August 26, 2003
Sorry for the late update. Fishing in August started off slow with very warm temps but over the last two weeks has cooled off quite nicely. The fish in the Little Truckee are still big and getting wiser. The Truckee has been fishing very good and I had clients land some fat fish lately. Several larger fish 20+ inches have been lost or broken off making for some exciting moments. On the lakes, Milton provided some great sight fishing and the smallmouth in the local reservoirs are always willing to eat something.

Dax and I road tripped up to the Rogue last week for a steelhead fix. We managed to get hooked up on a few adults 26" and up. The half-pounders were more than willing to hurl themselves on to our flies. For those of you interested I am booking trips on the Rogue this fall check out the trips page.

High Country Lakes and Streams***
Milton provided some pretty exciting sight fishing the other mourning. There is a nice callibeatis and midge hatch in the morning early afternoon. Worked a green crystal bugger in front of cruising fish and had some success as well. For top-water action try midge emergers 18-22, Griffiths Gnat 18-22, Quigley Cripples 16-20, Parachute Adams 14-22, and any big Ant pattern. Subsurface Try crystal midge 18-22, PT and Flashback PT 14-18, damsels 10-12 and crystal buggers 6-10.

With the recent heavy rains some of the streams have become quite muddy for a day or two. Any attractor dry such as a Yellow Humpy or Trude 12-16 will do just fine on these skinny waters.

Local Lakes and Reservoirs**
The rainbows and browns have moved to deeper, cooler water for now. The smallmouth have been biting clousers size 6 and woollybuggers 6-10 on sinking lines off the dams. Action should pick up as the water cools down.

Rivers and Streams*** to****
The recent rains have cooled down the Truckee River to the low 60's and the fish are hungry. Haven't seen fish working for very long but they will eat a Stimulator all day. The major hatches are over although there is a sparse mid-morning caddis hatch to look for. There are allot of hoppers but I have yet to find a pattern that gets more takes than a Stimulator. Dead drifting a crawfish has been fooling some nice fish. Fishing through the heat of the day is worth trying, just keep moving. Attractor dries such as Stimulator, Humpy's, and Trudes 8-16 are good searching patterns right now. Hang a nymph under the dry such as Birdsnest 14-16, Haresear 14-16, Copper John, 14-18, Turkey BH 12-18, Stones 6-10, and Brassies 16-18. Streamers like clousers 6-10 and Woollybuggers 6-10 on a sinktip line are worth trying as a change from straight indicator nymphing all the time. The Truckee can get muddy with heavy rain especially in the lower canyon. Expect the flows to get turned down sometime in the next few weeks.

The Little Truckee River between Boca and Stampede is fishing good. Smaller flies, 6x-7x tippet, a quiet approach, and some line control will increase success here. If the Truckee is blown out this is a nice option. There is a little caddis hatch here. For dries 16-18, EC caddis 16-18, Griffiths Gnat 16-20, midge emergers 16-20, Parachute Adams 18-22, and compara duns 18-22. Nymphs micro mayfly 18-22, brassie 18-22, micro caddis 18-22, and SJW 12-16

See you on the River

Brian