It is a new year, and I'm making a move or two this next 365.
First, a new blog site....http://bigflyguideservice.wordpress.com/, starting Jan.
Trying to do more, efficiently. This change will allow more flexibility and be more centralised.
I'd like it if you joined me for another year of fishy tales, and adventures.
Since there is no end to learning, think of me as a stand-in on the water, to relay discoveries.
I'll continue to do my best to entertain and inform.
Thanks,

Jim

December

We have enjoyed a slow start to the serious part of Winter.
Patchy snow down near town allows us to get around to fish.
The roads are all clear, and we don't have construction going on every road either.
Forest service roads are gated, and campgrounds are closed.
Don't forget to park off the road this time of year.
Day time temps are pleasent out of the wind, and in the sun. But the shade feels a cool 40ish.
Night time temps are 6 deg. Water temp slowly coming down, mid 40s right now.
The lower winter flows, along with clear water, means this is time to approach them with care.
Lighter tippet 4x-5x. Being gentle with footsteps, and casts helps too.
This is a plesant time to fish. Quiet and slow paced. Few bugs on the menu means less stressing about fly choice..
Put on a clump midge or BWO in small sizes 20-22. Then get the drift.

American Dippers are our only feathered company on the water now.
It always amazes me that they stay for the duration. Paired up....
The Squirrels are getting some last cheeks full of seeds before they are all buried by snow.
The sound of new studded tires is wide-spread.
A few folks are still laying in firewood, and sweeping the yard for things that shouldn't lay out all Winter.
but most of us are ready...
Happy Holidays all.....

November

November is starting off chilly willy. Days are in the mid forties.
Several recent nights have frozen the water inside my ice chest, while stored in my camper..
The last little storm has left patchy snow, and a few less leaves of color on the trees.
Most of our summer birds have headed south. The woods are getting more quiet.
The river has come up slightly, and it's color is clear/green and 49 deg.
A fishing sweet-spot seen in winter is beginning. Miday,(11:00-1:00) is good.
Few bugs are popping, but Baetis are the stars right now. The adult is reddish brown with clear/white wings sz 22. Few risers, but they are eating the nymphs/emergers.
The size of the fish doesn't matter, if all they see to eat are small bugs, they're gonna eat'em... Combined with light leaders, and a good drift of course.

The Brown Trout are almost on the spawn now. It would be better for them, if we gave them less fishing pressure. They are too easy a catch, to be tooo proud of it..
Rainbows, on the other hand...... are posting up downstream from the browns.
Partly because they have been driven from a portion of the river by the browns.
And partly, because natures creatures don't generally waste an easy meal.
It's a little too early for the brown's eggs to be available to them, but you know they are looking....
Midges, and BWOs are a factor as well. When it's cloudy check slick water for risers.
There isn't a huge menu now for the fish, but they still have to keep the calories coming.
This is the time of year that angling becomes more challenging, but it's satisfying as well.
All summer, people show up in droves, flogging seriously spooked fish.
Now there are fewer on the water, and many of those I've met before.
Often, they are fishing friends, or fishers that I often see prowling, and other guides done for the season, and fishing for themselves for a change.
All, are people of conviction, who are willing to put in the effort.
Extra clothes, extra care in our steps.
Fishing light leaders that give fish the advantage, not because we want to.....it's just that the water is clear/low and the fish are jaded from a "long" Summer.
These fishermen/women fishermen may endure a fish-less session, and cold fingers to boot.
On the other hand, they may meet a fish of dreams.
You won't know, if you don't go.
See you on the water.

October on the T

Nature delivered the first snow of the year over the last few days.
After raining most of the night it started snowing in mini-squalls.
Maybe 2" total, and most of that is already melting/melted.
Whitened pines this morning, and green now, a few hours later.
This snow will swell the creeks, tempting feisty browns to spar, and win a female.
This is the time of year to put things on hold if you seriously fish.
Male Browns are known for being tough to catch, Fall is an exception.
They get distracted, temperamental, and territorial.
Try a streamer just for fun, during the day, but especially at night.
They tend to hunt/move under cover of darkness.
I fish like this, right up to the spawn, in a couple of weeks.
I don't fish over spawning fish, but love to sneak up on a pair romancing.
They isolate themselves, and the world shrinks to just them and the task at hand....
Guess that makes me a fish voyeur.

