Truckee River Fly Fishing Report
Matt Heron Reports on December 16th, 2024
As I write this report, it’s finally white in Truckee. This weekend’s storm brought the first significant snowfall of the season. We’re fully expecting the fish and the bugs to react well to this low pressure for the rest of the week and beyond as winter storm season begins.
FLOWS: Flows throughout the entire system are perfect for this time of year. From Truckee to Boca, we saw a nice little push of water this week giving the Truckee River a much needed flush. It’s holding steady around 137cfs as of today.
The same in the canyon section of the Truckee River, below Boca to the NV border. Down in Farad, flows are 444cfs, again, perfect in my opinion. Fishing in the canyon this time of year can be a great excuse to get away from people too. Generally, most winter tourists stay up near town. Don’t be afraid to hike a bit to get away from the crowds.
FLIES: Although I was up north for most of the weather, our guides reported good baetis hatches on both rivers once the clouds rolled in earlier this week. This isn’t surprising if you’ve ever read any of my winter reports.
Always have a good selection of sz 18-22 baetis patterns in nymphs, emergers, cripples and duns. You simply can’t go wrong, even if there’s no hatch.
Midges are always a good bet too. No secrets here, have a bunch of 18-24s (smaller flies for up higher on the river where it’s low and clear), larvae, pupae and adults. Any variations of zebra midges and adults will be fine.
Slightly bigger bugs may include winter stones, worms, eggs and rubberlegs. Have a good mix with these options will put you in a position to catch any fish on the river right now.
And don’t overlook the streamer thing too. I’m a big fan of dead drifting them anytime during the winter, or even slow stripping them on cloudy, or “crappy” days. The fish will chase occasionally, even with cold water.
TECHNIQUES: It’s a bit of everything right now, but we’re getting a lot of fish on indicator or Euro rigs. No surprise there. Really focus your attention on deeper, slower runs. Fish the bottom and add weight and adjust that indicator as needed.
As you’d assume, if any winter noses show themselves with baetis or midges, it’s game on! There are very few anglers tossing dries right now and it’s always good to be prepared for the winter hatch.
If you really want to “swing for the fences”, don’t be afraid to strip or swing streamers. I typically downsize them to three inches or less when the water is clear and cold. This can be an underutilized technique in the winter to try and get a big fish.
Other Local Options-
LITTLE TRUCKEE RIVER: I’ll keep this short and sweet. Flows are up for this time of year and the fish don’t mind at all. There’s no question that the Little Truckee has seen the best dry fly fishing in the area. To those in the know, that’s not a surprise. Baetis, midges, worms and eggs are the ticket. Sound familiar?
The only negative is the number of people. It’s great fishing, but you’ll more than likely be dealing with some crowds. Remember, the road back there doesn’t get plowed. Be prepared, if you get stuck, or don’t risk it at all.
TRUCKEE RIVER NV SIDE: We’re still cranking out floats consistently on the NV side and man has the fishing been good! If you hit it right, it can be a mix of size and numbers with the conditions we’re looking at right now. Walk and wade trips are going well too, but don’t overlook a float this time of year.
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