Truckee, CA 12/21/12

[bigfly]

The last easy fishing...(This year)

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/PC210630.jpg
The man in gray, with his second fish in five drifts.........on a midge.
Check the corner of his mouth....(the fishes...)
http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/PC210617.jpg
The price of a fish...... cold fingers....
http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/PC210619-1.jpg
This little female brown jumped 3-4 times, and battled....on a midge....
http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/PC190615.jpg

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/PC220649.jpg
Parking (wasn't) an issue....

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/PC220651.jpg
HAPPY HOLIDAYS from the Truckee and Bigfly!




Quick update....Edited 12-21-12

3+ feet of snow has changed the game.
Parking is an issue.
Be aware, parking on the road way in winter is a tow-able offense.
Shop around though, the pullouts seem to appear.
Glennshire is bermed in and possibly done till spring.
Time for snow shoes near town.
Better access down in the canyon, and lower elevation.
Some shore ice in places, looks good mostly...
Looks like the Arctic storm track has arrived, and will run into next week.

Bring everything you need for a night on the road, in case somebody else....messes up....
Seen lots of "really good drivers" in the ditch this week.
Taker slow pardners......

River is Green/clear, temp 38 deg.....
Returned to a nice flow..
Find the weather windows.
Time for 2 layers of socks, and some fleece too.
Bring fingerless gloves and a fleece hat, and jacket for mornings.
Always bring a wind breaker........
And maybe an extra change of clothes... it can be slippery...
The last few days have been blustery..
Don't be afraid of weather.....Bring clothes! (No cotton...)
Some issues with line freezing to guides. Bring your Dave's paste!!!
Otherwise, it's still little bugs.
Actually saw some risers though, stay awake....
Midges, and Baetis mostly, drown them......
Golden stone nymphs are in the net.
Along with SJ worms, and I actually saw a cray today....
One drift'em in pools/eddies with light weight.
It's a patience and persistence time of year.
Takes are subtle......

Jim

[Darian]

Damn!!! Now I know why everyone up there has a beard.... Brrrrrr!!! Great photo's. Thanks!!

[bigfly]

Darian, thanks...
It's a new day today.
No easy strolls to the water.
2-3 feet of somewhat-fluffy snow fell last night.
Break out the snow shoes......
http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/PC230652.jpg

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/PC230653.jpg

More snow on the way......things are getting a bit more sporty.
Wax your boards, I'm sure it's fat up on the hill.
Be safe out there....

Jim

[Morgan]

I love the pics Jim! Keep them coming for sure. A little more wk after the holidays and then its time to get in those double days. A little snowboarding up on the hill once the crowds are gone and then after a few turns its to the river we go. Man I love winter and all that has to go with it. But boy are my arms sore after the last few days of shoveling. Hope to see you out there soon.

And Merry Christmas everyone!

[Adam Grace]

Thanks for the photo report Bigfly. Enjoy your white Christmas. :)

[bigfly]

In the mid-seventies in Colorado, I encountered a sub-species of flyfisherman called a "midge fisherman".
I was sure they were nuts.
Standing in icy water, casting the smallest flies tied by the hand of man (or woman), to fish that were uncooperative at the best of times.
Now I find myself doing the same thing....
There is no known cure.....
(not that I want one....)
I've come to believe, it may be the high bar setting in this sport.
Clear water, light leaders, smal-l-l flies, and biggish fish (20+), in very challenging weather.
Makes summertime dry-fly fishing look easy, because it is......


I once was like Morgan.... doing double shifts.
Catch the first chair, ride till noon, then fish.
Now I just shovel till exhausted, then fish.
Kind of like a reward.
http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/Clients/P1050704-1.jpg
There is no time of year not to fish, you just have to get your game on.
Let me know If ya wanna go.....

Jim

[bigfly]

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/Yalesbow2.jpg


OK.....
Warming trend this week....
Looking to fish myself...
Pack ice/bergs will be a problem the first few days.
The bugs should love the temps.
And fish love bugs.
Midges are the bill of fare, but experiment a little.....
Small dark Mays and medium Golden stone..eggs...worms...
Today felt tropical by comparison to this last week.
Post more soon.

Edited 1-24-13
Tropical this morning.
Blue skies and no wind.
Rained a little last night.
So, ALL shore ice is gone....
Flows up slightly....and water temps were up to 42 today.
Grabs on all the bugs on the menu.
Medium stone..darkish.
BWO- Baetis nymphs 22 dark.
Midges.........................
and the occasional worm.
Slow water....small bobber.....low weight.
Twitchy sets......
Also got a biiiiig grab today on a baby-bow streamer.
Warm water swings will get them moving.
Watched a talented couple today do double doubles.
Pretty fishy actually.

Edited 1-25-13

Sub-zero temps were tough...
Now we hope it will even freeze....
Think tapioca snow.
3ft has melted down to one, and going fast...
Found my first Skwalla nymph of the year, hanging in the shallows.
Mostly midges are the favorite.

Edit 1-31-13

Warm again......
Water back up to39-40 deg.
Easy to move around now.
Get it while it's good.
Over the next few days it will warm more.
Water will go off color slightly.
More food will get stirred up.
Be ready......


Jim

[Morgan]

Nv on the worm.

[lee s.]

GREAT thread Jim. We are on I80 2-3 trips a week generally at this time of the year.....winter. Nice to see our fantasies validated!
.....lee s.

[Larry S]

Concur with Lee. Great thread. Especially like the train photo. I know what you're talking about
with Colorado's small midges. The one time I fished the San Juan, just below the dam, we were told
to use sizes in the high 20's. 20 is about as small as we use in Crowley.
Best to you in your adventures,
Larry S

[bigfly]

Was gone for a few days....
Lee...of course they are in there.
You should stop fantasizing, and cast a bit.....

Larry, the San Juan got me going on the little stuff as well.
Learned about mud for my leader there too.

Seeing little winter stones from time to time.
Temps will drop over this week, the next should offer a few good days.
Fishing picks up as water temps rise.
42 is a good number......they may actually chase a streamer.
After eating midges all winter, they are starting to get an urge for a bigger bite.

Edited 2-8-13
Wanted to add thanks for photo comments.
The train pic, required me to stop on a bridge with traffic coming.......
A grab shot in news terms, and then sprint for the truck.
Just like my younger days at the Bee.
I miss the buzz sometimes....

One more thought...
We just got 1/4-1/2 " of snow in two days near town.
It melted today. Air temp was mid-forties.
Water temp is up a bit. 40+
Clear green, and nice flows right now.
Pray, that it keeps freezing at night.
Or, the snow pack will disappear.
So far, so good. this year.


Jim