Sage Words from the Icons #7

Competitive Fly Fishing:

"It is quite easy to debase the sport, change its values, dilute its ethics and destroy its traditional associations with quietness, relaxation and the opportunity to think. Angling is not a competitive sport. The fisherman's only real competition is with his quarry and his only real challenge is the challenge to himself. Nothing can add to this, but the blight of inter-human competition can certainly detract from it."

Roderick Haig-Brown

The Quiver

Put in writing folder....11/12/2016

 There has been a continuing debate amongst fly anglers since the advent of indicator use over a decade ago whether using indicators is a legit method of fly angling....Well it is undisputable  effective method of hooking trout when none are showing at/near the surface.

Sage Words from the Icons #6

Let-em Breathe!

Topic: Winter Angling*

"...any stream you might want to fish in the winter. Envision its flows and think about..."soft spots", where the water is relatively deep but the current is gentle...eddies...edges...pools or in deep runs. Wherever it happens, and the trout are not forced to fight constant current, that is where you find fish in the winter".

David Hughs

Fishing the Four Seasons

*Although it is early spring I feel that the below advise is still appropriate because of the existing snow-pack and its anticipated melt...resulting in high and cold water flows.

CyberFly! is Alive #6... and Breathing!

Let'em Breath!

Yes, it has been awhile. My excuses being:

1---Karen, my partner, had major open-heart surgery last November; it has been a year. She is fully recovered and is now back to her 3-5 mile hikes with her hiking buddies. I was the essential in-house, care-giver for the first few months; that kept me busy. A big shout-out to several of her devoted friends who were really helpful; I thank them.

2---During the month of February I prepared for and manned my annual booth at the Pleasanton Fly Fishing Show and refreshing my PowerPoint presentation for the show's Destination Theater. I love doing the show because it is an opportunity to catch-up with a lot of friends and clients....plus meeting some new and enthusiastic fly anglers.

3---In April, my guiding and scheduled school clinics' season commenced, although I selectively guided; mostly long-time clients.

4---In June, thinking I should join the 21st century, I decided to update my antique web-site that I put-up in 1996! Since there has been little changes, except for my annual tweaking of the homepage and inserting pertinent rates & dates for my guiding, clinics and Native Sons Tours. So I then engaged the services of  a professional web-design firm. It has been a lot of work and hopefully it will be launched by the new year.

5---During late August we visited family in Seattle. I also had the opportunity to drift-fish the Methow River for two days. There I netted my first Bull Trout.

A bull trout, one of five; steelhead-smolts, cut-bows, bull trout, whitefish and rainbows

 6---During September I made a trek to Twin Bridges Montana. From there we drift-fished the Big Hole and Madison rivers once each, and two days floating on the Jefferson. We experienced productive angling; most especially on the lesser-known Jefferson.  

"da Professor"  and guide Greg Smith on the Big Hole

7---Admittedly, during the last 6-7 months I was enthralled and fascinated by entertaining theatrics and "nasty" campaign of the presidential elections. The country has spoken...or at least the electoral college has...so be it. Let's all move-on; having a feeling the theatrics of the run-up to the 2018 will be intriguing...

PS...The only political discussion and opinions that will occur on this blog is fishery politics..most especially as it may pertain to the two below imaged moving waters...that I'm likely to do.                                                                                  

 

 Little Truckee...Middle Meadow

 

 Truckee...Glenshire Section

                                                

  

Historical Snow Data for the Sierra Nevada

"Sierra Nevada" is Spanish for "Snowy Range" and the Sierra Nevada lives up to it's name, recording some of the heaviest snow falls in the world. Some interesting records include:

1 day snowfall: 67 inches (5.6 ft.) at Echo Summit, Jan 4, 1982 (2nd in US)

Single storm snowfall: 186.6 inches (15.6 ft.) at Donner Summit, 1982 (2nd in US)

1 month snowfall: 390 inches (32.5 ft.) at Tamarack, Jan. 1991 (US record)

Total winter snowfall: 884 inches (73.7 ft.) Tamarack, 1906-07

Greatest snow depth: 451 inches (37.6 ft.) at Tamarack, Mar. 11, 1911 (US record)

Highest average March snow depth: 108 inches (9 ft.) at Echo Summit

As you would expect, snowfall in the Sierra increases with elevation. The lower foothills only rarely receive any measurable snow. Middle elevations receive a mix of snow and rain during the winter. Above about 6000 ft., the majority of precipitation falls as snow. It is not unusual, in some locations, to have ten feet of snow on the ground for extended periods.

