Happy New Year. We are stoked to ring in 2015 with a whole bunch of new things going on around the shop. We are now fully licensed for guided trips and instruction on the Truckee River. Both Mike and I will be able to provide guided trips on the Truckee River as well as one on one instruction right from the shop or on the Truckee River.
-Jim
Fly Fishing Report | January 9, 2015
The water conditions changed dramatically right as the holidays were starting. For several reasons the Truckee River finally had water in it and it looks like the river will have water rights delivery for several months. This combined with the occasional storm should keep the fly fishing in pretty good shape through the dark and cold winter months. If you ever have questions, comments or insight on the water flows stop by the shop and let us know.
Truckee River – West of Reno – (reminder CA fishing licenses need to be renewed January 1) With precip falling as snow the only water above Reno and into the California section is tail water from the reservoirs. The majority of this water is coming from the Boca/Stampede complex so fishing above Boca is marginal. Below here can be good if winter fishing is your thing. Expect cold water conditions. Fish will be sluggish, but can be coaxed out of their winter lies for the right fly. Dry/droppers and double nymph rigs will work but don’t be shy to swing or swim a streamer through a pool to see what might be ready to eat.
Truckee River – Reno – (this report is from our good friend Jason Mattick, pro angler, high school math teacher and great dad). Deep and low just a little rippled surface. Midges below anchor fly. Recommend any zebra midge type pattern. Good. Hot spot with a little flashy dubbing even better. They are cold. Don’t want to move through too many columns to eat. Have to hit em in the nose! Heavy, slow takes. Some are more aggressive on the fights than others. Again, they are cold so don’t want to fight too long. All are fat and healthy too. Warm weather is setting the river up perfect for January fishing on the Truckee!!
Dry Flies – Rubber Legged Madam X #12, Yellow Humpy #14
Nymphs – Carot #14, Red Butt Jig #16, Skinny Nelson #16
Streamers – Stanley Streamer Rainbow, Beldar Rubber Legs Skunk, Bellyache Minnow
Truckee River – East of Reno – Just before the cold really kicked in (Christmas week) things were great on the river east of town. The streamer fishing and nymphing were the most productive with really healthy rainbows with a few browns being caught. We even hit it right a few afternoons and were able to find a few fish feeding on the surface. The water temps have cooled significantly with afernoon temps in the low 40s. This has slowed the streamer fishing some but double nymph rigs and dry/droppers are producing fish.
Dry Flies – Parachute Adams #14, Parachute Adams #22, Hackle Stacker BWO #14
Nymphs – Psycho May #14, Anato-May #14, Quasimodo #16
Streamers – Weir’s Sculpin, Bellyache Minnow Olive and Natural
Pyramid Lake – Things have somewhat slowed at Pyramid with the surface water temps down into the low 40s. This forces many of the baitfish and trout into deeper water. Not to say you can’t/won’t catch fish this time of the year it just might take you a bit longer. And it is assured that you will have a 100% greater chance of catching a 20+ pound trout while fly fishing pyramid lake than not fly fishing at all…
Streamers – Midnight Cowboy #4, Stanley Wooly Worm Chartreuse/Black #4, Cat Whisker Boobie White/Chartreuse and Black/Purple
Nymphs – HMD Balance Leech #10, Goldie #10, Pyramidge #12
That being said check out this is message we just received from Cullen (Truckee, CA) on his first trip to Pyramid.
“Jim- thanks for taking the time to get me all set up for Pyramid the other day. I really appreciate you taking the time to get me all dialed on how to approach the lake. I rigged up the new line, set up my flies and leader as instructed, and set the hook into this beast on my SECOND CAST ever on Pyramid lake! Great stuff!”
– Cullen
Click on the image above to see a video of Mike tying the Boobie for the Shop.
Cat Whisker Boobie
Reno Fly Shop Exclusive
In our never ending effort to provide you with the most cutting edge innovative products we have brought in the Cat Whisker Boobie as a crazy effective alternative to Ike Berry’s Pyramid Foam Beetle. Fished in a similar way this is a great dropper fly in a streamer rig to be trailed behind a bugger/streamer or as a tag fly off of a bugger anchor. We have ordered these specially from Umpqua to be available en mass and they should arrive before the spring bite. In the meantime we are tying these ourselves for the shop and until now have been able to keep up with demand.
To get you ready and into this fly we have scheduled a tying class when Mike Sexton is going to show you how to tie your own.
January 14th at 6:30 at the Shop
Cost is $30/student and includes material to tie during class and some to take home.
Space is limited please sign up soon.
January 15 4:30-6:30
Yeah I know you have, and what if I told you we’d help you solve that for free? Now that we have your attention hang with us for a second. This might take a bit to explain. As winter cold descends upon Pyramid Lake, the Truckee River and western Steelhead rivers fly line management becomes a pretty big deal. Fly fishing this time of year isn’t for the faint of heart and certainly not for someone who doesn’t like to cast a lot for a few fish.
We want to make winter fly fishing as easy and enjoyable for you as possible. We are willing to strip your fly line down to the backing, clean it, dress it with Loon Line Speed and take a look at your reel to make sure it doesn’t need any Loon Reel Lube.
Thursday, January 15th, 4:30-6:30, at the Reno Fly Shop bring your fly reel in and we will do this for free. Be patient if there are a ton of folks that arrive before you we will try to get to all of the reels while you wait. We have to limit this to only one reel per person until we figure out how popular the REEL DEAL might be…
Enjoy!
Jim