Truckee, CA

[bigfly]

Four inches of snow slowed things down yesterday.
Since the ground was warm, it all melted.
River is slightly green, flows up a bit today.
Temp dropped 10 degrees. 60 to 50....
Today will improve.......
Still seeing March Browns, BWOs, Baetis.
A few risers......
Mostly, drown them flies for best results.
Emergers seem the hot tip. Nymphs too.
Mostly seeing swirls just under the surface.
As always.....Get a drift for best results.
The takes are quite studied, and soft.
Be quick on the sets....but not too hard.......
Small check sets are a good idea.
Try less weight in slower waters.
And your smallest indicator.

Jim

[Morgan]

Who would have thought....snow on memorial day weekend....
Glad to hear it hasnt shut down completely.
Ive got my fingers crossed work has my schedule right.
My pops should be headn up for some big T fishn.
Its been a while...2 weeks i think.
Much too long for me to visit the T when its been fishn good.
Hopefully the wet to warm weather will bring the ants out for us.
I cant wait! I love the T.

[Morgan]

A beautiful day on the T yesterday! The fish are lightning fast! I managed 4 fish landed. I broke off one....farmed a couple. But the thing that got me the most was walter. The monster brown ive been searching for. Oh he fooled me and schooled me before i knew he ate my fly. Before i knew i had a bump walter ran upstream jumped and threw my fly. I saw him run upstream and jump and said...."shi$", that was on my line :(

[bigfly]

Tis time to fish!!!!
Beautiful days and nights.
Been catching a few fish on March Brown dries, still a few around mid-morning..
Temps are right, flows are right, if the drift is right......
You never know what will grab your fly.
As always, find a riser first for the drift if possible.
Truckee river fishing, is closer to hunting at times.

This week was good!
Baetis nymphs, emergers (best bet) and dries.
PMDs , small pinkish body, a fairly large wing. sz 18.
BWO emergers as well, when clouds figure in.
Green Drake nymphs are dancing on the bottom, be ready with nymphs/emergers/dries.
If the drakes make a short appearance sooner, will you be ready?
It is hot enough for ants to fly, termites too.
Amazed they are still going, but grateful.
Caddis starting to flutter about. Mostly small ones,sz 18. Tan/speckled.
Getting grabs on the end of the drift/swing...
Flows are perfect...60+degs. 70s in the sun.
Perfect water around town
Bigger flows in the canyon below Lt/T confluence. ........
Seeing some of the fastest refusals in the west too.
When fishing an indy, use a little less weight, and be ready......

I recommend breaking out the switch rod and swinging a streamer.

I can look at the crest of the Sierras and tell it will be a low water year.
Fish early for best results on the T.
Hope you're all having fun out there.

Jim

[JohnD]

Heading up tonight. Hope to be on the water in the am.

[bigfly]

All is well except for a blowing snow storm...
A few guys went out yesterday, and where rewarded with fishy conditions. (Returned cold/wet/happy)
Big fish move around on dark days. They feel a bit safer.
(High-noon nuclear sun light is the worst. Just so you know.)
Baetis went nuts, fish rolling in the film.
It pays to suck it up. Always bring extra clothes.
And a wind breaker.....

In the seine.
Pinkish PMDs sz 18-16. Stupid easy today, if you find a fish and get a drift.
Emergers may be best bet. Barr's works.
A march brown or two still around. Dry and emerger.
Dark Baetis sz 18-20. Dries and emergers.
Caddis making an appearance...sz 18-16 green free ranging.
Fish adults, both drowned and spent.
Speckled sz 18.
Ralph's hot butt....
Little yellow sallies are starting to pop.
Golden stones have a good population, looking forwards to them flying.
Green Drake have been seen around, no full hatch yet.
(A few in every crowd need to be first...and last.)
Have a box full in case. No friends on a hatch day.......
GDs like big clouds and a muggy feel. Picture it.......
The Ants are about done, but I saw a photo of a 22" bow caught on a foam ant two days ago, along 89....
The fish remember left-overs too.
Fry in every eddy sz 4-2#.
Sculpin are on the menu.
Swing a streamer.....

