The first major winter storm of the season has finally arrived in the Sierras.  After one of the skimpiest snow years on record last year, everybody is hoping for a “normal” snowfall this winter. Last winter’s lack of snow had me fishing in January and February instead of skiing.  The weather reports are calling for up to two feet of snow in the higher elevations, if we get enough I might go skiing on Sunday.  It is dumping right now at my local ski hill and that is great news (pictured below).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                      It’s snowing at Northstar!

 

Rich and I fished the Truckee for a couple of hours this afternoon as the storm rolled in off of the Sierras.  It was drizzling, but not too cold and I was hoping for a BWO hatch that never materialized. We started out at the big fish hole, fishing nymphs slow and deep.  I landed a scrappy 12 incher early on, but that was it for both of us.  We stopped by one other spot and were skunked, so we called it a day at about 4:30.  It seems like the fish are starting to become inactive with winter settling in.  We fished good drifts in spots we know contain fish without even a bump, it looks like the fishing will only be good on sunny days that are a little warmer.  Sunday looks like it will be sunny, so maybe I can have a bluebird powder day in the morning and catch some trout  on my way back down the canyon in the afternoon.  That would be epic.  Rich’s buddies Gary and The Wily floated the Trinity River in Nor Cal a couple of weeks ago and caught a bunch of steelies (lucky bastards).  The steelhead action on the Trinity has been phenomenal this year for both hatchery and wild fish.  I haven’t had a chance to get up there to check it out yet this year, but it’s not over yet. Here are a couple of pictures of their fish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                   Trinity steel