More water….

This is our seasonal flush of snow-melt. A little more each day, which creates rising sharks teeth on this graph. I check every morning and consider my spots to fish accordingly. The water is still in the banks, but is up into the grassy edges. The color is changing (blue green with a touch of tan. but not muddy yet. Temperature rises and drops with daily swings aprox. 38-42deg. Many food forms are available due to the flush. The fish are therefore open to suggestion….. I use a little more weight in my larger lead fly, and give the fish a variety to chose from on my dropper. I will always be a “bigfly guy” but have kept track of my stats over a lifetime, and know our quarry eats many more small bugs than large. Not a lot of fishers out yet, but gaining a few more each week. As always….fish now.

Water time….

When I post, it’s for a reason, not just to be reporting. Change has come with rising flows. The perfect 300cfs has given way to near 1000cfs. Those who knew to fish pre-melt have had several weeks of fly joy. Although I have caught fish on a dry at current flows, I’ve learned over 34 years on the Truckee that the larger flows cause bigger fish to move around. Those who are limited to fishing only a dry, miss out on the goods. I too used to skip the water when fishers traditionally call it blown out. But not any more. Later in the summer and low warm flows, I will be glad I fished early. I use a switch rod and my spey casts to increase my odds of meeting the big guy. I always say….luck has little to do with success! Give me a call if you don’t want to sit out fishing till flows come down. I can add…..it is fine weather up here right now. Come enjoy.

Spring cont.

It was a fine week of weather, with some warm fishy days as well. I’ve transitioned to wearing shorts! Skwalla were a main attraction the last few days, with BWOs and Midges also on the menu. Next bug to show, will be a March Brown mayfly. Tie or buy them now… Between 11:30am and 3:00pm is best for a Skwalla. Saw a number of risers this week, and heard even more. The fishing pressure is ramping up, but mostly it’s locals who know how/when to fish. There is some snow around, but access is good, with parking melted out. No snow shoes needed. Water flows came up as expected…230cfs up to 330cfs. Which I think is about perfect. Color is still good. Going to get a dusting of snow this weekend, with fishy weather coming next week. Nymphing is almost always the most productive on the Truckee river, but carry a dryfly rod ready in case right now. Give a call if you feel an itch to learn the approach to fishing this water productively. The season is officially underway!!!!

Hard bug to see…worth looking for.

Spring….

I have been slacking on reports….not much changes during the winter for the most part. Same bugs all winter. All that changes on the menu, is the first big bug of the year!!! Skwallas are starting to be present. Robins too!!! It is a sure sign of Spring. Tye them or buy them! Mostly fish will target nymphs for a while yet..but there will be a riser or two as well. Big fish remember this menu item, and I remember big fish. I wait till the time is right. Like now. Flows are easing up. 212cfs and clear. Soon, the melt will start and it will go off color a bit. This week will be very warm and bugs take notice. You should too.

Selling a rod……

Sage Z-axis 6110 switch rod. A forgotten backup rod. I have two X switch rods as my main sticks. It just came back from Sage repair, and is in package. It needed a guide replaced under warranty. A sweet rod in very good shape. Trying to help my clients or their friends……$345.00 with tube. Perfect for swinging streamers, does a fine job”Industrial nymphing” and believe it or not….will send a dry into the next county with one or two hands. Give a holler!

Finally!!!!!!

We got our first “real” storm. It looks like Winter at last. It’s going to snow a bit the next day or so. Not so much snow that you need snow shoes to approach the water. 

Now, the usual advise….. DO NOT park on the road, and bring retrieval equitment (snatch strap, and a scoop shovel). Bring extra clothes in case you happen to slip and ship some water into your waders. It’s often seen as bobber season to many fishers, but it can be a magic dry fly time too! Bring both rods, because the window of opportunity can be quite short. Like, about the time it can takes to re-rigg. The usual bugs are there….the fish are there….where are you? Enjoy!!!!!!

Winter?

I’ve lived 40+ years in the mountains, And this winter is the lamest one yet. Last season was the 2nd largest. This year maybe the worst. We may still get a “Miracle” March……for those that don’t remember, we got 18 feet. But, if we don’t get some more snow, we will have a tough time fishing this summer. So……fish now, The winter bugs are the same….BWOs and Midges…and I saw the first Skwalla nymph! No adults yet….but we know they’re coming. Tie’em or buy’em.

Winter…almost

We are nearing winter in slow motion. In town it has been snowing most of the night, but the small flakes and lightness have added up to about 3″ so far..This storm will fizzle about 100:o’clock AM….We will have a day to fish, then we will get a bit more. The week after this we will have some fishing days all in a row. Every winter is different. The trick is to feel the rhythm…..We had a couple days last week that were glorious. Flows are too low for fishing in town, but down below it is about perfect 350+cfs. Bugs are the usual Midges, and BWOs. Gotta luv’um….It is about time for a Tie or buy alert. The big bug of spring is a skwalla, Get both nymphs and dries. I have seen them as early as the last week of Jan. Get ready!

Leveling….

140cfs is nice in town. Go East for more flow. Has been very fine up here! T-shirt weather for sure. Time for a new fishing Lic? Now you should check your gear as well, because we have more precip coming soon. Not much on the ground for a couple days., then some increasing snow this weekend. I mostly like clouds, so I say BRING IT! Looking like a drought year if we don’t get moisture soon…….I have two more trips this year….then we will start another great year on the Truckee. Hope to see you out!

Flash melt!

3″ of snow to bare ground in two days. From 100cfs to 400cfs. Now we have returned to our winter flows of 300cfs…..Go Fish! Water color is good. The Truckee river returns to clear very quickly. Temp avg. 42 deg. Same bugs all winter……Midges, BWOs! Gotta love them. Bring at least one coat.