Bull_Dog
08-02-2013, 04:12 PM
We finally have a little cooler weather setting in around Reno and Lake Tahoe. This should help all of our local fisheries recover a bit from some really warm water conditions. We are not out of the woods yet but we are getting a nice break over the next few days. It is supposed to get hot again starting next week so keep an eye on the water temps. and knock off if the water you are fishing reaches 70 degrees.
Truckee River
The flows have remained very consistent on the Truckee over the past couple of weeks, except for a little run-off from a couple of thunder storms last week. Most of the water is still coming from Lake Tahoe and entire California side is in great shape. There are still some bugs around like Golden Stones and Caddis but this is Crayfish season. Nymphing with a Crayfish pattern and a smaller dropper like a Caddis or a Little Yellow Stone or even something generic like a Red Copper John or a Pheasant Tail will do just fine. Streamers are also worth a try in olive and orange colors to imitate a fleeing Crayfish.
On the Nevada side the water is still really low. Normal flows for the summer months are in the 420-450 CFS range. They have been hovering around 290-310 CFS all summer. This coupled with really warm water has really made the fishing tough. In some places runs that normally hold fish are too shallow. There are a lot of people swimming, tubing and playing in the deeper pools and there seems to be quite a few anglers on the water as well. It is important to fish wisely in order to have the best chance for success. Here are some tips for fishing on the Truckee given these conditions. 1. Fish early – The water is the coolest in the mornings and fish tend to be more active. It is also the time of day that has less traffic on the water. The fish have had a break overnight and are less spooked in high traffic areas. 2. Move around – Do not fish the same water all the time. Fish on the Truckee can’t take the constant pressure of the same anglers fishing the same holes with the same flies all the time. Fish some water you have not fished in a while and do not camp on one area. 3. Make fewer casts – When lower water exists fish seem to get smarter. The water has been clearer and there is less holding water. The really good holding water sees a lot of fishermen and the fish see lots of flies. Make sure your drifts are really good dead drifts at the correct depth. These tips will catch you more fish and make you a better fisherman. Flows on the Truckee are: Town of Truckee 378 CFS, Boca Bridge 462 CFS, Farad 502 CFS, Reno 316 CFS and Vista (East of Town) 304 CFS.
East Walker River
The East Walker has been fishing really well. Flows have come down a bit with the cooling weather to around 69 CFS. We will have to see how the river handles a little lower flow this week with the warm water conditions. It is extremely important to fish the East Walker early and quit fishing when the water gets to 70 degrees. This is usually around 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Get there early and you can still get 5 hours or so on the water. On the California side smaller bugs like Tricos, Midges and Caddis have been working well fished a few different ways. You can fish a couple of flies under an indicator, do some “High Sticking” or Dry Dropper. Hoppers are out in force so a realistic hopper pattern is a great way to go right now. On the Nevada side fish are really looking up for attractor dries. This is a great time to bring two rods (or two anglers) and run through a spot with a big attractor dry like a Turk’s Tarantula or a Burk’s Hopper and then come back through with a nymph rig of some sort.
Little Truckee River
Flows are 78 CFS. Awesome flows for this time of year. The water in the Little Truckee comes from the bottom of Stampede Reservoir and is a lot colder than other area streams. It does tend to get a little warmer the further you go downstream from the dam and fish can get stacked in the upper stretches of the river. At 78 CFS, fish can spread out a little more and create more holding water. There is still a PMD hatch going on mid morning to early afternoon. Get there early though if you are going to have a chance to fish one of the more popular holes. For best results do not approach a spot and start blind fishing an indicator rig over and over again. These fish have seen it all. The Little Truckee is a technical fishery that should be fished that way. Get to a spot, observe, look for fish and make fewer casts. Take breaks often; the fish in the Little Truckee have a high tolerance to anglers and will start back feeding pretty quickly after getting spooked. PMD nymphs in 16 and 18, San Juan Worms and Midges are all worth a try. Have some PMD dries in the bag as well. All your flies should be tied sparse and with very if any flash. The water is clear and the fish will refuse a real bug so the imitations need to be good ones.
