I received a new fly fishing catalogue in the mail yesterday that featured no less than fourteen different brands of fly rods. For each brand there were dozens of different models, lengths, weights and number of pieces. I thought to myself, how any new or even experienced angler could make a decision with so many options. Of all of the decisions facing the fly fisher, this is easily the most complicated. With the cost of some rods exceeding several thousand dollars, making the wrong decision can be an expensive mistake. There are a lot of criteria to consider.

During the past week, we have had no discernable rain and a bit cooler temperatures. The skies have been sunny and there has been little wind. The best time to fish has been early morning. The lake level at Bull Shoals Dam fell eight tenths of a foot to rest at seven tenths of a foot below power pool of 654.00 feet. This is forty one and seven tenths feet below the top of flood pool.

Just checked weather.com's 10-day forecast for the Branson area, and it says we're in for some lower temperatures this next week. May be we've seen the end of triple digits this summer. Good for the angler even though the trout have not seemed to care. What this will affect is generation patterns. We may see less flows. Instead of four units later in the afternoon, we may see two units or fewer. But you never know with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Today one unit has been running all day with a planned bump up to three units later.

The weather is hot but the fishing is hotter, and White River anglers of all skill levels and experience are enjoying some of the best summer fly fishing in recent (or distant) memory. For the last three years, water releases on both the White and Norfork have been all day everyday with very few breaks. Although this scenario wreaked havoc with fishermen intent on wading, such conditions are ideal for rapid trout growth, and we are now reaping the benefit of those incessant flows. The first part of this year offered up a few breaks in this pattern, but when all the lakes in the White River System reached normal levels early this summer, flows were reduced during most nights with the bulk of heavy water restricted to the heat of the afternoon.