Truckee, CA.

[Bigfly]

20181024_132055_Richtone(HDR) by James Landis, on Flickr

It is time to fish......
Edit.....11/15/18
The fish are very fast at picking up, and putting down!! Set on everything that MIGHT even be a fish.....twitchy is the way...
Getting a bit quieter on the water......we are down to two bugs, Baetis and Midges. Either dries or nymphing.
Seeing swirls just below the surface much more than a couple weeks ago.

Find one and fish to him if possible......as opposed to prospecting. First drift is key......
Hoppers are done....
October Caddis are about done.....saw one yesterday......
Baetis sz 20 dries...Burks Silhouette Dun. JUJUs and emergers are best bets.
They come off about 11:00 am as a Dun, and return to the water about 2:30 in split wing mode.
Smidges abound of course...early they pop, later they bounce on the water.
You can cross in many places.....maybe wade the middle and fish the edges....
The evenings are getting chilly, and mornings are brisk....but almost..T -shirt weather mid-day....sure beats hot weather/water.
Soft hackles might be the best way right now. Just swing it! Perhaps in a riffle.....
I can feel Winter is close by....no snow even on the crest, but starting to see a little ice near the edges of the water, in the shade.
The woods are very quiet......Really beautiful right now....
Flows bumped up in town to 170cfs....and has dropped to 280cfs in the canyon. Good time to team fish....have a friend spot for ya. There are nice fish in shallow water that will spook from 30 yards. Bring game.

Treat'em nice.

Jim

 

[Bigfly]

20181130_153725[1] by James Landis, on Flickr

Happy Holidays from Truckee!
Snowing like it might be Winter......the sun came out so I wanted a snow photo for ya.
Sun is gone today, and back to snow.
About 6" in town, more on the hill.
I'll go out this afternoon to see how they are doing........won't be to many others out and about.
I tell everyone, "They can't leave the water, and they can't quit eating". Winter is a great time to walk the water because of it.
Don't forget to bring warm stuff, and studs and staff.
The bugs have diminished somewhat.....BWOs and Midges....KISS method....
4-5 stages to cover.....nymphing, emergers, adult, and spent will about cover it.
Flows are low and beautiful, watch for risers. Light tippet and sneak are Key to success.
Not saying they won't eat something else, but these bugs/stages are what they are looking for.
Get a good drift through the slower water.....they are there.
Keep them in the water so we the cold doesn't nip their gills!
Winter solstice is 8 days away.......and then it's down hill to Spring!

Jim

 

[Bigfly]

20181208_122650 by James Landis, on Flickr

A locals stroll near town is good for a drift.......and maybe a riser.
Less snow every day. Sunny conditions prevail this year so far. We await a serious storm...........
So far, not much of a winter.
Midges are the bug of choice for fish. I keep asking if they'd like a BWO, and they say yes, but I don't see any out and about. The flows are nice 223cfs and clear as can be. The flow is better down below for bigger fish......
I do better on the cloudy days, but ya need to fish the sunny days too, just to be sure.
I say, FISH EVERYDAY........

Jim

 

[kevind62]

What are the weather conditions like in mid to late March? Never been to that area in the spring so asking. Thinking of doing a stopover on my way home next hitch for a few days. Might fly the wife and mother-in-law out to meet me in SF and let them shop while I go fishing. They've been dying for some fresh steamed Dungeness crab and I've been looking for an excuse to go out there and go fishing.

 

[el jefe]

You ply some beautiful water, Jim. I have never been to that area to fish, but your photos are putting ideas into my head.

 

[Bigfly]

20180323_113022 by James Landis, on Flickr
Buddy with a Truckee Brown.....

Kevin, I think Crab is a good excuse is as it gets to come all the way across the country......
Throw in some fishing for a double!
Honestly, I used to think I knew what the weather will be, but not anymore.
Last Feb. the Squawlas came off...they are supposed to come in Mar.
Could be snow up to our butts, or none. Could be low flows, or a flood.
I fish it all with some success, just have to shift styles......
Stay tuned.....

El......the Truckee has some tricks to share.......it's not wilderness, with a Railroad and major interstate in the canyon..
But when you dial it in a bit, there are finny reasons to come play. Glad photos are getting to ya....

Forum members are welcome.......

Jim

 

[kevind62]

Thanks. As soon as I see what my return will be when I get back to work in Feb I'll let you know. Maybe we can do lunch one day if I make it. Lots of things shuffling around right now on the horizon. I'm not even 100% sure I'm going to come back to work next hitch. I'm pretty close to one bonehead request from some brain dead pion for me to call HR and cash out and call my financial advisor and tell him let's do this.

 

[Bigfly]

20190108_111657 by James Landis, on Flickr

I'm calling this, "Still life with jacket......" I plow graveyard shift at a resort, and then shovel during the day.
It's not all about fishing. Sometimes it's about a parking spot to go fish.
My community service is to bust the plow berm at Glennshire parking lot before it turns to solid ice, think dynamite not shovel.
This is the high use section of the Truckee river. It's located right next to a club that stocks truck trout.
They are easily caught so they appeal to consumer type, and beginner fishers. It is normally crowded and pummeled.
I much prefer the wildies, when we can find them, lower in the canyon. They shop much harder and pull harder as well.
But when there is no parking on the streets, one makes compromises..........we try to keep one spot snow free.
Not much of a winter so far......

