Truckee River
The Truckee River is flowing around 900 CFS at the Reno gauge. This is just about average for this time of year, but that will change soon as a cool end to April has slowed down snow melt. Runoff will continue to ramp up as temperatures rise and the overnight temperature in the Sierra Nevadas is above freezing. We will see an increase in flow on the Truckee River because of this but the increase flows should not be enough to slow down fishing.
Fishing has been really good with a lot of fishing being caught all over the watershed. Fish are eager to take flies and are being caught in faster water than expected for such flows. Fishing the seams and faster water near seams has been the way to go. Water temperatures are still a little low (50 degrees) so trout activity will continue to increase as we head into what is shaping up to be an AMAZING summer!
European Style Nymphing has been one of the most effective ways to fish the big Truckee, but we are doing ok on streamers and nymphing with indicators as well. Golden Stoneflies are starting to show themselves again and March Brown hatches are occuring every day around noon. We have been focused on nymphing with both a stonefly and a mayfly nymph in sizes 12, 14 and 16.
Flies That We Suggest:Biot Epoxy Stone #10, Pat’s Rubber Legs, Carot #16 #14, Perdigon Red, Cdc Red Tag, Sculpzilla White and Natural
Pyramid Lake
Fishing at the lake has still been good one day and slow the next. On good days we’re getting into half a dozen to a dozen fish and on poor days were getting only a few shots. You definitely have to be on your game so that you don’t miss opportunities.
Retrieving flies has been the most effective way to fish, but we are still getting some fish on floating line with or without an indicator. This is the time of year I would experiment with the naked style of fishing (without indicator) as it can be very effective to have movement in your flies.
The Lahontan Cutthroat Trout are in close and shallow. Using ladders this time of year can be really fun, spotting fish and trying to entice them to eat your fly. It is a double edged sword though as the fish can also see you well and will typically keep their mouths shut. LCT are the apex predators in the lake so they dont dart off when they are spooked, typically they will just keep swimming with their mouths shut.
Fishing has been more effective in the afternoon as water surface temps are only in the low 50’s, and only reach that temp later in the day. We will hopefully see an increase of trout activity as the water continues to warm.
Flies That We Suggest: Balanced Leech Olive Brown and Black, Boobie Chart/white Diablo Spanish olive, Beatle Chart/white Back/red,UV Tease Wine, Holo Midge Copper/wine Black/silver