Truckee, CA.

[bigfly]

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/64150bf2-3156-45af-849a-e8bcb77e20a3.jpg (http://s905.photobucket.com/user/Bigfly1/media/64150bf2-3156-45af-849a-e8bcb77e20a3.jpg.html)


The scenery is nice right now....
River flows are a bit low near town, 100cfs+/-, better below Hirschdale.
Water temp is about 34 deg. and is very clear.
Midges start mid-day and clumps appear later..
I've said before, single midges drift straight down-stream (sprinkles of pepper on the glass).
The clumps, are made up of maybe 3-4 males entangled with a female.
The clumps fly against the water surface and cross the currents leaving a micro wake.
Trout love eating 4 bugs for one rise. And will change their rise for the bigger bite.
The rise is slightly splashier, and across the current line, rather than sipping in the bubble line.
A sz 18-20 Griffiths Gnat will do the job. Try fishing it straight-downstream and swinging or skittering it in front of a riser.
I find it an easy tie too........
A few Bateis are around too. Cutters bi-visable is good in off-light..
Since the water is so clear, you may want to mud your leader if the sun comes out.
Parking is a little tougher, but only about a foot of snow to deal with.
You will mostly have the place to yourself.
We have a saying up here..."Warm before the storm".
It was literally tee shirt weather my last outing. No pain, no icing guides, and rising fish.......
Have fun out there.....
Update........
Really nice today with blue skies...dried out a bit.
We had rain at 6000+ ft last night and the river went tan for a few hours...now, it's looking better, tan/green 42 deg.
This river always amazes me how fast it recovers.
Be safe out there...
Lost a local guy....in a resort.....the back country isn't safe right now...
Roads are fine, but be careful pulling off....
I've been stuck twice in my truck in two days, did a self rescue both times but it wasn't pretty....
Carry everything you may need when you come up, a shovel, maybe a tow rope...
Warm stuff for evenings....
Have fun catching fish.....
Edit 2...today was the warm before the storm....it's toasty and fish are rising..
River is clear /tan 42 deg. and perfect.
Midges, midges, midges.......

Jim

[bigfly]

Thought it was a good time for an update...
The last few days felt a little like Spring. Warm days, but freezing nights thankfully...
This week looks good.
The river is perfect, clear/green with 39-42 deg swing.. mid-afternoon is probably best.
The fish seem pretty happy, some risers..when water/sky is this clear, they may seek some shade/cover.
Less wading is best in these conditions.....
Midges everyday.... BWOs sz 19-20 if cloudy. Burks silhouette Dun, and Cutters Bi-vis.
Nymph with Baetis, Stones (little Winter sz 18, and Skwalla sz 6-8 although none are showing yet), and a zebra midge of course.
Parking is OK, just be careful..
My take on things...fish now, so you won't wish you had, later this Summer.
Have fun out there!

Jim

[DgiordanR]

Great report! Looking forward to heading up soon!!

[Morgan]

Thought it was a good time for an update...
The last few days felt a little like Spring. Warm days, but freezing nights thankfully...
This week looks good.
The river is perfect, clear/green with 39-42 deg swing.. mid-afternoon is probably best.
The fish seem pretty happy, some risers..when water/sky is this clear, they may seek some shade/cover.
Less wading is best in these conditions.....
Midges everyday.... BWOs sz 19-20 if cloudy. Burks silhouette Dun, and Cutters Bi-vis.
Nymph with Baetis, Stones (little Winter sz 18, and Skwalla sz 6-8 although none are showing yet), and a zebra midge of course.
Parking is OK, just be careful..
My take on things...fish now, so you won't wish you had, later this Summer.
Have fun out there!

Jim


Pretty nice out now Jim. But more so of a scary nice.
Where the hell did all that winter weather go? We were all really enjoying that change of pace up here.
It was kinda odd hopping on the snowboard again to beat up some nice fresh snow. Like the old days.
I was up in your hood the other day and wow was it nice to see the river almost like she used to be.
I had to get in the water to fish the far seam. Odd...!? I like it.
The trout were also very cooperative. Getting hooked and rocketing down stream. Can you keep up?
The fish seemed to really enjoy having a river again, rather than a "creek".
But I sure would love to see some more weather to keep this snow around all summer.

[bigfly]

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/Clients/20160303_105013.jpg (http://s905.photobucket.com/user/Bigfly1/media/Clients/20160303_105013.jpg.html)

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/Clients/20160224_151110.jpg (http://s905.photobucket.com/user/Bigfly1/media/Clients/20160224_151110.jpg.html)

Fish are happy......

