Tahoe/Truckee Fly Fishing Report

Matt Koles of Giligan’s Guide Service Reports on 7.15.15

A week of afternoon rains all over the Tahoe-Truckee-Reno area. Pretty crazy really, being that in July, it’s usually blue bird every day. Flash flood watches, hail, and very cool/ almost cold weather.

Every bit helps. Still not enough to give the o.k. for fishing the Truckee River. Please, do not fish the Truckee River for now. It’s going to be a while. Hopefully the fish will make it this summer, if not, I think a repopulation program is in order.

The Nevada side is getting hit the hardest with this drought. West of Reno those fish are just barely hanging on.

And thanks for everyone giving Truckee River trout a rest. I see no one fishing the river.

Little Truckee River

Flows on the Little Truckee River have come up to a very fishy flow of 45 cfs, still low, but fishy. Pmds are waning down and most fish are into eating little shit again out there. It’s a tailwater, and water temps are cool. It can be a tough spot for the novice angler at 45 cfs. Nymphing with a bobber is tough at those flows. If you do nymph, way better to hang your nymphs off a back of a dry. Better yet, just dry fly fish it.

Warmwater

Carp is the ticket if you want the ultimate sight fishing challenge on the lower Truckee River in Nevada. Really fun stuff and very addictive. They pull so hard f’ing hard. You don’t need to go to the Florida Keys, we have that right here, a little white trash maybe, but whole hell of lot cheaper. Poor mans bonefish.

Bass

Smallmouth are biting on all the lakes around Truckee. Fun stuff with a fly rod. Lot’s of dudes have been hitting that up and some big red eyes have been caught lately.

Lakes

There’s still a few lakes that are producing and have good water in them. Calibaetis are waning down, but you can still get them on top with terrestrials and things. Non hatch times, pulling leeches and nymphs either on a slime line, or a floater will work.