Truckee River Report
July has been a hot one, and the Truckee is in great shape for wet wading. With flows hovering around 350 cfs on the Reno gauge, the river is running very close to its natural channel, making both wading and locating fish a bit easier.
That said, the hot air temperatures are warming the river, pushing the trout's peak feeding window earlier in the day and making them noticeably less active by midday. We recommend getting out early and focusing your efforts west of town and into California along the I-80 canyon. Look for sections with plenty of pocket water, fast riffles, and deep plunge pools. During the heat of summer, these are the places where trout are most likely to hold.
When trout are tucked into fast water, they're often a little less selective. The challenge is getting your fly into the strike zone with a natural drift, which is where wading in close and using euro nymphing techniques really shines. If you want hands-on coaching to sharpen that technique, our guides know this stretch of California water very well — book a trip and we'll put you on it.
The crayfish bite has definitely kicked into gear, and the fish are actively looking for them. A Cray-Z-Emma or TJ Hooker makes an excellent point fly in your euro rig. There are still sporadic PMD hatches, along with midges and caddis, but the prolific spring hatches have tapered off as the weather has heated up. We're entering that time of year when a small size 16–20 midge or mayfly nymph fished as a dropper can make all the difference, especially when trout aren't interested in larger offerings like crayfish or stonefly nymphs.
We've also had several cloudy and stormy days this summer, with a few bringing modest flow bumps that raised and slightly colored the river. Always check conditions before wading in high or colored water — but when it's safe, these bumps can really get fish moving. Try stripping larger streamers or euro nymphing with crayfish patterns and jig streamers. Sometimes those rainy days are exactly what it takes to bring the big browns out to play.
Truckee River:
Cray Z Emma, Mini Crayfish, Dead Drift Crayfish, TJ Hooker, TNT PMD, Peaches-n-Cream, BH Zebra Midge, Carot, Duracell, Pearl & Orange Nymph, Hot Butt Nymph, Baby Assassin, Perdi Bomb
Other Local Waters
Carp have been actively feeding throughout our local waters, and the entire RFS staff has been taking advantage of some outstanding sight-fishing opportunities. The Truckee east of town below Steamboat Creek is still running fairly muddy due to the recent flash flooding in Hidden Valley, but there is still some productive water farther upstream that holds big carp. In addition, the many ponds, lakes, and canals around Reno are teeming with hungry fish.
If you're curious about fly fishing for carp around Reno, stop by the shop or give us a call — we're always happy to point you in the right direction. Our entire staff is passionate about carp fishing and knows these local waters inside and out.
Better yet, book a half-day trip with one of our experienced fly fishing guides. They'll introduce you to some of our favorite spots and help you develop the techniques and fly selection needed to fool these notoriously challenging and selective fish. We promise, the first time you watch a carp confidently eat your fly and then rip off for the next zip code, you'll be hooked.
Other Local Waters (Carp): Carp Worm, Squirmy Hybrid, Carp Tickler, Red Eye Damsel, BH Prince Nymph, Jigged Bugger
Local Reservoirs and High Alpine Lakes
Trout and bass fishing has been productive across many of our local lakes and reservoirs. As we begin to turn the corner toward fall and cooler weather, reservoir fishing should only continue to improve. In the meantime, trout have been responding well to deep indicator rigs, while stripping damsels and leeches through the shallows during the early morning and evening hours has also been producing quality fish.
Bass fishing has been equally consistent. Target rocky shorelines with jig-style flies or a sinking line, and you'll have a great chance at finding active fish. If you haven't explored our local bass fisheries yet, swing by the shop — we're always happy to recommend productive locations, effective flies, and a few techniques to help you get started.
Higher-elevation lakes have been fishing especially well. With the hot, breezy conditions we've been seeing, keep an eye on windward shorelines where trout often key in on terrestrials like hoppers, ants, and beetles that have been blown onto the water. If fish aren't willing to rise, try suspending a heavy nymph a few feet below your dry fly or indicator. This time of year, exploring an alpine lake is one of the best ways to escape the heat in town while still enjoying excellent trout fishing — especially if carp and bass aren't quite your speed yet.
Local Reservoirs and High Alpine Lakes: Red Eye Damsel, Living Damsel, TB Balanced Leech, Mini Jig Leech, Jigged Bugger, Dolly Llama, Super Hopper, Foam Hopper, BH Prince Nymph, BH Hare's Ear, Micro Holographic Midge