I choose to listen to the river for a while, thinking river thoughts, before joining the night and the stars. Edward Abbey
After a quick flight to Reno, NV, I found myself walking through the terminal toward baggage claim. I'd been to Reno many times before, including the day I made an entrance into this world, but never before had I been with a focus on fishing. Now, to clarify I was there for work, but I knew I'd be done by 4 pm daily, and that I'd have ample time to hit Cabelas, which I did twice, but also that I'd have time to explore the Truckee River. So I guess you could say I should have been focused on work, but in reality I was focused on fish. I can't be blamed for this, however. The office I found myself in was less than 30 feet from the bankline of the Truckee, and I found myself gazing into the waters as discussions were held. It took all I had to stay seated and focused.
The first day I fished I hit the Truckee later in the evening. Given the high temperatures and issues with trout I opted to wait till my impact on them would be as minimal as possible. I arrived on the water around 7:15 and mayflies were fluttering about. I threw on a light Hendrickson to match the mayfly hatch and starting working the bankline where I saw action. After about 10 minutes I had my first fish. The action was less than I'd wanted, especially given the rises all around me. I studied the water for a minute, telling myself I could do a better job at selecting flies. I threw on a size 16 dry and went back to work.
After a quick flight to Reno, NV, I found myself walking through the terminal toward baggage claim. I'd been to Reno many times before, including the day I made an entrance into this world, but never before had I been with a focus on fishing. Now, to clarify I was there for work, but I knew I'd be done by 4 pm daily, and that I'd have ample time to hit Cabelas, which I did twice, but also that I'd have time to explore the Truckee River. So I guess you could say I should have been focused on work, but in reality I was focused on fish. I can't be blamed for this, however. The office I found myself in was less than 30 feet from the bankline of the Truckee, and I found myself gazing into the waters as discussions were held. It took all I had to stay seated and focused.
The first day I fished I hit the Truckee later in the evening. Given the high temperatures and issues with trout I opted to wait till my impact on them would be as minimal as possible. I arrived on the water around 7:15 and mayflies were fluttering about. I threw on a light Hendrickson to match the mayfly hatch and starting working the bankline where I saw action. After about 10 minutes I had my first fish. The action was less than I'd wanted, especially given the rises all around me. I studied the water for a minute, telling myself I could do a better job at selecting flies. I threw on a size 16 dry and went back to work.
I have a propensity to sit and sling my fly to the far reaches of my poor casting capabilities. However, as I spend more time on the water I'm able to read it better. At least, I like to tell myself that. I noticed a deep little seam where a fish kept rising. The little bow to the left hit my dry on the first cast. For a hatchery fish he had some decent color to him, after admiring the color he was released to resume snacking on his choice of bugs. The Truckee River water was cold, and with the sun closing out the day it started to cool off a bit. I had a lightweight pullover that I threw on, but that didn't keep the chill off, especially since I was wet wading. I knew I had about a half mile to walk back to the car, so I called it quits, despite the fact the trout were still feeding. I was happy just to have stepped back into a cold water river, caught a couple fish on dry flies, and to have seen a beautiful sunset.
Day 2 presented an opportunity to fish during my lunch break. While I wasn't successful, it was funny to look at the faces of my co-workers as I walked back into the office with wet pant. You're not going to give me an hour of free time, put me that close to fish and a beautiful river and expect that I'll sit inside. I was cautious to fish during the heat of the day, and only worked a few shady pockets with a streamer. Once work finished for the day I changed in my rental car and rigged up my rod. I found a great spot along the bankline and began working it with the same beadhead woolly bugger that I'd used at lunch. In my second cast I caught the biggest fish of the trip, on the swing. Turns out fishing streamers on the swing was the ticket, and I pulled nearly 35 fish out of the same pocket. Given how hard they were hitting the flies, how well they fought, and their size, I'd say that the hatchery bows are doing alright in the river. Sure I'd have liked to have pulled out a fame Truckee River Brown, but that wasn't in the cards given all the conditions, and where I was able to access the river. Every fish I caught was a bow.
Day 3 I was out of work by noon, and with the water temps and relatively nice weather in the preceding days I opted to him my honey hole again. I had to catch a flight, my bags were all packed, my rod broken down, and reel put away, but within a couple minutes that was all remedied and I hit the water. I tied on a leech style pattern that I bought on a trip to Seattle, and on the first cast it was hammered. After about 10 fish on that pattern it slowed down, so I threw on another streamer and was met with more success. I lost count of fish after the first 20. All the bows were healthy looking and some put up a good fight. I didn't play fish too long and worked to keep them wet when releasing them. Most were lip hooked so the release was easy.
