An Early Taste of Fall.

The last few days we had our first cold front blow through leaving a dusting of snow high up on Mt Rose. Water temps on the Truckee River have lowered into the mid to high 50's. With overnight lows in the 30's, I think our Fall fishing is here. I know it's Fall when a Bear gets in my neighbors garage, which he did a few nights ago. I then heard a shotgun blast upon which the Bear got loaded with rubber shot. Get those streamers tied up and be ready, Fall ain't that far away. Got this guy yesterday just up from my house.

Pompous Ass Fly Fisherman.

Admit it, most of us are pompous ass fly fisherman. I myself try not to be one of them. Today I took a couple dudes out on a guided spin fishing trip, yup spin fisherman. I mean what's the difference if you hook a fish with the a Mepps, or a frigg'n san juan worm? These guys always practice catch and release and pinch their barbs just like us. They worked there rapalas and mepps through the runs and pocket water, and came out with what was Louis's biggest Brown he has ever landed. A twenty four inch, five pounder that ate a four inch shad rap. Even the little fish ate the damn thing. It was fun to watch fish come flying after these things. We have to remember that we're all sportsman and we can work together to save our rivers from greedy corporations and not fight each other over which way is the most dignified to fish.

It's 18 inches!

Every fish is eighteen inches when your eight years old and you just landed a fish on the Truckee River. I had the privilege to take Rich and his eight year old son Shane out this morning on the Truckee. Shane is one heck of a little fly fisherman and just a great all around kid in general. It's great to see a Dad take his son fly fishing. It reminds me of me and my dad when I was young fly fisherman and it truly is what fly fishing is all about.

What do I do!!!

What do I do! is the first thing I hear people yell out when they get a big fish on. When you get a big Truckee River fish on it feels like a wild Steelhead racing against the weight of all the current. These fish fight hard and most people have never had a freight train attached to the end of their fly line. Like I've been saying for the last month turn their head and keep them out of the current and you have a chance. I taught Andrew how to fly fish a few years ago and today he got a nice Brown that got his heart going. This photo was taken with an I Phone since I blundered the camera again. Fishing is good, and the bigger stonefly pattern you got the better.

Gett'n Schooled.

Most big fish don't get landed. That's been true for the last few days. Today Stephen from Sacramento on his third cast hooked a big brown that took him in the current and schooled him. You have to be in command of the big boys. The main thing is to put enough pressure on the fish to keep them out of the main current. The top photo is one of the big rainbows Stephen did land today. I guess my camera was off for the first bow that easily went 5 lbs, sorry Stephen, no photos of that guy. The bottom photo is of Willie from Reno that got schooled by a big boy right on that rock to the right in that photo. The fishing is still good my friends.

Dog Days of August?

Well, not really. So far August has been really good. Mild daytime temps are keeping water temps in the respectable range. When I talk about the river, I am referring to the river below Boca, above that it is bath water by now. Trout migrate, so should you. Most folks are hooking fish, while a big Truckee River fish is getting hooked just about daily. I'm talking fish in the 3-5lb range, no joke. This time of year hatches are starting to decrease and bugs are less plentiful than early Summer. Attractor nymphs and crayfish work really well this time of year. Steamers also work good, but only in low light hours. Trout need water and we have plenty of it this year. These are some photos from the last few days.

A Progression.

Fly fishing is a progression, there is always something new to learn about our sport. I learn more and more every year about Trout and how to catch them. Last year I taught John and Tina how to fly fish and since then they have progressed as fly fishers. Both Tina and John hooked and landed some nice fish on the Truckee River including this nice Rainbow in the photo. I'm back to wearing waders in the mornings as the water temps below Boca are great for this time of year and should remain good for the rest of the month. Fish are eating caddis pupa, crayfish, and rubber legged stones.

A Tailwater Somewhere.

I used to fish this place a lot when I was in high school. It's a cold tailwater that holds wild rainbows and browns somewhere in the Sierra. When in high school I worked at Little Cesar's one Spring so I could get gas money to drive up from Roseville to fish it. I remember casting into the pools and have big rainbows blast from the bottom and inhale my fly. Times have changed, but theirs still fish in there. I wouldn't say the fishing was red hot today, but we did manage to bring a nice brown up from the bottom. I never thought when I was a kid that someday I would be guideing at this place some twenty years later. I guess sometimes you come full circle in life.

Sett'n Up.

Not only is getting a good drift essential, but learning when and how to strike on a fish or "setting up" is important as well. I watch people everyday not strike on a fish hard enough, or not strike at all. A good hook set is important. When your nymph rig is going in a likely spot, or through the bucket be ready. I almost know when I'm going to get a strike it's instinctive for me. I try to tell people to be ready, have your finger on the trigger (your line under your finger) and be ready for that hit. You would also stick more fish if you set downstream with the current and not upstream ripping the hook right out of the trout's mouth. There has been a lot of fish missed the last few days on poor hook sett's, some big and some small, and some we will never know for sure. The water is a nice 63 degrees even at noon. The fishing is good.