However, snow accumulation does not directly follow precipitation in the Sierra. While the greatest total precipitation occurs in the northern part of the range, the greatest snow accumulation occurs in the central and high southern parts of the range, due to higher elevations and colder temperatures which inhibit snow melt. As expected, snow depths drop dramatically on the east side of the range due to the rain shadow effect.

TRUCKEE TRIVIA # 27...Answer and more

Answer:

299% of average March snowfall...1995

...and more:

260% of average March snowfall...1991

225% of average March snowfall...2011

TRUCKEE TRIVIA # 27

Question:

What is the highest percentage of average snowfall ever recorded for the month of March...and...what year?

Let'em Breath!"...E-QUICKEY #17..."

Proper Handling?   The current rage is keeping trout wet during handling and prior to release. Apparently "grip and grins" are no longer de-rigueur. But, IMO, if the image is framed prior to a quick "lift & dip";  it is reasonable to image a fleeting moment.

I believe TU has  coined "Keep'em Wet"...or they have co-opted the phrase. So I've decided to "coin" the original "Let'em Breath!".  I'm curious if this phrase catches-on.

E-Quickey #17:3/6/2016---"...we got 6" last night. Sun is out right now...beautiful! BUT, we need a lot more snow just to get us to 100% of normal snow-pack. This current snow is very wet so that bodes well for water content...unfortunately, currently below historical average to date. A MIRACLE MARCH is needed; thus far it is weak. At start of winter, we needed 150% of average to break the drought...Hope I'm wrong, but it ain't going to happen...

NOTE: a photo essay entitled "Let'em Breath!" will be published in the InSight feature of the summer 2016 issue of Sierra Fisherman magazine.

TBT...Prepping for the Fly Fishing Show

It is snowing right now! We definitely need it since February has been very sparse as far a snow...although wet initially.

CyberFly!!....circa late-80's

Since I'm seeing more, grainy, black and white images on "throw back Thursday" on FaceBook; I thought I'd include an image taken on Sagehen Creek...long ago. The super-grainy image was actually the first "head-shot" that appeared on my original web-site's home-page in '95. Obviously I didn't know much then ...and still remain techno-challenged...about the Internet and social media.

Currently I'm doing my mid-winter preparation for my attendance at the Pleasanton Fly Fishing Show (www.flyfishingshow.com; February 26-28 2016).  I'll be in the Truckee Guide NetWork booth and will be presenting at Destination Theater on Friday and Saturday. I've re-edited my PowerPoint with the new title being "Truckee Fly Fishing Options". I'll not include the original "Truckee-Tips" which has been part of past presentations. The "tips" are gleaned from my 33rd years of guiding and instructing exclusively in the Truckee area...."Simply experience counts". Both a printed "Truckee-Tips" and "Little Truckee Tips" will be available at the booth. Do come-by the booth and visit.

I do enjoy being/displaying and talking at the regional outdoor and fly fishing shows. It is a great opportunity for "catching-up" with my long-time (as early as 1984), current guide, clinic and "tour" friends...and those adventurers who I fished with in southern Chilean Patagonia (7 of 8 years; 2004-2012). 

Unbelievably I've been doing shows since the late '80's. First, in San Francisco, I participated in  the Great Outdoors Adventure Show  for 3-4 years- sponsored by the San Francisco Chronicle. Then the once only Fly Rod and Reel magazine's Fly Show in San Francisco. Thereafter, for over a decade during the '90's into the early century I had a booth at the International Sportsmen's Exposition in San Mateo, CA. Since then I've appeared at the first Fly Fishing Show at the Civic Center in San Rafael CA.

I still appear at the same Fly Fishing Show in Pleasanton CA. As I mentioned, I still cherish the opportunity of seeing old and new friends and meeting those people interested in being guided, attending skills clinics or signing-up for Native Sons Tours.

Sage Words from the Icons #4

Keep'em Wet!

Topic: Fly Fishing Writers

"Many of today's outdoor writers have gone to school and learned to write; then started to write about fly fishing. The lack of on the water time shows in their writing."

From:  Lefty Kreh in preface of Dave Hughes' Fishing the Four Seasons

Answer for TRUCKEE TRIVIA #26 a

Yes #26a was more difficult; not a simple Google search....;-)

The Answer:

Truckee's first town mayor in 1993 was Kathleen Eagen

Keep It Coming!

Yes! The snow "window" remains open. We'll take as much as nature provides. The fly fishing? Limited.

TRUCKEE TRIVIA #26...A?

Question:

Who was the newly incorporated town of Truckee's first mayor?

TRUCKEE TRIVIA # 26

Question:

What year was the town of Truckee incorporated?