Bright sun and trout
A beautiful spring snowfall in Truckee! We received 4" last night at my 6500' home. Sun is out now.
Thankfully, because of 2018's MIRACLE MARCH; there will be sufficient water flowing during spring.
Below is a "Pro-Tip" excerpt I authored that appeared in the Spring 2012 Sierra Fisherman magazine. The advise provided are point-on suggestions and concepts we fly anglers consider during spring's snow-melt/run-off during high flows/pool on running and stillwaters; respectively.
High Water of Spring in the "Fornicating Rock" area of the Big Truckee
Early Spring
Most freshwater fly anglers anticipate
springtime. Unfortunately, every year’s
conditions are unpredictable; dependent on the amount of rain or snow
that has fallen during the winter. Eventually both will run-off immediately or
melt into the waterways and lakes; respectively. It is important to remember that the
snow-pack’s melt in the higher-elevation mountains is weather related; it can
be steady and gradual or unpredictable and erratic. One general assumption is
that the waters in early spring will be high and cold; eventually subsiding and warming by early
summer.
So how do we strategize our fly angling?
For a start, this issue's pro contributors provide you with their astute
advice. (will send upon request...Frank)
Water volume and water temperature are key
factors governing strategy. In streams consider venturing-out at mid-day
seeking warmer water exposed to solar heating. You’ll find warmth in “soft
water”; mild currents such as edges, eddies, slow moving runs and pools. You
can “load & lob”, fishing with big/small, tandem rigs or strip streamers.
Whichever technique used think “low & slow”, but get it down
along the bottom…where the fish are.
During springtime it is a good plan to
fish lower elevation waters first. As
the days get longer providing more solar heating, start venturing out of the
foot-hills and into the mountains. There, the hope is the waters have warmed,
the melt has subsided, flows are ideal and the trout’s feeding metabolisms are
in high-gear.
Frank
R. Pisciotta
During the
“early season” of spring, lake levels are rising, full or overflowing. In the mountains there will be
super-cold inflows from the melting snow. Look for warm water. A productive
strategy is to stalk along the shoreline’s shallows; frozen edges of melting
ice/open water or visible underwater shelves that drop-off into deeper and
darker water. Exposed shallow water along shorelines have warmer water temps, vegetation...and bugs, which trout eat.
At ice-free
shallows, solar-heating will provide a temperature comfort-zone for cruising
trout in search of vulnerable food-items. Here, assuming the visibility is
clear, an angler can sight-fish to slow-moving, foraging trout that feed
sub-surface or in the top-water, surface-film. Also, in these areas the
drop-offs and lateral shelves into deeper water provide a quick escape route
for cruising trout wary of airborne predators.
Tactically,
determine a cruiser’s direction, speed, and distance between rises and or
sub-surface moves. You want to intercept these susceptible trout by presenting
your fly ahead of the feeder; letting them come to your current-menu imitation.
Dead-drift or impart movement as appropriate and let the trout ingest the
fraud; merely lift, tighten-up, ”give it head” on its first surge if it is a
powerful fish.
da Dean
Shoreline angling during high flows of Spring at LT inlet at Boca
NOTE: Tahoe-Truckee Fly Fishers member, Jon Baiocchi, has authored a very thorough article on High Water Tactics in the 2018 March-April California Fly Fisher. Additionally, he will be conducting two clinics; Streamer Fishing and High Water Tactics during spring of 2018. For details go to www.tahoetruckeeflyfishers.org
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