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Tightlines,

Maher's Guide Service

Been Some Time....

I apologize for the belated post, but things have been very busy as of late. Unfortunately, my 14 year old Golden Retriever had to be put down and that put a damper on things for my family. Soon after I tore my MCL skiing...so that also didn't help much. But now I am back, fishing and hunting in the Tahoe area. Now that the holiday rush is over, my work schedule has slowed allowing me to get out and enjoy the beautiful outdoors. Truckee has posted some record low temperatures lately, so most of our fishable water is either frozen or hard to access via foot. Snowshoes have been the best method to access the river. Lately, fishing down in Hirschdale/Glenshire bridge area gives an angler the best access. If you have a Nevada license (expires on Feb 28/29) thats when the better fishing has been, due to warmer water temps. When the temperatures are negative, it is hard to get out of bed, let alone fish! Your guides on the fly rod will freeze up, as well as your hands. That isn't a great combo when looking for feeding trout. Ideal fishing temperatures right now are in the 45-50* range, but those are hard to come by with another storm on it's way. Patterns that have been working for me lately are; midges & baetis. Soon to be skwalas...stay tuned.. Get those down under some serious weight and hold on!

Duck season is almost at a close, so you can find me out hunting for food and feathers until the closure.

If there is anything specific you would like me to talk about, please comment! Tightlines, Chris Maher

Fall Back

The clocks were set back an hour on Sunday and now it gets dark early. Water temps are good, but sleep in a bit. I haven't been on the water until 9 AM or so. Streamer fishing has been productive if you pound the banks. There are plenty of trout sitting on the edges and a streamer will hopefully trigger their predatory instincts to strike. Most rivers close on Nov 15, but several stay open with different regulations. Typically, barbless and C&R. With some snow in the forecast, Friday - Sunday could be good, really good! Some flicks from the last few days...

Fall Fishing Report - Like Steelhead Photos?

It's still Fall in Truckee, but with a bit of snow on the ground. Mornings are brisk, so wearing multiple layers isn't a bad idea. The water temperature stays fairly cool, until the sun shows over the peaks, about 9 AM. The weather for the upcoming week looks good, maybe a bit of moisture on Thursday with temps in the high 50's. Indicator fish has still been the best. I took the weekend off with my Dad to swing some flies up North. The weather was great, as well as the fishing! Flicks below...Oh yeah... GO GIANTS!!

Switch Rods are fun!

Grey Ghost

See the net damage on the face? Glad this wild buck got free... an amazing journey for these Grey Ghosts.

Name that bug!

Wild Hen

Release 2

Fall in Lake Tahoe - Check out some photos!

Lake Tahoe

Fall Aspens

Lake Tahoe

Bikini Rock

The snow is here...Backcountry fishing report with Golden Trout

Several friends and I loaded up the backpacks and headed to a high alpine lake for Golden Trout. The fishing was tough as the wind was consistently blowing 20+ mph steadily all throughout the day. Roll casting with a heavy sink tip did the trick. On the way home, we stopped by the East Walker for a quick visit. There were multiple cars at each pull out and anglers on each section of the river. The weather finally decided to show up, snow is upon us now...water temps are cooling off fast, so fish mid-day for best results around Truckee. November is shaping up to be pretty good...

Truckee River Fly Fishing 10/16/12

Temperatures have been brisk in the early AM hours. Fall is here, but without the rain. The flows are still prime on the Truckee. Look for water temps in the 57-60 range. I've been seeing caddis, crays (great thing!), small stones, midges, & baetis. I've been a few Oct caddis as well, but they are pretty elusive right now. Fish the fast water, back eddies, and pools. Some from the last few.

Truckee River Fly Fishing Update - 10/1/12

Fishing has pick up over the last week or so, mostly on the nymph rig with several fish looking up for those hoppers. We had several nice bows chasing from under the alders. The dry fly fishing hasn't picked up yet, hopefully soon! Crays, hoppers, baetis, oct caddis, small olive stones, & small tan sedges have done the trick. The flows are decent through town, but below the Boca confluence is the place to start. Work your way down the canyon towards Reno. You might have to billy goat some of the trails, but chances are you won't find another angler along the banks. Here are some photos from the last few days...

Cool Mornings & Warm Afternoons

Sorry for the belated post, but I've been busy catching up on some fishing out of state! Montana & Oregon have been the destinations as of late, but it feels good to be back on my home waters, the Truckee River! The flows dropped right after Labor Day here in Tahoe. That raft hatch is gone for the most part, but you still see some cheerios here and there. The best fishing in town has been below the Boca confluence. Flows are a steady 520 cubes in the canyon, but gets a bit larger with every tributary that feeds the Truckee River. Big stones, tan caddis, & crays still seem to be hooking fish, but landing them is a different story! Mornings have been fishing better. Afternoon is a bit harder, but the fish are still eating. Try fishing the fast water when the sun is high. Faster water holds more oxygen, thus allowing them to move to food without having to work too hard. Try a streamer, the takes tend to be pretty hard this time of year and it's only going to get better... This past weekend I headed out with a good friend of mine to catch some Lahontan Cutties. The backpacking was prime and so was the cliff jumping! These fish are truly beautiful...this fish also qualifies for the Heritage Trout Challenge for CA. Lahontan's are a native specie to the Tahoe area and are hard to find...Call me if you would like to know more about these fish! Patch those leaky waders, clean that fly line, & get ready for some good fishing very soon!

