Truckee, CA

[EricO]

Fished the T yesterday with buddy Jeff Fisher. Guess that name brings him some
luck cuz he had landed 6 or 7 by the time I had ONE take. Just felt I wasn't on
my game.

Saw some pmd's fluttering around. Oh, and EVERY rock we turned over had
either green drakes or march brown nymphs. I turned over one rock and
there was an ALL WHITE golden stone. Black eyes. We were thinking albino?
Is that possible?? Busted out the camera and then Jeff dropped it. Damn it!

Also befuddled on coming up with a good fly to match the green drake. They
are so flat bodied and thick at the thorax...the flies I have seen to match it
don't even seem close. Thoughts?? Material suggestions?

Anyway, after whining like a wuss, Jeff said, "you'll probably catch the biggest
fish of the day, dude." Ya right...easy for Mr 7-8 fish caught to my one.
Well, the caddis REALLY started to pop and saw multiple rises (bring caddis
dries...elk hair, x-caddis size 14-16). Also caught several just simply swinging
a caddis dry across the water.

First cast with a caddis dry latched into the largest trout of my fly fishing life.
The result below...a 24" beastly brown that barely fit in my net. The whining
was OVER! Caught a half dozen more on caddis dries- pretty much half
browns and half rainbows.

Also, I have to say big KUDO's to Bigfly/Jim. Your reports help a ton and really
appreciate your knowledge. The green drakes seem real close to popping. Most
fish Jeff caught on a little yellow stone...a few on caddis pupa green (lots of green
rock worms under the rocks).

I'd say go now and stay til you can't see your fly anymore (7pm for us). Even swung
caddis dries and had plenty of takes.

EO

[Rossflyguy]

Im headed up there next weekend....pretty excited to hear the reports.

[bigfly]

Getting pretty Busy up here taking folks fishing.
If I don't get right back, or post quite as often....that's my reason.
Between tying flies, answering Emails/ booking, and readying gear for the next trip........well, only a guide will appreciate.
Say 15 hrs + a day.
Which leaves 9 hrs for everything else.....
Glad the posts help a little. Hearing success stories keeps me doing it....

Now....fishing.
One day last week, we stood a rod length away from rising fish and offered little pink hackle stackers and orange/pink Cahills, and PMD emergers.
Catching fish at will, for hrs.
Yes it does get easy up here. There are windows when we have our way with them. (Gently of course....)
But, even on those days, you still need to get a drift.
I find this to be the biggest impediment to beginners/visitors here hooking up.
The locals (the fish) are picky about this thing, even more than bug selection. It is, on average, the most difficult thing for folks to get right.
It is far and away, what I spend my time sharing with clients.
Everybody is worried about how far they can cast....
The drift is more important.
On the T, and other pressured waters, the more you work on the drift, the better your fish stats......
Of course you still have to land them, but that's another post......

PMDs- some larger ones mixed in... sz14-16-18.
Nymphs/emergers/cripples/Dunns/spinners/spent. Ride the curve.
Several size Caddis. Don't just try the Elk hair style dry, work the swing thing. Goggle Dr. Lisernring if you need to....
Big Ants are not flying anymore (except up higher in elevation.)
But the smaller red ants are flyin'. Sink either of them anytime during summer.
One of my birdy neighbors eats them on the pavement for an hour every morning. Lots around.
Hoppers and Golden stones are coming, not hot enough yet....
Little yellow stones are around some.
The occasional March brown still around..
Micro Mays are a good bet.
A cloud can trigger BWOs.
Yellow crane flies are flying too.
We are all waiting patiently for GDs to show. (Ya right...)
I'll shout when they pop.

I bought a Sage 5wt. Z-axis spey rod, lined it up for the first test drive.
Swung a Burk's baby bow, and hooked up a fine big bow, first drift.
Can't say for sure what worked , the new rod, the cast, or his fly.
I can say, it's streamer time!
All for now....

Jim

[Jed Peters]

Great fish! I can't wait for my annual trip to Disneyland!

[Dan LeCount]

Freshly molted nymphs will be white until their exoskeleton hardens, probably not an albino.

[EricO]

Freshly molted nymphs will be white until their exoskeleton hardens, probably not an albino.

Thanks Dan. Interesting...I'd never seen anything close to that color before.

EO

[Morgan]

I hate that i gotta work these days.
Cant wait to get back up and put back a cold one w/ ya Jim.
FOr now I guess I'll keep goin to work

[koffler]

Wow - I can pick them. Went to the Truckee yesterday and the winds were huge. I could barely get a drift with an indicator and gave up after 2 hrs with no hook-ups but on the bright side 8+ wind knots that destructed my rigs.

Switched to a teeny 200 (too heavy but all i had) with a kiwi muddler and lander a nice 18" rainbow, another around 14", and another maybe about 2" bigger than the muddler - the only brown. One day this guy will be eating 4 lb squaw fish.

Jason

[bigfly]

They are popping a little every day.
I have several friends who are 0 for 4 on 5x with big fish recently.
I think 4x is a better call......
Oh and as always, before you make that perfect drift with the perfect bug, look where you'll run with them.......
There are quite a few fish out there with flies in their lips.
Lets see if we can put a stop to that........

Otherwise, the last report holds.

Jim

[esummers]

Up on the Truckee yesterday. Fished the little T from noon to about 3. It was really slow for me around the bat cave - guess they just bumped up the flow a bit, not sure if that had something to do.

Headed over to the Big T around 4. Caddis started popping shortly thereafter. Picked up a nice brown and couple nice bows on Caddis (E/C, Elk Hair, emergers, pupa, etc. - pretty picky suckers for me) in some heavier water.

Closer to dark I moved to some frog water and there were some BIG HEADS up. I hooked two, but again, farmed the hell out of them. I picked up those two on a small PMD dun pattern, bout an 18. However, I think they may have been taking spent spinners, but were willing to take a well presented dun. Also saw a few green drakes duns.

All in all, a nice night on the T throwing dries. I usually put up a big skunk job on the T, so this was a pleasant suprise. Makes me want to drive back up there during the week for the evening rise!!