Finally Feels Like Spring
The weather forecast this week is hard to beat if you enjoy those warm, Spring days with plentiful sunshine. With this warm weather comes spring melt, so be prepared for several of our rivers to increase in flows. We expect the East/West Carson and the Truckee River to jump in flows each day this week, so be careful where you step and don’t wade in swift or deep currents.
East Carson River:
Similar story to last week with flows starting at 500 CFS, which should be increasing with each warm day that passes. In these high flows, use more weight than you would think either with extra split shot or heavier nymphs. Small to medium streamers with a sink tip or long leader is a go-to technique to try in these high flows. The state has stocked catchable trout in the general regulation section recently, but with these flows the fish should disperse quickly into calmer sections of river.
Truckee River:
The March brown hatch has been exceptionally impressive this year and is strongest during the warmest parts of the day, normally between 12:30 PM and 3:30 PM. Fish medium to large pheasant tail variations or other mayfly nymphs if you are nymphing, and size 14-16 Parachute Adams, Mercer’s Missing Links or other darker mayfly dries if you spot some rising fish. If you find yourself out on the river before the hatch starts, fish have still been in their feeding lanes in anticipation of the hatch but try smaller patterns like midges or baetis nymphs. Some nice fish are being caught, but seem to be in select types of water, so keep on walking until you find those deep and slow seams along the fast water.
Little Truckee River:
A few Spawners have still been seen recently but even once the spawn ends, the Redds will remain vulnerable until the fry hatch. Please stay out of the posted spawning zones and avoid walking onto any Redds. Flows have been stable at 200 cfs, a great flow for this river. Dry dropper or small indicators with minimal weight have been the method of choice to the always spooky little Truckee fish.
East Walker River:
The river has come up to levels in the last month flowing at 69 CFS. We hope that these flows keep for a while, or continue up a bit. There is plenty of food around but the bite has been feast or famine. We still love our streamer bite on this river and it can be worth the time for those big grabs. If this flow steadies and weather warms, look for aggressive fish in all the usual fast water edges. Get your bugs in the zone quickly and let them see it coming - if you’re doing it right, you’ll snag some branches with the dry/drop rig, or bouncing your wet flies off ledges.
Stillwater Options:
This warm weather should raise some of the lake temperatures to that magic 51 degree number. We expect lakes such as Caples, red, and Silver to start fishing pretty well from tubes or shore as they begin to warm. Indian Creek Reservoir turned over already, and has been slightly off color as the weeds and algae have been churned up. Even still, fish are being caught regularly especially for the small watercraft guys.
Hot Lakes:
Sawmill Lake - BOOK NOW!
Lake Baron - BOOK FATHER’S DAY CLINIC!
Bridgeport Reservoir
Silver Lake
Caple’s Lake
Tahoe
