The Tahoe region is in the midst of a heat spell that is looking to break towards the end of the week, with temps dropping back into the 70’s by the middle of the month. Fishing is an excellent way to beat the heat, but it is important to focus your on-the-water time to early mornings if fishing on the Truckee River and most other freestone rivers. For the savvy angler, there are plenty of ways to both stay cool and find some great trout fishing all day. Do the research and seek out these cold water refuges and you’ll be rewarded. There are plenty of options, just think high altitudes, spring fed and tailwaters. Stay cool out there, Tahoe!
August 7th Fly Fishing Report for the Truckee River, Little Truckee River
Summer Half-Day Guided Trips
July brings peak summer fly fishing conditions to our local rivers, making it the perfect time to experience a guided half-day walk and wade trip with Trout Creek Outfitters. Whether you are beating the midday heat during the crisp morning hours or mastering the art of technical pocket water presentation, our expert guides are ready to put you on fish for an unforgettable summer day on the water.
Truckee River Fishing Report
Water temps here on the Truckee are hitting the 68-degree threshold daily along most of the river, with maybe the exception of right below the confluence of Boca Reservoir. Please focus on fishing during the early morning hours and bring a thermometer with you, to know when to call it quits. At least as the days continue to get shorter, the starts can get a little later. Something like a 7:00 start time is pretty dang good. With this and the cooler days ahead, we are hoping to see water temperatures trend downward around the end of the month, but we’ll just have to wait and see. As for bugs this week, we have seen the return of a good number of BWOs on the river, increasing the effectiveness of the smaller olive mayfly patterns such as micro mays, Spanish bullets, gasolinas and micro perdigons. We’ve also started to see the nocturnal stoneflies begin their yearly emergence. These large stones are somewhat under the radar of most anglers but provide a meaty meal for the fish as most of the other summer bugs fizzle out or get smaller. Use large brown or black stonefly nymphs to represent these guys, something like a size 6 Pat’s or T.J. Hooker. Crawdads are also consistent producers and another nice heavy fly to get you down quick, as the fish continue to hold in fast water. Euro nymphing is very hard to beat this time of year and we recommend it being the main method for anyone heading out here.
Recommended Flies for the Truckee River
Little Truckee Fishing Report
The Little Truckee has seen a significant drop in flows this week, dropping from an excellent 100 CFS down to a quite low 47 as of today. We knew it was just a matter of time for this to happen, as is typical for this time of year, but part of us wished we could see that 100 number for the rest of the summer. Such is life. At these flows fishing will become tough and dry flies may become the best bet in most situations. PMDs, baetis and midges should make up the majority of your fly selection right now, and 7x tippet will become even more important. Focus on small flies, from 18-24 and use drab patterns, typically those representing the emerger stage.
Recommended Flies for the Little Truckee River
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!
Don't hesitate to reach out and give the shop a call with questions: (530) 563-5119
Open Daily: 7am - 7pm