Truckee, CA.

[bigfly]

04-17-17
The river is running a bit high...
But absolutely beautiful.....
The upper stretch along hwy 89 is closed for a bit yet.....but looks really nice. Can't hardly wait....
Quite a few new trees have fallen into the river along it's length...lots of new structure for the fish.
And looks natural too....compared to local human stream rehabs....

SOME nights are still below freezing, so the big melt is starting slowly..let's hope it stays cool...
Watch the temps, the day after the lowest night-time temps, the flows are slightly lower....
Rained and howled all night....
Next week will be nice at times, but will turn off and on...
Embrace the weather...fish like funky.

Green grass is out in places, pussy willows are budding.
Mountain blue birds are back too...that means everybody is back for Spring.
Watch the Swallows for the timing on hatches.

The "record" winter is disappearing fast.

Water is way up in the grass, not a good time to try crossing...
Green/tan is the color.
Seeing terrestrials now....spiders, ants, Bees.....
A few BWOs in the afternoon.
Starting to seine-up March Brown nymphs.....won't be long now...seeing a few down towards Reno....
Saw a Skwalla again. Easily the longest emergence I've seen, going since 3d week of Feb.
Seeing some large and small Caddis....
Midges of course.....
Crays and worms....and maybe an egg....
I think the Carpenter Ants will be along in another couple weeks....So tie them up now!
Plenty of parking, some roads are melting out, but don't get stuck......
We will have high water for a while.....so if you need help sorting it out, give a call.
I'm on the water almost everyday......
Don't be afraid to use weight.....
Best advise is keep adding till you hook up...I used 4-5 AAAs on a big stick, to find a nice fish a couple days ago.
It's not the size of the water.....it's whether the flow is stable...
And it mostly is..the slow increase doesn't seem to bother them.



Should add....the bears are waking up....so start locking your car (yes, they know how to pull the handle), and don't leave trash/food in sight. They are so hungry after several months napping....

Jim

[Morgan]

Spring is early and it's gorgeous!
No better time than the current.
I was out yesterday with the dog and it was very pleasant.
I would have been content just listening to the river and birds while letting the dog roam.
A very nice time to be out! And you can't catch em from the couch.

[yFly10]

I Always enjoy your up to date condition/nature/ fishing tips on the Truckee River. It's such a great service that you supply. Keep up the good work!

[yankeefanbob]

I agree.....yes, it sure is a "purty sight to behold"!! I was at the LT this past Saturday, I actually ran into Frank Pisciotta a true gentleman and nice guy, he let me share the Bat Cave pool with him.....what a beautiful spot. I just started discovering and fishing the Truckee River last year and have lots to learn, but am very willing to get educated & discover the many secrets.

[bigfly]

Thanks guys.......

Bob, when you've got the LT dialed, you will be ready to learn the T. Be careful what you ask for though....I rarely fish little waters anymore.......Sort of like, playing basketball on the elem. low hoops.....not that slam dunking isn't fun once in a while..
LT is flowing at 900cfs...normally 80cfs.
It has been fishing well, by folks who have got their high water game already from fishing the Big T.
Everybody wanted water.....now you can deal with the Mosquitoes out in the LT meadows.....
I saw the first one this week.

4/18/17

Rained all night.......started snowing at Alpine about 5:00 AM...got 2-3". Mostly it melted almost instantly...right into the river...
The river is BIG right now, color has gone tan/green, and is way up in the grass.
Having said that......I'm going fishing!
Went out yesterday with a buddy, he made three drifts.....done deal.
It may take a bit more game to fish the Truckee.....but once you get a handle on it......it can be world class...



Getting more calls as the season changes to Spring.
Best to schedule early.....for best results.
Got a trip Wed, and will update....

OK......
Water 1400+ cfs in town. Temp nearing 50 deg...before this rapid melt...today it will drop..
Well over 4000 cfs down below.
It's big stick time!
Had a client tag a piggy the other day....he was glad I made him bring his 7wt SH rod.
Leave the 5wt at home for a while......
I prefer a two hander for big-fish, and big-water.
Piggy + current is a handful.
Mostly Browns right now......but if you hook a bow...be ready to run.......
I never fish a spot I can't run...and then figure how I will run, before a cast.