Nymphing can be spotty this time of year. Small Baetis, PEDs, and a few Oct. Caddis.
Try soft hackles.

Watched "Master Burk" land 4 fish, out of 8 grabs, the night before last, on dries....
Find a pod of risers, and get a perfect drift, with a sz 20-22 light-colored baetis dry.
I recommend a fresh 13' 5-6x leader. Set softly, sometimes there are big guys mixed in with those little noses you see..
Heard Canada Geese flying over last night about 3 AM. Headed south....
Winter's coming soon, get out there while you can.

Sept.-late report.

Man, when business picks up, I can't complain...
But I can get behind.
Fall is my favorite season to fish!
Water is wadible, water temps down and brown trout are feeling it, me too!
The bugs are getting fewer, and smaller.
The fish are looking up due to this.
Hoppers are out and on the "specials" menu.
Finding some cray parts, and Lrg golden stone shucks on rocks.
Most of the summer crowd has gone home.
That leaves miles of water to wander, by yourself.
Fish foam/shade mid-day, with a nymph.
Maybe cast a dry an hour or so before dusk.
Personally, it's streamer time!
I'll post longer/ more info a little later, need to hit the water with a client now.
In fact all but one day this week.

August II

River flows are coming down, and water temps are going up. About 72 above town.
We've hit the late summer slowdown.....
Early morn is so nice now, just a fall chill, then baking the rest of the day.
Lots of rafters, and floaties on the river all day long.
I go out just after dawn, catch a couple, then take care of business till evening, then say hi to them again at dark.
Guiding is slowing down, after a busy month.
Kids are back in school.
Far fewer fishermen out on the water.
Now is the time to begin stalking a dream fish, instead of dreaming of fishing.
A friend fished over the same tough brown for three days before landing him.
Practice, practice, practice.....
Fish are thinking about putting on weight for winter, and that helps to catch them.
These are the most difficult fish I've met, and well worth the time and energy to meet'em.
The bonanza of bugs we've had is slowing down, a few less everyday.
For the first time they are really starting to look at grass hoppers.
I love to drown one and see a fish come from nowhere to eat!
Squirrels are dropping pine cones already, and we had a localized light frost this morning.
Folks are laying in wood and painting, and coating their driveways and otherwise acting as busy as the squirrels......

August

WOW!
It's August already.
Dawn attacks are pretty good right now......
Mid-day can be slow, but evenings are amazing.
Caddis flies are fluttering in numbers that strike both a newby, and seasoned fisher alike, as incredible.
Fun, just standing in the river watching all the biomass silhouetted against the glowing sky, just after the sun sets.
Don't want to breath through your mouth, because you will be eating them.
They flutter into nose, ears, and down your your shirt.
When you stop to consider how many get eaten before they reach "fulfillment", that is adulthood, and mating, it boggles the mind.
It's fascinating watching the pupal forms drifting and swimming slowly to the surface.
Once there, they step through the surface tension, and almost instantly another life form
appears. A winged adult from an aquatic life form.
About as real, and now, as it gets.
The trout sure like them.

Good times!

The phone started ringing again, and I started running.
I guess the word is out, that it's time to fish.
Beautiful is what's going on up here.
River flows are green/clear and stable. (54 deg)
The bug menu has grown noticeably this week.
Large Golden stones are flying.
Grass hoppers hopping.
PMD's floating towards the sky.
Several types of Caddis are fluttering about.
Green Drakes are around here and there.
Finding more rising fish everyday.
Last night, some Bows were chasing dries, dolphin-style.
A meal, and air-time too.
Few things make it harder to tie on a fly, than fish jumping all around.
But I've learned to hang tough in the crunch.....

