Hope Your New Year Is Off To A Great Start!

February 6th, 2023

Just noticed that I failed to post this last month.  A little late!  Hope my New Year gets off to a better start!  LOL!

For the new year we have had a mix of weather.  Overall, it has been good.  A few wet, windy days, but several days in the 50s up to the low 70s.  January?  I’ll take it.  We have a few cooler days ahead.  Definitely in the 40s and might even see some upper 30s.

They continue to have the water off most of the day.  One unit on this morning for three hours then off until 5:00 p.m. when they will run 2-4 units over a 5 hour span.  Then, off again until early tomorrow morning.

Only one trip out so far this year.  Carolyn took Tim and Teresa from North Carolina out for half a day on one of our low 70s days.  Fun day!  Teresa had never thrown a fly rod and thought she wanted to learn.  Think she is now hooked!  We worked on roll cast and the pick up and lay down cast.  She’s looking good so she earned a fly.  First fish was on the ruby 2 midge!  Tim hooked his first fish stripping the tiger tail.  After Teresa had a few more hits we changed Tim out to the ruby 2 midge and he started keeping up with her.

With the low water, lots of folks are fishing.  We have been getting good reports on catching.  A few days mixed in where it not great, but over all, catching is very good.

Great End To 2022 and Great Start To 2023!

January 3rd, 2023

Got through that cold spell and have been having some wonderful weather.  Days in the 50s and 60s…think s couple sneaked into the low 70s.  Lots of sunshine.  Got a good drenching yesterday and last night, but forecasts look clear for the coming week and into the weekend.  Slight chances 20% showing up here and there, but they usually fade.  Right now it is 60 degrees outside with lots of sunshine and NO wind!

Seeing lots of no generation time.  Over the New Year, I think we had no generation Saturday and Sunday.  There was no generation yesterday and that is the projection again for today.  Lots of wading time!!

Carolyn on the water last Tuesday with Sara and Joe.  Fun and good day fishing the black copperhead and ruby 2 midges.  Joe’s first cast caught him a nice 19 inch rainbow.

Joe – 12/27/22

After that, it was nothing.  Sara was in front catching all the fish on exactly the same flies that Joe was fishing.    Joe was not even getting much in the way of hits.  So I changed him to the white mega worm and he finally started catching some fish.

Charles and Tom fished with Dana Wednesday.  With no generation, they fished mainly from the root wad down to the boat ramp.  Had a good day fishing the ruby 2 midge.

Parker – 12/29/22

Brian – 12/29/22

Thursday, Brian and his son, Parker with with Dana.  They mainly fished the Rockin’ Chair and boat ramp areas with the ruby 2 and black copperhead midges.

Rhonda – 12/30/22

Rhonda and Stewart fished with Carolyn Friday.  This was Rhonda’s first time with a fly rod so we did a little basic practicing before going after fish.  Fun day!  Always good to see a new fly fisher on the water.  Had them drifting the ruby 2 and black copperhead midges.  Rhonda hooked into the biggest fish of the day, amongst several others, and did a great job of playing the fish and getting it to the net!

Both Thursday and Saturday, Dean from Kansas fished with Carolyn.  This is his second New Year’s eve day fly fishing with us.  Two fun and catching days.  Both days, we found the fish to be spotty.

Dean – 12/31/22

Drift and catch several fish in an area, then nothing so you moved until you found another pod.  Just kept doing this and finished up with a couple of pretty good days!  Several nice fish but nothing over 20 inches.  Maybe next New Year’s eve.

That was the end of 2022.  Now for a great start to 2023!  A tradition of the River Runners Women’s Fly Fishing group has been to start the New Year standing in the water.  This tradition continues and about 10 ladies were standing in the water this year having a great time.  Everyone brought at least one fish to the net.  Weather was wonderful and it was a very good fishing/catching day.  Most of the fish were caught on either a Tiger Tail or the JQ streamer using an intermediate sinking leader.

RRWFF – 1/1/2023

A couple of the gals are pretty new to fly fishing and had never pulled streamers before so this was certainly a great learning process for them.

 

 

 

Merry Christmas!

December 20th, 2022

Currently having some nice days.  Temperatures in the 40s.  However!  Thursday we are expecting snow and temperatures will drop down to possibly zero degrees!  Friday is not much better.  No snow but temperatures around 7 degrees for the high and minus 4 degrees for for low.  Good news is that Saturday we should make it into the teens and mid 20s by Saturday.  Gonna be a little nippy out there.

