"Please, let's remember what Memorial Day is all about. Briefly, think about those who are no longer with us. An ultimate sacrifice was made, their lives...for the freedoms we now enjoy & at times take for granted. It is also an opportunity to thank those who have served this country & lost a friend or two."
excerpt from the May 24, 2002 Truckee Fly Angling Update
Monday, May 31, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Tweener Time...Angling Report
Well, I decided to stay in today. I received 4" of wet snow at my place last evening and more is expected today! It still remains "tweener-time", most especially on the LT...so I thought!
I received a couple of glowing reports from da Wood-Splitter's Dad of a nice rise and BWO emergence on the LT. That really piqued my interest. So on Tuesday I had to commit to an exploratory venture to the LT. The weather had been...as it currently continues to be...cold, over-cast, rain, sleet, snow & gusty.
I got there late, 3PM. There was a party of four leaving. I spoke with one of the fly-anglers, da owner of the Reno Fly Shop. He informed me that...yes indeed...there was a rise and some trout were eating BWO's. ...earlier. Oh well, I decided to wet a line anyway.
I had a rewarding session. During my 3-6 PM session I hooked 6 and landed 6. I was elated having previously experienced three, blank "scouting" sessions on the BT and LT and last year I had a depressing 8 hook-up/ZERO land session.
There were no bugs and no surface-feeders; tactically I decided on "fishing the water" with a #14 Little, Dark Flesh Juan trailing a #20 Olive Sparkle Pupa under my new "clown" indicator and three (3) # 6 split-shot. Five of the six netted were RB's with the smallest being 17" and the largest 18-1/2". The biggest was a tapped a 19-1/4" Brown male. There was no discernible preference of flies eaten, each fooled three. The Brown ate the # 20 fly; I was envisioning a "20-20" during the ensuing struggle. What was really surprising, and it reinforces my practice of "off-setting" flies that are #20 and smaller, the #20 was embedded in the kip of the brown's lower lip.
Please continue to transmit you wishes to the sun-gods. and the talisman of moving waters.
I received a couple of glowing reports from da Wood-Splitter's Dad of a nice rise and BWO emergence on the LT. That really piqued my interest. So on Tuesday I had to commit to an exploratory venture to the LT. The weather had been...as it currently continues to be...cold, over-cast, rain, sleet, snow & gusty.
I got there late, 3PM. There was a party of four leaving. I spoke with one of the fly-anglers, da owner of the Reno Fly Shop. He informed me that...yes indeed...there was a rise and some trout were eating BWO's. ...earlier. Oh well, I decided to wet a line anyway.
I had a rewarding session. During my 3-6 PM session I hooked 6 and landed 6. I was elated having previously experienced three, blank "scouting" sessions on the BT and LT and last year I had a depressing 8 hook-up/ZERO land session.
There were no bugs and no surface-feeders; tactically I decided on "fishing the water" with a #14 Little, Dark Flesh Juan trailing a #20 Olive Sparkle Pupa under my new "clown" indicator and three (3) # 6 split-shot. Five of the six netted were RB's with the smallest being 17" and the largest 18-1/2". The biggest was a tapped a 19-1/4" Brown male. There was no discernible preference of flies eaten, each fooled three. The Brown ate the # 20 fly; I was envisioning a "20-20" during the ensuing struggle. What was really surprising, and it reinforces my practice of "off-setting" flies that are #20 and smaller, the #20 was embedded in the kip of the brown's lower lip.
Please continue to transmit you wishes to the sun-gods. and the talisman of moving waters.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Deja Vu
I don't know about you, but I'm anxiously anticipating some top-water activity here in the Truckee area. More specifically, CONSISTENT and PREDICTABLE emergences of bugs...and big bulges, splashes, heads and snouts eating them. also ideally consistent in lieu of sporadic.
I love to quote myself...I was reading the last on-line post (June 28, 2004) of my defunct TRUCKEE FLY ANGLING UPDATE :
"We've experienced typical late spring Sierra-Nevada weather; light rains, occasional 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 billowy-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. 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."
Some of the above conditions actually apply now...sort of...or will occur in 2-3 weeks. Nevertheless, what is expressed can mirror some of my current fly fishing sentiments (remember my Mood" series of last year?)...even though it was written 6 years ago.
I love to quote myself...I was reading the last on-line post (June 28, 2004) of my defunct TRUCKEE FLY ANGLING UPDATE :
"We've experienced typical late spring Sierra-Nevada weather; light rains, occasional 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 billowy-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. 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."
