Ask And You Shall Receive
Well the rainy weather certainly has come throughout the week and looks to stick around through Wednesday morning. These afternoon, night time systems have brought cold rain, hail, and t-storms around the basin and really all throughout the Sierra and Northern California. From mid-week on we see consistent warming trends through mid-August but take all that with the smallest grains, as forecasts are shifting regularly 48-72 hours out. Many of the systems that have shifted off-color due to the scattered storms should clear Monday and Tuesday but then spike and cloud up after Tuesday night’s scattered systems.
This report is written to give a quick overview of the Tahoe area, for a more detailed report including access, stop by the shop or give us a call at 530-541-8208
All Lake Tahoe Tributaries- Now open to catch and release fishing with barbless flies or lures. No bait.
East Fork Carson River: We got a good spike in flows and some cooler water flowing into the system making for some great fishing in the mornings. While we haven’t been concerned with water temps in the afternoon, we have been concerned with the storms so watch your 24 hour forecast closely. There are wild fish being caught along the trail below Hangman’s and per the cook-book, the more you walk the more you’re cookin’. Fresh stockers are scattered around the bridges making for some decent fishing up high. Flows have been off-color with the weather but we are still catching fish in the tea. Dry-dropper rigs and nymph rigs in the deeper holes have been fishing well. Look for the river to clear and the fishing to heat up Monday and Tuesday before Tuesday night’s storms. After Wednesday things start to heat up consistenly over the extended forecast so take advantage at the end of this week of good water temps before we move back into Hoot Owl Restrictions.
East Carson River Fishing Regulations:
Above Hangman’s Bridge to Carson Falls: General Regulations
Below Hangman’s Bridge: Artificial lures only. 2 Trout - Minimum size limit: 14 inches total length. Highly recommended Catch and Release
West Fork Carson River: Aside from new stocked fish in the meadow area and pocket water around Crystal Springs, there isn’t much change to this river. The meadow continues to see heavy fishing pressure. The wild fish are up high off Blue Lakes and can be super fun on a 3wt. And the pocket water below Sorenson’s holds some fish getting swept down from the meadow. The storms have stymied any kind of consistent hatches and the small midges, copper-johns, small stones have been good sub-surface flies, try to go as small as you can on fly choices.
Truckee River: The afternoon cooling has really helped this river both with the temperature as well as the fishing. I’d say morning is still the best window, with a bit of a dead zone between 1pm and 7pm before the evening bugs start to become more active. A few PMDs, bouncing caddis, and the ever present midge have been the main bugs but this river always has small mayflies and stoneflies in the river system. Grasshoppers are out so we’ve been running hopper dropper set ups and have caught a few nice fish on the hopper itself which is always a treat. Summer time is pocket water time so concentrate on the very fast next to the slow seams behind boulders and other bits of structure. This time of year is when the euro nymphers start out fishing everyone else if you’re into that.
Truckee River Fishing Regulations:
Below Lake Tahoe Dam:(All Year) Closed for 1000’ below Lake Tahoe Dam.
Below 1000’ of the Tahoe Dam to Trout Creek:Catch & Release Barbless Artificial - NO BAIT. Zero Bag limit.
Trout Creek to Mouth of Prosser Creek: Catch & Release Barbless Artificial Flies only. Zero Bag limit.
Prosser Creek to NV Stateline: Artificual Lures and Flies. Two Trout.
Little Truckee River: The main runs that we all know and love have seen constant fishing pressure so these fish are smart. Good presentation, accurate flies, beadless flies, light tippet are all tricks you can try to catch a few fish. The in between zones have actually been holding a few fish and they seem to be a little less educated so look for little seams and pockets behind the boulders and islands that don’t get fished as often. A pretty consistent hatch of Green Drakes and PMDs have been happening between 10am and 2pm, but the fishing can be good earlier in the morning or late afternoon as well, especially if the rain clouds roll in. Try to find your own water without overcrowding other anglers, the amount of stories of people wanting to hold hands while fishing always makes us laugh.
Little Truckee River Fishing Regulations:(All Year)
Stampede Reservoir downstream to Boca Reservoir: Catch & Release Barbless Artificial - NO BAIT. Zero Bag limit.
East Walker River: The cooler temperatures have helped this river a bit but the reservoir is a big one to cool down. Early on and early off are still the name of the game, but if you make it out there the fishing has been pretty dang good. First light the fish will be spread out feeding in random nooks and crannies, but by mid morning they will slide into the oxygenated seams (think white water!). Streamers, big caddis, stoneflies, and even crawdads twitched or drifted are how you get the big fish. Check temps, be aware of your surroundings, and enjoy one of our favorite eastern Sierra rivers.
East Walker River Fishing Regulations:
California: Last Sat. in Apr. through Nov. 15. Only artificial lures may be used. Minimum size limit: 18 inches total. Two Trout.
Stillwater Options: Perfect time of year to go for a hike up to a high altitude lake looking for wild fish that are eager to eat flies. All the normal lakes are fishing best from boats or float tubes as the fish have started to go deep during the sunny hours.
Hot Lakes:
Sawmill Lake - OPEN and STOCKED! Fresh load of big fish this week.
Fallen Leaf: Good numbers of Lahontan Cutthroat with the occasional brown/lake trout mixed in.
Lower Blue Lake - Road open to lower Blue. Check out some of the other lakes in the area as well.
Caple’s Lake- Fishing has been good. Better from a boat or tube and drift around the inlet.
Tahoe - Not a numbers game but when we fish Tahoe we are looking for that fish of a lifetime
Heenan Lake - Closed until September.
