Truckee, CA.

[Bigfly]

20191129_144121[1] by James Landis, on Flickr

Winter is here........the storm door opened this week. 1 ft of snow now.
Single digit temps early and late....with some "T shirt weather" in between time..
Water temps around 38deg. Bring some fleece for underneath. 165cfs...
It is very slippery in the water (all the green die-off.) so bring back-up clothes, and have fresh cleats and a staff if needed. I was like a pig on ice yesterday, multiple close calls.
In lower temps I might suggest staying near the car in case of trouble...I take lots of risks, but am not silly.
Don't need snow shoes yet, but have them ready, because it won't be long now.
Beautiful time of year to fish!
Small bugs rule......
Midges and Baetis of course.
Size 18 and down.....
No parking on the roads, and be careful pulling off the road too. Bring a shovel and a tow rope as well....
This is some of the best fishing of the year...turned a couple toads yesterday in small water....

1459161_10201590248372099_857656269_n by James Landis, on Flickr
I post this every year as a service.......

Jim

 

[yikes]

I reposted your road sign on Facebook, and got a lot of laughs from my friends and relatives in "snow country".

 

[Bigfly]

imagejpeg_0[1] by James Landis, on Flickr

They aren't all big! But we love them anyway.......
Merry Holidays from the Truckee.

Report wise.....
The T is @ 127 cfs, low and clear.
40 deg. Water, 40 deg air(mid day).
Was swinging a streamer this last week. Not hugely productive..(2). but I think of it as Steelhead practice.
Wouldn't want to drive a long ways, and then have to remember how.
Bobber in is most productive approach. Sz 18-20 Bateis, 18-24 Midges.
Occasional rises, very occasional....
I carry a dry rod rigged just in case.
Burks Silhouette dun....
Bring your sneak! They can see you pretty well in these conditions.
Think of it as hunting...not fishing.


Jim

 

[Bigfly]

20180305_141033[1] by James Landis, on Flickr

Junuary has been the same all month, no real need to post. The fish are still in there and can be caught, but you better bring your A game.
I hate to think about a drought, but it's looking pretty thin.
We aren't giving up yet, because we got all of our winter last year in Feb.....but the heavens better unload soon.

Conditions: Water is at 140cfs, 40 deg, and very clear.
Midges mostly.......BWOs are coming soon.
Skwallas are about to go as well!
I saw one yesterday in the shallows. It's the first big bug of the season!
When I walk the water, I look for a flat rock near shore, that's in 4" of water, that is slightly raised off the bottom, with a little flow underneath. The nymphs migrate across the river bottom cobbles to shore, then wait for duskish light to come out and molt. They don't fly here because it's too cold....so they walk to the bushes to copulate and them walk back to the water midday when it's warmest.
They are dark to absorb solar radiation and move about in our cold conditions.
Just before they emerge they get together to chat in little groups....not sure what is going on with them then......
I wonder if they release a pheromone to sync up their deal. I watched them last year come in a wave of emergence seeming to avoid the bird predators. Robins love them too......
and I watch them for a change in their feeding behavior.
We also change the way we eat, when snacking on different foods. Lots of mysteries out there.
So here is your tie or buy alert.........wouldn't want to wait for them to sell out at the shop.
They only come once a year, and big fish like them a lot. sz 4, to sz 10. Dry or nymph.
Fish dries near shore in shallow glassy water. I like to fish the other side of the river because the fish are very spooky on this side!

No need for snowshoes, and a light jacket is enough for the daytime stroll. In the shade it has that 30+ degree chill.
Let me know if you need to walk the water, I'm out there anyway.

Jim

 

[yikes]

Hard for me to get a sense of scale - - about how long did that one measure?

 

[Bigfly]

20150219_132539 (2) by James Landis,

Game on.....but we will have a little break this weekend due to snow, When it warms again, They will be back.....
Buy your flies.
Sz19 to 8 dries....
Be sneaky because it pays...A light long, leader is recommended as well.

Just so you know. If planning to fish out here this year. Arrange for it to be before summer.....it is going to be a drought.
Low warm water is not the recipe for success. We got the first snow in two months.....a fat 4". Most of which already melted....
Flows at 161cfs in town, and 221 down in the canyon....nice!

Jim

 

[Bigfly]

Finally got some snow! About 3ft in town, and snow shoes are a good call to get around. Since ski resorts are closed....locals are going fishing
instead. Skwala are about done with their emergence. March Browns are on deck.....buy or tye alert. They are out lower in the watershed.
The flows are up a little, and just about perfect conditions. 290cfs in town....390cfs in the canyon....
Water is very clear, and fish are a bit spooky. Long leaders and a good drift will get a look. Use shade to approach the water when possible. ...walking straight to the water in the sun begets a ghost town feeling.

As a bright note...a Mountain Blue bird showed up this week...Spring is coming!

Jim

 

[acorad]

It's been raining solidly here in SoCal for the past couple hours, I think you might have some snow headed your way!

Andy

 

[Bigfly]

It's been raining solidly here in SoCal for the past couple hours, I think you might have some snow headed your way!

Andy

Andy....we need it!
Just looked at GOES 17 Sat. and see you getting moisture, but we just get cold and unstable air. 1-3" of white expected.
I'm on standby for plowing...
You might get some though...

