Truckee River Fly Fishing Report

Matt “Gilligan” Koles reports on 10.29.2015

Much of the same here on the Truckee River since last post. Cool calm days and pretty good fishing.

The water is low this fall, but the fish are still there. Remember, the water is always low in the fall, drought or not. Irrigation season is over in Nevada, the reservoirs have been drawn down, and there’s just not much water left to come down the river. In 2008 flows were about 40 cfs here in Hirschdale at this time, it is 65 cfs right now. Of course we need some rain and a big winter.

Blue wing olives are still the main deal. Nymphing, tight line, indo, dry dropper – any way you like to hang your nymph you should get some fish. Just make sure it’s dark and somewhat small. The streamer bite has been hit and miss, just haven’t had a lot of cloud cover this fall. Early and late is best on the streamers. Crayfish and sculpins and small baitfish/ minnow patterns. It is cold in the mornings now, low 20’s, and heavy fog until about 10 on most days.

There is more water now though Reno and East of Reno in the Nature Conservancy in Nevada. I just can’t condone fishing that stuff yet. It’s to low in my opinion still.

The evening dry fly bite has been good too. Usually my reports are based on me being out during the day, mornings until the afternoon. I rarely go out in the evening. I should more, but it’s hard after you’ve been doing it all day. Expect good dry fly fishing before dark, blue wings, caddis, ocotber caddis, pink alberts, kind of a smorgasbord of insects near dusk. I saw some fish pushing a lot of water the other evening, which means big fish eating on top.

A few spots left for next Saturdays clinic at Pyramid Lake in Nevada.