A Missed Opportunity in Truckee Area

  excerpt from Sierra Fisherman magazine...Spring 2009:

"Looking down from the high bluff I saw the bright, white mouth of an 18”-plus rainbow inhale a bug at the surface.  I then observed several mayflies flying above the stream. I thought, “Right on time!” I hastened my pace down the trail, crossed the stream and got into position for my first cast to one of the rising trout. This occurred during what is now known as the “hatch of ’96”; six weeks of a prolonged and consistent 11AM- 4PM, Pale Morning Dun hatch…and rising trout.

This event occurred on the Little Truckee River, below Stampede dam. The “hatch of 1996” is considered the one important event that propelled the Little Truckee River to its status as one of California’s premiere fly fishing venues. At that time, it was still a “secret”; and the locals wanted to keep it that way.  But, the word spread out of the area and a lobbying campaign started for “catch & release” regulations.”

A "610" RB duped at the surface by a "DILLON" 

Well the 2020, late-June through July’s, high flows during and the PMD/Green Drake may now become as legendary as the “hatch of ‘96”.  As the illustrious Tahoe-Truckee Fly Fishers president, Trevor Fagerskog recently hinted at the end of July16 BOD meeting;  "Dillon is ‘wackin’em’ on the LT”. Yes indeed, and he’s graciously shared it with a TTFF member or two.

John Marcacci with a "fatty" from Papa's Pool

The images of Paul Dillon and John Marcacci occurred during a mid-morning to mid-afternoon session on July 26. They netted a dozen quality Rainbows via dry flies, indo and Euro-nymphing. The Rainbows ranged from 16” to the 22” buck Rainbow first imaged....plus a smallish 14” Brown.  The trophy Rainbow ate a “Dillon”; an emerger pattern that Paul has been fine-tuning during the last six weeks.

What’s unusual about this year’s fishing on the LT is that the flows were as high as 600 cfs as of June 30, the ramp-downs commenced July 1^st and are currently at 175 cfs. Not a lot of anglers were on the water because the BT had been fishing well and the LT water was unusably “big” for this time of year.

Big LT Flows of 500 cfs for early July

Unbelievably, during these unusual high flows, dry fly fishing was by far the most productive method during the period; if one could find the soft-water, shallow feeding-riffles and slicks during the late-morning to mid- afternoon PMD hatch.  Head-hunting became the game.

So, by the time you read this, you’ve missed the event.

da Shadow knows...