I had the good fortune to start fishing at an early age, first fishing with my father, Hideo Ajari, and then with my Uncle, Kay Shiozaki. Our family loved to fish and I found myself anticipating each trip with great eagerness. They both gave me the opportunity to get out to fish. When I decided to fly fish, I had to do that all on my own. While self taught, I quickly found out what would catch me fish.
Ironically, when I joined the Tahoe Truckee Fly Fishers in the early 80s, I was already pretty good at catching fish. Each method had a name such as the Brooks method for nymphing with a sinking line. Being self-taught, I learned by trial and error and I began reading books on fly fishing at a rapid pace.
My fly tying skills got progressively better as a result of joining the club. There were a number of great fly tiers in the club and I learned a lot from them and at the Northern California Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers Annual Conclave. An invitation to demonstration tie at the Northern California Council of the Federation came in the late 80s and I tied flies at these and other types of shows.
Today, I decline most such requests due to a bad car accident that my family had in 1992 in Wyoming while on vacation. My hand bears a lot of scars and shortened fingers. It seemed I was getting more questions about my hand than the flies that I was tying. As a result, I became a little too self conscious about it.
I began writing in 1987 at the request of then publisher Bill Kunerth of the Tahoe World, Sierra Sun and North Lake Tahoe Bonanza. At first, it was a once a month piece that changed to once a week during the fishing season, and then once a week all year. Throughout my fishing experiences, I have tried to share and teach whoever wanted to learn.
Today, my own children both fish well. I started my son at an early age, and then fly fishing when he was about 10. My son does not do much fishing today, but I am sure that he will later in his life. He enjoys it, but has many other things to keep him busy at this point.
My daughter has really taken off with her fishing. She is becoming an accomplished fly fisher and her dad is pretty proud of her. We began fly fishing together when she was about 10-years-old. Catching a fish on that first outing, she has never looked back. Today, when she is home for a visit, we sit at the tying bench and I show her something new each time. She has remarkably skilled hands and a passion for the sport. It makes me smile. If any of you happen to be on Facebook, she has a blog. Type in Gal Gone Fishin in the Search area and it will come up.
So, it seems my life has come full circle. My passion for the sport is there in my children and the hundreds of students that I taught to fly-cast and tie flies, and those of you who read my articles that began with the local paper and are now here in The Weekly.
FISHING REPORT
Boca | Inflow is at 201 cfs and the outflow is 178 cfs. Try powerbait or nightcrawlers. Throwing lures from shore has been working. Fly fishers have been catching some fish near the inlet mostly nymphing.
Donner | Fishing has been good. Nightcrawlers and Powerbait seems to be the main bait. Mackinaw fishing has been fair. Fly fishermen are catching some fish with streamers.
Lake Tahoe | 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 fishermen use inflated nightcrawlers.
Little Truckee River | The flow is now at 201 cfs. This is a much more manageable flow for this water. Small flies are generally the rule on the Lake. Baetis and PMD imitations are doing well now. Try March Brown, PMD and Baetis nymph imitations and midge patterns as trailers. Keep an eye out for surface activity, as well.
Martis Lake | Zero kill. Catch and Release only with barbless artificial lures or flies. Some small cutthroats and an occasional large brown are rainbow can still be caught here. Smallmouth bass have been introduced in this water. Try fishing before mid-June when the water typically warms up for trout.
Prosser | The lake is fishing fair to good. Powerbait and nightcrawlers are the best bait. Lure and fly-fishermen also are taking some fish from shore and near the inlets.
Stampede | Fishing has been fair to good from shore. Kokanee fishing has been fair. Fly fishermen have been doing well near the inlets with nymphs and streamers.
Truckee River | Flowing out of the lake at 151 cfs at Tahoe City. The flows through Truckee are at 188 cfs as of June 3. This is a pretty low flow for this section. Fish have been caught on nymphs, emergers, dries and streamers. The main hatches now are March Brown, PMD and Baetis. Carpenter Ants and Green Drakes are showing, as well. Nymphs and dries imitating these hatches have been the most productive. Streamers also have been productive. Run-off has already peaked so anticipate low flows.
Other Waters | Davis and Frenchman have been fair to good. Some reports of a great ant hatch at Davis a couple of weeks ago. Fish are being caught on blood midge larval patterns. Some Callibaetis are reported beginning to show so imitations of this insect should also do well.
