As part of Tahoe Truckee’s Fly Fishers’ continuing programs of welcoming & educating fly anglers of all skill levels to our regional waters; the club proudly presents an exclusively edited presentation entitled:
INSIGHTS…From 4 Decades of Truckee Area Guiding.
with long-time TTFF member Frank R. Pisciotta*
This is a ”rapid-fire” travel-log of the fly fishing opportunities available within an hour’s drive of the town of Truckee. The talk and digital images will focus on “insights” gleaned from Frank’s eons of guiding and instructing fly anglers. An additional feature is a sprinkling of FRANKISMS. The intent is to discuss what is available in the Truckee area and how to improve one’s success, regardless of skill level, in some of the region’s challenging waters.
Frank will provide a free-flowing commentary of all the areas; colorfully imaged relative to their uniqueness, most productive techniques, riggings, bugs, seasons and flies…the hows, whats, whens, wheres, and whatever else that may be pertinent from a fly angling perspective.
The Lake Tahoe area has always been known as a world-renowned, recreational paradise in the High Sierra. In 1979 Frank built his first home there, specifically in Truckee, the historic and increasingly up-scale ski town. At the time there were few fly anglers on the area’s waters. During the ‘80’s, Lake Tahoe’s “north shore” waters of Martis Lake (California’s first “Wild Trout” Lake) and the Truckee River progressively attracted more fly casters because of their trophy trout angling regulations. Currently there are eight (8) state-mandated “catch & release” waters with-in one hour’s drive of Truckee. Now, unbelievably, the region has arguably become a destination fly angling venue, with the big Truckee and the Little Truckee being the crown-jewels.
Frank is fond of making a couple of comments about the area’s featured waters. “If you can consistently catch trout on the Truckee River; you will be very successful fly fishing in any other freestone stream.” In the Spring 2002 issue of Northwest Fly Fishing in his essay entitled “The Truckee River…A Lesson in Patience”, his opening sentence was “If you’re looking for easy fly fishing, don’t come here!” Most recently, in the February 2017 issue of California Fly Fisher he authored the essay entitled “Truckee River Primer”. In the Summer 2009 issue of Sierra Fisherman featuring the Little Truckee, he says “If you prefer challenging angling to very selective, surface-feeding trout, then the LT is the place…bring your spring-creek-type A-game ”
*Frank R. Pisciotta is unquestionably the most veteran, independent, wade-fly-fishing guide in California. He is the acknowledged “Dean of Guides” in the Tahoe region. In 1984 he established his Thy Rod & Staff guide service; having guided & instructed exclusively in the Truckee area since. He was the region’s only ORVIS-Endorsed Guide in Tahoe from 1991-2012. In 1996 he founded the Reel School of Fly Fishing, the only fly fishing school based in Truckee. From 2009-2016 he was the Editor at Large for the Sierra Fisherman magazine. In 2014 in conjunction with TTFF member Jon Baiocchi, the wildly popular and imitated Native Sons Tours was established.