All the summer players are on stage.
Humming birds arrived exactly when the flowers bloomed. Go figure...
The baby Geese aren't babies anymore.
Beavers are slaving away.
Deer are in velvet.
Mosquitoes are making up for lost time.
As both, fishing and non-fishing folks have landed.
Thankfully, the whining buggers are equal opportunity biters...

We had an amazing full moon rise, with alpine glow skies this week.
I spent time watching it for you guys.
After 8 months of chillyness, the fact that I can wear a T-shirt from dawn to well after dusk,
is hard to fully share.
Maybe, you should just come up?
It won't get any better.

Summer begins!

Suddenly the weather went from cold..... to hot. Or, at least it seems hot wearing waders.
Get out of the water and you will seek shade. Don't forget your sunscreen!
Blazing blue skies have caused the flows to rise up into the grass, about a foot.
The water-color is a nice deep green in the morning, and off color in the afternoon.
Water temps are coming up slowly, 47-50 deg. in the morn, dropping a few deg. in the PM with the increased melt.
For those fishermen not averse to larger flows, this is a great time to attack.
Not a lot of fishing pressure yet, but soon....
There are a bunch of bugs around now. They like all the warmth.
The flying carpenter ants have arrived. I always suggest drowning them in these flows.
Saw my first grasshopper of the season. There's are sure sign of summer!
Starting to see a lot of small caddis fluttering in the evening.
There are PMDs too.
Very large Golden stones are near shore, that are about ready to pop.
Green rock caddis are about. Midges too of course.
Some nice fish are very close to shore.
Try rigging at about 2ft. with two flies, and drifting near the bank in soft water.
In these flows, the fish have an advantage. Look where you can run BEFORE you cast, to make sure you have room....to run. You can't run in the water/streambed, and walking around alders
and trees is near impossible.
Hope you get out to the water, it's a good time for it!

Looking around.

Took a walk on the water, in a drizzle. Beautiful flows, no bugs at all.
Water temps holding at 42 deg. We have slipped back into EARLY Spring.
When the fishing is slow, I have a chance to look around.
Today, I noticed all the old stumps in this area were torn apart.
Mister bear has been looking for some grub, or grubs actually.
Hard times right now, no berries popping yet.
Wet, cold, hungry, and can't go back to bed yet.
Pretty much the same for me.
Most locals have stated they are over it.
Bring on the warmth of summer!
Micro flowers are beginning to bloom, but otherwise we are in a holding pattern.
Been having some success with micro may patterns, and Baetis nymphs.
Most Rainbows are post spawn now, and feeling tired/satisfied and are waiting for bugmania.
Some larger Brown trout have been eating the bows eggs.
With the end of the spawn, the browns are searching for another tasty treat.
With higher flows a worm would be a good choice.
Walking in the woods on the way back to the car, I discovered a worm orgy just ending.
BIG worms crawling around, made it hard to walk without stepping on them.
Life force carries on, in spite of the weather.

Fish the flood!

OK, so it's spring again (well almost). We got another dusting last night.
The ground is too warm to accept snow at this point.
The problem is, the water temps drop when it melts and flushes in.
This change retards the bugs, and therefore the fish.
Reset the season by a week at least.
Having said that, they can't leave the water, or give up food totally.
Drive up-stream from town a ways, find the flows that suit your fancy.
Check the bug menu with your seine, pick a portion or two, to serve'em.
Now do the sneaky creep to stream edge.
Find some soft water, near the inside of a bend, and present with light weight, rigged shallow.
Takes are light, so be heads up.
Aquatic annelids abound during high flows, red-brown would be a good choice.
A few BWO's around, and March browns still. Not dry fly time though.
Saw a skwalla this week, so a nymph might still be a good call, or drown an adult on a warm afternoon..
Little black baetis nymphs have been working for me.
You can wait till July this year for dry fly fishin', or learn how to fish the flood.
Speaking strictly for myself, I can't wait that long for a fish.
I always say in these flows, before you make a perfect cast, and a perfect drift, with the perfect fly, consider where you can run first.
Should be a great year for the fish, maybe us as well!

