Fishing Report 9-9-24

Truckee River

Summer is fading on the Truckee, but the fishing remains solid as I write this fishing report. The water master dropped flows out of Lake Tahoe this past week with the current reading on the Truckee gauge is 69cfs. That is down almost 200 cfs. Below boca the flows are bit more at 463cfs. While this seems like a bad thing, the lower flows have allowed wading access to parts of the river that were almost unwadeable at the higher flows. Crossing the river is a breeze right now along Glenshire Dr. Water temps are good running 58-64 with a bit higher temps on the hot afternoons.

My clients are finding fish in a few different water types with the steeper gradient pocket water being the most productive. We are having opportunities on tiny dries as the Trico spinners fall during the morning. Hoppers are drawing fish to the surface starting in the mid morning. The usual nymphs are still catching fish, but the rainbow warrior is standing out fished under a hopper.

What’s Working:

Nymphs: Electrolyte Baetis (14-16), PT (14-16), Raindrop Perdigon (16), Plastic Surgeon (14-16), Rusty Jig (14-16), Rainbow Warrior (14-18), Crystal Warrior (14-16), Crawdad Jig (10), Jigged 20 Incher (8-10) Sparkle Caddis (14-16) Dries: Drowned Trico (20-22), Spent Trico (20-22), Parachute Adams (18-20), Sparkle Flag bwo (14-18), Film Critic (16-18), Chubby Chernobyl orange (10) Mercers’ Foam Hopper (10)

Middle Fork Feather River

The water temps on the Feather have come back up a tough with the return of 90 degree weather. Keep an eye on the water temperatures and stop fishing when they reach 68 degrees. This shouldn’t be a problem for much longer as cooler weather is forecast starting later this week. No real change in flows or fishing conditions. Trico spinners start falling mid morning. A few BWO’s hatching as well. Mid day ovipositing caddis are still present. No Isonychia Mayflies yet.Dry dropper is still my go to with tight line nymphing a close second. Fish are being found in all water types.

What’s Working:

Nymphs: Electrolyte Baetis (14-16), Rusty Jig (14-16), Crystal Warrior (14-16), PT (14-16), Jigged 20 Incher (10), Rubberleg Jig (10) Dries: Spent Trico (20-22), Trico Spinner (20-22), Film Critic (14-18), Sparkle Flag (14-16), Mercers Foam Hopper (10), Chubby Chernobyl (10)

Milton Lake

Fly fishing this incredible backcountry tailwater impoundment is about as good as it gets for wild brown trout from 8-16″. Dry fly and dry dropper techniques paid off for my client who had a 25-30 fish day this past week. Water temps are cold in the upper 40-low 50’s. Solid morning sulfur mayfly hatch along with ever present midges have fish looking up. Callibaetis hatch most days around 1 pm and the fish gorge them. Action dies off around 3-4 and picks back up in the evening.

What’s Working

Dries: Mahogany Dun (14), Sparkle Flag (16-18), Parachute Adams (18-20), Parachute BWO (16-20) Nymphs: Electrolyte Baetis (16), Rusty Jig (16) MMM (18-20), PT (18)