20190109_154622 by James Landis, on Flickr
Worth shoveling a little....

Midges, and BWOs.......and the occasional large winter Caddis.
Sneak is key...spring creek leader, and a good drift.
The best part of fishing this time of year, is a limited menu.
Water is chilly, plenty of oxygen for fish, and fewer fishermen.
Why fish in summer?

Jim

 

[yikes]

Love this ongoing series of reports on the Truckee. Keep ‘em coming!

 

[Bigfly]

imagejpeg_0 by James Landis, on Flickr

A quality trib fish, only three drifts into the new season.......



Thanks for the boost! But I think you should make a trip up......Instead of just reading about the T.

Jim

 

[Bigfly]

20190127_181949 by James Landis, on Flickr

Casey is dialing it in! I see purple!
She made a few drifts and made a change.......the next drift was a fish.
Midges and Baetis of course.........BUT, Skwallas are around somewhere......
And there are a few Winter Stones now appearing.
Water is very clear and low. Use your best ninja approach, and THE best drift you have ever made.........
SWEEP-SET.....................

Jim

 

[Bigfly]

20190209_131707[1] by James Landis, on Flickr

My protege at work on the bad-ass storm day.......3 deg above zero.
Fishing a Mole fly to risers.......to good effect.
We were the only ones out fishing for the entire area.
Dedication to fun is the key for me. It's great finding a student that can hang with me too!
That, and good warm gear of course..........

Jim

 

[kevind62]

That looks like my kind of fishing.

 

[Bigfly]

20190223_124552 by James Landis, on Flickr

He went from bank fishing with snow shoes, to wading with snow shoes.........

20190222_114239[1] by James Landis, on Flickr

Fishing is good.........both nymphing and dries...........
Not a soul out but us......which is why we are out this time of year.....

Jim

 

[kevind62]

Cut back on the pics Jim. You're killing me here. I'm dying over here in this God forsaken land. What I wouldn't do to smell good ol' US soil and clean, clear river waters.

 

[DubSea]

Hey Fella's
Loving the winter pics! Im coming up this weekend and was wondering about access to the river with all the recent snow? Would be my first time fishing the Truckee in the winter....and would love any hot tips on access. Should I just be looking for any reasonable parking spot along glenshire or hirschdale and try to slog my way thru the snow?

Any hot tips PM or otherwise would be appreciated!

 

[Bigfly]

Sorry I missed your post.....best to call, or text me, as I'm not a frequent poster.
Snow shoes would have been my advise....
And a big stick as well.......
We have midges,skwallas and BWOs in stock.
Let us hear how it went.

Jim

 

[Bigfly]

Going easy today on Kev.....no pics.
There is hope that Spring is coming!
The tops of the Sage brush is showing, and the days are a bit warmer.....several blue bird days in a row.
The fishing has been good, with the flows at 1390cfs, steady, and clear with 6ft of vis.
The Skwallas are almost done, and the March Brown Mays are starting to pop.
Still a few Winter stones, and BWOs are a mainstay....
I have caught fish on dries, bobber, and streamer in the last two weeks.
I would still bring snow shoes, frozen in the morning and easy, but on a warm afternoon you may be post-holing thigh deep.
The big fish are near the edge in these flows, don't spook them on approach.
Bring a longer handled net , because the fish don't want to come on shore, and you don't want to wade.
Those that don't know how to fish bigger water need to learn from someone who does! Because the big guys play now.
We find it just gets better as the flows come up. At 4-5000cfs they will stack very close to shore.
There is plenty for them to eat, and nobody bothering them yet.....(or so they think).
This is my personal favorite time of year to fish. Far better than later when the flows are low, people are pounding them, and big guys are hiding.
I've said this every year I've posted here, and my phone doesn't seem to ring......my best advise, is to fish the water most fishers call blown out. Your personal best fish is waiting.

Jim

 

[kevind62]

No time to go out west yet but I was able to get out Monday and catch a few slabs for the frying pan.
Freezer has plenty of table fare now. Need to get out west and catch the "fun" fish.

Going easy today on Kev.....no pics.
There is hope that Spring is coming!
Jim

 

[Bigfly]

Flows are bigger!!!
Approaching 2000cfs in town and bigger down below.
It's a locals time of year.....and big fish time of year.
I used to think like everyone else.....fishing in Summer.......was normal.
Now I'm about done by Summer......it just gets harder to find a fish....and harder to find a place to fish without another angler.
The fish now have their hair down and are hungry. The question is, do you have the game? And enough split-shot.
March Browns are starting to pop. A few Skwallas still around......
Baetis are about, when the clouds are happening....and still seeing a couple of Winter stones.
It's streamer time too.........
Remember not to fish a place where you can't follow.....and to run if you do hook up!

Jim