TCO Fishing Report – February 5, 2021

Truckee River Fishing Report 

Updated Sunday Morning, February 7

We had to share our experience from Saturday afternoon. A number of friends were able to get out to the lower Truckee towards Farad to fish the canyon. And although the blue skies and sun made for a beautiful day, we did see much action until the sun went behind the mountains. Conditions change quickly out there, and this is a great example. 

February 5 Fishing Report and Forecast

Fishing in the canyon section of the Truckee remains excellent as most people are choosing to hit the slopes rather than the river. Fewer people on the river means less fishing pressure and higher catch rates. When you're fishing a section of river and you don't see any footprints in the snow, you know you're fishing runs that haven't seen anglers in the better part of a week. These well rested fish are more likely to take the "grabby" flies like stonefly, worm and egg patterns. Pairing these bigger meals with smaller offerings such as BWO nymphs and zebra midges is a great way to cover all of your bases.

We can not stress enough the importance of using a lot of weight (I start with 2 AAA split shots with tungsten head nymphs) and fishing deep under your indicator anywhere from 6-8 feet - sometimes deeper -  but seldom shallower. If you are ticking the bottom you are presenting to fish. Streamer fishing continues to work well and using bigger streamers 2-3 inches is a great way to move fish during the winter months. Sculpin patterns are the go-to for the Truckee and its always good to use flashier flies on sunny days or darker colors when it is overcast. Dry fly fishing on the California side of the T has been very spotty this year as the Baetis just simply haven't been coming off in enough numbers to tempt fish towards the surface. With the slightly warmer water temps lower water levels and milder weather the Nevada side of the river has been seeing a little more surface activity mid-day and having both a nymphing rod and a dry fly rod down here can pay off. These same conditions on the Nevada side also make for better conditions for the Euro Nymph aficionado as the warmer water has been moving some fish into some medium-fast water. Look for the hatches to start changing in the next few weeks as the winter stones start showing up with regularity as well as the much awaited Skwala stone which is the first big bug of the spring and can provide both great nymphing and if conditions align one of the best dry fly hatches of the year. Both Baetis and midges will continue strong in the coming weeks and you should always have a good selection of these bugs when fishing here. 

Flies we recommend for The Truckee

Pat's Rubberlegs in brown or coffee/brown #'s 8-10, Trout Retrievers in black or brown #8,  San Juan Worms in red or pink #12, Gummy Worms red or pink #12, Tungsten Juju Baetis in purple or baetis #'s 16-18, BH Lighting Bugs in pearl or purple #'s 16-18, Tungsten Rainbow Warriors in #'s 16-18, Tungsten Micro May in olive #'s 16-18, Tungsten Zebra Midge in red or black #'s 16-18

Little Truckee River

Access to the Little Truckee remains closed due to snow. Those willing to put in the effort can use cross country skis or snow shoes to access the lower sections of the river. This is a welcome sight as these fish have been seeing undue pressure most of the winter due to low snow levels. Please call the shop for the latest road conditions here. 

Pyramid Lake

Pyramid Lake fished well last week with the series of weak storms moving through the sierras but with some bright and sunny days in the forecast for the next week that could change. If you have a trip planned out here bring a variety of gear to switch up tactics until you find consistent results. Having both a sinking line set up and a indicator set up at your side and trying different tactics can help put fish in the net when conditions are less than ideal. if it is bright and sunny with little to no chop on the lake fishing 2 midges in 6-8 feet of water can be best whereas using a balanced leech if 1-2 foot swells are present is a great way to cover water while keeping your flies in the strike zone. During low light conditions stripping streamers will be best as fish are actively feeding and more willing to move on a fly. We just finished a very extensive series of write-ups about this lake, it's history, the people and of course the fishing and will be releasing them over the next couple of weeks. Please look for these articles on our website and join our email newsletters to get the latest and greatest from Trout Creek Outfitters.

Flies we recommend for Pyramid Lake

Estaz Woolly worm in pearl or chartreuse/black #6, Popcorn Beetle in Chartreuse/White or Black #8 , Booby Fly in Chartreuse/White #8, Black flashabou buggers #8, Cutbait midge in red #8, Patriot Midge #8, Maholo Midge in wine or red #6, Ice cream cone midge in red or black #8, Tyler's Balanced Leeches in White or midnight cowboy #8, Pyramid beach leech in black #8.

Thanks for reading and tight lines,

TCO Staff

(530) 563-5119