The water is hovering around 60 deg. Green/clear today.
Flows will clear-drop-warm when this weather clears.
Great time of year, hope you do well.

Jim

[steelheadsicko]

I threw a streamer all day on a float from Boca to the end of hirshdale road (where it meets the railroad), didn't have my secrete weapon though, and I threw an olive sculpin and a few rainbow patterns. It wasn't a total bust once we figured out the bugs got three browns. (all under 10" if you count those)

[JohnD]

I fished a bit just below town on Saturday. Picked up small rainbow on a PT, lost another. Then spent the rest of the morning trying to catch a very large fish eating PMDs. Had 3 takes and missed them all, guess I'm out of practice. He took the cripple pattern the first time he saw it. Got him to hit it again about 30 minutes later and a similar fly about 30 minutes after that. By then the naturals were gone and the sun was hot so I hit the pool with the kids.

[aaron]

Jim, thanks for the reports. Keep em coming!

[Mike Curtis]

I guided the Big T below Truckee on Friday, June 1st, we did fairly well landing 3 out of 8 fish. March Browns were still coming off in the morning, started to see a few PMD spinners at Mid day. Most of the fish came on Caddis... They're starting to move around...

[EricO]

Fished the T yesterday with buddy Jeff Fisher. Guess that name brings him some
luck cuz he had landed 6 or 7 by the time I had ONE take. Just felt I wasn't on
my game.

Saw some pmd's fluttering around. Oh, and EVERY rock we turned over had
either green drakes or march brown nymphs. I turned over one rock and
there was an ALL WHITE golden stone. Black eyes. We were thinking albino?
Is that possible?? Busted out the camera and then Jeff dropped it. Damn it!

Also befuddled on coming up with a good fly to match the green drake. They
are so flat bodied and thick at the thorax...the flies I have seen to match it
don't even seem close. Thoughts?? Material suggestions?

Anyway, after whining like a wuss, Jeff said, "you'll probably catch the biggest
fish of the day, dude." Ya right...easy for Mr 7-8 fish caught to my one.
Well, the caddis REALLY started to pop and saw multiple rises (bring caddis
dries...elk hair, x-caddis size 14-16). Also caught several just simply swinging
a caddis dry across the water.

First cast with a caddis dry latched into the largest trout of my fly fishing life.
The result below...a 24" beastly brown that barely fit in my net. The whining
was OVER! :) Caught a half dozen more on caddis dries- pretty much half
browns and half rainbows.

Also, I have to say big KUDO's to Bigfly/Jim. Your reports help a ton and really
appreciate your knowledge. The green drakes seem real close to popping. Most
fish Jeff caught on a little yellow stone...a few on caddis pupa green (lots of green
rock worms under the rocks).

I'd say go now and stay til you can't see your fly anymore (7pm for us). Even swung
caddis dries and had plenty of takes.

EO

[Rossflyguy]

Im headed up there next weekend....pretty excited to hear the reports.

[bigfly]

Getting pretty Busy up here taking folks fishing.
If I don't get right back, or post quite as often....that's my reason.
Between tying flies, answering Emails/ booking, and readying gear for the next trip........well, only a guide will appreciate.
Say 15 hrs + a day.
Which leaves 9 hrs for everything else.....
Glad the posts help a little. Hearing success stories keeps me doing it....

Now....fishing.
One day last week, we stood a rod length away from rising fish and offered little pink hackle stackers and orange/pink Cahills, and PMD emergers.
Catching fish at will, for hrs.
Yes it does get easy up here. There are windows when we have our way with them. (Gently of course....)
But, even on those days, you still need to get a drift.
I find this to be the biggest impediment to beginners/visitors here hooking up.
The locals (the fish) are picky about this thing, even more than bug selection. It is, on average, the most difficult thing for folks to get right.
It is far and away, what I spend my time sharing with clients.
Everybody is worried about how far they can cast....
The drift is more important.
On the T, and other pressured waters, the more you work on the drift, the better your fish stats......
Of course you still have to land them, but that's another post......

