Fishing conditions have changed in the last week following a significant spring storm. The Truckee has fished well here on the Nevada side but the California side has shown signs of life later into the afternoon as water temperatures increase. While the Truckee is our main venue this time of year, Pyramid Lake continues to produce and other waters at higher elevation have begun to fish better with nicer weather. Swing by the shop and we can get you ready for the weekend!
This week’s report has been prepared by Aden Breckner, @beadsnworms
Truckee River
Following the spring storm this past week, the Truckee boasted some great fishing throughout multiple sections. We saw warmer days following the storm which resulted in increased feeding activity. Here in Reno, flows have hovered between 800-950cfs. While flows are higher than they’ve been in the past few months, the spring flows we are experiencing now are still very fishable and yielding impressive results. If flow appears too high or clarity is diminished where you are, try working upstream until you are above tributaries.
The majority of the fishing we are doing is subsurface with indicator rigs or the European Style Nymphing (ESN) method. In the past week I’ve preferred the ESN setup as it allows me to fish typical nymphs along with jigged streamers. As the water clarity and flow changes, switching back and forth between the nymph and streamer rig has worked well.
The California side of the Truckee also fished well this past week. On a recent trip, we found fish on the ESN rig working through pocket water and faster riffles in the afternoon. It was a welcomed surprise to find fish hanging out in water more typical of summer trout fishing. The key to success upstream has been timing. As water temperatures rise throughout the day, trout become more willing to move for food. Moderate temperatures are forecasted for the coming week and should help to regulate spring runoff. Now is a great time to be on the river. It is important to note that these spring flows demand extra caution when wading the river. This often restructures my plan throughout the day knowing that some sections may not be safe to wade. A side effect of the higher flows is the pushing of trout to edges of the channel. In many situations, wading may not be necessary as the fish are within feet of the bank.
Flies we Suggest: French Nymph #14, Fire Starter #16, TJ Hooker #8, Perdigon Black #14, Carot #12, Jawbreaker White #1/0, Jawbreaker Orange #1/0, Heisenberg Cowboy
Click the button below to view our Spring High Water and Your Best Approach to Big Trout article by Andrew Richter
Click here to view our Five Tips for Success During High Water article by Aden Breckner
Pyramid Lake
Pyramid Lake has seen a reboot in fishing success this week. The post spawn bite has started and will conclude the big push of the annual spring spawn. Big LCT are hungry after not feeding the last few weeks and are eager to chase flies. Streamer fishing has been most productive at a growing number of beaches. Using flies like Jan’s Tui Chub or bigger articulated streamers like the Cheech Leech have been catching large fish from North to South. The indicator bite has made a noticeable switch in the last week and the Balanced Leech has begun to produce good numbers rather than midges and chironomids through early April. Most productive balanced leech colors have been white or peacock to represent a baitfish. As the fish spread out, fishing some of the more popular beaches will be less of a deciding factor when headed out to the lake. There are fewer and fewer people as we progress later into the season, so this is a great time to hit the lake if you’re looking for solitude. As we approach summer, the float tube fishing can be very productive and is the most underrated time of year to fish Pyramid Lake. Swing by the shop and we can give you up-to-date conditions for your float tube and some tips & tricks
Flies we Suggest: Cheech Leech, Balanced Leech Peacock #8, Balanced Leech White #8, Jan’s Tui Chub Olive #2, Jan’s Perch Fry #2, Micro Cat Whisker Booby, Deadpool Booby
Other Local Waters to Note
Shop staff have spent the past week fishing a number of local waters within an hour’s reach of Reno. Recently reservoirs in the Truckee River watershed have begun to fish well. Reservoirs such as Prosser Creek Reservoir and Martis Creek Reservoir have shown signs of life following the spring storm.
Prosser Creek Reservoir has become host to a great smallmouth bass fishery the last few years. Tactics such as the popular Float-N-Fly rig are producing bass as a result of the cold water temperatures. If we see a few warm days, try stripping baitfish patterns or crayfish flies to these hungry bass.
Martis Creek Reservoir provides stellar fishing for rainbow and brown trout. In the spring, a variety of tactics will work but the blood midge hatch will begin here soon. Until then, flies such as the balanced leech and bugger patterns give you a fighting chance. Martis is a fishery worth exploring this time of year.