Sage Words From The Icons #2

Topic: Being a "Purist"

"I will not limit myself to dry fly, even for fresh-water trout, because I believe that both wet and dry flies have their uses and their fasination. But I'm inclined to think it is a waste of pleasure to catch fish on a sunk fly when they could be taken on a floater".

Roderick L. Haig Brown...The Maculate Purist chapter in Fisherman's Spring

My Take: Agreed... A Frankism is "A trout fly angler is in denial if they say they do not prefer fishing a dry fly".

IMO, not many trout fly anglers would disagree. I'm of the opinion that there are few more aesthetically pleasing sights than a large trout inhaling your dry fly at the surface. Most especially if it is a selective, rhytmatically feeding trout...and you make the perfect presentation with the right pattern.

        Below....Goodrich Creek and the  ultimate challenge, head-hunting on flat water...casting upstream...channeling Halford....

 





 

Better Than Nothing

We'll take the snow from the front-end of this weather pattern. The most I've heard of is 18" at Mount Rose. My home at 6500' received 3" of extremely wet snow; most of which has melted already. It rained/slushed in town and the Truckee River along Glenshire Drive is muddy with zero visibility, having peaked at 600 cfs, now at 300 cfs. In the canyon it peaked at 900 cfs and is now at 600cfs.

A colder snow is predicted for Sunday night. We'll take whatever we can get. After Monday it is forecasted to be warm again...Geez.

TRUCKEE TRIVIA #25

Question:

The most  snowfall in recorded Sierra Nevada history occurred during the winter of.....?

Sage Words From The Icons #1

                              

  

                    Topic: POLITICS

"If the client brings it up, you can respond, if and only if, you agree. Even then, it is best to steer things in another direction. Most of us get mad when we think about politics, and angry people don’t fish well. I know, I’ve tried it.”

 John Gierach---“Guiding and Being Guided”---Sex, Death & Fly Fishing

 My Take: Over the years if a client persists with casual innuendos/probes about politics to see where I’m coming from politically; initially I let the first few attempts slide-by, ignoring the comments. If they persist, then Frankie da Curmudgeon makes an appearance.

I ’ve sort of paraphrased Gierach as in: “Politics pisses people-off. And people who are ticked-off can’t fly fish very well. The only politics I’m receptive to discuss, if you’re willing and you are paying for my time, is fishery politics."

What's to Report?

My dilemma is whether to post a quick report on the fly fishing OR the lack of snow. Simply good and bad, respectively. I'll go with the positive first.

FLY FISHING:

Both  BT and LT are fishing well. My hope was that most of these waters would be mostly inaccessible. These fish need a break, most especially those that inhabit the Little Truckee. Unfortunately the trout are not getting a break since both waters have unlimited access. Close the LT in winter!!*

We're experiencing frosting mornings, scattered cloud-cover and mild wind. Best fishing opportunities exist from 1100-1500. There is sparse surface activity...small bugs. Going deep into the bottom water-column is the preferred tactic; "low and slow". Small flies trailing a larger, high-caloric food-item such as an aquatic worm or stonefly nymph are good choices and are producing hook-ups. Prospect the "softer" water or the spill-in of pools. My original saying relative to use of lead applies; "when in doubt, add". There have been reports of streamer success; providing a chance for an apex feeder.                                                      ..small trailers...

                                           How do you say "Midge"?

User-friendly flows are occurring at both locally featured waters. Best success on the BT has been throughout "the canyon" to the CA/NV border. Here it is flowing at 225 cfs (normal this date is 300). Below Stampdee dam; it is being discharged at 157 cfs.

*Contact CA DFW and implore them to close the LT fishery in winter. I may have a petition in my Truckee Guide NetWork booth at the Pleasanton Fly Fishing Show during February 20-22. If so, please come-by and sign it if you concur with me about a winter closure. 

SNOWPACK:

As of today's date, for the Truckee River Basin's 8 measurement  stations ranging from 6456'-8801' elevations, the "D-word" is still legitimately operative. Snow-Water Content is 44% of median; ranging from 15%!-68%. Total Precipitation is 60% of average; ranging from 39%-73%. Dismal news.

This pattern is trending to what we experienced a couple of years ago, a big December (although this year there was really wet snow that didn't stick except for the higher elevations) and a sparse January and February. I'm still remaining positive for a big February and March...just for a chance for a break-even to normal!

Envy

Two of my fly fishing buddies, Jon Baiocchi and Paul Dillon had an unplanned breakfast and meeting at the San Jose CA airport. They were going in opposite directions. Jon flying east for a few days floating the Bighorn with Shelly Ehmer and Paul to a far away Pacific Ocean venue, fishing the flats at Christmas Island, hoping to trick a few bonefish and GT's and whatever else toothy fish swim in that area.

I am envious!

I'm Alive #3... for the Holiday Season

...been awhile. Thought I'd check-in and wish everyone a Merry Christmas and healthy and prosperous 2015. We visited with family in Weed CA for Thanksgiving

Well we're getting snow. It is a good start for the "water year" (which actually starts in July). Let's hope these storms continue; California...and the fish...need it. I hear that we'll need 150% of normal to get us out of this three year D. Here's hoping that the "storm window" remains open for next three months....minimum. Cheers! with a nice Hot-Buttered Rum.

...and the fishing:
I haven't been out for awhile. Guess I've become a fair-weather angler; it has been really cold in the mountains. Actually right now I'm nurturing a cold and a very congested nose; a Hot-buttered Rum has been a good de-congester. 

Here is my last fly fishing adventure:

Simply, I lost my biggest Brown of the year (actually biggest trout of the year) the Monday before Thanksgiving. I had this fish on for over a minute (actually ACT II if you're familiar with Lani Waller's writing). It broke-off when the fly line got entangled in my wading staff (as in Thy Rod and Staff for those unaware my DBA). So, my rod and staff did not comfort me!

The episode started with a very sublte "take-down" of my indicator. I set-up, and felt several, slow head-shakes. Then the unforeseen surged quickly upstream to the top of the run ripping minimally 40-45 feet of line. It stopped, then leaped with three aerial head-tail whumps...and splashed back into the water; immediately heading back towards me. I countered by using my patented "spaghetti-retrieve", safely recovering all the line below my control-finger...so I thought. I still had the fish on a tight leash as it raced past and below me by about 30'. Then bink!! fish gone...I looked down at a loop of recovered line wrapped around my staff.

Conservatively, I guessed its size at a minimum of 25", possibly 28". When it was airborne I noticed its thickness, so it was easily a 5 pounder at the smallest guess and up to 8-9 pounds at the larger guesstiment. It was a thrill and an interesting end to my 2014 season, if only...