Fly Fishing in the Reno-Tahoe region has been great through the first half of March 2023. While the storms don’t seem to stop, water conditions have held steady- resulting in some quality trout fishing. Pyramid Lake and the Truckee River have produced quality Lahontan Cutthroat, Rainbow, and Brown trout. With a wet and warm storm on the way, conditions may change quickly. Swing by the shop for the most up to date information regarding fishing conditions. We hope you have a great week on the water!
Pyramid Lake
Fly Fishing at Pyramid Lake has been fantastic through the first part of March. Lahontan Cutthroat Trout are preparing for the spawn and feeding aggressively in the pre-spawn bite window. The fish are moving shallower with each passing day and will soon be cruising shoal lines up along the bank. As fish move into shallower water, it is crucial to adjust your approach to present your fly in the most likely travel lanes.
When fishing an indicator, try suspending your flies close to the ledge or drop off. Oftentimes, this means setting your bottom fly at a depth of 5-8 feet. This is especially effective in low light conditions. Fish will cruise the transition areas before sunrise, after sunset, and during storms. Typical of March, midges and chironomids( Holo Midge and Micro Midge) have produced very well throughout the day. On days with large waves, Balanced Leeches and Mini Jig Leeches have outfished smaller nymphs.
The strip bite has produced many fish in the last few weeks with storms hovering over Northern Nevada. Stripping a two fly rig including a Mopcorn Beetle, Jan’s Tui Chub and a Pyramid Lake Bugger is a great choice on any sandy beach. As fish have moved into shallower water, the strip bite has gained traction since you can present the fly across a large area. With the prespawn bite in full effect, larger streamers can be effective. Flies like the Sparkle Minnow or Barely Legal can be great choices this time of year.
Flies we Suggest: Pyramid Lake Beetle, Mopcorn Beetle, Pyramid Lake Bugger, Micro Midge, Holo Midge, Balanced Leech, Mini Jig Leech
Truckee River
The Truckee River has fished well between the storms over the past few weeks. The recent warm/wet storms have surged the water levels. Just before the water levels spiked the Blue Winged Olives (BWO’s) had finally made an appearance on the Truckee River and fish are taking notice on days without much wind. Baetis Cripples and Parachute Adams have taken fish off the surface. Prior to the afternoon hatch, BWO nymphs such as the Jig TNT and Psycho May Olive have worked very well along the bottom. Fish have been caught in varying water types with the warmer afternoons we’ve had recently.
The National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction predicts flows at the Reno gauge to peak just under 3,000 cfs later this week. Unfortunately, the river will be challenging until it lowers and clears back up.
Depending on the storms that follow into next week, the river may drop back into shape. As flows drop, water clarity will improve quickly and fish will settle into holding zones where they can escape the main current. This may be the beginning to our runoff season on the Truckee. While many anglers hang up the river rod during this time, there are many opportunities to target large fish with high flows. Since the current is heavy in the typical holding zones for trout, they will push to the edges of the river. This makes the fish a bit easier to target and we often see the biggest fish caught during the runoff period.
Flies we Suggest: Baetis Cripple, Parachute Adams, Jig TNT, Psycho May Olive, Thin Mint, Sculpzilla, D&D
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