Great three days we have had this week.  However, it looks like we might get some rain, especially tomorrow….even severe.  Tuesday looks nice with slight chances for rain and temperatures in the upper 80s.  Wednesday shows increased for rain again with temperatures remaining in the 80s.  Thursday and Friday look dry and warm.  By the weekend and into early next week, 50/50 chances for rain again.

Non-stop generation for the past four days.  It has been fairly low during that time period with only one or two units running and when they have had two units going, it has always been less than a full two.  The projection for tomorrow is more of the same; less than a full unit all day until 2:00 p.m. when they will ramp up to two units for 3-4 hours.

With this low flow we have been having, we knew it was make for a great drift speed and probably some good fishing.  However, it has been tough.  Stan was on the water Friday with Chuck from the Sikeston area.  Half a day and they worked hard for their fish.  The best pattern was the white grub.

Saturday, Stan took Larry and Jackie from Virginia out for half a day.  Another tough day but they did catch fish….again on the white grub.  Jim’s guy, Henry, from Michigan spent the day on the water with the tiger tail, shad pattern and white grub.  Not a bang up days, but they brought several fish to the boat and had a good time.

Connie – 5/8/16

Sunday was another day.   Carolyn took Connie and David, from Oklahoma out for half a day.  First 45 minutes to hour was totally nothing.  I’m drifting areas I haven’t drifted for a long while.  Tried several patterns with nothing.  What’s the brightest thing in the box?  Chartreuse egg pattern!  Yes, our water is still off colored.

David – 5/8/16

Put one on David’s line and I think it was his first cast and we finally brought a fish to the boat.  After a minor disaster was taken care of (lost the anchor) Connie got a chartreuse egg and the catch was on.  Several of the fish were so fat we had a hard time getting our hands around them.  Good day on the water.  But as we were saying earlier in the day when nothing was happening, any days on the water is a good day….catching fish or not!

Weather has been beautiful.  Upper 60s to mid 70s with sunny skies.  We are looking at more of the same through the weekend.  After today, we will see 80s through Sunday.  Unfortunately, Monday through Wednesday have rain chances each day.  Temperatures are still holding in the 80s, but it might be a weight 80s.

No generation in the a.m. both Tuesday and yesterday.  We do have a low one unit running today, but it probably is not enough to really mess up the fishing.  Hoping we will se no generation tomorrow and again this weekend.

Several of our customers have been coming in to restock on the holographic green crackleback.  Seems they are hitting that pattern really well, especially just drifting it in the film with an occasional strip.  Also working on the sink tip stripping it, but not as well as just in the film.

More of the same coming off the guide trips.  Absolutely awesome days.  Bob and his wife, Sandy, fished with Stan again this year.  They went out on Monday and definitely topped the very good time they had on their last trip.

Tuesday, Stan took Brooks and his son Brad out for almost a full day.  They started up the generators around 7:00 a.m. so we knew the water was trashed.  We suggested they wait for a little while, so the guys hung around the shop for a  couple hours after their scheduled 8:00 a.m. start and got to the water until 10:00 a.m.  Great plan.  The generators had turned off and the water was dropping.  Wonderful day for Brooks and Brad.  A tan filoplume and white grub were their best patterns.

Dana took Jeff out Wednesday morning for half a day.  Crackleback, tan filoplume and white grub were their patterns.  Another really outstanding trip.  It’s going to slow down some time, but in the meantime, we are certainly enjoying it.

If you see the schedule is for the water to be off, you better get out there and fish.  You will not be sorry.

Beautiful day yesterday.  And, we are having another one again today!  Very slight chances for rain tomorrow morning.  Then, cloudy most of the day with temperatures in the mid 60s.  Tuesday the sun starts peeking out with temperatures in the upper 6os and by Wednesday through Saturday, it’s lots of sunshine and 70s to 80s are back.

As of May 1 power pool on Table Rock went to 916.0 feet.  So, we are currently just a little under power pool.  Unless we get a bunch of rain or it starts warming up somewhere to require power, we should continue to see some off time on the generators.