The rain has been at it all night....warm tropical snow-melting rain.
River flows are near 900cfs and slightly off color. Tan/green.
The menu SPECIAL this week....Skwallas!!!.....saw some surface action...Brilliant!
After a winter of eating bitty bugs...they finally have something to chew.
To bad the flows will prevent risers mostly this week. (Although you never know....)
Snow we get on Sun-Mon will flash melt due to all the warm ground around town. Forget the 5 ft stories....
Tues-Wed will warm again but flows will be bigger and cold.
I recommend to try to time the warm spell just before this next storm.
If you need to force it this weekend.....try serving a Skwalla nymph straight up with a worm chaser.
Otherwise.... midges (especially zebra), Baetis sz18-20 dry, sz18-20 nymph.
As the water warms streamers will move them......(The brown did...)
when we get past the the next week or so....it will be some of the best fishing this year.
We are below 80% pack according to state snow survey, and going fast with the rain.
fish now........

Jim

[bigfly]

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/Clients/20160306_1459291.jpg (http://s905.photobucket.com/user/Bigfly1/media/Clients/20160306_1459291.jpg.html)

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/Clients/20160306_152821.jpg (http://s905.photobucket.com/user/Bigfly1/media/Clients/20160306_152821.jpg.html)

Met a fellow fish ninja yesterday (Eric) who felt as I did....that in high flows, you can still catch fish....not just go fishing...
(Yes, it's a clubby fish and may not count for serious fishing, but will suffice for a demo ....we only had an hour.)
Find eddies and soft seams near the edge...sorry, no dry fly action.....or wading...
Visibility was about 6", very tan and 42 chilly deg.
In-between snow squalls we had sun windows..
Off-color water is a fisherman's advantage....you can approach closely, and use a heavier leader...which you may need if Walter heads for the fast lane....
As I suggested...a Skwalla nymph and a red worm should do it....worms outnumber bugs in the disturbed seine 4 to 1.
River has already dropped more than a foot, and will clear in a day or so. Flows while we fished, about 1500cfs and over the bank....3x what it was the day or so before. Some would use the term "blown out".
You might blame Squaw and squaw creek for much of the color...clear cutting for more ski-able acres will do that.........
........that and hwy road sand...compare it with healthy creeks along 89 during a rain-on-snow event, for fun....
You can see by the pic, bare ground shows within a few hours of falling snow on some exposures, and minutes on warm ground..
Total snow accumulation in town last night....a massive 5-6 inches, maybe.....snowing weakly now....Which is to say...falling at the rate it's melting...
Honestly, the only time I don't fish, is when the river is frozen over.......(or below 100cfs....)

Give a call if I can help ya....for a local's take on the T.
Roads are fine but carry brains....
See you on the water......

Edit...Boca lake is filling nicely...

Jim

[bigfly]

Edit...
We got 4-6" over the weekend..it's mostly gone, and roads are clear.
Was sunny and windy today.
The river is very pushy, and steady.
Color is very good green/clear.
42 deg....Bring an extra layer...
It requires some weight, to get it down.
Higher up near town is nice.
Below Prosser is bigger....
Below Hirschdale not much wading across..Bring a staff.
Tommorow and the next few days should be good.
Baetis nymphs, San juans, Skwalla nymphs, March Brown nymph, and midges.
An adult Skwalla maybe.....

Have fun out there, be safe..
The river has cleared rapidly.
You can see below............
The ground is mostly clear of snow.

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/20160308_1641552.jpg (http://s905.photobucket.com/user/Bigfly1/media/20160308_1641552.jpg.html)

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/IMG_1521.jpg (http://s905.photobucket.com/user/Bigfly1/media/IMG_1521.jpg.html)

Mostly my fishing friends are on the water.....
Like Jim Hilick today sporting purple, and touching fin on a winter bronze-back.
You learn quickly up here to fish big spring water, and that big pre-spawn fish are active.
Except for the ones who have sports conflict....skiers.
Should be a fun week....
I will be out..
Be safe out there!

Nature Update.....
Today I saw the first flock of doves for the year...American dippers are courting, the nest is already built....
And best, and most telling....
frogs are beginning to fill the evening with their songs...Rrrrrribit.
You can feel critters shaking off winter.
Including the human kind....
Time to fish....
Jim

[bigfly]

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/6844b279-3713-476e-a538-a30f524e94c3.jpg (http://s905.photobucket.com/user/Bigfly1/media/6844b279-3713-476e-a538-a30f524e94c3.jpg.html)

Things are picking up....

Got a trace amount of wet snow last night.
More falling.....streets are a little slippery.
Water is still up, and near grass on banks.
It will go off color for a few hours today....
Then, back to fishy.......
Even though we got snow last night....it didn't get to freezing temps.
Spring is getting closer!
Some Skwalla are out and about....few fish rising in these flows.
Think March Browns, and BWOs.
The menu is slowly expanding..
Saw a lite micro-caddis.
Terrestrial beetles, ants, and.....cccrays.
But they are on hold for now.......


Jim

[Sheepdog8404]

How's the river lately Jim?

