Pyramid Lake and Truckee River | early April 2019 | Summer Hours

Apr 11, 2019 | Reno Fly Shop

Truckee River

Run off is in full swing! We’re seeing the ​Reno gauge​ around 4,000 cfs and jumping up to 5,000 cfs at times. The water is a little off color because of these flow changes, but not enough to deter one from fishing. High water will be around for the next few weeks until our giant snowpack begins to melt. Fishing high water can be equal parts challenge and reward!

Fish will be concentrated into smaller areas due to high velocities and debris. Finding any soft water is bound to have fish in it. As in past reports the banks, inside bend of river turns, and behind structure will hold trout most often.

Have you read our article on 5 tips to fly fishing high water?

Faster water and turbidity means that trout won’t have a lot of time to see and react to your fly. Using bigger flies will increase your odds as the trout will see them from further away. Attractor flies and bright worm flies will also induce a strike. I personally like to fish streamers this time of year as you can control their speed in the water through mending and line management. Big black, white, or chartreuse streamers will fish the best.

Flies That We Suggest: Squirmy Wormy, San Juan Worm, Wire Worm, Carot, Double Bead Stone, Sculpzilla, Weirs Sculpin, Beldar Rubber Legs, Cheech Leech.


Pyramid Lake

Pyramid Lake has been fishing very well! Fish are coming in shallow to spawn. If you have not read our article on when to use a ladder? This is a perfect time to read that piece. This is the time of year where fish will be easily visible from shore and cruising in 3-5 feet of water depth. The Lahontan Cutthroat Trout, being the apex predator they are, do not spook like a normal trout. They typically won’t dart into deeper water. Instead, they swim by with their mouth closed. The best thing to do when you start to see shallow fish is to back away from the drop off and cast a floating line with a heave streamer or balanced leech and drag it up over the drop. This will usually trigger a predatory strike.


The midge bite is still going on strong. The marabou midge has been a game changer this year with most of my fish caught on it the past few trips. Tying a midge with a little extra flash has also been getting the trouts attention. Make sure you are changing your depth often if you are not getting takedowns. Fish have been caught at all depths from 2 to 10 feet. Retrieving has also been working well in low light conditions! Beetles, Boobies and Midnight Cowboys have all been catching fish. Color hasn’t seemed to matter much, it seems they are more keyed into the movement than anything else as the water surface temps have arisen above 50 F.

Flies We Suggest: Cat Whisker Booby, Dirty Martini Booby, Spanish Olive Booby, Midnight Cowboy, Complex Twist Bugger, Balanced Leech, Bellyache Minnow, Marabou Midge, Dragon Booby, Holo Midge, Pyramid Lake Beetle


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