Some of the above conditions actually apply now...sort of...or will occur in 2-3 weeks. Nevertheless, what is expressed can mirror some of my current fly fishing sentiments (remember my Mood" series of last year?)...even though it was written 6 years ago.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Definition #3---TWEENER TIME
Tweener-Time:
The in-between period of time when an aquatic or terrestrial hatch has waned/finished and we wait for the next "major" fishable hatch. When the the anticipated "hatch" occurs it is fly fished pre-during-post the appearance of the food item. "Fishing the hatch" is not mutually exclusive relative to fly fishing method/imitations employed, whether one probes the bottom water column, the "transition zone", or on/in/near the surface film (meniscus).
An example; the first-brood, BWO emergence on both the Truckee (BT) and Little Truckee (LT) rivers has ceased.
On the BT we are awaiting the infamous "Big Bugs of June"; the Winged, Black Carpenter Ants, Golden Stoneflies and the western Green Drakes. Personally I do not consider the March Browns a major hatch, it is too sparse; although one can argue it's nymphal form is an effective ploy right now. And, one can suggest that the Goldens are just as sparse...true. I would suggest that although the Goldens are as sparse a hatch as the March Brown; the former has a two-three year life cycle. Hence in its nymphal form it is always available...in various sizes. Also, as an adult, it is of high-caloric value to a big trout which will venture to the surface to ingest the big bug*. Always remember that a trout's survival in the wild is dependent on its efficient use of energy; the food item's caloric value has to out-weigh the energy-expended...maximizing input while minimizing output.
* two years ago Yo Joe duped a 25" Brown to the surface. The area is now called "Walter's Bend".
On the LT, we now anticipate the appearance of the Pale Morning Duns. As mentioned above the BWO's are gone and the winter stones, although some are still flitting around during the warmth of the day, seems to lack the trout's attention.While guiding on Friday; we tried a bit of everything at all levels of the water column. The only pattern that got attention and eaten, at the surface, was a black, foam beetle (hint: a reliable "tweener" fly).
The in-between period of time when an aquatic or terrestrial hatch has waned/finished and we wait for the next "major" fishable hatch. When the the anticipated "hatch" occurs it is fly fished pre-during-post the appearance of the food item. "Fishing the hatch" is not mutually exclusive relative to fly fishing method/imitations employed, whether one probes the bottom water column, the "transition zone", or on/in/near the surface film (meniscus).
An example; the first-brood, BWO emergence on both the Truckee (BT) and Little Truckee (LT) rivers has ceased.
On the BT we are awaiting the infamous "Big Bugs of June"; the Winged, Black Carpenter Ants, Golden Stoneflies and the western Green Drakes. Personally I do not consider the March Browns a major hatch, it is too sparse; although one can argue it's nymphal form is an effective ploy right now. And, one can suggest that the Goldens are just as sparse...true. I would suggest that although the Goldens are as sparse a hatch as the March Brown; the former has a two-three year life cycle. Hence in its nymphal form it is always available...in various sizes. Also, as an adult, it is of high-caloric value to a big trout which will venture to the surface to ingest the big bug*. Always remember that a trout's survival in the wild is dependent on its efficient use of energy; the food item's caloric value has to out-weigh the energy-expended...maximizing input while minimizing output.
* two years ago Yo Joe duped a 25" Brown to the surface. The area is now called "Walter's Bend".
On the LT, we now anticipate the appearance of the Pale Morning Duns. As mentioned above the BWO's are gone and the winter stones, although some are still flitting around during the warmth of the day, seems to lack the trout's attention.While guiding on Friday; we tried a bit of everything at all levels of the water column. The only pattern that got attention and eaten, at the surface, was a black, foam beetle (hint: a reliable "tweener" fly).
Monday, May 3, 2010
Revisiting Distant Waters....
I was invited to be an instructor at the ClearWater Guide School in Burney CA; April 25-May 2...flattering. I left Truckee April 23 and stayed that evening as a guest along the banks of Fall river in "the other house" of Truckee residents Hugh & Denice Willaims . On Saturday the 25th ("opening day"), Hugh & I drift-fished the Fall...pre-during-post a PMD hatch. From there I arrived at the Clearwater Lodge on Pit River on Saturday evening, my home for the next week. The school started Sunday afternoon. I would like to thank Lodge managers Bill & Vanessa Downs for the gracious invite.
After I get settled in, catch-up on my "administrative" stuff & un-pack I'm going to provide a lengthy post along with pictures. Suffice it to say I knew lots more and...lots less...relative to fly fishing during the next week. I also became re-acquainted with some "inter-mountain" waters of my earlier immersion into fly fishing and met some new friends; both instructors and students.
After I get settled in, catch-up on my "administrative" stuff & un-pack I'm going to provide a lengthy post along with pictures. Suffice it to say I knew lots more and...lots less...relative to fly fishing during the next week. I also became re-acquainted with some "inter-mountain" waters of my earlier immersion into fly fishing and met some new friends; both instructors and students.
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