First time fishing for trout on the BT in over 4 months due to the warm water and low dissolved oxygen levels we had all summer. Water is obviously still low, 30 cubes in town Vs. a historical mean of 10 times that (341cfs). Can't believe the BT has less water than the LT's minimum flow (32cfs). The biologists believe we've averted what could have been a big fish die off and given we should see some precipitation in the upcoming months, the danger has largely passed. Despite warm daytime temps, the water temps are great, morning lows in the upper 40's peaking in the afternoon at 51 degrees. In my personal observation, the fish appeared to have held up well despite the summer heat and third consecutive year of drought...all things considered.
The browns managed to keep their weight on better than the bows, no doubt due to their predatory nature. I notice the schools of trout fry have pretty much vanished. I get the sense that last couple of years of juvenile browns and bows are a writeoff. Another odd thing, I spent some time during the last week walking the river from Verdi to Sparks just looking for redds, not to fish them, I just like watching the fish duke it out, but this year, not a one on the BT and only a few on the LT. Typically they're all over by now, wondering if its going to be a late year or if the water is so low they're having difficulty finding suitable oxygenated gravel beds, or in the case of the LT, difficulty making it up out of Boca through a mile of shallow river that only months ago was muddy lake bottom.
Midges were the ticket, indicators are out given how skinny the water is. Had the old man in tow and he put the wood to a number of fish as well.
This was the only skinny fish we came across (above), but it put up a strong fight I'm hopeful it will put on weight next spring (assuming we get some water).
A modest bow with a not so modest streamer appetite.
This fish looked to be in spawning attire, but nowhere near a redd, perhaps getting ready?
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