We continue to see generators for a few hours in the morning, off for five to six hours then back on around 5:00 p.m.  With this cold weather coming in, it will probably change as there will be an increased need for power to keep all of us warm.

Have not had boats on the water for about a week now.   However, on those days that are tolerable and with the off generator time, several fishers on the water.  Most reports are of good days to really good days.  Of course, scuds, but still midges, ruby 2 and black copperhead.  Streamers, including black or olive wooly buggers.

We wish everyone a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy Fish!

December 7th, 2022

We have had a few pretty nice days.  Looks like mid 50s today with chance of showers by evening.  Upper 50s tomorrow with rain in the morning then cloudy with a few showers tomorrow.  Friday is mid 50s and no rain.  We go into the weekend with low 50 mid 50s. but rain likely in the morning Saturday.

We continue to see two to three generators for four to five hours in the morning.  Off by 11:00 or noon for six to eight hours then back on for four to five hours during the evening.  Watching the dissolved oxygen numbers, they are going up and the fish are definitely more active.

Randy – 11/29/22 – 26-1/2″

Jim on the water last Tuesday with Randy and Dave from Kansas.  Great day for them.  Randy hooked his best rainbow ever on a sculpin pattern.  They also caught some on the black copperhead midge and a bloodworm dropper.

Sunday, Carolyn took Dick and his friend Don out for half a day.  Great start to the trip as the fish were hitting the black copperhead midge pretty steadily.  Also hooked a few on the ruby 2.

Dick – 12/4/22

Around 3:00 p.m. or so, they decided they had lockjaw and they wouldn’t take anything we tried.

Had our first fly tying session last Saturday.  Good turnout and everyone went home with scuds and wooly buggers they tied.  If you’re interested in learning, give us a call and get on the schedule.  Class sizes are limited.

 

Table Rock is Turning

November 27th, 2022

Have had some pretty nice days.  Temperatures in the 50s and very little wind.  Did get some rain Thursday and again yesterday evening.  Tomorrow should be in the upper 50s and Tuesday in the 60s!  However, Wednesday and Thursday look like mid 40s…..then back into the 50 for a few days.

Very little generation over the weekend.   One or two units for a few hours here and there and then off for the balance of the day.  Water has been off color for a while after they run the generators and we are seeing much improvement in the dissolved oxygen level in Taneycomo.  Thus, the statement that Table Rock is turning.  This process takes several days, but once it is all settled and done, fishing should start being more consistent.

Marek and Gillian fished with Darren Tuesday afternoon after the generators shut down.  Lots of oxygen and good fishing.  Black copperhead and ruby 2 midges!

Dana on the water last Wednesday with Robert, and his mother, Brenda.  These folks from Illinois took the Orvis school here at River Run back in 2021.  Came back to practice some of what they learned.  Good day for them on the black copperhead and ruby 2 midges.

Jim and Blake from Louisiana, fished with Jim last Friday.  They had fished with him the previous Monday and wanted to do it

Matt – 11/25/22

again!  Black copperhead and ruby midges with blood worm dropper were their best patterns.  Dana had Matt and Jeff out for

Jeff – 11/25/22

the morning.  Another black copperhead and ruby 2 midge day.  Carolyn had one of her regular, regulars, Dean on the water.  Tough day for them.  Roe egg pattern and black copperhead midge got them a few fish.

Some Warmer Weather!!

November 22nd, 2022

Hit 60 degrees here today!  Yeah!  Expecting another upper 50s, low 60s tomorrow.  Thursday through Saturday will be in the low to mid 50s but there is a chance for rain each of those days.  Sunday will be mid to upper 50s and a slight chance for rain.  Next week……60s!!!

Running water during the early morning hours and shutting back around noon.  Yesterday, they were supposed to shut back at noon but they shut it off.  Today, it looks like they are following the projection and shutting it back.

Dana on the water last Wednesday with Lewis from Oklahoma.  It was so cold, they only stayed out a couple hours.  Caught a few fish on the holographic green crackleback. Gary was out on a wade trip with another Gary.  Gary is new to fly fishing and wanted to learn.  Our Gary took him to a couple spots where he could wade and he learned a lot and caught several fish on an orange egg pattern and the black copperhead midge.

Thursday, Dana had Sam from Texas on the water.  Tough day, but they caught a few on the ruby 2 midge and the holographic green crackleback.

Looking at the numbers, it would appear that Table Rock Lake is turning.  The dissolved oxygen levels have definitely been much higher the past several days than we have see for a while.

Bitterly Cold Saturday!!!

