River Journal
Get the next river report.
Three times a week, when Dan logs a new report, we'll send the flow, water temperature, hatch notes, and a link to the full entry.
The Stairs Showed Again
"Thursday the stairs were gone. This morning they showed — two thousand two-seventy around eight. Then the river put some water back. Three thousand one-seventy, and still climbing."
The Stairs Went Under
"Tuesday we walked the bar. This afternoon the stairs were gone again. Seven thousand, falling a little, but still enough weight to talk over the porch."
Soft Water on the Gravel
"Saturday we still had a little water over the stones. This morning the bar had grown. Eighteen-ninety, and you could walk where the boat had sat."
Quiet Drifts Under the Willow
"Thursday's extra water was already gone. Two thousand three hundred, every stone showing again, and the willow shade was the only honest cover left."
Steady Pull Through the Run
"After a skinny week of counting stones, the river put some water back. Not a flood — just a useful pull through the run, and enough current to hide a boot."
Thin Water, Careful Steps
"The river had not put any water back. From the boat you could still count the stones. We shortened the leader and watched where we set our feet."
The Quiet Inside Lane
"Clear water below the stairs, every rock showing. The fish made us shorten the cast and soften the step."
Good Water Below the Porch
"No grand event, just a useful steady drift: clean seams, small bugs, and enough fish to keep us honest."
Big Current, Small Windows
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
High Water Under the Bluff
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Weight in the Morning Run
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Fast Water at the Bend
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Stained Water, Short Drifts
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
The Middle Seam Kept Giving
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
The Bank Water Held
"High water pushed hard through the middle. The softer bank water held just enough room for a slow drift."
A Heavy Push Past the Stairs
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Brown Water at the Inside Turn
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Heavy Seams Below the Willows
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
The River Carries Weight
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Dark Seams Under the Sycamores
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
A Push Against the Gravel
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Big Current, Small Windows
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
High Water Under the Bluff
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Weight in the Morning Run
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Fast Water at the Bend
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Stained Water, Short Drifts
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
The Bank Water Held
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
First Shade, Last Drift
"The main river hurried past. Along the near bank, one quiet strip held long enough to fish clean."
A Heavy Push Past the Stairs
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Brown Water at the Inside Turn
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
The Gravel Made One Quiet Lane
"The river ran broad and tea-colored past the gravel. The only honest water was the narrow cushion at the inside turn."
The River Carries Weight
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Cloud Light on the Heavy River
"Clouds kept the glare off the heavy water. The only useful lane was close enough to reach without forcing it."
The Willow Pocket Held
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Dark Seams Under the Sycamores
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
High Water Under the Bluff
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Heavy Seams Below the Willows
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
A Push Against the Gravel
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Weight in the Morning Run
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Fast Water at the Bend
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Stained Water, Short Drifts
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
A Heavy Push Past the Stairs
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Big Current, Small Windows
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Brown Water at the Inside Turn
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
A Plain, Useful Drift
"No grand event, just a useful steady drift: clean seams, small bugs, and enough fish to keep us honest."
Clear Edges Below the Bluff
"Clear water below the stairs, every rock showing. The fish made us shorten the cast and soften the step."
The River Carries Weight
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
The Bank Water Held
"High water pushed hard through the middle. The softer bank water held just enough room for a slow drift."
Dark Seams Under the Sycamores
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Heavy Seams Below the Willows
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Shallow Light on the Gravel
"Low water with a little rain color in it. The fish held tight to the darker seams and made us slow down."
Low Water, Clean Seams
"Clear water below the stairs, every rock showing. The fish made us shorten the cast and soften the step."
Fast Water at the Bend
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
A Push Against the Gravel
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Light Tippet on the Bend
"Clear water below the stairs, every rock showing. The fish made us shorten the cast and soften the step."
The Quiet Inside Lane
"Clear water below the stairs, every rock showing. The fish made us shorten the cast and soften the step."
Every Rock Showing
"Clear water below the stairs, every rock showing. The fish made us shorten the cast and soften the step."
A Clear Run Below the Stairs
"Clear water below the stairs, every rock showing. The fish made us shorten the cast and soften the step."
Stained Water, Short Drifts
"The river carried extra weight all morning. We stayed close, fished heavy, and took what it gave."
Soft Water on the Gravel
"Clear water below the stairs, every rock showing. The fish made us shorten the cast and soften the step."
The bend warms
"Caddis came off in clouds at 6:40 — first real hatch of the year. Fish were on it before we were."
Three units, fast water
"Bull Shoals released three units overnight. The river ran high and off-color until late afternoon."
An evening rise, finally
"The shadow line crossed the seam at 7:10 and a half-dozen browns came up at once. We watched more than we fished."
Cold front, slow water
"Wind out of the north all morning, dropped twelve degrees overnight. Fish sulked on the bottom."
First warm afternoon
"Sixty-eight degrees at three. Took the lawn chairs down to the gravel bar and let the rods rest."
A day with Dale on the boat
"Floated from Wildcat Shoals down to the cabin. Twenty-eight fish to the boat, two over twenty inches."
Late snow on the bluff
"Two inches overnight, gone by ten. The river never knew."
Streamer evening
"Last hour of light, big bugs, big fish. Three browns over eighteen inches in forty minutes."
Five days past equinox
"Light is back. The fish know it before we do."