Truckee, CA.

[bigfly]

Greetings from the T.
Flows are nice still.....
Probably will be until Tahoe lake reaches the natural rim level.
Then it will be tough, low flows.
So... fish now.
Seeing/hearing reports of very fast takes. Be aware....
First drifts are best....
Many, many Grass Hoppers about.
Both smaller yellow, and the bigger Sierra blues.
Golden stones are fluttering around dusk.
PMDs too.
Caddis are a good bet.
All stages, in both amber and green.
Mornings offer coolest water temps, fish move more then.
Pocket water is fun just high sticking your way upstream..
A few fish in deep foamy runs as well.
Small indicators, indicate better....
Small flies get more grabs.
I think we may see Oct. Caddis before the end of Sept.
Every year is different.
Looks like we may have some gulf influence clouds this week afternoons/evenings.
Could be good....

Jim

[craigfalk]

Jim (AKA Bigfly),

Thanks for the update. I love reading your thoughts on the Truckee River. I've been implementing a lot of your lessons from our guide trip a few weeks ago. Check out this 23" rainbow I landed on Saturday on the Truckee:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm210/craigfalk/23inTRbow.jpg

Like most fisherman, I'd usually rather keep casting and moving than to add more weight or adjust my indicator. Saturday morning I found a fast, deep run that looked incredibly fishy to me. After multiple drifts and maxing the length of my drop from the indicator without success, I decided to add one more weight (for a total of four!). On the first drift the indicator hesitated and this beauty was on the other end. :)

[bigfly]

Craig, good job!!Nice fish....
I keep saying they are in there....
Here on the T, bobber fishing has been raised to an art form.
You have become a practitioner. You just need a bigger net.....
Keep us posted.

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/P8160510.jpg
Gully washer rain, and a pounding 3" hail storm raised water levels, and caused water color to change green near town. Closer to muddy below town.
Dropped a few degrees as well.
Fish didn't seem to mind much.
Some bling would be OK, and a heavier leader too.
Mid-day is toughest, but otherwise it is fishy.

[Troutsource]

Fished below Hirschdale yesterday from 4:00 to 7:00. Landed 4 (from 8" to about 13") on a tan/grey deep sparkle pupa dropped below a heavily weighted stonefly, using an indicator. Lost a nice one probably 18". Used my new 10' fast action 7wt rod, which made a huge difference in terms of reach (though it was a little overpowering for the little guys). Also tried a crayfish, to no avail.

[bigfly]

Flows have returned to "normal" after the last blast.
Color is good, temps have dropped a bit.
Flows a little low near town, still pretty good down below.
Fewer fishermen on the water.
Coming into prime time over the next weeks.
Still seeing Golden stones, a few PMDs, Caddis.
Hoppers everywhere.....drown them.
Pocket water is a good place to try.....
Looks like a high pressure has moved in. Temps will go up.
Might be a few days till weather returns.
But bring a light jacket in case.
Wet wading is still OK, but a little chilly a dawn.
Try fishing before light directly hits the water.
The nocturnal feeding fish might just want a last snack,
before hunkering-down for the day......
Fish shady patches during the day.
The flows allow drifting a dry under stream-side bushes. Good spot for a hopper-dropper too.
Consider drowning any bugs you see flying about.
Lots of black Carpenter Ants crawling around, drown them as well.
Streamer grabs have been starting to increase.
Don't wait too long to fish, in case Fall comes early.

[Jed Peters]

I'm going to disneyland tomorrow for the day with some buddies.

I'm sure the fishing will be good (duh) as it always is up there.

Looking forward to getting some time on the T.

[bigfly]

The temps have dropped.
Both, air (70s)and water (60-64).
Beautiful flows as well......
Fewer cray parts in the water, I think that is done.
Besides, everybody and their brother has been fishing them.......
You think the fish don't notice that??????
Golden stones are beginning to fade away for the season.
Not seeing any near shore. No fresh shucks.
Midges are working.
Baetis are happening more every day.
Several fish on SJ worms this week.
Two fish in three drifts today on a drowned hopper.....
I am seeing......October Caddis shucks now.
Broke one open (for the cause) and it was about a week away.
So get some Oct. pupae, and maybe your sweetest soft hackle tye.....
Then, blueprint your way to the stream during the day, and return near dark with a flash light.
Have fun........
Remember, fully revive them before release. Give them the bubble treatment....