November 14th, 2022

Miserable this past Saturday.  Today was not great, but the wind laid down, the sun was out and the temperatures were in the mid 40s.  What a difference!  Looks like we are in for a run of 30s and 40s days over the next week with chances of rain Monday.

Generation schedule has changed a little.  Running some water during the morning hours, then off for 5-6 hours and back on for a few hours late in the day.

Jim on the later last Tuesday with Ron and Bob from Arkansas.  Pretty good day for them on the ruby or olive midges and a gray scud.

Dana out Thursday with Jeff from Lake Tapawingo.  Good day for Jeff on the ruby 2 midge.

Mark and Bud fished with Jim Friday.  They had a good day on the black copperhead midge and the blood worm.

Alexandra – 11/12/22

Cold Saturday, Alexandra and Brent fish with Dana.  Good day for them on the ruby 2 midge.

This was the weekend for the River Runners Women’s Fly Fishing Club to come home to Branson.  This event happens every year in November.  Twenty-one ladies gathered at the shop Friday evening to meet and greet.  Lots of snacks and lots of hugs and “glad to see you again” that evening.  We even had our own entertainment! The next morning, we all met at the shop. Several brought items to eat and we had breakfast fit for a king.  More meet and greet, tied some flies and waited for the generators to shut down.  Once that happened it was to the river to fish and freeze.  We finished off the day with a hot meal!

Friday was Gina’s birthday.  How about this for a birthday present!

More Beautiful Weather This Week!

November 6th, 2022

We’re looking at great weather this week.  Temperatures in the Low 70s and lots of sunshine.  Unfortunately, by Friday we will probably see some rain and temperatures will drop to the mid 50s Friday and through the weekend.  Looks like chances of rain are part of this cool down.

Still seeing periods of generation during the morning hours and late afternoon during the week.  Yesterday had zero generation and today we have a little for a couple hours this morning and again during the last afternoon.  Otherwise, no generation.  Monday has two units in the morning for five hours and then nothing the rest of the day.

Robert – 11/3/22

Darren out Monday and Wednesday with Robert from Florida.  Couple good days for Robert.  It was gray scuds, soft hackles, and the black copperhead midge for them.

Back To Beautiful Weather!

November 1st, 2022

Gorgeous days!  Back to 70s and sunny.  Expecting some rain late Friday night and into Saturday early morning.  Cooler Saturday and Sunday (60s) but then back into the low 70s Monday and Tuesday.  Wednesday and Thursday the temps are dropping into the upper 50s and low 60s.

Water during the weekdays has been a little spastic.  On for a while in the morning, then off.  Back on early afternoon.  Saturday they had the water off most of the day.  Ran for a few hours in the middle of the day.  Sunday it did not come on until late.

Jim on the water last Friday with Mark and Bernie from Georgia.  They had a good day on the ruby midge and a dark gray scud.  Water was a little up and down, but they stayed with it.

Saturday, Darren took Daryl and Jessie out for half a day.  A good day for them on a scud/sow bug rig.

Thomas and Laura from Texas went on a wade trip with Dana Tuesday.  Louise is just getting started and they caught fish on the ruby 2 and black copperhead midges.  Mike and Jan from Oklahoma fished with Jim.  It was a scud day for them.

 

 

 

Looks Like Rain Moving In!

October 23rd, 2022

Sunday may be our last sunny day for a couple of days.  Not complaining, as we certainly do need some rain!  Today is beautiful!  Bright sun and temperature in the low 80s.  Monday and Tuesday the prediction is rain and temperatures moving down to low 60s by Tuesday.  Low to mid 60s most of next week and into the weekend.

Dana on the water this past Wednesday and Thursday with one of his regulars, George.  George said this was his last “who rah” for the season.  He had a couple of good days to end his season, on the ruby 2 under the big ruby and the mega worm.  Jim out Thursday with Joel.  Good day for Joel on the ruby, scud and JQ streamer.

Tom from Ohio fished with Dana Friday.  He had a good day on the ruby 2 midge.

Mike – 10/21/22

Gina had Mike and Kent.  They were catching on the red midge under the big ruby and stripping a JQ streamer.  Jim had Matt and

Kent – 10/21/22

he was catching on the black copperhead midge and a scud.  Good, fun day for everyone!

Saturday Dana fished Jamie and Tanya from Oklahoma.  They had a good day on the black copperhead midge.

Still lots of no generation days.  Although the projection for yesterday was for no generation, they did fire up a unit or two for a while.  Looks like they may have injected some liquid oxygen f0r the fish!  Yeah!


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