One of the biggest challenges with wintertime fishing in the sierras is keeping warm. I know many of us have had those icy days out at the Mid when you are busting ice out of your eyelets on every other cast, or needing to take frequent breaks to the truck just to unthaw your gear and your hands. These are a few of the small tricks I have picked up over the years that seem to keep me toasty and fishing more.

Layers: 

Yep, Mama was right. Although we will never admit it to her. One of the best ways to keep yourself comfortable all day long is lots of layers. I normally start with a great base layer like a Smart Wool or Under Armor style product. I follow that up with a t-shirt, long for the really cold days and short for the cold morning but warm day days. A good flannel over that will keep the warmth in for sure, and who doesn't love a good flannel? I keep a light coat on standby and a heavy coat for the real frigid days. 

Gloves:

Of course we all have our favorite pair of cold weather gloves. I'm pretty sure mine were purchased by my father in 1976 but they never have failed me. You know the old style knit wool glove with the half fingers and the mitten that folds back to allow for dexterity? Yup, those are them. A few years ago I learned about using latex gloves to keep your hands warm. the concept is that they do not breath at all so it takes longer for the heat to escape. Now I have tried a few times and it doesn't seem to help me at all, but I know a large number of people that swear by it. 

Eyelets:

Ah, the ever so frustrating ice in the eyelet story. honestly I have heard everything from vaseline to WD-40 to prevent this. I am not one to try experiments on my prized rods. The only tip I have for this is after every couple of casts, dip your rod into the water and swish it around. this normally shakes any ice that is starting to form off and will warm your eyelets to the temperature of the water.

I hope all of theses little tricks will help keep you cozy and fishy on your next frigid adventure.

Tight Lines,

IFO

With only 1 month 14 days 17 hours and 54 minutes until the opener at Pyramid lake, its time to take out all the gear and make sure its ready to roll. Check those waders for leaks - nobody likes October lake water filling their shorts. I have found that Aqua Seal is an amazing repair product and I keep the U.V. repair kit with me at all times. 

Be sure to check your running line for cracks and dings. Make sure you clean it with a light dish soap and water ( If you didn't already do this post season). While all your running line is out, its a great practice to check or even re-tie your backing to running line knot. That is the last thing you want to give up the ghost when hog Johnson gets you to your backing.

Clean and lubricate all reel parts as well as clean your rod and wax the ferrules. If your cork could use some love Mr. Clean magic erasers are a great tool to clean all the grime from the prior season off. In drastic cases, I like to use a small amount  of wood filler and some fine sandpaper to really rehab that cork. 

Check those old flies for rust and sharpness...lord knows that fly box hit the water at some point and you now have a rusty 1897 butter knife with some feathers tied to it. 

Sit and wait patiently. Tie some flies, meditate on the monster you WILL get this year, eat a taco, anything to just make the next month and a half go by faster!

Tight lines,

IFO

After some long hard fishing weeks, with little to no action, the cold weather front we are seeing has started to really increase the fishing quality. We have seen the numbers come up along with some great size fish being taken. As seen in the picture, Brian and Ben cleaned house with brian taking this nice one over ten. Nymphing and midges have been the top producers fishing a two fly dropper at about 7-9 feet depending on where you are at. A few bites have been happening on the strip but the fish have not been really enthused to commit to a hard take. It have been C O L D with the snow and cold front we have had so make sure you pack with plenty of warm goodies and layer up! We look forward to seeing you on the water!

Tight lines,

IFO

With all the spring storms and an increase in water temperature, the fish are moving and looking to eat! Expect a solid bite for the first few morning hours then again around 10AM. Indicator fishing has been highly productive using red and black midges size 10 or 12. when it gets choppy fish the color change  between shore and the open water. try to suspend your flies right at the change between the murky water and the clear. With the warmer weather, we are starting to get algae blooming on the subsurface rocks. watch your footing and always wear a wading belt!

Tight lines,

IFO

As most Pyramid anglers or guides know, the pressure to get a good spot on any good beach is the hardest part of your day. With a good portion of the lake shut down to vehicle and foot traffic, the congestion is a daily battle. IFO has now invested in a 26' cruiser to hit all the spots that most people can't or won't go. Stay tuned for updates on the maiden voyage at Pyramid, and the great fishing to be found via the Infinity 4! Book your trips for the upcoming season now they are filling up fast!

The opener this year was an exciting one! the baitfish are everywhere you look. keep your eyes close to the structure, the little guys like to hide here and the bigger fish like to try to ambush here as well. Beetles in popcorn were a hot fly (as always) along with baitfish and mo-hair leech patterns. 

With the water temps in the 60-64 degree range, the fish are still sitting pretty deep sitting at about 25-30 feet down. Please always remember that pulling fish from the deeper water is very hard on the fish and it is best to let them come up at their own pace. You will have a much easier time releasing them safely and they will have a much better chance of survival. 

