July 8, 2022 Fly Fishing Report for the Truckee River Region
These continued colder-than-average weather patterns have kept the trout fishing on the river better than expected for this time of year given the drought conditions. As of today, we have been seeing water temps still hover just below the cusp of the danger zone with afternoon temps on the California side at around 66 degrees. Please begin to carry your thermometers and periodically check temperatures throughout the day to ensure you are catch and release fishing ethically. Remember, 68 degrees is the cut-off, and with the warmer weather in the forecast for next week we expect to see the river get to this point shortly. It’s already to this point down in Reno, so please limit your fishing on the Nevada side to the mornings.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report & Forecast
As water temps continue to come up, the fish will be found in increasingly fast water and this is where euro nymphing really is the best method to get your flies in front of fish. As we come into this time of year you will notice more small fish being caught and the bigger fish can be few and far between. To up your odds on finding some larger fish, try to fish early in the mornings during first light. This will help in terms of water temperatures, with the sun being low and not directly over the water, and with ensuring that you are the first one to present flies to the fish that day. Don’t forget that we are open daily at 7am so stop on in and get the latest info (and flies) before you head out for the day. With the abundance of hatches present on the river this time of year, you can go with a number of different fly patterns, and for euro nymphing, we have been doing best on a golden stone, green drake or a crawdad as your anchor with a #16-18 baetis, PMD, or caddis as you point fly especially with the current clarity of the water as most of the water is coming from Lake Tahoe. This will also mean that using a lighter tipper diameter will be important as well, we’ve been fishing a lot of 5x, even for our larger bugs.
Little Truckee Fly Fishing Report & Forecast
The flows on the Little Truckee saw a drastic decrease this week and the river is currently sitting at 64 CFS, which we can only guess is where it will stay for the remainder of the summer. 60 CFS is at the bottom end of what we would consider viable fishing and with the ever-present crowds here (Yes, even on weekdays) we would encourage you to look elsewhere when looking to fish of the day. Knowing that this is a year-round fishery we suggest giving it a break until flows once again come up and crowds thin out. Please be a steward of our natural resources and help to do your part by not putting any additional pressure on this valued fishery.
Local Still Water Fly Fishing
Warm water? Low water? These factors still play a roll when discussing still water fly fishing, but there are certainly ways to negate it, mainly by going higher in elevation where temps are cooler and where the drought and human intervention hasn’t affected lake levels to the same degree as our local reservoirs. Backpacking our many high sierra lakes is a fun way to find good fishing, get a bit of exercise and see parts of California you may have missed. There are thousands of lakes with good trout fishing within an hour radius of Truckee, truly a lifetime’s worth of exploration. We’ve got the knowledge, the gear and the fly selection to set you up for success, whether it’s for a week-long backpacking trip through Desolation Wilderness or a day hike up to a new lake you’ve seen on google earth, stop in and we’ll get you set up right the first time. We even started to carry water filters, sunscreen, bug spray, trail maps, and snacks as we continue to expand our selection and try and be the “One stop shop for everything fly fishing in the Sierra Nevada.”
We hope you all had a great 4th of July and where able to get out on the water. Thanks to each and every one of your that has supported our shop, we wouldn’t be here without you!
Tight Lines!
-Miles, Scott, Chance and Finn