[Morgan]

Walter and his brothers Waldo and Willy schooled me yesterday.
I have been having issues hooking up w/ the big fiesty trout over 20" on the T.
Well...not yesterday.
I went 0 for 3 w/ fish over 20" :(
My first good drift of the morning my indy gets a big thump.
I set...And out jumps a monster!
Runs me upstream...downstream...back up again.
ANd then he takes me for a jog down stream about 15 yards and then runs around a big boulder that I couldnt follow without a raft....bummer! He pops off.

Later in the day after catching a dink and a couple nice bows about 16-18" I hook up w/ Walters brother Waldo. This time i get schooled real bad! He does a big run up and down and then takes me for an ironman run....im scrambling over the rocks trying not to eat it. And then he frieght trains down the river....yet again...another fish that runs me around a boulder. So bad this time all my line comes out even after he pops off....it peels all the way off down to my spool. The fish put me into my backing but the boulder really f'd me. If it wasnt for my buddy goin down stream to relieve some slack i would have been walking back to the car w/ no line on my reel. What an idiot!
Lesson w/ these 2 fish for me on the river today....put pressure on em and dont let em boulder wrap you running down stream.

My 3rd big boy for the day...the youngest brother Willy put on an arobatic show for me. I found a nice deep slot and first good drift my indy paused.....
Set.
Out comes Willy jumping 3ft into the air :) He runs up...jumps 3 or 4 more times. I wasnt quick enought to bow for his last trick and he spit the hook.
ALways bow for fish stunts.

I had a blast on the river yesterday! A much better outing than i had 2 weeks ago for sure. And the crowds have finally thinned out. I didnt see another soul until I met up w/ my buddy to fish some more. This river is teaching me a lot this year. And I will keep coming back to learn.

A few guys that have really helped me out the last year. I have learned a lot in a small time frame.

Jim I met you a couple times and you taught me a few key secrets....which in all reality SHOULD be common sense to a seasoned fly guy. Thanks!

A couple other buddies of mine have really helped out a bunch as well. More than I care to mention. Mike Curtis and Chris Nicola...thanks for all the time puttin up with my rookie fly bs. Its the time these guys spend on the water teaching that really helps speed up the learning curve. Thanks again!

I wish i didnt have to wk today...

Morgan

[bigfly]

Morgan, seems you've hit your stride.....
Learning to catch fish here can take a while.
More than a season, even if you fish a bunch.
But once you have paid dues, there seems to be more fish in the river.
Then the big guys(and girls) have you digging in for another learning curve.
Landing them........
This part of the curve goes on for the rest of time fishing the T, we have some recalcitrant fish.
There are spots I won't fish, even though I know they are there, just because I couldn't chase them....
Glad you are hooking up, keep at it.

While we are on the subject of fish....
I'm seeing more fish moving to flies.
Water temps have dropped a bit. 62-63 AM, 64-66 PM.
Takes can still be light. If you see a chase, don't pull it away, feed it to them.
Early and late is still best, but we can turn a fish or two during mid-day more often now.
Oct. Caddis are making an appearance.
Hoppers are a good bet...
Wade the middle, fish the edge. Think shade.
Also high stick pocket water with a split shot or two (no bobber), and a Hopper with a dropper.
Try a sz 18 speckled caddis, or a SJ worm, for added value.

Flows from Tahoe have dropped a bit.
Time to fish under bushes......
Quite a few little guys in this stretch.
Decent dry fly flows.


Jim

[craigfalk]

Morgan, I loved reading your post. Congratulations on landing some 16-18" fish - that's big step that took me many years. I can relate to your Walter stories. Last weekend I lost a large rainbow. The hook pulled out while it was shaking its head around at the surface. I was kicking myself for putting too much pressure on this fish and not chasing it downstream. I am learning there are lots of ways to lose a big fish on the Truckee!

[Bob Loblaw]

I'm hitting the Truckee this weekend. Any tips for a first timer.

