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| Stan and Carolyn Parker doing fishing Lake Taneycomo. |
How does the fact that Orvis, a world leader in the area of helping to provide fly fishermen with a world class fly fishing experiences, awarded its 2006 Outfitter of the Year award to Branson’s River Run Outfitters add new meaning to the phrase, “Someone you love is playing in Branson?” Quite simply, it defines and exemplifies the variety and world class quality of the experience that one can have while “playing in Branson.”
It shows that “playing” in Branson goes beyond the shows, attractions, and shopping that Branson is noted for. Where in the country, perhaps the world, can one get all that Branson has to offer plus the chance for outdoor adventures that are available within minutes of each other? Fishing, hiking, boating, hunting, shooting, archery, biking, or scenic beauty, Branson has it all has it all, and in most cases, in a quality that provides a world class experience.
The recent selection of Branson’s River Run Outfitters as the Orvis 2006 Outfitter of the Year testifies as to just how high a quality that experience can be. The coveted award was presented to Stan and Carolyn Parker, the owners of River Run Outfitters by Perk Perkins, the CEO of Orvis and Dave Perkins, the Vice chairman of Orvis at the 2007 Orvis Guide Rendezvous in Cody Wyoming.
Scott McEnhaney, Orvis Eastern Director for Endorsed Outfitters, said, “The award is based on customer satisfaction surveys and the evaluation of the quality of the overall operation by Orvis.” The 2006 Orvis Outfitter of the year award to River Run Outfitters is confirmation by Orvis of just how successful the Parkers and their dedicated professional staff, particularly Manager of Retail Sales, Shannon Roberts and Senior Guide Jim Lund have been in doing just that.
As they received the award, Carolyn Parker, gave the credit for the award to their great guides and staff pointing out that it’s them that “Make us what we are.” The Parkers went on to point out that the most important thing they have to offer is customer satisfaction.
According to co owner Stan Parker, with over 30 years of trout fishing experience on Lake Taneycomo and River Run’s Chief Guide, it is River Run’s pioneering use of the western style, non motorized drift boats on Lake Taneycomo that is at the heart of their outfitting operation. He feels that the combination of quality equipment, experienced personable guides with their specialized knowledge of the Lake Taneycomo fishery and its unique water flow conditions, and the drift boat experience provides their clients with a unique and satisfying world class fly fishing experience.
Another specialized aspect of River Run Outfitters is the emphasis on working with and encouraging woman fly fishers. Carolyn is not only an extremely accomplished fly fisher and guide, but has been trained and certified as a fly casting instructor by the world renowned fly caster and instructor, Joan Wulff.
Carolyn’s day to day involvement and perspective enables River Run Outfitters to focus on the needs and desires of the single largest segment of the populations getting involved in fly fishing, women. Among other things River Run conducts special classes and instruction for women, carries a full line of equipment and clothing designed to meet the specific needs of the women fly fishers, and, including Carolyn, has two women guides on staff.
In any fly fishing situation, the choice of flies used is critical but even more so in Lake Taneycomo. The entomology of Lake Taneycomo marches to its own drummer and a lot of the classic hatches one reads about in the fly fishing magazines either don’t happen or don’t happen with enough frequency to be relied on. The good news is that River Run Outfitters has one of the, if not the largest selection of flies available in Branson to equip fly fishers with the flies that are producing fish on Lake Taneycomo “right now.” A lot of these “local flies” were developed by River Run and all are tied by local fly tiers, most in the shop, and sometimes, for a really “hot fly” that is working now, while you wait.
In addition to running their business both Stan and Carolyn travel to various fly fishing clubs giving presentations on fly fishing in Lake Taneycomo, are involved with the local chapter of Trout Unlimited, and have, for the last four years sponsored and conducted a multi day fly fishing class for the children attending the Boys and Girls Club.
River Run Outfitters, in operation since 1999, is a full service Orvis fly fishing outfitter operating primarily on the head waters of Branson’s Lake Taneycomo, one of the mid-west’s finest trout fisheries. The operation is based out of its well stocked fly fishing shop located, in Branson, near the foot of Table Rock Dam at 2626 State Highway 165 and is open seven days a week to serve Branson’s fly fishing needs. Contact River Run Outfitters by phone at 417-332-0460 or via its web site WWW.River Run Outfitters.Com.