BWOs sporadically...watch the swallows to figure out the hatch cycle.
Midges are still working...but in bigger flows...bigger is probably better.
A few Skwallas are still about....not many risers though.
Sparse Caddis....mostly the smaller speckled.
March Browns are taking their time. Nymphs are good.
Crays/worms/eggs are a good high-flow favorite.
Don't skimp on weight....the other day, when I was out, I went fishless till I got 4-5 ABs on my leader....
Then...Bingo.

Mostly stay out of the water for safety.
We have been losing more flies than normal......bring extras. It's hard to know where the bank ends, and the river begins.
Fishing close is best, but problematic.
Few people on the river....but the ones that are out....can fish.
Go follow someone around from a discreet distance.....or get a lesson...
It helps to watch, because most people who get blanked here, are fishing like they do back on their home waters.
Two BBs and no adjustment of your Indy, will lead nothing more than a healthy stretch of the leg.
Not too many accidental fish here....

Most fishers assign blame for going without.....on the weather, the fish, or others fishing too much.....
Better here to suck it up and assume it yourself.
We often jokingly say there are NO fish in the river.......
The fish are there.

The Sun is coming out!

Have a great day!

Jim

[cdevine]

Thanks guys.......

Bob, when you've got the LT dialed, you will be ready to learn the T. Be careful what you ask for though....I rarely fish little waters anymore.......Sort of like, playing basketball on the elem. low hoops.....not that slam dunking isn't fun once in a while..
LT is flowing at 900cfs...normally 80cfs.
It has been fishing well, by folks who have got their high water game already from fishing the Big T.
Everybody wanted water.....now you can deal with the Mosquitoes out in the LT meadows.....
I saw the first one this week.

4/18/17

Rained all night.......started snowing at Alpine about 5:00 AM...got 2-3". Mostly it melted almost instantly...right into the river...
The river is BIG right now, color has gone tan/green, and is way up in the grass.
Having said that......I'm going fishing!
Went out yesterday with a buddy, he made three drifts.....done deal.
It may take a bit more game to fish the Truckee.....but once you get a handle on it......it can be world class...



Getting more calls as the season changes to Spring.
Best to schedule early.....for best results.
Got a trip Wed, and will update....

OK......
Water 1400+ cfs in town. Temp nearing 50 deg...before this rapid melt...today it will drop..
Well over 4000 cfs down below.
It's big stick time!
Had a client tag a piggy the other day....he was glad I made him bring his 7wt SH rod.
Leave the 5wt at home for a while......
I prefer a two hander for big-fish, and big-water.
Piggy + current is a handful.
Mostly Browns right now......but if you hook a bow...be ready to run.......
I never fish a spot I can't run...and then figure how I will run, before a cast.

BWOs sporadically...watch the swallows to figure out the hatch cycle.
Midges are still working...but in bigger flows...bigger is probably better.
A few Skwallas are still about....not many risers though.
Sparse Caddis....mostly the smaller speckled.
March Browns are taking their time. Nymphs are good.
Crays/worms/eggs are a good high-flow favorite.
Don't skimp on weight....the other day, when I was out, I went fishless till I got 4-5 ABs on my leader....
Then...Bingo.

Mostly stay out of the water for safety.
We have been losing more flies than normal......bring extras. It's hard to know where the bank ends, and the river begins.
Fishing close is best, but problematic.
Few people on the river....but the ones that are out....can fish.
Go follow someone around from a discreet distance.....or get a lesson...
It helps to watch, because most people who get blanked here, are fishing like they do back on their home waters.
Two BBs and no adjustment of your Indy, will lead nothing more than a healthy stretch of the leg.
Not too many accidental fish here....

Most fishers assign blame for going without.....on the weather, the fish, or others fishing too much.....
Better here to suck it up and assume it yourself.
We often jokingly say there are NO fish in the river.......
The fish are there.

The Sun is coming out!

Have a great day!

Jim

Nice shoulders on that brown. Solid looking fish.

This has been one of my better springs on the big T and from all the various blogs /reports /talks with friends/etc that seems consistent. Not in terms of #'s of fish but in inches. Double digit days are still rare and hats off to you if you get there but this place is and has been awesome. And I've seen as many dog walkers as anglers.

