Fly Fishing Report | Pyramid Lake & Truckee River | mid October 2023

Oct 19, 2023 | FISHING REPORT, News, Pyramid Lake, Reno Fly Shop, Truckee River

Make Hay While the Sun Shines

Fly fishing in the Reno/Tahoe area in the month of October has been simply awesome. Water conditions on the Truckee River are better than we’ve seen in multiple years and the quality of fishing lately proves it. The Pyramid Lake season started off with a bang and we are seeing increasingly better results for shore anglers.

Look for Pyramid Lake to take off in the coming weeks with colder temperatures and a storm or two inbound. We have Truckee River Half Day Trips, Truckee River Float Trips, and Pyramid Lake Full Day Trips available in the coming weeks. Call or stop by to book. Enjoy the week and we hope to see you in the shop.

Truckee River

The Truckee is in fantastic shape through both Nevada and California. Flows on the Truckee are stable and should remain so as we move into late October. Currently the Reno gauge shows flows hovering at 350 cfs.

Rainbow and brown trout are on the move. With cooling water temperatures, anglers are finding success in slower paced water. While some fish are moving into their autumn haunts, others can be found in faster water as well.

Nymphing has been the primary technique for many anglers as of late. When targeting slow water sections, indicator fishing with a floating line has produced good results. Nymph patterns in size 16-18 have been most productive. Flies like the Perdigon in olive and the Jig TNT in both BWO and PMD variations have also caught fish.

We are starting to see a mix of Blue Winged Olives (BWOs) and midges hatching sporadically. Depending on the weather, these bugs may or may not appear on the surface. The BWO will hatch best on a cloudy day. Midges on the other hand are a bit more reliable in that they hatch most morning regardless of cloud cover or sunshine. While fish are more keen to sip BWOs off the surface than midges- its worth carrying a few dries in case you find rising fish. The Baetis Cripple and the Pull Over BWO work great in a size 18. The Griffiths Gnat will work well as a dry when fish are keyed in on midges.

The anticipated egg bite on the Truckee River is gaining speed and should be hot in a week or two. When brown trout begin to spawn, a high volume of eggs are “dropped” in the river- leading to a feeding frenzy on the round fly. Both egg patterns and beads will work to imitate the egg drop. We carry Troutbeads, pegs, and hooks in-store. If you need help setting the rig up properly, swing by the shop and we’d be happy to show you.

While small flies continue to be effective, streamer fishing has really picked up! Brown trout are in pre-spawn now as we go into late October. Tempers flare and Truckee River Brown Trout feed aggressively during this time. Big flies like the Dolly Llama Barely Legal get attention this time of year.

This time of year we are consistently asked about the brown trout spawn. Learning to identify redds (spawning zones) and avoiding these areas can only help improve the health and longevity of the fishery. We encourage all catch and release anglers on the Truckee River to avoid spawning fish and let them work their magic.

Flies we Suggest: Spanish Bullet,Perdigon, Jig TNT’s, Psycho May, Galloup’s Jig BWO, Baetis Cripple, Pull Over BWO, Griffiths Gnat, Barely Legal, Cheech Leech, Sparkle Minnow, Dolly Llama

Pyramid Lake

Fly fishing at Pyramid Lake has improved following a seasonal turnover. With the cooler weather we received in early October, the surface of Pyramid Lake cooled off. This cold surface water sank to the bottom (being denser than warm water) and resulted in the upwelling of algae. This turnover has since settled and fishing conditions have improved drastically.

With cooling water temperatures, shore anglers have had improved success in the last few days. Lahontan Cutthroat Trout are keyed in on baitfish but are more accessible in shallow water. Water depths to target from shore range from 10-20’. In choosing a location to fish, look for steep ledges or drop offs that offer access to deep zones. In October, Lahontan Cutthroat use these drop offs as a corral for Tui Chub minnows and will blitz bait balls along the shore! This activity is fun to watch but even more fun to fish. Flies like the Tui Chub or Perch Fry stripped fast through a bait ball can result in violent takes and angry fish. In times that there are no Tui Chub present, try fishing the classic standby Pyramid Lake flies like the Pyramid Lake Beetle, Booby, and Pyramid Lake Bugger. In low light conditions, try darker colors in either purple or black. As the sun comes out, switch over to brighter offerings in the white, chartreuse, or tan offering.

Boat fishing continues to produce at Pyramid Lake. Vertical jigging techniques with Marabou Super Jigs is a great way to present a baitfish pattern to trout at deeper depths. As stated earlier, target depths have trended shallower following lake turnover. When boat fishing, look for depths of 15-30’. Lahontan Cutthroat are simply following Tui Chub schools. If you find Tui Chub, you find cutthroat.

Flies We Suggest: Tui Chub, Perch Fry, Pyramid Lake Beetle, Booby, Pyramid Lake Bugger, Marabou Super Jigs