[bigfly]

Bob, the main thing is, these fish are drift sensitive.
If your perfect imitation bug is drifting like everything else, then you have a good start.
If it moves faster than the waters flow, or far too slowly, or jerks every time you mend your line, it could be a long day.
These fish will drift with a fly for a long ways before buying it ("Shopping time").
They also hate crunching cobbles, big looming shadows, a wildly waving rod,
and splashy false casts in their air space.
Other than that, it's a piece of cake.....
Occasionally a fish rises here ( I often carry a second rod for that style)........but mostly it's bobber fishing.
We use a fair amount of weight and get it down there (ABs are good sized.).
Make sure the bubbles are passing the bobber at least half the drift.
Primarily roll casts and waterloads for minimal tangles.
It's a good time of year to swing a streamer too.
Slightly heavy 2x for the streamer, 3x for a big fly, and 4x for the rest.
If you hook up, don't just stand there, run.
A six weight is a good call, I like a switch/light spey as well, below Hirschdale.
Near town water flows are a little low, but may be better for dry fly'n.
Bring lots of flies, the T eats them (Beaver cuttings.....).
Oct. Caddis pupa, Smaller tan Caddis, Midges abound, Flavs, SJ worms, Rubber legged stones (coffee colored).
And HOPPPERSSSS in the PM, (Burks is best Sz. 8 ) Drown them...8-)
Water temps around 58 deg. Just about perfect.........
There are nice fish almost anywhere, walk a bit.....and as always, "fish close first....." they are often nearby.
Good luck out there....let us know how it goes.....

Jim

[Bob Loblaw]

Thanks Bigfly, great advice. They sound like educated fish and a step up in weight class for me. I've been having fun the last year catching mostly hungry little wild fish in smaller water and occasionally I've hit some big stupid planters. Looking forward to giving these fish a shot, fully expecting the fish to win! :-)

[JGB]

Love you're willingness to share timely knowledge on the area, it's very generous of you.

Must be the water in the area? You, Frank, Ralph,...others.

Your posts are not only helpful, they are fun to read. Oldies and newbies can benefit from your suggestions.


Thanx,
JGB

[EricO]

Word, JGB.

[bigfly]

I can boast neither the information density, nor guide longevity, of Ralph or Frank.
Although they both have informed my approach.
I just do my part to help folks make the transition from terrestrial thought process, to an aquatic one......
If this was easy water with a high fish count, I think egos might play more of a part in this guide community.
But since the majority have waded up to their gluteous for several decades in the T, we know we've all paid dues....
As far as great tips....
I could send you the official rules to the Guinness book of records, but getting in the book is gonna take some work......

Just keeping it real;
Thanks.

Jim

By the by, looks like a week or so, of perfect conditions.

[JasonB]

Speaking of influences, Jim has been a big one for me. Can't tell you how much your tips have helped Jim! Both on the Truckee elsewhere. If you're looking to up your successes and your range of fishing techniques, I can say that a few days with Jim would do wonders.

BTW I fished the Truckee on Thursday and found it to be tough overall, but on the other hand I did manage to catch my biggest brown yet on the Truckee. Actually this guy would be my biggest trout period (22.5") that I actually brought all the way to hand. I seem to have a bad tendency to not quite bring the big ones all the way home, so this was a nice improvement for me.

Of particular signifigance is the fact that I caught this one on a streamer. Must be getting to be that time of year. I rarely catch fish with streamers it seems, so it's always a good sign when I do... Had several other chasers and another couple break offs on the same streamer pattern too. I'd be headed back up there in a second but we're off to fish for steelhead instead on the Rogue :D
JB

[aaron]

Nice fish JB!

[EricO]

Nice Truckee pigola Jason!

Looking forward to your Rogue report to boot!

EO

[bigfly]

JB!!!! Now that's what I'm talk'n bout!
It's perfectly OK to catch only one fish per day on the T, if that's what it looks like...
I believe I mentioned it was streamer time....
And, first we learn to hook them, then.....we learn to land them......
The best part of my job, is seeing someone take a little info, and run with it.
Keep it up.
I will now state publicly........BROWNS are the best!!!!
Hope the Bows , Brookies, Goldens, Cutties, and the all-l-l-l-l rest don't hear about it though.
To me, it's not so much about catching a fish, as fishing for a life......
Looking forward to the Rouge report.

Jim

[craigfalk]

Jason,

That's a beautiful fish - well done! You will fish with streamers with much more confidence from now on. I also know it's hard to get a decent photo when you fish alone. I just know I'm going to drop my phone in the water one of these days!