PMDs- some larger ones mixed in... sz14-16-18.
Nymphs/emergers/cripples/Dunns/spinners/spent. Ride the curve.
Several size Caddis. Don't just try the Elk hair style dry, work the swing thing. Goggle Dr. Lisernring if you need to....
Big Ants are not flying anymore (except up higher in elevation.)
But the smaller red ants are flyin'. Sink either of them anytime during summer.
One of my birdy neighbors eats them on the pavement for an hour every morning. Lots around.
Hoppers and Golden stones are coming, not hot enough yet....
Little yellow stones are around some.
The occasional March brown still around..
Micro Mays are a good bet.
A cloud can trigger BWOs.
Yellow crane flies are flying too.
We are all waiting patiently for GDs to show. (Ya right...)
I'll shout when they pop.

I bought a Sage 5wt. Z-axis spey rod, lined it up for the first test drive.
Swung a Burk's baby bow, and hooked up a fine big bow, first drift.
Can't say for sure what worked , the new rod, the cast, or his fly.
I can say, it's streamer time!
All for now....

Jim

[Jed Peters]

Great fish! I can't wait for my annual trip to Disneyland!

[Dan LeCount]

Freshly molted nymphs will be white until their exoskeleton hardens, probably not an albino.

[EricO]

Freshly molted nymphs will be white until their exoskeleton hardens, probably not an albino.

Thanks Dan. Interesting...I'd never seen anything close to that color before.

EO

[Morgan]

I hate that i gotta work these days.
Cant wait to get back up and put back a cold one w/ ya Jim.
FOr now I guess I'll keep goin to work :(

[koffler]

Wow - I can pick them. Went to the Truckee yesterday and the winds were huge. I could barely get a drift with an indicator and gave up after 2 hrs with no hook-ups but on the bright side 8+ wind knots that destructed my rigs.

Switched to a teeny 200 (too heavy but all i had) with a kiwi muddler and lander a nice 18" rainbow, another around 14", and another maybe about 2" bigger than the muddler - the only brown. One day this guy will be eating 4 lb squaw fish.

Jason

[bigfly]

They are popping a little every day.
I have several friends who are 0 for 4 on 5x with big fish recently.
I think 4x is a better call......
Oh and as always, before you make that perfect drift with the perfect bug, look where you'll run with them.......
There are quite a few fish out there with flies in their lips.
Lets see if we can put a stop to that........

Otherwise, the last report holds.

Jim

[esummers]

Up on the Truckee yesterday. Fished the little T from noon to about 3. It was really slow for me around the bat cave - guess they just bumped up the flow a bit, not sure if that had something to do.

Headed over to the Big T around 4. Caddis started popping shortly thereafter. Picked up a nice brown and couple nice bows on Caddis (E/C, Elk Hair, emergers, pupa, etc. - pretty picky suckers for me) in some heavier water.

Closer to dark I moved to some frog water and there were some BIG HEADS up. I hooked two, but again, farmed the hell out of them. I picked up those two on a small PMD dun pattern, bout an 18. However, I think they may have been taking spent spinners, but were willing to take a well presented dun. Also saw a few green drakes duns.

All in all, a nice night on the T throwing dries. I usually put up a big skunk job on the T, so this was a pleasant suprise. Makes me want to drive back up there during the week for the evening rise!!

[bigfly]

Summers, most folks generally believe that once you hook up, you will probably get that fish to hand.
It may be true on many waters, but not necessarily here.
On the T the learning curve steepens dramatically between hooking them and landing them....
Many of the best fishermen in the area have stories to tell, of auto accident- like moments.
Short meetings with Walter....
I've been lucky enough to see a few of these moments as well....standing next to them of course......

Most of the time the transition from a pleasant fishing face, to "Game face" takes to long.
The fish is already into his trick list before you know he's on.
Since the last 6 guys to hook him couldn't handle chasing them down stream......he may go long.
Turning sideways in heavy current is a favorite of theirs too.
Or he/she may stay j-u-s-t close enough to that stump, or rebar.
Some air-out regularly because that often works...
(Think Polaris missile, 5 launches in a row.)
There's the savage grab, that breaks you off immediately.
Not even a chance to farm it....
And most often seen, "TAP TAP TAP" and gone. No set necessary.
(The last one is fun after several hours of casting/drift practice.)
Focus fades, and there he is....