Davis Lake
Water temperatures at Davis are in the low to mid 70’s. It is really too warm to fish and not harm the fish. Fish are hanging out in deeper cooler water and really should be left alone until the water cools sometime in late August. If you have a fishing trip planned to Davis or Frenchman’s fish the first hour of light in the mornings and quit early. Be prepared to take any fish you catch home in case they do not survive the fight.
Truckee River
The flows have remained very consistent on the Truckee over the past couple of weeks, except for a little run-off from a couple of thunder storms last week. Most of the water is still coming from Lake Tahoe and entire California side is in great shape. There are still some bugs around like Golden Stones and Caddis but this is Crayfish season. Nymphing with a Crayfish pattern and a smaller dropper like a Caddis or a Little Yellow Stone or even something generic like a Red Copper John or a Pheasant Tail will do just fine. Streamers are also worth a try in olive and orange colors to imitate a fleeing Crayfish.
On the Nevada side the water is still really low. Normal flows for the summer months are in the 420-450 CFS range. They have been hovering around 290-310 CFS all summer. This coupled with really warm water has really made the fishing tough. In some places runs that normally hold fish are too shallow. There are a lot of people swimming, tubing and playing in the deeper pools and there seems to be quite a few anglers on the water as well. It is important to fish wisely in order to have the best chance for success. Here are some tips for fishing on the Truckee given these conditions. 1. Fish early – The water is the coolest in the mornings and fish tend to be more active. It is also the time of day that has less traffic on the water. The fish have had a break overnight and are less spooked in high traffic areas. 2. Move around – Do not fish the same water all the time. Fish on the Truckee can’t take the constant pressure of the same anglers fishing the same holes with the same flies all the time. Fish some water you have not fished in a while and do not camp on one area. 3. Make fewer casts – When lower water exists fish seem to get smarter. The water has been clearer and there is less holding water. The really good holding water sees a lot of fishermen and the fish see lots of flies. Make sure your drifts are really good dead drifts at the correct depth. These tips will catch you more fish and make you a better fisherman. Flows on the Truckee are: Town of Truckee 378 CFS, Boca Bridge 462 CFS, Farad 502 CFS, Reno 316 CFS and Vista (East of Town) 304 CFS.
East Walker River
The East Walker has been fishing really well. Flows have come down a bit with the cooling weather to around 69 CFS. We will have to see how the river handles a little lower flow this week with the warm water conditions. It is extremely important to fish the East Walker early and quit fishing when the water gets to 70 degrees. This is usually around 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Get there early and you can still get 5 hours or so on the water. On the California side smaller bugs like Tricos, Midges and Caddis have been working well fished a few different ways. You can fish a couple of flies under an indicator, do some “High Sticking” or Dry Dropper. Hoppers are out in force so a realistic hopper pattern is a great way to go right now. On the Nevada side fish are really looking up for attractor dries. This is a great time to bring two rods (or two anglers) and run through a spot with a big attractor dry like a Turk’s Tarantula or a Burk’s Hopper and then come back through with a nymph rig of some sort.
Little Truckee River
Flows are 78 CFS. Awesome flows for this time of year. The water in the Little Truckee comes from the bottom of Stampede Reservoir and is a lot colder than other area streams. It does tend to get a little warmer the further you go downstream from the dam and fish can get stacked in the upper stretches of the river. At 78 CFS, fish can spread out a little more and create more holding water. There is still a PMD hatch going on mid morning to early afternoon. Get there early though if you are going to have a chance to fish one of the more popular holes. For best results do not approach a spot and start blind fishing an indicator rig over and over again. These fish have seen it all. The Little Truckee is a technical fishery that should be fished that way. Get to a spot, observe, look for fish and make fewer casts. Take breaks often; the fish in the Little Truckee have a high tolerance to anglers and will start back feeding pretty quickly after getting spooked. PMD nymphs in 16 and 18, San Juan Worms and Midges are all worth a try. Have some PMD dries in the bag as well. All your flies should be tied sparse and with very if any flash. The water is clear and the fish will refuse a real bug so the imitations need to be good ones.
Davis Lake
Water temperatures at Davis are in the low to mid 70’s. It is really too warm to fish and not harm the fish. Fish are hanging out in deeper cooler water and really should be left alone until the water cools sometime in late August. If you have a fishing trip planned to Davis or Frenchman’s fish the first hour of light in the mornings and quit early. Be prepared to take any fish you catch home in case they do not survive the fight.