One comment that I can echo for me is loss of flies and snags. Get use to losing more flies and let them go w/ these flows. I haven't gotten very wet and that is by design. Pretty big water and lots of steep banks.

Good knots, bigger leader size (1-2x fluoro), and finding slack water. I haven't put any time into the dry fly game. My theory is too much food below the surface for these fish to be looking up right now.

I'm curious about the upper section off 89 once that areas opens. it will be a good place to fish with my kids before the rafters arrive.

[bigfly]

Thanks Chris....

I don't post reports to start conversation, although it seems to work....
My goal is just to keep you guys informed of the conditions.
So you don't come up and get surprised.....or not come up and miss out.
Just let it scroll down the page if you would, and I'll refresh.

Water 1400+ cfs in town. Temp 43 deg...very chilly.....painful even.
Found out yesterday while trying to save flies.....which is a frequent occurrence....
The trip yesterday was fun, but the fish that said hello....said goodby quickly.
Fish have the advantage over fishers without a twitchy sweep-set.
You need to be in a state of high alert....or don't whine.
Fish it all the way through the drift too...more than a few grabs have been right when it swings-up at the end.

Well over 4000 cfs down below.
It's big stick time!
Had a client tag a piggy the other day....he was glad I made him bring his 7wt SH rod.
Leave the 5wt at home for a while......
I prefer a two hander for big-fish, and big-water.
Piggy + current is a handful.
Mostly Browns right now......but if you hook a bow...be ready to run.......
I never fish a spot I can't run...and then figure how I will run, before a cast.

BWOs sporadically...watch the swallows to figure out the hatch cycle.
Midges are still working...but in higher flows...bigger is probably better.
A few Skwallas are STILL about....not many risers though.
Sparse Caddis....mostly the smaller speckled.
March Browns are taking their time. Nymphs are good.
Crays/worms/eggs are a good high-flow favorite.
Don't skimp on weight....the other day, when I was out, I went fishless till I got 4-5 ABs on my leader....
Then...Bingo.

Bring game, be safe, treat them nice!

Jim

[sierraangler]

Aaaand there goes the Big T....

So does this really mean what little remaining fishable water there wash is now toast until July?



Water management officials will be increasing flow out of Lake Tahoe this afternoon to increase storage space from anticipated snowmelt from the near-record snowpack. This increase will increase river flows to 1600 cfs. At this rate, the river will become hazardous and some low-lying flooding is expected; especially from Lake Tahoe to Squaw Creek.
This is the highest rate since 2006, and changes in or around the channel may cause unanticipated impacts. It will be best to keep a safe distance from the river for the near future.

https://www.facebook.com/NWSReno/pho...type=3&theater

[bigfly]

It snowed lightly last night....it will go away quickly this morning.

Big....has Spring voice... not far from flooded.....but still fishing. I'd call it Lt green and pushy....
Not sure what's worse on a long lasting snow pack.....blazing sun or warm rain....
We've had both this week.


With the release from the surface of Tahoe....the rivers water temp has gone up to 49 deg.
(It's dropped back some with bigger trib flows.)
Over the day the temp does go down slightly, and the flows go up.
It is wise to avoid wading.....I've been in waist deep a couple times at these flows and was ready to get out....
It's not worth going swimming for a lost fly.......
But since it's at 2400 now , and I'm still hooking up....
I think the river will still fish....
Just need to be selective and careful.
And bring a big stick. It allows you to fish closer to the bank without getting in the water, and fish farther away, but mend over more currents. Which means a fishier drift.......

We are waiting patiently for March Browns...sort of...
A few Glossasoma fluttering...
Ants and Bees, and wasps have shown up.
Be willing to bet on Carpenter ants to fly in another warm week. Tie or buy now......many stores sell out quickly.
High flow foods are the best bet....
Worms, eggs, cray.....
Streamers aren't totally rocking yet...but it could happen near the bank..
It is difficult to tell where the bank ends and stream begins....fish a little farther away than you think you need to.

The weather is nice and still chilly in the morning....bring a coat, and shorts for the afternoon.

Not freezing much at night, I think the BIG melt has started to engage finally......
Pray for cool days.........

Treat'em nice..

Jim