That's the bar setting on the T, not just getting the grab, but dealing with it.
If I was into numbers of fish, I'd fish somewhere else.
But most of us live here because it ain't easy to start with, and only gets harder......
Hang in there......check my blog post for more...

Jim

[steelheadsicko]

Had a 14 inch rainbow scream line through my backing while jumping and shacking his head the entire time. So this Walter should be real fun

[Morgan]

Three of went out last night. Talk about a late night driving up from south lake after work to fish the T. But worth it. Wish I didnt have to wk :) I stuck 2 on the indy within the first 20 minutes of being on the water. Farmed another on the indy. But when the sun startd to go down the fish became acrobats! And oh boy was i slow...or too fast at times. I missed 4-5 on dries and farmed another. My buddies got a few. One landing one nice 18er. And Chris coming up from the back of the pack and landing 6 fish on dries. A great evening on the T. I wish i had a helicopter to make that drive shorter.

[bigfly]

We are into Summer, for sure.
Mid-day can be a bear.....bring a hat/sunscreen/Buff/gameface......(Drink water......but not out of the river...)
A break mid-day is not a bad idea....
But, early and late is amazing.....
Went deep into the canyon last night.
Saw one or two Drakes flying. Bring brite post-tie GDs for evening fishing.
Fish were looking up, when the light left the water.
Find a shady stretch for an earlier start to evening fishing.
A blizzard of bugs near sunset.
Caddis- Different sizes, size 20 through 10.
Tan/green/Darkbrown.
Some lrg Golden stones.
Many little yellow ones too.
A few March browns. Nymph and adult.
PMDs in all stages.
Smaller Baetis 20-22
BWOs sz 18-20

Fish a bobber during the day, but a dry will work during the cooler parts of the day.
Used the down-canyon breeze to Skitter/skate a Caddis, and GD, or little stone to good effect last night.
Several large fish aired out chasing them. Woohoo!!!!
(In low light conditions, maybe drift a GD dry, with a little yellow sally dry, behind it....)
Just do your normal dry fly drift. When it hits the end of the drift, raise your rod high and get ready.
Many fish missed in the excitement, set slower................God save the queen........or count to 3 before putting the hammer down. Good luck on this....
Bring a headlamp (So you can get back to the car if nothing else.)
I recommend a staff for night wading......
Maybe pre-rig several fly/dropper setups. This is when the "tackle buddy" shines.
Bring extra flies on c&f threader too. A magnifier is good at night whether young eyes or older....
Time is of the essence.....during a hatch window. Say 2-3 hours.....
Fish dries on 4x during the day with mud....
Once the light leaves the water, I recommend using 3x for your dryflyin', with a loop knot....
Broke off a fatty on 4x last night. Some true brutes feeding...might still leave a only a small ring....set easy.
Hooked up another time with two fish at the same time....
Landed a 14" wild bow, but couldn't land the big guy (22-24" Brown) as well.
OMG. 3x wasn't enough.
Try a streamer at dawn too. 2x or better.
Water temp 63 green/clear and fishy.
Should be good the rest of the week.....

Jim

[Dan LeCount]

Yellow sallies were going off the other night like an upside down blizzard.

[bigfly]

Too true Dan.
Thankfully, we don't have to shovel this blizzard.....
Bugs tickle a bit, up in the nose, eyes, all over arms, neck......
Won't complain though...

[bigfly]

Flows changed without asking me first.....
So, the perfect evening is thwarted......
Why do I bother with reports?
Because, folks need to know.
Just realize that by the time you drive up, it could be different.........
Having said that..... Today was really good.
Gill's snow shoe sallie got lots of looks and some takes too.
Use a dropper as well, micro may, or a midge, or a WD, or a Juju.....
And catch fish......
Find softer water to fish during the bigger flows.
I would guess these are recreational releases.
Monday may return to normal.....
Give it two days if the flows come down, then attack.
Very muggy green drake weather.
Be there, or be square.
Two nights ago was some of the best fishing I've had.
Treat them nice.......