Jim

 

[Bigfly]

We got a paltry 6" of snow this last storm. Wow.....mostly the snow is going fast. Staying cool, so no flash melt.
Really is pretty up here, but don't come up. We are all hunkered down. It's a ghost town for the most part.
Sat within 8ft of rising fish yesterday.
BWOS were the food of choice.
Watched the fish selctively on egg laying females. Sz 18 prefered.
A number of birds have returned to Truckee....saw an Alder gnat catcher, Robins are feeding near shore. Skwala are around still, and March Brown mays are sporadic but on the menu.
Water is clear, 46deg, and 350cfs in town.

Jim

 

[satyr]

Looks like you should be getting a good pile today and for the next couple of days. God knows the Sierra needs some more!

 

[Bigfly]

About 5" in town. This the most pathetic winter I have endured. Gone in a day or so.....
Fish soon, it will be dry later.

Jim

 

[Bigfly]

SPRING.....has arrived!
Butterflies showed up this week, ants came out, and a bunch of birds......paired hawks circling, our big Skwalas are flying, clouds are producing a nice BWO hatch too.
Fish are looking up, for those that have an A++ drift.
Flow in town is a perfect 350 cfs.
Down below town, I would recomend a switch rod at 700cfs.
Clear and level now, the rivers going up over the next two weeks. It will go off color, which means those who know how to fish big water, are rubbing their palms together.......
Now is the time to rock......

Jim

 

[yikes]

Frustrating to read "now is the time to rock" when this So Cal resident must shelter in place!
Oh well, we'll have to live vicariously through your posts. Keep them coming!

 

[Bigfly]

Yikes....
The hardest thing I know how to do, is rest a hole. We are all doing our part to help right now. I'll see about improving my posts....

Jim

 

[Bigfly]

I mentioned watching how the other guy fishes....
That's because I am the pres. of the Universal fisherman's association.
Which means, I will fish like you do, unless I watch it like a hawk.
Or visa versa....
The point is fishers like pleasant weather.....it is nuclear blue right now, and I am hiding out while they are all out flogging. Just booked a trip for thurs. It will be spitting and gray, with gusts to 20 mph.
Couldn't be happier ......why?
Because either bugs or fish, or both, don't like high noon light....
Couldn't give you facts as to why, but I can tell you from a lot of prowling of water, that both bugs and fish prefer gray......I just go with what's good for them. A good guide doesn't MAKE it happen, as much as they hear the harmonies. I love bad weather.....
Last week I had a perfect client.
He didn't mind the wind! He said he had been out 8hrs the day before and gotten skunk on. I said OK..
He didn't watch the clock like some clients...so we sat a bit, and let them start rising. His first fish on a dry (ever) was very near two ft.
3 seconds later.....we regrouped, and retied a fly to the leader.
He turned and lost three more slightly smaller fish over the afternoon.
Came back the next day, also gray, and closed the deal on a nice bow. I had him sleep on the too hard or too fast sets...The point is regular sunny day here...we nymph, because it's so blue....I think of rain/snow now as "dry fly" weather. Do you?

Jim

 

[Bigfly]

Thought I would freshen up.....last thread was started in Nov..

I'm thinking about calling this ....
Universal fisher part Deux.
When, as an off duty guide, I go to the water I study.
Today I shadowed a local club fisher.
I gave him an hr of obsevation.
My data take is as follows.
37 drifts, 18 mends, 0 changes, and he was nailed to the floor.
Which is to say, no chance at a fish.
You cannot wade up next to them and fish like the fish are dumb.
When actually it's us fish hero's that are clueless. I tried briefly to start a conversation by asking if he had gotten any love? He replied "yeah"....when I know better. I know a fish hero when I meet one, because he would be threatened by help.
So, I didnt........
Because I want fishers to improve, I do give away tips/secrets.....
But a true fish hero, cannot be helped, until they raise their hand and finally admit they have a problem. "Hi, I'm Jim, and I'm a universal fisher".......
I can't say was, because we are always recovering.

Jim

 

[Bigfly]

In case you wondered why I would follow a fisher at all? The reason is, I'm open to learning whenever possible.
The gentleman had silver hair and lots of stickers from famous waters on his truck. I figured if I watched carefully there might be a trick to learn. Turns out that he fishes in effectively all over the place..........he was standing in the most fishy spot on the river with no chance.
Just remember, just because the fisher is dressed right and talks the talk, they may be a fish hero.
You can fish well, or you can think you fish well......there is a big difference according to the fish. I trust the fish to keep me informed on my progress, not the guy in the mirror.

Jim

 

[kevind62]

I knew if I put all those stickers on my truck and dressed up like Little Lord Fauntleroy that someone would follow me. ound:

 

[Bigfly]

Kev.....
Pretty sure it wasn't you....you can cast....will delay evaluation of yur mends......this guy had neither.
More like Lord Simms..
But, I guess, if you are gonna flogg, you might as well look good.
Have I mentioned the couple from mongolia I met on the water?
They were Simms customers, but couldn't cast in our wind....
I showed them how to keep the line down wind of the rod.....and the were good to go!
I think we all suck for a while.....the question is, are we going to improve? Or just look good?

Jim