For almost a century and a half, float-fishing
trips on the White River have endured the test
of time as a mainstay of the Ozarks tourism
economy. In the days before the construction
of a series of hydroelectric dams that created
Beaver, Table Rock, Taneycomo, and Bull Shoals
Lakes, the White River drew anglers from all
over the world seeking Smallmouth Bass. Several
float-fishing outfitters regularly plied the river's
waters with "sports," loaded two to a boat, in long,
narrow jon boats beginning near the headwaters of
the White River in the hills of Northwest Arkansas
and continuing through the stretches of the River
in Southwest Missouri until the river enters the
agricultural plains of Northeast Arkansas. Many
of these legendary floats were as much as ten days
long, covering hundreds of miles of pristine riverway.
With the advent of the dams in the 1950s came
cold water and large lakes that decimated the
warm water stream fishery. In response, the
Missouri Conservation Commission and Arkansas
Game and Fish Commission embarked upon one of
the most aggressive trout stocking programs the
world has ever known, focusing on the new cold
water tailwater sections of the White River
created by the dams in both states. And a new
era of angling tourism was born. Also falling
victim to the dams were the long float trips.
But many historians and angling experts agree
that it was here, on the White River of the
Ozarks, that the modern commercial float-fishing
trip was born. (A.J. McClane, New Standard Fishing
Encyclopedia).
Perhaps none of these White River outfitters was
more renowned than Branson, Missouri's Owen Boat
Line (pictured above circa 1940), owned by long-time
Branson Mayor, Jim Owen. Times have changed for
Branson's tourism economy, now one of the largest
in the country thanks to country and bluegrass music,
theme parks, and the large lakes; but the float-fishing
trip lives on due to the vision and passion of Stan and
Carolyn Parker of Branson's River Run Outfitters.
Located in the historically quaint downtown shopping
district of the modern-day sprawling tourist community
of Branson, River Run Outfitters opened their doors on
May 14, 1999. Two years later, they gained the
coveted Orvis endorsement, a long-time hallmark
of quality angling goods and services. The
proprietors, Stan and Carolyn Parker, have
fished the White River system since 1965 and
began focusing on guiding on Lake Taneycomo in
the mid-1990s. Carolyn Parker is a graduate of
the Joan Wulff fly-casting course in Lew Beach,
New York, and a member of the board of directors
of International Women Fly Fishers. She also
chairs the Industry Committee of IWFF and serves
on the board of the Branson Chapter of Trout Unlimited.
Carolyn began guiding when they opened the store in
2000, and specializes in female clients, adding a
dynamic to the business that is becoming a hallmark
of modern fly angling: the growth in popularity
among women. Visitors to River Run Outfitters' shop
in downtown Branson will undoubtedly also meet Shannon
Roberts, a veteran of the fly-fishing and sporting
goods industry of over two decades and expert fly-tying
instructor who moved to Branson from Colorado several
years ago.
The fly shop offers a wide array of fishing products
ranging from Orvis and Sage to Scientific Anglers and
Simms. They also stock a full line of fly-tying
materials and tools including Umpqua, Wapsi, Dyna-King,
Made2Fly, Hareline, and Cascade Crest, just to name
a few. The third Saturday of every month, River Run
offers free fly-tying classes to the public. They
also offer classes in fishing tactics and techniques
and fly-casting in addition to half-day and full day
wade or float fishing trips.
Pioneers in their own right, River Run Outfitters
is responsible for the growing popularity of
western-style drift boat fishing on Lake Taneycomo.
And it is their growing status as the leading
drift-fishing outfitter in the area that harkens
back to the days of Owen Boat Lines, which also
operated out of downtown Branson for several
decades during the early and mid-20th century
(pictured at right). River Run owns and operates
Clackacraft drift boats hauled by Ford Expeditions
and Mercury Mountaineers. All equipment is top
of the line and provided for their anglers, or
customers may use their own. All full-day floats
and wade trips include shore lunch. River Run
employs several Orvis-endorsed guides, and can
handle multiple bookings per day. Lake Taneycomo
is an excellent year-round trout fishery. Primary
species are Brown and Rainbow trout. So the best
time to visit is whenever you can get away.
River Run's fly shop hours of operation are from
8:00 AM to 5:30 PM, seven days per week. They
are located at 212 S. Commercial Street, Branson,
Missouri 65616. They can be reached toll free
by phone at 877-699-FISH or on the Web at
www.RiverRunOutfitters.com. The photo on the left is
River Run Guide, Phil Surat, with the author
after a day on the water. ~ Ken
About Ken:
Ken graduated from Southern Methodist University
in 1988, and spent the next several years serving
in the United States Navy as an intelligence analyst
and Russian Language translator. He is a veteran
of Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Leaving the
nation's service in 1993.
Ken is also a published outdoor writer and historian,
having penned articles and stories that have appeared
in several national hunting publications like North
American Hunter magazine, on GunMuse.com, in regional
and local newspapers, and historical and literary
journals. He also provides hunting and dog training
seminars for Bass Pro Shops and other sporting goods
retailers nationwide and works with other outdoors
businesses and conservation organizations in the
fields of public relations, promotional marketing,
fund-raising, and advertising. He also is a partner
in Silver Mallard Properties, LLC. He currently
resides with his wife, Wilma, their Weimaraner,
Smoky Joe, and their Labrador Retriever, Jake, in
Branson, Missouri, where he founded the
Branson/Tri-Lakes Chapter of Ducks Unlimited in 1998.
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