.  Once the fish get used to it, bet it will be good.

What can I say about the weather.  Blue skies, sunshine, wind (we’re getting used to that) and nice temperatures.  However, a change in the near forecast.  Looks like some scattered thunderstorms late tonight and tomorrow morning.  Worse part of tomorrow will be winds….again…or still!  Also a drop in the temperature for tomorrow with mid 60s.  Saturday looks clear with mid 60s again, but from Sunday through the coming week looks sunny, warm and dry.

Very little non-generation time over the past week.  Off for a few hours very early Monday morning and again Tuesday morning.  We have the equivalent of two generators most of today.  Table Rock is about half a foot above power pool and Beaver is just a little over half a foot above power pool.  Once we get everyone to power pool, we might see a change in generation pattern….please note I said might!

From the trips we have had on the water the past few days, it seems Texas has moved.  The exceptions were Wanda and Joanna who spent Monday morning on the water with Carolyn.  Not a great day for these two, they usually catch a big fish or lots of normal fish.  Monday was none of the above, but they did catch some fish.  It was a great day except for the pollen laying in certain area on the water.  Some areas could not be fished caught the pollen was causing us a bit of grief.  Best pattern was the ruby midge.  Jim had David and Pam, from Texas, out for a full day of learning and catching.  This was David’s birthday present….Happy Birthday David!  Worked on casting, and hooking them and keeping them.  Best patterns were a black/olive bugger, crystal sowbug and the gray scud.

Tuesday, it was Stan, Darrell and Jim on the water with Dan, Rick, Lou, Richard, Jim and Russ.  Most of these guys were from Texas.  Obviously, with a group like this, they had a hoot of a day. Stan’s guys (Dan and Rick) had a good day on the red midge, olive wooly bugger and late in the day, the Primrose & Pearl midge.  Darrell’s guys (Lou & Richard) did well on the ruby midge and the olive wooly bugger.  Jim’s guys (Jim & Russ) had a good day on the red midge, a crystal sowbug, an olive bug-eyed bugger and a red San Juan worm. 

Mountain Dance - 4/18/12

Yesterday, Jack and Mary Kay…..from Texas were on the water with Stan and their friend, Carolyn (also from Texas), was with Carolyn.  Carolyn is half Cherokee so we called her by her indian name, Mountain Dance.  All good fly flingers and we had a beautiful day, catching fish on the red midge, the fl pink San Juan worm and a size 12 olive wooly bugger.  What a fun day on the water with Mountain Dance!