[bigfly]

Sheepdog, I'm glad you asked....
The river is still there....just a bit bigger, but stable. (Not, up and down....)
Fishing nearer town is easier..down in the canyon it's big stick time.
Color is good considering...green/clear.
Got cold last night, melting slowed, which is good.
Roads are icy. Be safe out there.
Some nice fish are being caught, but it takes some talent.........
BWOs, March Browns, Skwalla Nymph, worms....
The occasional well swung streamer....
The fish have seen pressure.....
I have seen some very fast take/releases......be ready. No really......
If you are on the one and done program.....that missed fish hurts.
When you see a good drift...think sweep-set.
Should be nice this week, just a little weather to make the fish happy.

Jim

[Sheepdog8404]

Thanks for the report, Jim! Thinking about heading up this weekend... hopefully conditions will stay relatively the same.

[cdevine]

Jim, the "one and done program".... Ha ha.. i've been on that before. Sometimes if I land a nice fish I will sort of cruise and call it a day or just walk the river. I got a chuckle though.

Good report. Its a pretty big river or maybe just getting back to its normal self these days. Seems like 750-850 without a lot of ying/yang. It still kicks your ass. It did mine last week.

[VinnySteel]

Fished the T on Tuesday and Wednesday and got my butt kicked! River was big and takes were few and far between. Managed to get three to the net and missed a few more, but it was tuff out there. There was a fairly large BWO hatch that came off around 2pm on Wed, and I spotted quite a few Skwalas crawling around but no risers. If you're using an indo rig don't be afraid to add some extra weight and maybe add an extra foot or two to your leader to get down. Seemed like the fish were hugging the bottom to me.

[cdevine]

Vinny- Good accurate assessment. It's not easy. (at least hasn't been for me). But 3 to the net is nothing to be ashamed about. Its a bigger river than some of are use too. I've having to rethink some things. Hey they planted in Reno. Bring the kiddos out and get them onto some fish.

[VinnySteel]

I didn't start fishing the Truckee until a few years ago, so it's like learning to fish a whole new river at these flows. Holes that used to be productive with lower flows are now unfishable and seams I used to be able to get to are now out of reach! I can't complain, in all honesty its just nice to see the Truckee healthy again.

[bigfly]

Vinny...
Amen!
A big stick helps even the score...
I've fished 25 mi. Of this river...multiplied by two sides, means 50 mi. to keep tabs on.
If you are a member of the 300 day a year club, that means 0.16666 mi. to walk a day...
Except that the river changes everyday.
I think understanding rivers in general is best....and having lots of techniques, so you can fish effectively whatever water you are standing next to.
For me on the T It's the unending mystery, and chasing big cagey fish that keeps me here..not the easy fishery.
May the Tuffy river flow on.....
See you on the water.....

Jim

[Frank R. Pisciotta]

Vinny...
Amen!

"For me on the T It's the unending mystery, and chasing big cagey fish that keeps me here..not the easy fishery.

Jim

Jim----Amen indeed or shall I say "Allelujah!" (my ad in the April 2016 California Fly Fisher, page 12).

Below are the two intro paragraphs of an article I authored in the Spring 2002 NorthWest Fly Fishing magazine, entitled
Truckee River CA...a Lesson in Patience


“If you are looking for easy fly fishing, don’t come here! California’s Truckee River is not a good choice for the dilettante. This fishery befuddles competent fly fishers. Also, self-proclaimed hotshots with high expectations gleaned from success on other swift-flowing water---I was there during my first decade of fly fishing---will be disheartened. But if one is patient and attentive, this Eastern Sierra freestone stream will begrudgingly expose its secrets.

This is not a “quick-action” freestone stream; 15-25 trout days are few, if any. However, if you are intrigued by a serious test of your talent, this venue will hone your stream craft. Being consistently successful here bodes well for your excursions on moving waters.”

Frank R. Pisciotta

[bigfly]

Between the pelting warm rain, and the non-freezing temps, I'd say it's fully Spring.
The snow pack seems to disappear overnight in town, and up high as well.......
The river's up to the grass edge, and is a very pushy green/tan. Bring a staff.
Took a walk into the canyon at these flows and couldn't cross at my usual spot......I don't use a staff..but it wouldn't have made a difference at 800 +cfs....
That's my crossing limit at that spot.
Always pays to check USGS flow report before you leave the house, or when you get back...for reference.
In my experience, it's not the size of flows, as much as the flow levels being stable......fish adjust, so should you.

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ca/nwis/current/?type=flow Click on the index number left of flow you want....for graphs.

