Fishing Report 9-23-24

Middle Fork Feather River

Fly fishing on the Wild and Scenic Middle Fork Feather River continues to get better and better as we step into fall. Water temps are in the mid 50’s and there are multiple hatches taking place daily. The mid day Trico spinner fall has fish eating on the surface. Isonychia mayflies are hatching in the early afternoon adding to the surface feeding frenzy. Fall Caddis shucks are showing on midstream rocks announcing their presence as well. Nymphing remains solid with fish eating a variety of nymphs under the big dry. Tightline presentations accounted for my biggest fish recently on the Bunny Jig Streamer fished as my anchor fly.

What’s Working

Nymphs: Electrolyte Baetis (14-16), crystal warrior (14-16), jigged PT (14-16), Rusty Jig (14-16), plastic surgeon (14-16), Dries: Spent Trico (20-22), Quigglies Hackle Stacker Trico (20-22), Sparkle flag bwo (14-18), Mahogany dun (14), Film Critic (16) Streamers: Bunny Jig natural (8-10), bunny leach (8-10), Dolly llama olive/white (8), Sculpzilla white, natural, tan, olive (8-10)

Truckee River

Fall has landed on the Truckee River with cool/cold mornings and warm afternoons. The fly fishing is very good at this time with a combination of browns and rainbows coming to the net. Per usual I am mostly fishing a dry dropper rig and the arrival of the fall caddis have fish looking up. We have moved a bunch of nice fish to the chubby this past week. Trico spinners are falling mid day and bro’s are hatching mid morning.

Water temps have dipped to the low 50’s in the morning warming to the upper 50’s in the afternoon. Flows are pretty bony in town at 73 cfs but these flows make fishing the steeper gradient pocket water from the footbridge upstream to Donner Creek a lot easier. Below Boca flows are 473cfs so a bit bigger but really fishable. I’m still finding fish in different water types but the faster deeper pocket water is money. Dry dropper, tightline, indicator, dry fly, streamer tactics are all working right now. Pick your favorite method and get after it!

What’s Working

Nymphs: Rainbow warrior (14-18), Jigged pt (14-16), rusty jig (14-16), crystal warrior (14-16), electrolyte baetis (14-16), plastic surgeon (14-16) October caddis (8) Dries: Chubby Chernobyl orange (8-10), parachute Adams (14-20), Spent Trico (20-22), Quiglies Hackle Stacker Trico (20-22), Sparkle Flag (14-18), Film Critic (14-18)