[Paul B.]

So that's why the water was a little off color?!?
Just got back from there. Higher than I like it but still managed a few on top. Hope they stop that nonsense with the flows soon. Cheers, Paul

[Rossflyguy]

Got takes at the end of drifts this weekend. Fish seemed to be eating just under the surface or on top. Looked like micro mays, BWO, or PMD. I saw a few green drakes this morning. Only caught a few but watching my better half catch her first fish on the fly on her own was worth the whole weekend.

[aaron]

We fished for a few hours yesterday evening. Bugs were off, caddis popping in the evening. No sign of sallies or drakes. Found some small fish on top, and swinging soft hackles, and broke off a piggy short line nymphing late afternoon. Nice was to spend the evening, nobody around either.

[bigfly]

Gorgeous conditions daily....
The flows are holding steady again. Nice near town.
Bigger in the canyon....
Some Green drakes are being seen around.
GD dries are working a bit, but fish them subsurface too.
A few little yellow sallies eveings.
Midges, some vsm BWO emergers for sure.
Seeing large golden stone shucks.
Ants, Beetles on the water.
Skate/swing a Caddis. Small dark brown ones morning, green ones in the evening.
Fishing early and late is best.
Take a break mid day.....

Jim

[earp73]

Streamers for a few grabs until surface feeding on caddis...into sporadic feeding on drakes. Still barely light, but had to get home to the girls before sallies came off in force. Must be summer. W

[bigfly]

Earp, good job. That's how it goes here.....
Don't come with just one move, get a few going.
From dry fly, to bobber, to streamer.....
I often walk with two rods rigged.
Maybe a dry fly rig (in case), and a switch rod for bobbers/streamer.

River looks very healthy. Gets better every year....
A larger number of smaller fish (wild willies).
Too small to have been stocked by clubbers.
These are next few years fish, born and raised in the Truckee.
Mid-size fish are strong and bright.
Biggies are there as well.
Treat them nice.

It has been windy, so bring your game face.
ROLL CAST/Water-load for best effect. (Even with a dry.....)

Big Sierra Blue grass hoppers are around now.
Little yellow ones too. Fish them dry for fun, drown them for action.
PMDs. Variety of sizes, stages.
Baetis occasionally.
Little yellow sallies.
Large Golden stones.....
Non-flying ants.....Big black/little reds.
Green Drakes are around but sparse.
Flow change definitely effected them.
Caddis mania near dark.
The whole river is fish-able now, but a bit big in the canyon.
Cross carefully, and bring a big stick.....
As always......get a drift.

Jim

[Morgan]

I hope to go out huntin for walter on thurs....
Gonna bring a cooler and a few beers.
And maybe even 2 rods...
The T went from my least favourite river up to my top.
I love that place.
I wish it wasnt an hour+ drive.
July 1st is near for us on the south shore.
But our tribs down here have nothing on the big T.
I'll be trying a few diff bugs this go around.

[EricO]

Hit the Truckee all day yesterday...worn out!.

However, it's the first time I've ever had a double digit day there.
Landed 11.

No green drakes seen...lots of dark brown caddis (sz 16)in the morning crawling
on me. Great little yellow sally hatch from 10-2pm. Fish were rising
along the banks. But as luck would have it, 3 rafts came down
on a nice stretch of water i was tossing dries in. So I just moved
upstream. Did get several rises to my yellow sally dry, hooked one.
Nymphed during the day with golden stones, yellow sally nymphs
primarily.

Threw dries from 4pm on. Weird. Two weeks ago it was windy as hell,
and the rises were everywhere. I fished until 8pm last night and saw only
7-8 rises. That said, I removed my golden stone foamulator (did get several
takes on it earlier in the day) and threw on a cdc caddis dry and caught 4
within 5 minutes. Go figure.

Caddis did start to come off more around 7:30pm...two weeks ago they came
off at 4pm.

