AUGUST 1, 2005
Sheepishly...my sincerest apologies
to those on my UPDATE e-mailing list. In reality, the
below sample is actually the last UPDATE published on-line.
My intentions were honorable; I started one two weeks before my...one-year-to-date...last
writing in early June 2005.
And then...then, the fly fishing
got really intriquing; I was doing "busman's holiday" angling whenever
the opportunity arose...in between meeting lots of new friends (...and
visiting with existing ones) via my guiding & instructional clinics.
My writing became a low & admittedly, neglected priority.
Not promising....but,
If you're still interested on getting on the e-mail list...please do.
Maybe I'll surprise every one with a fasinating read on fly angling
in the Truckee area.
Below is a sample update from last year:
Truckee FlyAngling Update
By CyberFly!!
June 28, 2004
We've experienced typical late spring Sierra-Nevada weather; light rains, occassional greyish skies, late-afternoon thunder & lighting & even snow on the morning of June 7th. Now we expect a summer mode; warm sun , clear and/or blillowy-clouded skies, late afternoon, blustery winds & possible thundershowers.The springtime high flows on the rivers & full pool on the stillwaters is waning. The water temperatures are warmer; triggering lots of bug emergences. The uneducated trout of early season are a bit more sophisticated now that they may have been stung a time or two carrabelle fishing charters from FishTravel. Nevertheless, we'll not be burdened with "loading & lobbing" lots of lead on moving waters & deep-lining streamers in the lakes.
It is now dry fly time for those of us who like to switch to more delicate pursuits. Decent fish can now be induced to eat your fly on or in the surface film. The caveat is you must be on the water at the right place & time with the correct fly pattern & presentation...nothing new here.
The TRUCKEE RIVER flowing out of the Lake at Tahoe City is 338 cfs & 345 cfs along West River Street behind town. Interesting; dead-on average for this time of year, even though we have experienced three years of below normal snow/precipitation; therefore water. Is the Water Master catering to interests of commericial rafting companies? Hey, I'm not going to be a curmudgeon here; the higher flows are great for the fishery along Highway 89. The lack of trout was evident to us Tahoe-Truckee FlyFishers volunteers (join this great group!...contact me) who assisted DFG electro-shocking a section of river during October 2003.
The highest water temp I've gotten is 65; in the upper Wild Trout water at Trout Creek inflow. Downriver, below Prosser Creek the water is a only 1-3 degrees lower. In the Canyon below Hirschdale, the flyangling is only for the aggressive & confident wader because it remains above 500 cfs.
The featured bugs & those you should have imitations of in your quiver are: Little Yellow Stones, Spotted, Turtle-Case & Grey Sedges (Yolly Ho!...caddis). Evening is when you'll see them during their heaviest flights. Appropriate patterns should be in sizes 14-18; currently I'd suggest both pupa & adult forms. Productive flies are BH Green Sparkle Caddis, soft-hackles such as Partridge & Green or Grouse & Peacock & Dark-Winged Elk-Hairs or EC Caddis (...emergent/cripple). The caddis are so thick at times that they land on your face...keep your mouth closed! For the stones; I like Yellow ParaChute Humpies for surface-flush-fishing or palmered, GlickMan's Yellow Stone when I want to ride'm high.
At dusk there are dense, mating/spinner swarms of Sulfurs (?) & PMD's. Use a standard Rusty or Yellow Organza-Winged Spinner or an Orange ParaChute Humpy, #14-16. Either will fool a deliberate slurper in the quiet eddies behind mid-stream obstructions or under over-hanging stream-side vegetation.
Half-dozen adult Green Drakes were viewed in flight
the
evening of June 25th along the Glenshire stretch. IMO,
they are near the end of their emergence on the main river. Our first sighting
was on the 4th of June, over three weeks ago...the outer edge of their
appearance. The adult Golden Stones seem to be almost
non-existant this season; reports of onezies & twozies only. But remember,
they
are present underwater; a #6 Mercer Epoxy-Backed Golden StoneFly
pattern fished under a Yellow, BigHorn yarn indicator accounted for an
exceptionally thick 17+" Rainbow on Friday the 24th.
RainBows ranging from 9�-19� are being caught & released. Mountain WhiteFish from 12�-17� have unexpectantly bent some fly rods. Browns are few, the smallest that I�m aware of being 10� & reliable reports of one at 20" & another at 20-1/2"...& an unsubstantiated, grapevine-talk of a 23 incher that ate a Yellow Stone pattern at the surface.
�High-sticking� is still my preferred wet-fly technique; mostly in pocket-water, deep runs with updwellings that indicate large submerged boulders & 2�-3� riffles. As per my previous report , generics such as standard Copper Johns or Green ones, Tungsten BH Princes, BH Flash-Back Hare�s Ears, hook-sized at 12-18.
