Truckee River
The Truckee River is flowing right around 400 CFS through the downtown gauge and water temps have dropped to below averages with the cold front moving through. Fishing has been really good. With the flows dropping and the temperatures in the ideal range the trout are feeding heavily. ESN is still the preferred method though we are catching a lot of fish on streamers and we have just started to use dry(hopper) dropper techniques with some success.
The trout are primarily eating Mayflies, Caddis, and Golden Stoneflies. The stone flies are a little early but while scouting the river we are seeing the large bugs in great numbers. We are also getting fish to eat at the end of the drift during the dangle. This is an easy way to target fish and allows for effective drifts late in your presentation. The streamer bite has been good as well, I usually focus on mornings, evenings, and cloudy conditions to fish this way, but the fish have been actively chasing flies all day.
Truckee River Flies We Suggest: Spanish Bullet, Assassin, Mini Cray, Duracell, Psycho May, Elk Hair Caddis, Carot, OCD Caddis, G6 Caddis, Truckee River Dozen
Local Still Waters
Fish have begun to dive into deeper water as the sun rises and warms the surface. Mornings and evenings are still productive with dry flies and shallow streamers. Transitioning into deeper water as the day progresses is crucial. Fishing under an indicator and using faster sinking lines to get flies deep will keep you in the zone. Try chironomids and callibaetis nymphs under the indicator or on the naked style retrieve.
Carpenter ants and other terrestrials will be effective dry fly patterns during the day but switching to caddis or mayfly patterns for the evening bite has proven to be more effective.
Stillwater Flies We Suggest: Yankee Buzzer, Elk Hair Caddis, Parachute Adams, Flying Ant, Panty Dropper Hopper, Red Eye Damsel, Callibaetis nymph