Truckee River & Little Truckee River Report > 7-20-2016

Hey Everyone- last week I went with a couple friends up to Truckee and fished east of town. The flows seemed to be about 130 CFS- lower than I prefer and I just wasn't feeling the love! only one grab for about 2 hours of fishing so we drove over to the Truckee River RV Park to eat and recharge before hitting the Little Truckee my personal favorite. We started at the Bat Cave and in short order I had hooked 2 or 3 trout- one over 15 in. The whole day there were a couple different serious hatches going on; one looked to be a PMD hatch and the other some sort of midge. I hiked upstream a bit and immediately hooked a 17 or 18in torpedo Brown Trout, but it went the way of the others and got away in short order which doesn't surprise me as it was down stream thirty feet and I am always barbless. Remember I never give up and in short order its game on again with a 15in bow that almost ended the day with no fish to net but as I mentioned I dont give up and add a bit of luck, and me following that very spirited fish into deeper water, around the rocks, and downstream about 200 feet while Sarah followed me through the bushes, yelling, with the camera in hand; I landed my bow back at the Cave. She took a #18 black zibra midge. It was an awesome fight! Pics are below. All the things I learned on Putah Creek work on other rivers.

• Leader length is critical when nymphing 
• Add weight accordingly depending on hydraulics and depth of water
• Trying a variety of flies is important; don't just stay with one
• Stealth, especially on a clear-water, open river like the Truckee, is paramount
• Spend lots of time on the water, getting to know the patterns
• And remember  to appreciate the beauty of our wild rivers of california its been 3 years since the last time I fished the Truckee and it felt great!

Putah Creek Fishing Report: Summer's In Full Swing

Hey Everyone July is here so I just wanted to summarize my June fishing report. 

The summer flows have been making it challenging bouncing from mid 500cfs to low 600s but knowing Putah Creek like I do and with the willingness to do a little hiking I have found a couple of really productive spots so I have been putting in the time this month  and getting on some really nice fish. Mostly under ten inches so I brought my 3wt and got schooled by some much bigger fish so I am back to using my 5wt. The bigger fish just shook off my 3wt; its all a trade off- the smaller fish in the riffles are more fun on my 3wt but its too light for anything over 13 or 14 plus inches. All in All  I would say my clients and I have caught between 15 to 20 fish in recent weeks. Also with the higher flows come some dangers when fighting fish downstream in fast moving water so you have to pick your battles and let the ones go- its not worth getting in a " Jam " if you know what I mean. 

Heres a short list of types of flys I use on a regular basis: 

1. the soft hackle /emerger patterns with antron tail 

2. any Baetis paterns 

3. any Zebra Midges  

4. any color San Juan worms, I like the Pink or Flesh-colored ones 

5. anything small with wings

My favorite advice is focus on keeping your leader the right length; really pay attention to how much weight you're using it takes time just be patient. Sometimes i dont use any if I am fishing fast and rocky rifles and last but not least, if you can high-stick your drift and minimize the drag the current is putting on your drift you will pick up fish others miss. Also remember no one gets every fish-we all miss fish here and there or spook them as we approach so remember to take your time and enjoy the scenery.

If you do find yourself on the creek this summer, another high point is all the River Otters and butterflies on the creek this time of year- ive seen a lot lately. 2 weeks ago I saw an otter approuching then swim right over my boots and I was able to reach down and touch him as he swam by......!! They are one of my favorite animals on the creek. It was a magical moment. 

So my summary is this: yes still, Putah is still fishing pretty nicely; and if you can just bear with the heat and higher flows it's gonna be well worth your summer outing time. Drop me an email or call me up and let's do this! Richard Loft, Napa Valley Fly Guides 707-294-4738, napavalleyflyguides@gmail.com,  www.napavalleyflyguides.com