The LITTLE TRUCKEE RIVER is currently flowing out of Stampede Dam at 101cfs, down from 135 as of June 21st. Normal for this time of year is 75 cfs. Nevertheless, IMO, perfect for dry fly angling...expect on the low-end cusp.
At these flows, the best success is by adept spring creek flyanglers. I'm guessing they account for the hackneyed 10% of who are hooking, landing & releasing a disportortionate amount of the wild fish. Expert flyanler, John Leonard of El Cerrito CA fished the Meadow section from 22-25 June; hooked over 50 & landed 24 during his four, 6 hour sessions. The fish ranged from 13" to shy of 21". Dan McDanield, the previous, three-time president of the NCCFFF (...who was quietly a major influence behind the lobbying for the LT's special regs...see my Little Truckkee click-on on my home page) landed "...approximately 15, all rainbows, to 18"..." on Saturday the 26th.
Rainbows have ranged from 10" to one at 20-3/4" & another at 20-1/4" which slurped a #18 Grey Pullover at the surface. Browns netted have been 8" to three at 19". The median-size trout you should anticipate is 14+- inches. Again, the talented flyanglers are reaping the coveted rewards & better numbers. These are strong, hot fish & your rod/line-handling skills are tested after the hook-up.
As of this writing Green Drakes are making an appearance on the special reg section of the LT; appearing from as early as 9:50 AM to as late as 4:45PM (Saturday the 25th) The bulk of them has been from 10:30-noon. Although a sparse hatch, the trout are definitely on the look-out for them...even in the absence of rise activity. The most productive patterns are #6-10 Olive Quigley Cripples & GD Flash Cripples. This huge mayfly has been around for about 10 days & will fade soon; I'm guessing within a week-10 days...through July 4th week-end.
Now, we'll be treated to PMD's for the next 4-5 weeks; they should be the main fodder through July into August. Expect them from 11AM-4PM. Use a #14-16 PMD Quigley Cripple; or your favorite emerger pattern in lieu of an adult imitation. During an emergence you'll observe that the trout are "bulging" near or in the film, not breaking through the surface. If you must be a purest; an Orange ComParaDun will suffice. Whatever your selection, you must accurately cast a dead-drifted fraud into a narrow feeding lane; when feeding there is little lateral movement & your first cast is critical. With both the Green Drakes & PMD's we've noticed that if you see a "showing" fish; you've got a more than 50% chance that he/she will eat your fly. HINT: You can also raise fish while "searching the water."...if you know where.
During the last couple hours of light there has been a consistent rise to micro-caddis & midges; expect it to continue.
Other bugs to be aware of are sized 18-22 BWO's,
#18 Lime StoneFlies, #14-20 Light & Dark Caddis, #20-24
Dark Midges & a size 16 Black-Bodied/White-Spotted-Dark-Winged
Terresterial with an orange butt.
Don't forget your Mosquitoes repellant.
Additional flies to consider are #16-18 BH Rubberleg Flash/Epoxy Pheasant Tails, sized 18-20 BH FB Hare'sEars & Chartreuse Copper Johns.
NOTE: There are crowds here AND some exhibitions of poooooor stream etiquette!
MARTIS CREEK is getting warm; very soon into its summer doldrum. In the mornings, there is midge activity at the surface...until the winds commence, expect the same near dusk. Use a sized 18 or 20 Black pupa pattern, lay it dead-drift, flush in the film ahead of a steadily cruising/sipping fish. Track its direction & rise interval & lay it out...delicately. If your fly gets by-passed; immedialely do a slow, long draw of the fly, creating a "V" wake...you can get a "come-back' grab. Most trout will be Cutthroats to 12�. I haven't received reports of outsized lunkers. In the absence of surface feeding, use generic patterns, in sizes 14-18 such as ZugBugs, Pheasant Tails & Princes. Also, a #6-8 Olive Flash-A-Bugger is a good stand-by. A Slime-Line is appropriate in the deep water (...you may prefer a fast-sinker for the Bugger) & a floater will suffice in the thin water. A 9'-11', 5X leader is fine; the small cutts are not leader shy & per chance you connect with a larger Brown...you want to bring it to hand.
Be prepared for Callibaetis; in all life-cycles & DamselFlies (use a sculling motion on your nymph pattern...if humanly possible!). Look for both aquatic bugs in the weedy-edges of the inlet channel, the inflow of Dry Creek & the south-east shallows. 10:30AM-2PM would be a good time frame. Hope for minimal wind.
FLORA & FAUNA OBSERVATIONS:� a doe with two spotted fawns taking turns sucking milk from the patient mom�A marmot sunning itself on a rock-outcropping...wildflowers in abundance; Western Shooting Stars, Indian Paint Brushes, Camas Lillies, Phlox & Pentemons to mention just a few...butterflies; Tiger or Pale SwallowTails & Western Tailed Blues?...a death struggle; a Water Snake with a 6" RB trout in it mouth...A Bald Eagle & A Golden Eagle.