Photos courtesy of Adam Broderick - you can find his site here - Adamisstoked.com

Muy Caliente

The temperatures have been pretty warm lately, with more heat coming our way. The weatherman are also calling for isolated thunderstorms for the next few days. With overcast skies, the fishing has the potential to be epic. If your looking for the big boys, streamers have been the ticket. Switch rod + sink tip + your favorite cray pattern = deadly. Follow that equation for success. Fishing has been good in the morning on the Truckee, but by the afternoon the water is too warm and the fishing slows dramatically. Swing some flies in the AM, then hit the beach in the afternoon. If your looking for dry fly action, hit the Truckee in the late evening around 7:30. Look for caddis and small stones coming off. Takes will be splashy for caddis and subtle for the stones. I'm off to fish the Big Horn in Montana for a week.. see the full report with photos next week… PEACE!

SLAB O' SALMO

The summer heat is on! Mid-day the heat has been beating down. Cover up well with sunscreen and a long sleeve shirt. A big hat is also key, along with a good pair of POLARIZED glasses. It is probably the best tool an angler can have, unless you are Hal Janson of course… The trout have been whacking the crays with intent lately. Crays molt in order to grow, in that process they are very susceptible to fast current and lurking trout. Small stones, big stones, caddis, PMD's, midges, & hoppers have been on the menu for the trout. Sometimes when there is a big hatch happening and you can't seem to hook one. Switch up the bug and throw them a hatch "buster", typically smaller than the bug hatching. I've had success with Adams, Wulffs, & Humpies. It never hurts to throw something big up top and drop a small nymph a few feet off the back. August is shaping up to be epic fishing! Here are a few photos from the last few days…

First's All Around

After last weeks thunderstorms, we get a week of great weather! The high has been in the 70's/low 80's with a mild breeze. Wet wading has been rather refreshing lately, even through the evening. The fishing has been hit or miss. Get away from the crowds and find some "untouched" water.. (somewhat hard to do in the Truckee area). Nmyphing has been the most productive means to catch fish on the Truckee. Dry/dropper combo in the fast pocket water has been producing. Caddis #14/16, crays (go big), & yellow sallies have been the ticket. You would be surprised, but streamers are still producing mid-day when there isn't any visible action on the surface. The Little Truckee is fishing rather well, but the fish have been difficult to hook. Green drakes are still present, as they have been here just over a month now. Typically they are only show for 2 weeks or so. Fish a cripple, size #8, in the fast water and hold on! PMD's have been coming off right around 11 AM through 3 PM or so. The trout look like they are eating off the surface, but they are actually sipping PMD emergers sub-surface. 5x is key here…Pictures from the last week on the river…

Vlad with fish on!

G-drake

Dylan styling the river

Matt with his first fish on the fly! What a beautiful fish!

Still flowing

The Truckee River is still pumping at a steady 380 cubes in town. Other tributaries also help feed the flows. Fish below a tributary of the Truckee. The water temperature tends to be a bit cooler and the food sources are plentiful for trout. Streamers & nymphs have been working well for me as of late. Yellow Sallys, caddis, crays, Prince nymphs, Hares Ear, & hoppers have been working. (to name a few) With the increased flows, add more weight than your used to. Fish the sides, slicks, boils of the fast water for some grabs. The Little Truckee has also been fishing pretty well. Flows are at a steady 100 cubes. PMD's, caddis, and surprisingly a few green drakes have been the dry fly action out there. Lots of "salad" in the water, so ease up on the weight if you are nymphing. Dry/dropper typically works best for these flows. With the temps in the mid-80's this week, get out early or fish late when the sun is low. The past few days have been great with the cloud cover and brief thunderstorms we had last night. Time to go streamer fish…have a great day! *Beginning of August is shaping up to be prime dry fly action, book your trip today!

Red, White, & Blue

It's almost the 4th and the weather appears to be cooperating with warm temperatures! The rivers in the area should be crowded for the next week or so, but you can still find some untouched water. Flows have dropped a bit in the area; 350 out of the lake, 425 in town, & 625 in the canyon. The LT has also dropped to a steady 165 cubes. Dry fly action has been pretty good lately...Fish are being hooked on PMD's, caddis, little golden stones, & drakes. Nymph, drp/dropper rigs have been producing fish. Mid-day, fish the pocket water with a dry/dropper setup. Look for rising fish in the evenings. I like to use a downstream presentation, if I know the fish is on the larger side. Careful wading, as the rocks are very slick right now…