After a year of not fishing the Truckee River due to the dire conditions last season, it was nice to set foot in some great water at a familiar location. Having walked the path near my home many times over the years, the anticipation was overwhelming.
We were looking at the gently flowing water that appeared to be in perfect shape. Just a week before, it had been running much higher due to heavy runoff caused by unseasonable temperatures. However, now it looked quite fishable for dry flies.
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“We waded out and put ourselves into the right spot to get
a nice drift, paying attention to the many currents in front of us.
The fly must float naturally or the fish would not accept the offering.”
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As always, we scanned the water in likely holding spots where fish were caught on prior outings, hoping to see the telltale sign of a feeding fish. There was nothing to see yet, but we had arrived early to wait for the fish to begin feeding.
Slowly, the long shadows signaling an end to the day enveloped the river. After the river was cast in total shadow, we began to see insects appear. It was a few at first, and then more.
Scanning the surface of the water, we saw insects floating down the river. Then, there it was, the first sipping rise of a trout in an area that we knew well. We had to find out what insect had just been eaten.
After identifying the insect, we tied on a fly that would match what the fish ate and continued to watch that spot. We came to see that the fish was beginning to feed regularly in that location.
We waded out and put ourselves into the right spot to get a nice drift, paying attention to the many currents in front of us. The fly must float naturally or the fish would not accept the offering.
We took an appropriate amount of line off of our reel and begin to false cast our floating line with the fly and gently drop it above the fish so the fly line remained above the fly. The fly then floated just as the natural would and was not being dragged by the fly line.
The fly floated into the location and the fish slowly rose and sipped in our imitation. A gentle lift of the rod and the fish tugged against the line. Fish on!
After a short battle, the fish was gently landed in the net, revived and released to offer another angler the opportunity to catch it.
As the late, angling great Lee Wulff said, “Game fish are too valuable to be caught only once.” This is particularly true now where we are trying to recover the population of fish decimated by the dire conditions of last season.
FISHING REPORT
Boca Reservoir | Inflow is at 82 cfs and the outflow is 108 cfs. Powerbait, nightcrawlers and lures are all working. Fly-fishers have been catching some fish near the inlet with nymphs, streamers and dries.
Donner Lake | Fishing has been fair to good. Kokanee fishing has been good although the fish are small. Nightcrawlers and Powerbait seem to be the main bait. Mackinaw fishing has been good. Fly-fishers are catching some fish with streamers.
Lake Tahoe | All tributaries are closed to all fishing until July 1 to Sept. 30. Fishing has been fair to good for mackinaw. A guide is highly recommended if you are fishing for mackinaw for the first time. Toplining and shore fishing is fair. Most shore anglers use inflated nightcrawlers.
Little Truckee River | The flow is at 82 cfs. Be prepared to share the water with a lot of anglers. The river has been busy this season. With the water at this level, nymphs and dries have both been working. Hatches similar to the main Truckee River.
Martis Lake | Zero kill. Catch and release only with barbless artificial lures or flies. Fishing is the best early in the season and again in the fall. There are still a few nice fish in this lake. Smallmouth bass are now part of the fishery.
Prosser Reservoir | Fishing has been fair to good. Anglers using bait, lures and flies have all caught fish. Fly-fishers have done well near the inlet areas. Bass fishing has been fair.
Stampede Reservoir | Fishing has been fair to good from shore. The ramp is available to launch most boats. Nightcrawlers, Powerbait and lures have all produced from shore. Fly-fishers have been doing well near the inlets with nymphs and streamers. The Kokanee fishing has been fair to good for those getting out. Smallmouth bass fishing has been fair.
Truckee River | It is not flowing out of the lake at Tahoe City. The flows through Truckee are at 191 cfs. Fishing has been fairly good. Green Drake mayflies are making their appearance. Caddis imitations, PMD, Little Yellow Stones and streamers are also working. This is special regulation, artificial-only-with-barbless-hook water. Catch-and-release fishing is encouraged in this section, but an angler may keep two fish with a minimum size of 14 inches during the regular trout season.
Davis and Frenchman lakes | They are both in full swing. Boat, shore and fly anglers are catching fish. Reports from Davis are fair. Damselflies and Hexagenia mayflies have been producing. Blood midge and Callibaetis imitations are good. Frenchman fishing has been well. Try the same hatches as in Davis.
Bruce is a long-time area fly-fisherman and past president of Tahoe Truckee Fly Fishers. Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com to read more.
