Picked up four yesterday upstream. All in the 15-16 class. Fat and wide; nice runs and multiple jumps. Good mayfly hatch for a couple hours starting about1pm. WD40 grey flashback and S&M is what they ate for me.
Fished Staircase and down the past few mornings and the fish are there. Just make sure you up the tippet and have a few grey wd40's. The flows are big and the big fish know how to use them.
-- Edited by skylerjohnb on Monday 26th of June 2017 06:39:25 AM
I fished between 2-3 and didn't get a bite in 4 hours. Not the first time Putah skunked me. Was using 4x tippet and tried #16 copper johns and a streamer. Sounds like 5-6x and WD40s may have helped.
Change fly size and depth, 18 max IMO. A lot of the fish I was finding were deep and I also think using smaller shot and a tungsten head lead fly helped. Also a straight 4x leader helps getting those flies down quick in these big flows. i wouldn't lighten the tippet unless you're fishing softer water. Grab some 20's and get back out there!
-- Edited by skylerjohnb on Wednesday 28th of June 2017 03:16:16 PM
I actually haven't had any problems with that. I tie majority of my flies on Daichi 1120, Tiemco 200R, and occasionally 2499 spbl. Although I lost one last weekend due to a 200R bending so I don't plan on buying anymore. I even go down to a size 22 1120 and it works fine.
-- Edited by skylerjohnb on Wednesday 28th of June 2017 06:36:01 PM
Cut your tipper at an angle so that you have a point instead of a broad head going through the eye. Try a loop knot when fishing a small fly on larger tippet.
I ran with 6x this morning as the water visibility is so good. #16's zug bug, fox pupah and a copper john for 1 a piece in about 2 hours. I forgot my reading glasses and had one hell of a time tying knots so gave up early. Heading back up in the morning.
__________________
Winter eats heat the way darkness swallows light. The terrors of failed power and frozen stems are stymied with fire, smoke and white ash.
I ran with 6x this morning as the water visibility is so good. #16's zug bug, fox pupah and a copper john for 1 a piece in about 2 hours. I forgot my reading glasses and had one hell of a time tying knots so gave up early. Heading back up in the morning.
I'm planning to fish a few hours in the morning as well. I've been sticking around access 5 lately, but would like to try other locations. With water flow well above 500 cfs, may I ask where you find fish upstream of access 5? Thanks.
BTW, I carry a flip magnifier "permanently" attached to the beak of my fishing hat. I flip it down whenever I need it and flip it back up when I fish.
-- Edited by Fornacino on Sunday 2nd of July 2017 10:37:20 AM
Lots of fishable water all up and down the creek. 500 doesn't seem that bad, and crossable in the right locations. I didn't make it up this morning, had to bury a pet. :(
__________________
Winter eats heat the way darkness swallows light. The terrors of failed power and frozen stems are stymied with fire, smoke and white ash.
I fished Putah for the first time in over a year on Sunday. I've spend more time dumping gravel into the creek than tossing flies!
I was very pleasantly surprised. The creek looks in great shape and the flood seems to have cleaned out a lot of the mud and sediment. I did see one huge orange inflatable raft hung up in a tree that someone braver than me will need to go and get. At 500cfs its very fishable and all the usual access points looked good...though in some places the trail looked like it had taken a bit of a beating over the winter.
As usual the Putah fish were mostly too good for me. I had two fish to hand in about 6 hours, both early in the day both in the same spot between 2 and 3. I kitchen sinked em, all the usual flies plus a few Hail Marys, but couldn't get any sort of consistent grabs. Its not a creek that is particularly kind to the inconsistent angler.
I saw a few bird watchers and just one other angler out there which shocked the heck out of me given it was 4th of July weekend and everywhere else within a 3 hour drive is blown to hell.
Went out the past couple days and it was pretty tough. Yesterday the flows jumped on me early morning nearly 100 CFS at Staircase. Was able to net a few smaller fish and hooked a couple swinging streamers. I also manage to send my bright orange Hydroflask down river at the bridge without realizing it. If anyone finds it please let me know.
Seems like it is tough all over to catch fish this summer- especially on the creek. The high water must have thrown a loop into the cycle. My normal "go to's" have been putting for bogey the last half dozen trips.
Fished Staircase area at sunrise until 11am this past Wednesday. Fished various PMD's and caddis pupa/emerger patterns without as much as a bump. However, had I fished a large orange Humpy I probably would have landed a good 8-10 as quite a few fish struck my Air-lock indicators through the morning!
Mid morning I went for broke and tied on a large #10 Czech nymph with a 3.5mm tungsten bead as the point and a Krystal Worm for a dropper fished on the edge of the real fast water. Finally had a couple of nudges and a nice reel screaming LDR.
I'll be back this Mon, Tues and Wed morning. Was considering heading north, but the Upper Sac has been tough this year, too. Couple this with the normal "slow period" up there and the heat.... And what's up with the weekday crowds on the Truckee this year?
-- Edited by PC20 on Saturday 29th of July 2017 11:08:42 PM
I've been doing really well the past month and a half, some of the best fishing I've experienced in the past 2 years. I'm primarily tight lining where slow water meets fast water with bigger nymphs than I used in the past.
-- Edited by TexCal on Tuesday 1st of August 2017 02:06:15 PM