The sharp-eyed forum member with me on the walk, spied a riser in an eddy less than a foot from the bank.
A nice brown, sipping sz 20 BWOs regularly. My favorite kind.......see a fish, catch a fish...
My buddy was on deck.....but happened to be carrying a switch rod.
He changed out his industrial nymph rig, for a dry fly leader, and dapped his way to success. (Another reason to carry an 11fter.)
As a side note.....there might have been a photo....(not that we needed one) if I had dumped my memory card.........Hint, Hint....
I teach a sit-down style....a beverage helps, but if you don't take time to just look... instead of fish, you will learn slowly and miss many opportunities for fishy fun.
So, yes the water is too big to wade in some places, but you still might fish a dry...........you won't know, if you don't go......
Since it seems to be heading towards a short Spring...and a long Summer.....I recommend fishing sooner, rather than later.
Should be biggish, but perfect by mid-week.....
Maybe wear a little bit of insulation underneath waders, water is still a chilly 48+-. Air temps are nice...but always bring a light jacket up here......you never know....
Worms are a high-flow fav....
Local shop is out of AB size split shot....
And soon...AAAs.
Swing buy Keines....is my advice.
Get some little bwos too.
Cutters and Burks.....

Have fun out there....

Jim

[cdevine]

Its big water out right now. I concur about wading. Be careful and it aint worth it so find a bridge or stick to one side. The edges are your friend anyway. Time to perfect your upstream cast. I finally had a few small ones hook up so the little guys are starting to feed as well. This pic was from last week at about 900 CFS before the recent weather boosted flows to +1k CFS.

Have fun out there and be safe. Speaking of Kienes I think there parking lot sale is this Saturday? Anybody know for sure...11849

[k9mark]

Yes, the Expo is Saturday 10 to 4

[k9mark]

This is terrible, but I've lived here now for 27 yrs and never fished the Truckee. We'll this year it gonna happen and my new Sage One 906-4 will be christen there.

[Dan LeCount]

This is terrible, but I've lived here now for 27 yrs and never fished the Truckee. We'll this year it gonna happen and my new Sage One 906-4 will be christen there.

Don't get frustrated if you're not sticking fish after fish, it's not generally a river you catch high numbers on, especially if you're new to it. Think quality over quantity.

[cdevine]

Don't get frustrated if you're not sticking fish after fish, it's not generally a river you catch high numbers on, especially if you're new to it. Think quality over quantity.

Dan is right. It can be humbling. But when its on and you hook into a rocket there is nothing like it on the west coast. At least my opinion. Plus a lot of good family trips and friends in that area which I factor in. So, get out there and give it a whirl. I would recommend hiring one of the fabulous guides their locally if you've never fished it. That is how I learned at first and then it was practice, practice, practice....


Kienes did sound advertising out for the 16th parking lot sale. Should be fun!

Also, Friday before the opener (april 29) at Coyote Bar and Grill in Truckee 11th annual fishmas eve by TU103. 7-9pm. Had a great time last year and even walked away with some cool prizes. See you there.

[Dan LeCount]

Thanks for the plug Chris, should be a good time!

Working on a fly rod for the raffle as we speak.

[k9mark]

Dan is right. It can be humbling. But when its on and you hook into a rocket there is nothing like it on the west coast. At least my opinion. Plus a lot of good family trips and friends in that area which I factor in. So, get out there and give it a whirl. I would recommend hiring one of the fabulous guides their locally if you've never fished it. That is how I learned at first and then it was practice, practice, practice....


Kienes did sound advertising out for the 16th parking lot sale. Should be fun!

Also, Friday before the opener (april 29) at Coyote Bar and Grill in Truckee 11th annual fishmas eve by TU103. 7-9pm. Had a great time last year and even walked away with some cool prizes. See you there.

Ill have to see if I can work that event into my schedule.

[bigfly]

We hunt fish here, not just go fishing........
If you seek a higher level of play........this be the place.

But when it all comes together.......it will be worth it.

I'm not trying to hover near the top of the page.
So, maybe not reply to posts I make. Let it scroll down the page, and I'll just update the report, without bumping it up.
That way it will be fresh and usable, but hopefully not annoying.
I appreciate the views of course.....it's gratifying that some people can use the info provided....

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/th_imagejpeg_0.jpg (http://s905.photobucket.com/user/Bigfly1/media/imagejpeg_0.jpg.html)

A fifty yard dash fish in these flows....a little while later he had one rip line and disappear.


The menu is expanding, so use some imagination...one piece of advice...don't fish the same thing all the time....
You are just training fish what not to eat, and how we do it. Keep them guessing for best results.
Have fun out there.......

Jim

[yubaman]

And remember the cardinal rule, when things get too frustrating, stop, take that cold one out of your pack and enjoy the sights and sounds of the river for a brief refresher. I find the suds to be amazingly refreshing at getting me fired up to continue throwing on a slow day.

The T is a great river. It has so many different looks from fishing right in town,all along down to Nevada. Sometimes it's game on, and sometimes it's scratch 'em out time. It's similar to golf, sometimes you hit them square, sometimes you don't.