The storms are finally clearing out and it is time to get out there. Pyramid Lake turned on during the storms and we expect the bite to continue. The Truckee River is cold but warmer temps are in the forecast and things should pick up nicely. Join us March 7 for IF4 at Revision Brewing. It's time to get out!!!
Pyramid Lake
This storm cycle has really kicked up the bite at Pyramid Lake with lots of snow, wind, and cloud cover. Fish are keying largely on midge patterns along the sharp dropoff zones as well as the shallower beaches on the right day. When the wind is stirring up the lake, waves have been pretty big- resulting in fish feeding tight to the bank or dropoff.
In the mornings, fish have been caught at only 3-4 feet of depth with these conditions. They tend to wander deeper and further from the bank as the day goes on and settling into the 8-12’ depth zone by afternoon. During this part of the season it is really important to give your flies plenty of space so you can cover different parts of the water column. As a general guide, we usually like to space our flies 2-4 feet from one another. By spacing your flies more, you get fewer snagged fish as their bodies regularly cross the 30” mark. Long tags are helpful when rigging in that they let the top fly move freely and allow a fish to get their mouth around it.
Fly choice is largely up to you with each angler having success on a variety of patterns. The Holographic Midge in 49er, Brown/Red, and Albino Wino are good choices regardless of weather conditions. On days with a lighter breeze, The Micro Holographic Midge is a good choice in similar variations. The next month or two can produce some of the best midge fishing of the season.
Stripping flies can also be effective this time of year. Shallower beaches in the 5-8’ depth range are your best bet. Ideally, the beach you are stripping on is sandy and void of rocks or tufa structure. Floating flies like the Pyramid Lake Beetle and Booby Fly suspend just slightly above bottom and give great movement. Try these in either White/Chartreuse or Black/Red or Black/Purple.
For those of you tying your own Pyramid Lake flies, we have a wide variety of tying materials. Some of the hot materials this time of year include ASB sheets, Brown Metallic Beads, Red Metallic Beads, and chironomid hooks. These can be purchased in store or online and shipped to your front door.
Truckee River
Fishing on the Truckee River has been great in between storms. With the mild weather leading up to this week, fish were feeding actively on Blue Winged Olives throughout the Nevada side of the river. Water temperatures were hovering around 40 degrees on the lower river which helps quite a bit. It has since cooled so watch things to dip and then improve next week as temps are forecasted to rise.
The dry fly fishing can be tough to pin down but does occur in the winter. Ideally, we get a combination of heavy clouds, warm(ish) temperatures, and little to no wind. Look in tailouts and the slow frogwater sections for heads. Lately fish haven't started rising until around noon, but this can change as the conditions do.
Attractor patterns have worked well in the colder parts of the day. Eggs, worms, and anything with bright color are a good choice when paired with a more natural Blue Winged Olive nymph. Fish that are feeding on nymphs have started to stack up together in the slow water and even into frogwater. When you find one this time of year there's a pretty good chance there are more stacked up with it. The saying, “90% of the fish are in 10% of the water” rings true right now.
Flies we suggest: Baetis Cripple, Split Case BWO, RS2, Parachute Adams, Pearl & Orange, Olive Hot Spot, Hot Butt
IF4 Tickets
Join us March 7, 2026 at Revision Brewing Company for IF4 2026! The International Fly Fishing Film Festival is a great event and we can’t wait for you to join. Movies, raffles, beer. $20.00 gets you entry and a free Revision beer with your ticket. Raffle tickets will be available for items like rod/reel outfits, guide trips, and more. Tickets are available online HERE as well as in store. This event has sold out the last few years so don’t wait to buy tickets. Doors open at 6, show starts at 7. We hope to see you there!