Game on!

Hope you all got out on the water for the 1st day of the season.
It was a big water opener here on the Truckee.
Water flows below-town, are serious.
Above town it's a fish-able 70 cfs, and a sweet, sea-foam green.
Skwallas are still running around. Bwo's, and March browns are out.
Snow is mostly gone in town, a few drifts in the shade. Spring has sprung.
The big water can deter a fisherman who is limited to throwing dries.
But, if one is willing to change it up, the fish are still there.
At these flows it's not time to wade, just get "bank sneaky".
If you think like a fish, you will understand how heavy flows move them to the bottom, and sides of the river.
Slack/edge water is easier on them energy wise.
Water temps are 47-52, so they won't be actively chase stuff very far.
Do a quick seine for a look at the menu.
Then rig with lighter weight, and offer your flies on a perfectly slow drift near shore.
Find a foam-line that looks good, and look for a spot where it bumps a shore boulder.
Drop your offering into the line, and bump line downstream to the good spot.
You might even meet Walter.
Landing him is another story.

Blue Sky

After a long winter of quiet, I'm very pleased to hear the first soothing notes of a mountain blue bird. If you haven't seen one, they are the bluest of blues. Perfect match for our skies. The skwala stone flies have emerged, and are all over the shore rocks. Blue birds often feed on the wing, but the skwalas are a serious meal and worth a foot chase on the ground. Standing in the water floating my skwala dry fly to a gulping fish, I watch the enthusiasm of a blue bird from two feet away. The skwalas must taste good. I counted about 15 consumed in 15 minutes. Just the snack for a bird that flew many miles to nest near this stream. One day the area seems almost devoid of birds. The next, all my feathered friends have returned. Robins, Stellar Jays, Pygmy Nut hatches, Nut hatches, Flickers, and Alder gnatcatchers too. Funny how the weather improves, bugs reappear, and, suddenly there are birds. Every winter, I hang with American Dippers. They are one of the few birds that remain to keep us company fishing all winter. Now they're acting amorous, and playing tag. Even though they mate for life, every spring I watch them reestablish the pair bond. It takes three to tango in a dipper's world. Another male hangs around flirting and posturing and singing. This makes the mated male crazy with "jealousy"? Soon the pair will make a nest in a frothy section of the river. Spray drenched babies will grow to become my neighbors. Wading for fish, I will peak in to see how things go for them. This seasonal change of players announces that fishing season has also begun. The water warms, fish feel better moving to food, and I feel better asking them play.

A guides universe.

I live life on the water, and meet people. All sorts and types.
Many connected to me by fishing. They have diverse styles, chase different fish species, in many locations, and kinds of weather.
A few become friends and stay in touch.
Add to that, a few guide buddies, current clients and fishing companions.
It amounts to a fair number of fishing reports.
As a fisherman/guide this is very useful. I need to know.
No matter how busy I stay, I'm challenged to cover all the water that's in this area, year-round.
There are miles of water to stand in.
The bugs in the river are on different pages in different places.
Elevations, flows, higher pressure spots, and the paths less traveled, this is very important information. I, in turn, share my findings with others. That's how the universe works.
The thing is... the best part for me, is hearing all the stories.
Some of these folks know a few fish by name. Literally.
Many, many tales of repeat attempts on tough fish.
Most of the time, big fish do not come along quietly.
Fish have the home field advantage, and the element of surprise the first time.
After that, it takes practice to work out details of a drift, or fly choice, or different approaches to the fish' lie.
There are technical issues that have to be addressed, and failures to recover from.
But often, when it works, fishermen call me to share.
These are diligent, and talented fishermen, who are setting the bar high, then getting over it.
I give them kudos for perseverance, and problem solving, and an ear for sad stories.
They give me support and reassurance when I talk fish with them too.
Many of us fish alone. No one to witness the epic battles when our strategy does work out.
Perhaps they have no one else in their lives that understands just how difficult this self imposed task really is, or our seemingly obsessive behavior, and repeated disappointments.
The guides universe is a kind of organically grown fish support group/ information service.
We provide therapy for the fish challenged, and tribal respect for individual picean victories. We look out for our own. Tell a bunch of fish stories too!