I noticed that there was a really deep seam that I'd been swinging my fly over, but hadn't stopped it at the pocket yet. I mended a bit of line and when the fly drifted across it was hit in quick order. I set the hook and felt it was a decent fish. I was using my 5 weight and any bigger fish (for me anyway) was immediately noticeable. I saw him roll twice near the surface and was pretty excited, hoping it'd be the biggest fish of the trip. He was in some fairly swift water and rolled twice more. After that he was GONE! I was bummed, but felt good knowing some of my instincts on the water are starting be to correct.
After some more casts the heat of the day was hitting, the fish were slowing down, and I knew that it was the right time to call it on the Truckee. I didn't hook a big brown, and didn't really get to explore it as much as I'd hoped, but the honey hole I found rewarded me with fish after fish after fish. I assume I caught over 50 fish, some of them fairly nice. I have two ruined streamers to show for my efforts, and they'll be retied to see another day, and hopefully more fish.
I've had a few people ask me recently why I am so obsessed with fishing, and fly-fishing in particular. I'm not entirely sure it is about the fish any more than hunting is about the game. I think what I love about fishing is being on the water focused on one single thing. My worries seem to subside and my only focus is what fly to use and where to sling my bug next. The same goes for hunting, and then you add in the family component and you have the ability to get outdoors and build relationships. In some ways I feel that fly-fishing makes me a better person, it puts life into perspective and reminds me of what is actually important. Time on the river is always time well spent in my book, and I appreciate people who protect and care for the Truckee. I hope to visit again, and have a story about catching a famed big Truckee brown, but until then I'll have my memories from all those rainbows caught on the swing.
Day 2 presented an opportunity to fish during my lunch break. While I wasn't successful, it was funny to look at the faces of my co-workers as I walked back into the office with wet pant. You're not going to give me an hour of free time, put me that close to fish and a beautiful river and expect that I'll sit inside. I was cautious to fish during the heat of the day, and only worked a few shady pockets with a streamer. Once work finished for the day I changed in my rental car and rigged up my rod. I found a great spot along the bankline and began working it with the same beadhead woolly bugger that I'd used at lunch. In my second cast I caught the biggest fish of the trip, on the swing. Turns out fishing streamers on the swing was the ticket, and I pulled nearly 35 fish out of the same pocket. Given how hard they were hitting the flies, how well they fought, and their size, I'd say that the hatchery bows are doing alright in the river. Sure I'd have liked to have pulled out a fame Truckee River Brown, but that wasn't in the cards given all the conditions, and where I was able to access the river. Every fish I caught was a bow.
Day 3 I was out of work by noon, and with the water temps and relatively nice weather in the preceding days I opted to him my honey hole again. I had to catch a flight, my bags were all packed, my rod broken down, and reel put away, but within a couple minutes that was all remedied and I hit the water. I tied on a leech style pattern that I bought on a trip to Seattle, and on the first cast it was hammered. After about 10 fish on that pattern it slowed down, so I threw on another streamer and was met with more success. I lost count of fish after the first 20. All the bows were healthy looking and some put up a good fight. I didn't play fish too long and worked to keep them wet when releasing them. Most were lip hooked so the release was easy.
I noticed that there was a really deep seam that I'd been swinging my fly over, but hadn't stopped it at the pocket yet. I mended a bit of line and when the fly drifted across it was hit in quick order. I set the hook and felt it was a decent fish. I was using my 5 weight and any bigger fish (for me anyway) was immediately noticeable. I saw him roll twice near the surface and was pretty excited, hoping it'd be the biggest fish of the trip. He was in some fairly swift water and rolled twice more. After that he was GONE! I was bummed, but felt good knowing some of my instincts on the water are starting be to correct.
After some more casts the heat of the day was hitting, the fish were slowing down, and I knew that it was the right time to call it on the Truckee. I didn't hook a big brown, and didn't really get to explore it as much as I'd hoped, but the honey hole I found rewarded me with fish after fish after fish. I assume I caught over 50 fish, some of them fairly nice. I have two ruined streamers to show for my efforts, and they'll be retied to see another day, and hopefully more fish.
I've had a few people ask me recently why I am so obsessed with fishing, and fly-fishing in particular. I'm not entirely sure it is about the fish any more than hunting is about the game. I think what I love about fishing is being on the water focused on one single thing. My worries seem to subside and my only focus is what fly to use and where to sling my bug next. The same goes for hunting, and then you add in the family component and you have the ability to get outdoors and build relationships. In some ways I feel that fly-fishing makes me a better person, it puts life into perspective and reminds me of what is actually important. Time on the river is always time well spent in my book, and I appreciate people who protect and care for the Truckee. I hope to visit again, and have a story about catching a famed big Truckee brown, but until then I'll have my memories from all those rainbows caught on the swing.