Fly fishing Report Archives

September 14, 2004
It's starting to cool off up here, there is a little sense of fall in the air. Fishing has been pretty good around here. The crowds of summer are gone and you can usually find a place to fish alone mid-week without working at it. Had a client hook a very large (est. 26-28") rainbow last week and eventually lose it after a vigorus 18 minute battle. Very Cool! Starting to see more big fish grabbing a little more frequently now that it is cooling a bit. They are seasoned veterans with Houdini like escape skills. It has been exciting.

High County Lakes and Streams***
These should be good right now. Attractor dries with a little nymph or midge dropper can be great. Indicator nymphing with midges and streamers on a sinking line for the lakes will get the job done. Try a Yellow Humpy with a size 16 PT or haresear in the streams. And in the lakes try a Green Crystal Bugger.

Local Lakes and Reservoirs**/***
Have not been here much lately but Stampede should been turning back on it was a little warm out there for a while. Boca and Prosser are both dropping and off color they should get better as the nights cool. Nymphs under an indicator and streamer on a sinking line will do the trick.

Truckee River***/****
The flows through Truckee are good, up a bit since they are dumping water from Donner Lake. Down lower is good as well although a little off color from Prosser and Boca outflows. I have been fishing mostly the first half of the day and doing very well indicator nymphing. There have been bugs hatching but I have seen very little activity from the fish on them. Clients have been hooking big fish (20"+) but not getting them in making for some great "You shoulda seen the one that got away" stories. The fish have been taking a bunch of different bugs such as Birdsnest, Haresear, PTs, Micro Mays, Black Brassie (14-18) Crystal Buggers and Crayfish (8-4).

Little Truckee River***
This time of year on the LT is defiantly a challenge. Little water, little flies, and little tippet on longer leaders. The fish have seen some action by this time and will not respond to bad presentation. The LT is a good place to work on those far and fine skills. There are midges, mayflies, and caddis all going on at the same time and in different sizes. You may have to change flies several times before the fish will even look at your offering. The dries have been challenging and the nymphing even more so. For dries: Midges Griffiths Gnat (20-22), Mayflies parachute style and spinners (20-24), Caddis (18-22) and sometimes a larger caddis (14-16). Nymphs brassies, PTs, RS2, WD40, Prime time Caddis (18-22).

I will be going on a little work/fishing trip to Jackson Hole from 9/15 to 9/23 and then up to Oregon to guide steelhead from 9/24 until 9/30. I will not be checking e-mail during this time but will be checking my phone messages. If your looking for guide service in the Truckee Area during this time check out the Tahoe-links page on this site. I still have steelheading dates open in September and October. Now, If that isn't enough choice for you Pyramid Lake, Nevada, opens October 1st. Pick a trip, pick a date, pick up the phone, and give me a call so that I can keep "Living the Dream".

See you on the Water,
Brian