Some pics attached with a couple underwater youtube releases. Oh, and I
caught a frickin brookie! Proof attached. :)

http://youtu.be/FY5phHIzzzQ

http://youtu.be/-xMQM74mYF0

Go now!

EO

[Frank R. Pisciotta]

"...Oh, and I caught a frickin brookie! Proof attached. :)

EO

EO---Did you get the Brookie at the inflow of Bronco Creek?

Frank R. Pisciotta

[EricO]

Hi Frank,

Not sure where Bronco creek is. I was fishing about a 1/2 mile above the Floriston exit.

I was quite surprised to say the least. Have you caught many in the Truckee?

EO

[EricW]

I was surprised by a brookie a couple years ago above Verdi so they're around but pretty rare.
Been fishing up just up from Reno the last couple weeks in the evenings. Still pretty high and many fish in the margins. It's been a little tricky to be consistent since there are several weak/moderate hatches through dark (pmd, LYstone, a couple middle size caddis, then the saddle caddis started showing up now near dark). Wet fly / spider setup is working as well in the slower areas with yellow spider and or general hare's lug (or birds nest) behind a thin elk hair caddis. Pretty fast cycles between rising then sub-surface so have been doing a dry caddisy fly with either an emerger or beadhead dropper.

Got a real chill wet wading for a few hours that took another few to warm up from, but the water's great at the moment assuming they don't cut it down harshly.

BTW, does anyone know how the flows are regulated? It seems odd to have this much water going down at the moment.

[bigfly]

It's Summer for sure.
Hoppers are doing their mating flights. Buzz,buzz, buzzit.
Fish them dry if you have too.
But expect more grabs subsurface.
A dry dropper is Ok..... Drown them, no kidding......
We sight fish, subsurface with them a lot. Can be riveting........
Getting fishier every day here.
Lots of folks hitting the same old holes.
Be smarter......walk a little.
If you were a smart old fish. would sit around there waiting to be harassed.
Of course not....you would move to a spot no one pays attention to.
Fish some new water, and maybe a good fish will say hello.
Remember the fish think small is safe...............

You can wet wade now.
But early and late will still chill.
Water near town is 55-59. And little pushy at 500 cfs.
Down lower I don't recommend crossing carelessly......
5-6 wt water higher up.
Big stick water (switch rod) in the canyon.


Jim

[Frank R. Pisciotta]

Hi Frank,

Not sure where Bronco creek is. I was fishing about a 1/2 mile above the Floriston exit.

I was quite surprised to say the least. Have you caught many in the Truckee?

EO



EO---Thanks, that confirms my thinking on the Brookie. :thumbsup: Most likely you were fishing the long pool/run where Bronco Creek spills in from the south-side of the river. In my 30-plus years of fly fishing the BT the only Brookie I've witnessed caught was by Larry Kovi, at the time the owner of the SELECTIVE ANGLER in Larkspur CA (..rest in peace Larry...I miss you).

My speculation is that they come from the creek.

Frank R. Pisciotta

...new entry due on www.flyfishingcalifornia.blogspot.com within the next few days...my perspective of what is happening in the Truckee area; take it to the bank.

[EricO]

"EO---Thanks, that confirms my thinking on the Brookie. Most likely you were fishing the long pool/run where Bronco Creek spills in from the south-side of the river."

Yep, that's where I was. So 30 years....wow. Like hitting the lotto. Kinda. :)

EO

[bigfly]

The water released into Truckee river from Tahoe is quite warm. 65+.
Late in the day the fish along the upper river are lethargic.
Temp keeps climbing till well after sunset.
If their resuscitation takes longer than the fight did, please leave off fishing.
I don't like finding dead fish in the morning......
Take care of the fishery...

Lower in the canyon, temps come down a little.
Mornings seem best. Much cooler.
Baetis, PMDs, Little yellow sallies, caddis (amber/green)..
Seeing a few Golden stones flying in the evening.
Later in the the the afternoon Hoppers fly and the wind blows.
Good combo.
Find shade and fish it. Pocket water is good.
Quite a few fishers on the water, still some water if you walk a bit.
Fish are really shopping hard, some of the fastest grabs/refusals in the west. Be sharp.

Jim