What a difference a couple years make....

[cdevine]

I was looking back at some old pictures from 2014-2015 on some of our local norcal rivers and thinking about how scary things got with the drought. I don't want to speak in the past tense because I fish all year long but this trout "season" has been such a blast. I've learned to fish flows I never imagined and got taken for some great rides. From reading the forum it sounds like fishing has treated us all pretty well. I'm very thankful for water and the wildlife that we are able to borrow from time to time.

Here is a picture from the Truckee River Canyon in 2014 that I took exploring the river during low flow. I spent some days walking the river and taking notes on what the river bottom looked like. I hope in my lifetime I never see flows again like this.

[Morgan]

I sure hope we get another decent...atleast average winter this year.
We dont need a record breaking year, but a good one would be cool.
This summer has been fun. Too hot to say the least tho.
ANd I too have got my ass kicked by big fish this year, they have won the majority of the games for sure.
Most of the time you just smile and wave good bye.
Cmon' winter!

[cdevine]

Morgan-
I agree. I will take a nice average winter as well. Mother nature always seems to have her own plans though. It has been a really fun year. Fishing in some of the high water events of the winter/spring proved to be beyond my wildest dreams. Our streams and lakes bounced back quicker than I imagined they would. There are places that took a beating though after the prolonged drought we had.

Three places that come to mind from personal experience are Kirman Lake off Sonora Pass. Hot Creek, and the Truckee East of Sparks. I have already seen signs the truckee in Nevada will come back quickly. I've landed a few nice browns and bows this year along with a lot of smaller fish. I wouldn't be surprised if places like the conservancy /mustang start producing again. Kirman is going to take awhile and needs some help in terms of re-populating. Hot Creek got so low and weedy during the drought that fish were eaten by predators or died from lack of oxygen. Like everything it will come back but might take a few years.

I'm def ready for Fall.