It has been fishing very good here over the past few weeks.  However, yesterday was exceptionally hot as far as fishing goes.  Jim had a couple guys from here in Missouri, Kevin and Steve, out for most of the day.  A bunch of fish, including a nice 20″ rainbow.  Most were on a shad pattern or the tiger tail.  Stan’s guys, Gary and Gerry, also had a bunch of fish day including a 17-1/2 incher.  Fun day for everyone and I bet everyone slept well last night as they were worn out!

Just a reminder – If you know of anyone who would like to get a good start with fly fishing, we are having a full day fly fishing clinic May 14.  We start from the beginning with equipment, then knots, a little about bugs and reading water.  After lunch, it’s off to the river to learn basic casting and line management.  Everyone will learn at least two different presentation methods – nymphing and streamers.  Check under http://www.riverrunoutfitters.com/fly-school/ for more information

A little rainy yesterday, and it looks like we might get a little more tonight.  Tomorrow looks nice with lots of sunshine.  Monday through Friday might have a little cooler temperatures then we have been having, but still in the upper 60s.  Just slight chances for moisture.

Glad to say that we continue to see lots of no generation time during the day.  Today the projection is zero all day.  Tomorrow they might fire up less than a full unit around 9:00 p.m. for one hour.  Monday afternoon will see a few hours of generation, but the morning looks like zero.

Jim took John and Jaimi out for a full day of instructional fishing on Wednesday.  They had a fun day of learning and catching on the tiger tail and a filoplume.  Lynn and Bret, also from Oklahoma (John and Jaimi are from OK) spent a good part of the day on the water learning

Lynn – 4/27/16

with Carolyn.  We almost had to drag Lynn off the water!  Good, fun day for these two on the lightning bug, black copperhead midge, ruby 2 midge, tiger tail and filoplume.

Bret – 4/27/16

We tried to work on everything!

Thursday, Jim took Johnathan out for a full day of learning.  He had just finished the Orvis school at Dogwood Canyon and wanted to reinforce everything with a day on the water.  Still working on his hook set, but he had a lot better grasp of presentation techniques  after the day on the water fly fishing.  It was a tiger tail and filoplume day for him.

Temperatures in the 70s and 80sthrough next weekend.  Rain has been threatening all day but seems to be moving into late tonight or early tomorrow morning.  Thursday looks dry, but rain rears its head again Friday and Saturday.  Slight chances from Sunday through Friday.

Water off most of the day.  Yesterday and again today, they started it up around 1:00 and ramped up some more an hour later.  Tomorrow’s projection is for no generation until 4:00 p.m. or so.

Mike from Kansas out on the water again with Stan last Friday.  Great day for Mike on a shad pattern and the holographic green crackleback.  He really had fun with the crackleback.

Saturday, Jim had Alex our for half a day.  He had a really good day too.  Gina and Carolyn were off contaminating a great group of ladies with the art of fly fishing.  MAKO Fly Fishing Club out of Joplin organized women’s clinic that was held at the Walter Woods Conservation Area just west of Joplin.  Nice meeting facilities and a POND with fish in it!  We are about to see several more ladies throwing nice lines on the river.

Rick and Bill spent most of Monday on the river with Stan.  Very good day for these guys even though they messed with the water all day.  One unit on for a while then off, then on again, etc. etc.  Jim had Randy and Doug from Oklahoma out on the up and down water.  They did well mainly on the Tiger Tail.

Jim – 4/26/16

Becky’s 1st on fly rod – 4/26/16

Gina out today with Jim, aka Wednesday Jim.  Only did half a day today as the water was coming on at 2:00 and it really has been trashing up when they first start up the water.   It was the black copperhead zebra midge or tan filoplume.  George and Becky spent the morning on the water with Carolyn.  George is pretty new to fly fishing and Becky is brand new.  We went through the normal routine of roll cast, then pick up and lay down cast, and some line management.  It seemed to be starting out a little slow in the early part of the morning, but things definitely picked up later in the morning.  We caught fish on soft hackles and a tan filoplume.  George’s almost last fish of the day was a nice 19″ plus rainbow

George – 4/26/16

Forecast is for great weather this weekend.   Upper 70s Saturday and 80s for Sunday.  Looks like the rain may stay away until Tuesday late, but Wednesday is still showing possibility of showers..  However, temperatures will be in the 80s all next week.

