March 21st, Fly Fishing Report for the Truckee River, Little Truckee River and Pyramid Lake

Truckee River Fishing Report & Forecast

The Truckee River is in great shape this week, it’s running clear with great flows. Both the bugs and the fish are active right now. These are the pre-runoff conditions we always look forward to every year. The air temps are expected to get into the 60’s in town this week leading the forecast for fishing to be incredibly promising over the next week or two. The skwala stoneflies are beginning to show. A few anglers recently reported having some good dry fly fishing down in the canyon. We have a great feeling about the skwala hatch really popping off this week with the current clear water and the warm air temps ahead. We would bet on it! The other bugs to note would be the ever-present baetis and midges, as well as the smaller stonefly hatching right now called a winter stone. The latter will be a bit less consistent on the main river but would definitely be a fly to keep on your radar for the Little Truckee. Worms, eggs and crawdads will also be larger attractors to rotate in throughout the day. While most of the fish are still sitting in the typical winter water, we have had some reports of fish found in the faster stuff. With the warm temps this week it will be worth giving this faster water a try when nymph or streamer fishing.

Little Truckee River Fishing Report & Forecast

While we haven’t been up here this week, we have heard the road is mostly open, with a few patches of snow and ice still remaining. If you do head out to the LT, please be very aware of the potential for spawning rainbows right now. While we are still a few weeks away from peak spawning time, the warmer weather in the forecast could very well initiate a few fish to begin this process. The main bugs are baetis, which hatch on a very consistent schedule, and winter stones which may be a bit less consistent. These winter stones are bigger and can interest a fish more, especially after a long season of munching the same thing every day. The flows right now are holding at right around 200 CFS, which is above average for this time of year. At these flows you can have great dry fly and nymph fishing. We would say these flows are right around where we like to see them.

Pyramid Lake Fishing Report & Forecast

March out here is considered one of the best months for fishing. Last year that may not have been the case, this March has certainly not disappointed. If you are planning a trip out here, your choice of the day can be just as important as your fly selection. Look for overcast and wind speeds of 10-20 MPH, ideally with a south wind. The full moon can significantly slow down the fishing as well. This week we had one day of excellent fishing, when overcast and wind was present. A good day with a number of fish weighing in at mid to upper teens, our group landed an impressive 24.7 pound fish on a size 12 midge. Congratulations Maryiam on a well-deserved fish! The next day the sun decided to pop out, and while a few fish were still caught, it was significantly slower just 24 hours later when fishing in the same area and using the same bugs. Timing can be everything out here, so do your best to not let road conditions keep you from making the trip out here. More times than not, the fishing is worth it!
We have begun to see the fish start to move into the shallows and start their pre-spawn behavior. This means that the strip bite at some of the shallower beaches should really get good in the coming weeks. This also means for people indicator fishing, you will be watching fish cruise by right in front of you. It can be tempting to cast at them...Don’t! Keep those flies out in the deeper water and target the fish that are cruising the shelves, those deeper fish are more likely to take your flies. Midges continue to be the ticket for the indicator game and as we get into spring we are downsizing our flies to number 12’s and 14’s to get more eats. For the strip bite it’ll be hard to beat those buoyant flies like boobies and beetles, chartreuse and white will be the go-to color combo most days.

Despite the sunny day and no wind on Tuesday, Kirk landed a personal best 12.5 pound Summit LCT.