Pyramid Lake
by Mike Anderson
We have had a lot of snow and colder temperatures recently. This has dropped the lake surface temps from near 50 degrees down to the mid 40’s. This can sometimes shock the fish or make them a little more sluggish. I know a change of 4-5 degrees may not seem like a lot, but for trout this is enough of a change to alter their behavior. The indicator bite will usually fish best when temperatures drop, but the midge bite may slow as the insects also feel the change in temperature and likewise become more sluggish. This is the perfect time to experiment with balanced leeches again until we get a few warmer days to bring those water temps back up near 50 degrees. We have been targeting fish from 6-9 feet with most of the bites occurring in 7.5 feet of water.
This may also cause the fish to react less to stripped flies. Retrieving slowly can mitigate some of the fishes reluctance to eat by making the meal easier to eat. We do have some warmer weather in the forecast towards the end of next week that I believe will get the fish back on the Midge and retrieve bite that we experienced before the cold weather.
We were seeing some pre-spawn behavior (shallow cruising LCT) before the cool down, but that has all but stopped. It will pick up again soon as the water warms. I like to focus in water a little further out and a little deeper when we start to see cruising fish. It is not uncommon when we are seeing the shallow fish that more fish, and hungrier fish, are just past the shallow cruisers. I’m targeting a lot of those fish in 3-6 feet of water. The retrieve bite should pick up too as the fish become more aggressive and active.
Pyramid flies we suggest: TB Balanced Leech, Coned Balanced Leech, Balanced Chub, Mini Jig Leech, Holographic Midge, Micro Holographic Midge, Mopcorn Beetle, Booby Fly, Pyramid Lake Beetle, Pyramid Lake Bugger
Truckee River
by Aden Breckner
The river is in great shape and is fishing well. Flows at Reno gauge are hovering around 500cfs. Earlier in the week a storm moved through the area and raised flows a bit. This storm added color to the water and gave it a nice green tint.
A large selection of insects are active right now with a daily mix of Blue Winged Olives and midges. On warmer afternoons we’ve seen a few Skwala stoneflies, March Brown mayflies, and dark colored caddis.
Nymphing has been the most productive method with water temperatures hovering in the 40’s. It is important to get your flies down to the fish right now as they are near the bottom. Either heavily weighted flies or split shot will help get down into the strike zone.
Rainbows and browns are in a mix of water. In the mornings, fish have been found in slower, deeper sections. As the day progresses, you can find them pushing into riffles and slightly faster water.
Truckee River rainbow trout have begun their spawn and are busy creating the next generation. You’ll often find these spawning fish in shallow areas with lightly colored gravel. While it’s fun to watch, we encourage anglers to let them rest while they spawn.
Truckee River flies we suggest: BH Krystal Caddis, Lightning Bug, Trout Beads, Galloups Jigged BWO, Olive Hot Spot, G6 Caddis, TJ Hooker, Pats Rubber Leg, Carot, Perdibomb
We hope you have a great weekend and get out on the water!