Pattern so far is a couple units on in the early a.m. for 2-3 hours then off until late in the day.  Back on for a few hours and off the remainder of the night.

Robert – 4/20/16

Wednesday, Stan took Robert, from Kansas City out for half a day.  Robert’s father and brother were fishing with another guide and he decided he wanted to go fishing too!  Very good day for Robert which included an 18 inch plus rainbow.

Jim and Stan took a group of guys from Iowa out for half a day.  Stan had Mike and Tom.  They had a super day on the white grub and shad patterns.  Jim’s guys are new to fly fishing, so after a bit of instruction, they had a great day on the tiger tail and shad patterns.

Malcolm – 4/21/16

Darrell had one of his long time regulars, Malcolm, on the water all day.  Fantastic day for Malcolm as you can see from his nice 24″ rainbow.

Weather is great.  Temperatures in the 70s today and Friday.  80s and sunshine are forecast for the weekend!  Next week looks like 80s but chances for showers start sneaking in with better chances starting Wednesday into the following weekend.

Generation continues to be off during most of the day.  With rain in the forecast for next week, this might change.

Awesome!  Fishing with the generators off has just been awesome.  Stan out last Saturday with Matt and his son, Matt.  This was young Matt’s first with a fly rod and he had a great time and caught a good number of fish.  Word was he out fished his Dad.

Sunday, Jim took Paul and Ryan out for a half day instructional trip.  They caught fish on the JQ and tiger tail streamers.  Jim, from Illinois spent half a day on the water with Stan.  Started out good on catching, but at 10:00 a.m., they turned on a generator and the water really turned to dirt!  That along with the high winds, finished off the day.

Terry – 4/19/16

Terry from Oklahoma decided he wanted to learn how to fly fish.  So, Tuesday, he spent the morning in the water with Carolyn.   We worked on the roll cast, basic cast and a little on shooting line  Terry’s efforts paid off as he started catching fish with his first cast.  Really good day for Terry  Ruby II, holographic green crackleback, and the tiger tail were his flies for the morning.  I think he’s “hooked”.  “Going home and practice!”

Upper 70s and clouds moving in and out today.  Tomorrow it looks like a 70% chance for rain with temperatures in the lower 70s.  That trend seems to be running through Wednesday of next week.  By Thursday, the chances for showers drop dramatically (20%) with temperatures in the mid 70s.  Friday through the weekend are great!  Upper 70s Friday and mid 80s Saturday and Sunday.  Time to hit the water!

Not sure what to say about the generation.  Yesterday, and again today, they had no generation until 10:00 a.m. when they turned on one unit.  That is scheduled to remain on until 8:00 p.m.  However, yesterday they cut it way back around 4:00 p.m. then shut it off at 9:00 p.m.  Monday they are projecting two units on for three hours beginning at 7:00 a.m. then off until 6:00 p.m.

Jim – 4/14/16

Stan again on the water with Jim and Marie on Thursday.  A little tougher on Thursday as the

Marie – 4/14/16

water was going up and down, but they pulled off another very good day.

Both Friday and Saturday, Carolyn had JP and his father, George on the water for half a day.  Friday, one unit was running all day.  With the water being stable all day, it certainly fished well for us.  We floated the boat ramp bank several times with great results.  Several 16″ to 19″ healthy, fat rainbows.  Saturday, we got on the water before the generator started.  It was a hoot.  Since the water was off, we found a good looking spot and got out of the boat.  Good water for streamers,

JP- 4/15/16

so JP was stripping the tiger tail with a filoplume as a second fly.  At one time, he hooked up with a fish on both flies at one time!  George was just a little

George – 4/16/16

below him stripping the holographic green crackleback and catching as many or more, but with only one fly, he never got a double!  Another fun day until the horn blew.  After that, it was over an hour before we finally picked up a few more fish.  Dana had Brent and his wife, Jackie on the water for what was to have been a full day.  This was their first time with a fly rod and Jackie caught her first brown and a nice 17 inch rainbow.  She is hooked!  Unfortunately, after the water came on and fishing turned south, Dana decided it best to have lunch and call it a day.  If they had not turned on the generator, it would have been an outstanding day!

