Truckee, CA.

[bigfly]

Hope you guys had a great Turkey day!!!
Thought it was about time for a local update......
Got a very light dusting of snow. Really beautiful right now. Quite warm feeling Hawaiian tropic breeze.
Will be fishy this week with some clouds......
The river was lined with fishers this last holiday weekend.
Most were unsuccessful......
Someone needs to tell them.....you can't fish the same way all the time, everywhere, and catch fish. Really....
I see the majority use two BBs for weight.....a reflex set-up.
I start nymphing on the T with one AB at 200+ cfs. and move up quickly
The flows are coming down a bit to 1340cfs......that means three to four ABs... (A big stick is a good call).
A 9ft leader lets you fish 6ft deep.......we run 15fters in these flows.
Several largish fish have been caught recently.....so we are out of summer and into serious fishing season.
The goal here, is to try and get a fish that keeps your index finger and thumb as far apart as possible when holding the them.
If ya can get your thumb over it's back.......keep practicing....because they are in there...
The water is chilly, and nicely colored. Lt green. The river is up due to releases out of Tahoe, not the last rainfall.
When the temps drop, more H2O will be locked up...and the river will come down to "winter flows".
The flows are up to the grass, but are far from blown out. You just have to develop more game!
Truckee folks learn to fish ALL the flows by man/nature because we like to fish too much to sit it out....
It can be the best fishing of the year....
In these conditions, Czech nymphing is coming on...high flows, and slightly colored water is your advantage.
In higher flows the fish are pushed towards shore. This is the time to fish close first!
Bug-wise....it is winter....Baetis if cloudy, and Midges if sunny of course....a very few micro Caddis when it warms....
But before the water temp drops lower...I recommend swinging a streamer.......Skulpin will work....
Maybe use a fast sinking leader......
Always carry a dry rod just in case......It's harder to see risers in bigger water...but they will still look up....
Baetis will trigger surface action...try an emerger early, a Dun mid-morning, and a down-wing later....
Bring extra fleece on the bottom.....and a light wind breaker on top.
Treat'em nice.

Jim

[bigfly]

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4532/37838213925_4a50f3d6f4_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ZDCJJH)IMG_0333[1] (https://flic.kr/p/ZDCJJH) by James Landis (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156195835@N04/), on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4547/37989775195_d5320e4995_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ZT2wC4)20171205_082808[1] (https://flic.kr/p/ZT2wC4) by James Landis (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156195835@N04/), on Flickr

Chilly at dawn........


We got a small dusting a few days ago, about 4" of powder at the resort.....
It was windy so it drifted around, and scrubbed bare in other places.....Don't bring the good skis yet.
I do grave shift snow removal at Alpine Meadows in Winter, so my snow reports will be accurate, not guesses, or second hand info.
Truckee fish reports too........
I sleep about 6hrs a night, and work/fish/live in the snow the rest of the time.
Wouldn't have it any other way!
Temps are cold enough that this snow will stick.
It will warm a little this week, so fishing will be good.
Flows are falling fast.....down to 300+ cfs, and looking like winter flows are here.
The color is clear/green, and fishy..........steel head looking...
Been seeing beginners getting into fish with a little coaching.
So if you come up and draw blank, or just hook little guys....or avoid coming up in Winter.........
Get some coaching, and you will find out what a great river the Truckee really is........!

Standard winter fare......
Baetis, Midges.................
Crays did it, and snow Caddis.
The very sm worm is good in lower flows......
Fish the soft water........softer the better.
Swinging is still working with da skulpin.
Best time to fish is mid-day give or take,with a clear closing of the door around 3-4 pm.
Besides......when the shade hits you, you will be ready to seek lodging and sustenance.......
Think snow........


Jim

[bigfly]

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4527/24852870378_17de04b4b7_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/DSasv9)IMG_0285[1] (https://flic.kr/p/DSasv9) by James Landis (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156195835@N04/), on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4547/37989775195_d5320e4995_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ZT2wC4)20171205_082808[1] (https://flic.kr/p/ZT2wC4) by James Landis (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156195835@N04/), on Flickr

Chilly at dawn........


ANOTHER dusting of about 3-4" of powder at the resort.....2-3" in town....
It was windy so it drifted around AGAIN, and scrubbed bare in other places.....Don't bring the good skis yet.
It was a howler last night gusts to 60-70mph. Gusts on the summit of 114 mph.
Very nice outside right now....T shirt weather after a storm....ya gotta love it.


Flows have stabilized @ 200+ cfs, and looking like winter flows are here. Low enough to cross anywhere almost..
Color is clear, and lower 40s..
Standard winter fare......
Baetis, Midges.................
Crays did it, and snow Caddis....a sz down from an Oct Caddis. sz10
The very sm worm is good in lower flows......
Fish the soft water........softer the better.
Swinging is still working with da skulpin.
Best time to fish is mid-day give or take,with a clear closing of the door around 3-4 pm.

Think snow........


Jim

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I think I must have first fished the Truckee River in California in the 1960s.

Back then they were fishing mostly standard or classic dry flies, classic wets / soft hackles and classic streamers.

Nymphs were just coming on the scene then.....


We had no indicators, no sinktips, no graphite fly rods, no breathable waders, no poly underwear, etc.


In my 50 years of working in the sporting goods business in Sacramento I met hundreds of old timers who loved to fly fish the old Truckee River.


Back then we knew Millard Fox who owned Fox's Flies in Sparks, Nevada.

He told us to come up on the 4th of July for some good dry fly fishing.


There was another local famous old timer who worked for Teichert Construction in the town of Truckee.

Sadly, I can't remember his name but I guess he was "the guy" on the Truckee River in the 1960s.


Back then our bag of tricks was pretty limited but I think it still worked because the pressure was way less back then.


Today we have great guides and locals who fish it with a passion and have very new cutting edge techniques.


I still believe the Truckee River, like the East Walker, has a extremely diverse trout food menu which makes it one of he fickle rivers, especially for the less experienced fly fishers.


I know the Truckee River has had a long standing reputation for being hot and cold for most.

Going with a top guide is the best way to get better.....

[Ralph]

I think I must have first fished the Truckee River in California in the 1960s.

Back then they were fishing mostly standard dry flies, classic wets and classic streamers.

Nymphs were just coming on the scene.....

I think Cal was using his stonefly nymph in the late 50's and certainly his birds nest from the early sixties and maybe as early as 1959. The Truckee of course was his proving ground. Polly was using his nymphs on the T in the 60's and published his book, "Tying and Fishing the Fuzzy Nymphs" in 1965. I used to have a signed copy of his first (self published) edition. Somewhere along the line I loaned it to someone . . .

[Larry S]

Ralph,
I remember reading that Cal Bird was so modest that he didn't want the name of the fly to be
capitalized, lest folks would think he was boasting. We could sure use more like him.
Merry Christmas!
Larry S
Sun Diego

[Ralph]

Ralph,
I remember reading that Cal Bird was so modest that he didn't want the name of the fly to be
capitalized, lest folks would think he was boasting.

I think that came after he and Frank Mattarelli got razed for the millionth time about putting their name on everything! Even if he didn't capitalize his name, it invariably got a possessive apostrophe after it. In his later years he did try to roll that back.

[bigfly]

I have tried a lot of flies on the T over the years.....and the Birds nest is a consistent
producer.
I learned to tie it from Andy....and he saw Cal tied it.....
I can't do it as well as either of them but it still works well...
I wish I had a chance to thank him....

Jim

[Larry S]

Ralph and Jim,
Neat info and great pix. Thanks to you both!
Larry S
Sun Diego