Truckee River Fly Fishing Report July 16, 2021
The temps in Truckee dropped to 39 degrees this morning, a brief break from the higher levels. Yet we are continuing to see warm weather which will keep driving water temps on our local rivers well above 68 degrees by mid-day. Please continue to fish only in the mornings and carry a thermometer with you calling it a day when temps get to 68 degrees. This is also the case on the Little Truckee as we have seen temps now getting to that mark by the early afternoon. So, while the window for ethical catch and release fishing is longer on the Little Truckee, the afternoon caddis hatch is now not an option on here. Please explore other alternatives such as high elevation lakes or warm water species.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report
The times for ethical catch and release fishing on the Truckee continue to get shorter and shorter. Please be prepared to stop fishing the river all together if we see the conditions worsen much more. Being on the water by 5-6am will still give you a few hours of good fishing, and do your part and always carry a thermometer when fishing here. Anglers are finding fish using a variety of tactics and using nymphs, streamers and dries have all been good. We have been seeing a lot of golden stoneflies, caddis and PMD’s both on top and as nymphs and terrestrials such as ants and grasshoppers have been good options for dry dropper set ups. Streamers imitating either sculpins, whitefish or smaller trout are a good way to find some of the larger fish in the river and since you are using heavier tippet it makes it easier to land fish quickly, a huge plus during the current river conditions. The flows remain good throughout the entire river so there should be no reason to fish near other anglers, spread out and try a new section of river you’ve never tried.
Recommended Flies for The Truckee River
Stonedaddies #6-#8, Poxy Back Stones #10-#8, Two Bit Stones #6-#10, Pat’s Rubberlegs #8-#10, Splitcase PMD’s #14-#16, Jigged PMD’s #14-#16, TNT PMD’s #16, OCD Caddis #14-#16, G6 Caddis #14-#16, Fox’s Poopahs #16, Morrish Hoppers #8-#12, Mimic Hoppers #10-#12, Chernobyl Ants #8-#10, Carpenter Ants #8-#12, RP’s Ants #10-#14, Snowshoe Caddis #14-#16, E/C Caddis #14-#18, Melon Quills #16-#18, Silhouette Duns #14-#16
Little Truckee River Fly Fishing Report
We have begun to see water temps hitting 68 degrees on the Little Truckee in the afternoons also. Please check water temps here as well especially if fishing any time after 3pm. The flows also dropped slightly and are now at 40 CFS instead of 45 CFS last week. We are aware that this is one of the only cold-water trout fishing options in our area but please try and minimize your visits here to not over-pressure these fish. Spread out, move around. Fishing will be best here in the mornings and getting off the water by mid-day to rest these fish is highly encouraged. Dry fly fishing is your best bet if fishing out here as we have seen PMD’s hatching off throughout the day. Midges and ants are also good bets for dries and a larger carpenter ant or a parachute PMD will be a good option for dry dropper fishing, try using an unweighted or lightly weighted nymph for your dropper and smaller will be better so don’t be afraid to fish down to a size 22.
Recommended Flies for The Little Truckee
Silhouette Dun PMD #16, Hackle Stacker PMD #16-#18, Mayfly Cripple Limestone #16, Melon Quill #16-#18, Griffiths Gnats #18-#22, Dandelion Emerger RS2 #18-#22, Carpenter Ants #12, RP’s Ants #14, RS2’s #18-#20, Spectra Soft Hackles #16-#18, PMD Soft Hackles #14-#16, BWO Soft Hackles #16-#18, Zebra Midges #18-#22, Bead Back Midges #18-#20, Don King Midges #18-#20, Flexy Floss Worms #14, Splitcase PMD’s #16-#18, Jigged PMD’s #16, TNT PMD’s #16-#18, Juju Baetis #18-#20, Anato-May’s #18-#20
Tahoe Truckee Still Water Fishing Report
Lakes at our elevation are in fair condition and Stampede and Prosser have been providing steady smallmouth fishing throughout the day using crawdad or baitfish patterns stripped or under an indo. Getting out on a float tube is a great way to cover a lot of water and up your odds. Trout fishing in our local lakes has slowed and your best bet will be focusing on inlets. High elevation lakes in the Desolation Wilderness or Jackson Meadows areas have still provided good opportunities for trout, and there are a number of them to visit, giving you enough options to keep you busy all summer, keeping undue pressure off of our moving waters during this time. Carp fishing in the greater Reno area has also been very good with the current heatwave and we have a good selection of flies for these picky eaters. Stop into the shop and we’re happy to chat about your many choices.
Recommended Flies for local still waters
Balanced Leeches #8-#12, Ice Cream Cone Midges #12-#16, Pheasant Tails #14-#18, Hare’s Ears #14-#18, Flexy Floss Worms #12, Zebra Midges #16-#20, Carpenter Ants #8-#12, RP’s Ants #12-#14, Morrish Hoppers #8-#12, Chernobyl Ants #8-#10, Elk Hair Caddis #14-#18, E/C Caddis #14-#18, Para Adams #14-#18, Ak’s Callibaetis Spinners #14-#16, Griffiths Gnats #16-#20, Dandelion Emerger #18-#22, Bellyache Minnows #8, Woolly Buggers #6-#12, Damselfly Nymphs #10-#14
Thanks again for following Trout Creek Outfitters and reading our weekly report. Keep sharing your experiences with us on Instagram and Facebook, as we love to see how things are working for you out there. Watch for a new email this coming week about mid-summer flies, our gear rental program, and guide trip opportunities.
Tight lines! ~ Miles