Gina on the Missouri – 4/8/16

Yes, our trip to Montana was Great!  We had a great day on the Missouri River.  Lots of nice fish, great weather and lots of fun!

Carolyn on the Missouri – 4/8/16

We certainly have been having some great weather here.  Today is a bit overcast, but temperatures will be in the low 70s.  Saturday and Sunday will see 70s and sun peeking out on Sunday.  Next week temperatures will remain in the 70s to 80s by mid week.  Chances of showers Tuesday and Wednesday.

Lower generation has been the rule for the past couple days.  Since Sunday, we have seen no or one unit for most of the day, especially after 10:00 a.m.  We are definitely at power pool on Table Rock.

Dana, Darrell and Stan took the Texas gang out the past Sunday.  Good day for all the guys.  Dana had Lou and Rich.  It was a shad pattern, white grub and white jig for them.  Darrell’s guys. Richard and Larry, mainly caught on a shad.  Stan had Dan and Tom.  This was Tom’s first experience in a drift boat and they had a pretty good flow going that day.

Tuesday, Jim’s regulars, Marge and Price, spent the morning on the water with him.  Very good day for these two stripping the tiger tail.  I think this was one of our no generation days!  Stan had Marie and Jim, from Florida out for the day.  Really good day for them too on a green Copper John, shad, and ruby 2.

Jan – 4/13/16

Mike and Jan, from Oklahoma, fished with Carolyn on Tuesday.  These two have fish with me for over 10 years now.  Both are very good fishers and just love to catch fish, so we did just that.  Right out of the chute Jane caught a nice on their first day.  More certainly were to follow.  Wednesday, we continued to catch nice fish and they doubled up at least twice.

Jan & Mike – 4/14/16

Looks like the weather will continue to be pretty nice.  Low 70s tomorrow with upper 60s Friday and Saturday.  No rain.  By Sunday and Monday we are looking at pretty good chances for rain and temperatures in the 70s.  After that, next week looks nice…upper 60s and sunshine.  Friday is sunny and mid 70s but rain is showing up again for the weekend.  Oh well…that’s a ways away.

We continue to see two to three units most every day for at least part of the day.  Today they ran two units all day and they are supposed to run three units for a while tomorrow morning then cut it back to one unit for several hours.

It’s been a busy guide week.  Stan on the water Monday with Marv & Rich.  Despite the 3 units and high wind, they managed to pull some fish on a big ruby or various shad patterns.

Jim – 4/5/16

Yesterday we have four boats on the water.  Gina had her Wednesday Jim out on Tuesday?!  Think he decided the weather every Wednesday was always terrible so he’d try a different day.  They had a good day on the water despite the on with three units, drop to one unit, they back up to three again AND the wind!  They fished the mega worm, chartreuse egg, pink/cerise San Juan worm and a tan filoplume.   Stan took Larry, from Iowa, out for half a day.  Larry fished with Stan a couple years ago and was ready to try it again.  Good day for them on shad patterns.  Darrell had Kent and his friend John out in the wind.  They too had a good day; pretty much the same patterns, big ruby and shads.  What a day to try teach new fly fishers!  Carolyn had Brett and his son, Leighton, from Georga on the water.  They really wanted to learn as much as catch.  We worked on casting into the wind…..of course, roll casting,

Leighton – 4/5/16

and definitely hooked and played a few fish.  Both did very well despite the conditions.  I do think we have a couple new fly fishers in the works.  They just won’t know how to act on a calm day.  What a fun day!

Gina and I are heading for Missoula, Montana to attend the Orvis Guide Rendezvous.  We will be fishing one of the many river out there on Friday, and hopefully again on Sunday.  Time for us to let someone row us around in a drift boat!   Back to the real world Monday.