October 31st Fly Fishing Report for the Truckee River, Little Truckee River and Pyramid Lake
Happy Halloween everyone, here’s to a fun filled night with your friends and family! For those of you getting on the water this weekend, we hope you find that “pumpkin”. With perfectly mild weather, happy fish, and great conditions on the river, we expect some fantastic fishing this week. The crowds are light and the fall colors plentiful, it’s an awesome time to be in Truckee!
Guided Fly Fishing
Fall on the Truckee is a truly special time, and our guided trips are your ticket to the best of it! As the water cools and the leaves change, the big wild trout get aggressive. Whether you want to hunt for a trophy or looking to dial in technique, our guides know exactly where the action is. Maximize your time on the water, learn the local secrets, and make this autumn the most productive yet. Don't wait—book your Truckee fly fishing adventure today!
Truckee River Fishing Report
The stable flows and slow dropping water temps have made the fish especially active as of late. As morning air temps drop into the upper 30’s, don’t be in a rush to get on the water right now. It seems that the afternoon bite has been best lately.
This week we noticed a drop off in the larger browns being caught, which is a clear sign that they are beginning to spawn, and you can likely find a few redds around at this point if you look close enough. While spawning fish are often less apparent on the Truckee than some of our smaller waters, we still ask that you remain aware when wading on gravel bars, riffles, tailouts, etc. As we mention every time there are spawning fish in our rivers, if you are unsure what a trout’s redd looks like, please don’t hesitate to ask, we are happy to explain it to you.
As far as fly selection this week, we have been doing particularly good on stonefly imitations paired with either a small BWO nymph or a midge larva. With a majority of fish pushed back into some slower water lately, using indicators is the best way to present these flies right now. Don't forget to use a good amount of weight and fish deep under your indicator.
In some of the upper sections of the Truckee we are seeing a fair amount of dry fly fishing, mostly on midges and baetis. There are still a few October caddis around as well as some sedge in the late evening. With flows and water temps good along the entire river system right now, this is such a great time to get out and do some exploring on some of the less fished stretches of the river!
Recommended Flies for the Truckee River
Little Truckee Fishing Report
The Little Truckee remains low yet again this week. Historically, the water master has raised flows out of Stampede around this point in the year. We are hopeful that conditions will change out here shortly, especially as we see Boca get really low. As of now, we are highly encouraging people to give this fishery a break and fish elsewhere.
Pyramid Lake Fishing Report
The lake has begun to turn over this week, and a lake this size doesn’t necessarily flip all at once, but more in various areas over a week or two. This biannual turnover happens when the top part of the water column becomes the same temperature as the bottom, causing the layers to mix. This causes the visual cue of vegetation and detritus floating to the top as well as diminished water clarity, which usually lasts a few days before settling back down to the bottom.
Now that this is happening, we will begin to see the bait balls of Tui Chub disperse and the Trout disperse along with them. This usually marks the start of the shore fishing season at Pyramid and while it takes a few weeks for the fish to really start pushing in shallow, this is a very important indicator of a change of seasons.
As we sit in this stage of limbo right now, the bite will remain a bit inconsistent for just about all methods of fishing. Once we begin to see a series of storms push through the area, the fishing will get good quick! Typically, when the fish begin to cruise the shoreline in November, we put a big focus on balanced leeches and baitfish as they are still keyed in the Tui Chub. Stripping buggers or Tui Chub streamers will be another good way to get into them and for a lot of people, a bit more fun than staring at a bobber.
Recommended Flies for Pyramid Lake
Check the Flows Before You Go...
Trout Creek Outfitters Clearance Rack!
Before you go, take a moment to explore our end of summer blowout sale featured on this Clearance Rack. It's a great opportunity to find quality gear at reduced prices, perfect for adding to your kit or trying something new. You might just hook a fantastic deal!
Watch our most recent Truckee River Canyon Float on YouTube!
Don't hesitate to reach out and give the shop a call with questions: (530) 563-5119
Open Daily: 9am - 6pm