We have seen a TON of big fish coming out this year. The indicator game has been strong and we have been fishing midges and balanced leech patterns with a great amount of success. We have been fishing two flies in tandem with an overall depth of 8-9 feet deep. Find yourself a shelf and fish about 20 feet past the shelf. 

When indicator fishing in calm water make sure to give it a little movement from time to time to get the attention of the fish, just don't overdo it. 

If you have been living under a rock or in outer space, you haven't heard about how STELLAR the fishing is this year. We have had multiple 30+ fish days with at least 5 a day over 10 pounds. You cant even talk about numbers like that without getting excited!

The indicator fishing has been the most productive but we have still picked up a few on the strip. Make sure you know the depth of the water you are fishing and set your indicator about 1 foot shorter than that distance. For stripping, slow your strip down a bit in the colder water as the fish seem to get a little lethargic this time of year. Flies in black, red, silver, and green have all been working very well. Popcorn beetles have been the go to for you stripping folks.

Make sure you are prepared for all of the cold and inclimate weather we have been having as it is also what brings in the fish!

You can find everything you need right here:

www.orvis.com

Tight Lines,

IFO

IFO is proud to present a new Truckee River report written by local trout slayer Nico Sunseri! Thank you for the awesome report!

Late Summer on the Big Two-Face River

These are the Dog Days on the Truckee River in NV, and most anglers will hang up their hats and wait until fall sets in to pursue the elusive browns and striking rainbows that lurk in these legendary waters. With that being said don’t let this time of year deter you from getting on the river, utilize this time to hone your searching skills and hook into some great trout.

You must be mindful of the water temps while searching for these river trout. you do not want to fatigue fish to the point of causing them to expire…I suggest taking a thermometer with you and check those water temps. If you see a reading of 69 degrees, back off and call it a day.

So now let’s get into what is hot and what is not on the Big T. Surface action has been pretty limited to downright picky, so get under the film with some wet hackle flies and you will hook into a fish or two. If the concept of swinging wets isn’t your gig you can always tie on a good stonefly/crawfish fly and buddy it up with a san Juan or vladi worm and run it deep. Look for pools that have good aeration or waters that mimic dam tailwaters; this will ensure you have a solid day.

Tight lines and be safe on the Big Two Face.

Nico Sunseri

Well, not as in how you may be thinking. I am thankful though, that I do not. I've been to many third world countries so I should have this issue…pure luck I guess. What I am referring to is the disdain amongst some fly anglers to ever tie on anything that resembles a worm. I mean, how dare we align ourselves with bait dunkers and even consider a “Worm”?

 Dare to be different on this my friends, so tie on the Juan, Vladi, or pig sticker, and swing in through your favorite tail out on the river and see what happens.

The current transition into a fall pattern has definitely sparked some new life into the trouts in the Truckee, and they are going to start eating up everything they can to prep for the onset of winter.

 Hookups have been coming from good placement of worm patterns in tail-outs and wet fly action has been good in riffles and during sporadic hatches during the late morning and early afternoon. Stick with pearl and purple colored hackles and you will be in the money. 

Good luck and be safe on the water. Be mindful of the fact there is a reason the Big T carries the nickname of “The Big Two-Face River”.

Tight lines and be safe 

Nico Sunseri

 We are talking about a movie reference here from the Movie Signs, a classic and iconic sci-fi horror from M. Night Shyamalan. If you have seen this particular scene in the movie, you know what I am talking about, if not, I am not going to spoil it for you, just watch this flick ASAP.

So what does this have to do with this week’s Truckee River Report? Well, Everything! The Trouts aren’t running very deep; as a matter of fact, they are running anywhere from 1-3 ft deep. Why? Well, thank you for asking! Trouts are hungry right now, they now a change in the weather is coming, and coming quick. They are experiencing what Bears experience this time of year, a Hyperphagia of sorts. Meaning they are eating their faces off at every opportunity, even during high-pressure events!

This is how you win in this situation: Tie on something scrumptious, like a size 14-18 bead head emerging caddis type bug and above that something full-on Baetis like in size 16-20. Now swing this through some current….the current you are told that doesn’t hold fish…start that swing in the rough and let ‘er tail out into the smooth. You WILL get into fish, and expect the unexpected. Yesterday that resulted in a 4 lb Rainbow in the Stadium Rocks section near downtown. So, to reiterate the correct location on the water; if you see that or those Bubba’s holding rods straight out in front of them looking like German Shorthairs pointing at ducks or like they are about to get rapped on the hand by a Nun…move away, far far away. Get into that moving water and poke a unicorn in the nose.

Good luck on the water, and remember to be safe on the Big Two-Face. She is slippery as ever right now; even though the flows aren’t super fast you can get yourself into a problem in a hurry. Swing Away my friends and good luck!

Tight lines and be safe 

Nico Sunseri