Things have been pretty turbulent since last June. Most of my favorite trout water within reasonable distance have been fishing poorly due to a devastating drought year. By early summer the streams were unseasonably low and I headed north, in search of big water and big trout. My journey took me to the Truckee river, pitting my skills against some brutal water and beastly fish. On my second day, I finally found what I was looking for, a monster brown. It took five split shot and a size 4 double tungsten stonefly nymph to hit rock bottom. My line came to a abrupt stop, I swung the tip of my Winston 6wt downstream and set the hook on the giant. A ferocity that I have never experienced overcame my rod and all I could do was hold on. The mighty brown surfaced and with graceful ease, it gave a head shake and released itself back into the deep. Devastating is a understatement.
Fishing slowed down considerably in my life thereafter. I needed a break. The trout fever had made me looney. I put down the fly rod in exchange for a longbow. Archery and bowhunting became my new obsession however it didn't take long until the river was calling me back. Thanksgiving was approaching and traditionally the Upper Owens river begins to fill with migratory trout from Crowley Lake. These fish are not your typical river run rainbows. These muscle bound trout are steel-head like in appearance and size. Well, maybe half the size.. These are a fish of a thousand casts and it took me at least twice that to finally connect and land a beautiful 22" hen. A follow up trip in late December was not as successful as people were swarming the river to test their skill and luck against these beauties.
Without a lick of snow in the weather forecast it looks like my trout season may be coming to a close. Stay tuned.
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