Spring will come!

Well it's happened, spring has arrived! Right along with the time change too!
I figure I lose an hour of fishing, every time they do that.
Don't mind losing sleep, but less fishing?
The river is close to muddy, with just a hint of deep green.
Snowed like crazy last night, in the classic sierra cement style.
The rain/slush made driving sketchy, and closed I-80 this morning.
Winter is battling back, but I have faith it will be warm again someday.
Saw a couple of feisty Rainbows earlier this week, both showing signs of spawn color.
It has been a great early season, fishing small flies over big fish.
But now, I'm ready for spring.
Searching about for any sign of spring, I'll submit that a Skwala stonefly hatch is a serious one.
Saw them near Glenshire this week, molting, and running around on the snow.
Then they do their seemingly suicidal stroll out onto the surface tension in the shallows.
The females ovi-positing send out little rings that call to trout, saying "Eeaatt mmeee!
This time last year the stream ran clear, and we caught BIG browns with Skwala dry flies.
Not so this year, we will have muddy flows. So it goes.
With the influx of new bugs, I'm seeing more birds everyday.
How do they know? They are making an important bet, that they can't afford to lose.
That kind of commitment helps me believe spring will return.
Watched some Ravens cavorting today, barrel-rolls and playing grab-foot.
Looked like breeding behavior to me. Fun/sexy/risky.
They seem to start that stuff before everybody else.
My theory, is that they feed their chicks, the chicks of others.
So they need a little head-start.
In life, timing is everything, and you have to work all the angles.
On that note, there is a happy hour nearby that I shouldn't miss.
Got a client there last week.
While getting my one meal a day, and frosty beverage at a discount.....
Speaking of angles.

My welcome back!

After a three month hiatus, I finally got back on the water.
Pulled onto E-line st. on the Owens River in Bishop.
Talked for a while, with a spin guy who'd gotten blanked.
His wife pulled up and summoned him. So... all the water was mine.
Although my shakes had been in an advanced state, just being on the water was very soothing.
I was taking in the cute fish rises, when a bigger guy rose to something.
In a fraction of a second (or less) I was sprinting to the truck.
Shaking and panting, I pulled out a rod still rigged with a fly from three months before.
I made a couple casts up on the road to warm up, then boogied down to the water.
Walked through the tules, to a notch in them.
I made a beautiful cast (amazing, considering the time off), and started my 1st drift with a little white may.
Sure enough, he ate it!
In the near darkness, I couldn't see how big he was.
Still....even stout and stubborn, he couldn't resist my pull.
He slid into the little notch in the bank a couple minutes later.
It was then, I suddenly realized that I didn't have waders on, or a net either. Ooooops......
At that precise moment, he felt the hesitation, and made his move.
A quick button hook pattern through the reeds, and the jump to warp speed and safety.
Game over!!!
I'd call it a draw.
I didn't cast again due to darkness, and the law.
What a welcome back.
Not a bad way to start the season though.

Hello-serious jonesing

My apologies all, three months without a post?
My oldest fishing buddy passed.
Dad made it to 85, or close enough.
This entailed a major fix-up/sale rally on the house, and an extended stay in a deserty zone north of LA.
I haven't seen moving water for the whole time.
Been having fish dreams at night. Stopped a couple times next to a flood catchment basin to see if something might rise. A basin fish maybe?
I'm not sure I could withstand a jones much stronger than I'm experiencing right now.
Serious shakes, that will be addressed as soon as I hit the year-round section of the Owens River.
The second phase of recovery will be to soak my bones in a hot spring!
Following that, I'll walk into hot creek, to see if fish are there.
Then the east walker for a spell.
Finally back to my home waters of the Truckee. Hope Walter is glad to see me.
Lots of thoughts to share about fishing, but I'll wait till I wet a line.
Hope you're all well.