Prime Conditions Have Arrrived

Finally the BT is coming into fine fishing shape. The melt is almost over. Water temps are getting near the prime-floor-temps of the 55 degree mark. Bugs are hatching and some trout are eating on top. But for consistent success nymphing remains the most assured tactic of success.

Right now I personally focus on the stretch from the Boca inflow to the Donner Creek spill-in. This area requires less combat-wading. Unlike like the da Sheriff of da Canyon * whose turf...Hirschdale to the CA-NV stateline, is big water (...and admittedly a chance of larger trout), my clients have not netted a 5 pounder yet.

*www.gilliganguidservice.com

One such trophy was on for an extended, 3-4 minutes struggle last Tuesday, June 22nd.
It ate a #16 Rubber-Legged, Flash-Backed Hare's Ear It rushed downstream, pocket to pocket and finally into a large pool. I'm saying "Great...now we can net it!", thinking it was ready for the net...it simply uncorked.

March Browns, BWO's, Green Drakes & Yellow Stone adults are being observed mid-day. The take has been wild RainBows to 17-1/2" and Browns to 20" and the real native Mountain WhiteFish to 19".

The LT , below Stampede Dam, was lowered to 30 cfs today!!...geez. At 40cfs for the last 3 weeks we've been sight-fishing. Casting to RB's & Browns to 20"; most in the 15"-18" range with the rarer 12"-13" RB. It has been mostly dry/dropper fishing. The producing dries are #10 Green Drake Emergers, #12 ParaChute Black Flying Ants, #16 PMD Cripples and #18-20 CDC,Grey, Biot ComParaDuns. These flows, IMO, are really too low & may be detrimental to the fishery's health. Most especially de-watering the "nursery", side channels, which is where the newly hatched minnows reside.

Gary Amendola from Ohio even managed to land & release a flying trout...

and his fishing partner, Phil Murphy managed a beautiful Brown

The small creeks will remain in ideal conditions for the next couple of weeks.

These small running waters host beautifully-colored Brookie & RainBow in the 6"-10" range. A 12 incher is considered a "hog." An ideal rod for these little jewels is a 2 or 3 weight rod. I'm still a small creek junkie and will visit them whenever the opportunity is there...such as now!

One last comment...Now is an opportune time to visit lake inlets. Over the years we've had encounteres with some out-sized trout. Most of the time we probe the deeper water column; stripping streamers and occasionally wind-drift sub-surface fare under an indicator. If one is lucky an angler can also encounter a very decent surface rise to both Damsels and Callibaetis

Cyber Flash!! #2

...a belated Flash!

The second leg of the fabled Big Bugs of June has landed...made an apppearance. While guiding on Monday, June 21, I personally saw three (3), adult Green Drakes on the Little Truckee from 12-12:10 PM. I also received a report...and you know it is from a reliable source otherwise I do not use it...of four (4) adults viewed in pocket-water along the lower reaches of Glenshire Drive; also at noon. Neither sightings resulted in observed rise activity; which should change soon.

The melt & run-off has decreased and near its end. Finally the BT is fishable with trout that have thus far not been seriously harassesd. Now we'll experience a prolonged season with plenty of water and lot of bugs.

Remember, the sequence of hatch activity is sequenially consistent; when the sequence STARTS is subject to the previous winter's snow-pack & water content the corresponding run-off. Jeff Brown, the manager of the Sagehen Creek UC Research Facility, informed me that at his location they have recorded 146% of BOTH snow-pack and water content.With that in mind, IMO, everything, conservatively, is at least 3-4 weeks behind...if not more.

Now I await reports or personal viewing of the third Big Bugs of June; the Golden Stonefly.

Cyber Flash!! #1

I saw all of four (4) Black Flying Ants yesterday; my sigthing of this season's first Big Bug of June. A #12 SawMill Black Ant produced several Rainbows in the 17" to 19-3/4" range at the Bluff Slick on LT

E-Quicky Report...#1

Finally, we're experiencing some warm weather; with the exception of this morning's greyish-overcast sky & drizzle and gusty winds with clearing skies this afternoon. Because of the unpredictable weather during the last two weeks, I canceled 5 guide days and rescheduled two.

No...I haven't seen the infamous, first Big Bugs of June, the Flying, Black Ant...yet

Here is a report I gave to an inquiring client today:

"The main Truckee is in the mist of run-off, high & discolored. Heavy nymphing with lots of lead and streamers using sink-tips are your best tactics. Behind town it is peaking at 700 cfs and troughing at 500cfs, but, IMO, still too high and possibly very treacherous wading. Looking at the flow charts I'm deducting that the melt is waning, although there is still lots of snow on the high peaks & north slopes.

The LT is very low for this time of year; 41 cfs. The fish are spooky. We're in-between hatches, so there are few consistent risers. If you observe a steady riser, my bet is that they're eating midge emergers. Mid-day you may fool a trout using terresterials, such as ants and beetles; with BH droppers. Be aware...mosquitos have made an appearance!...especially in the shade and at dusk.

The smaller running waters are very near perfect and exploring their lake-inflows are a good ploy...as soon as they clear.

In two-three weeks everything should explode!"