Truckee River Fly Fishing Report
The Truckee River is clearing and slowly on the drop.
She’s still big at over 1000 cubes here in the Hirsch, but starting to fish a little if you know how and where to fish in the higher flows. Clarity ain’t too bad. Summertime flows are around 500-600 cfs here.
If you’ve been watching the news the last week than you know how much snow we got up here. Little over 10 feet in some places in less than 3 days. The Truckee River hit flood stage again, flooded down in Sparks NV. Then the snow started and ended up being one of the biggest 3 day storms Tahoe/ Truckee has ever seen since they’ve been keeping records. Crazy weather.
I’ve had a chance to go out since the flood, over 8,000 cfs here in the Hirsch. The fish are in the same place as they were before. How they manage to make it through those flows I have no idea, but they do. I sat and watched whole logs floating down the river last Sunday. Was fun to hold a baby and a beer and watch the show. Channels have been re-channeled, all the silt has been swept away and the river is totally cleansed. (I remember floating through the Nature Conservancy a few years ago and could stick my oar blade and touch the bottom in every hole it was so silted in). Not going to be like that now anywhere on the river.
As far as the fishing goes you will have to deal with above average flows. Find some spots trouts can get out of current, slow walking pace type water and hit it hard until you get a grab. Another storm, (AR this week means flows will get high again, but will drop quick after the rain turns to snow). Finding access will be a problem. Snow banks are high everywhere, except on the lower stretches of river. No way you can park and fish the schoolyard, or anywhere like that, Glenshire Dr, the Loop, etc. You will get a ticket if you get in the way of snow removal equipment. The lower stuff is somewhat snow free below Floriston, but make sure you have 4wd if you rally the 80.
Fishing in high water in the winter is a little different than the normal flows of summer. Get it on this clinic and learn some tricks.
No way you’re driving out to the Little Truckee River right now. Don’t attempt it. They do not plow that road.
Pyramid Lake is closed to all recreation/fishing due to washouts on the highways.
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