The Truckee River has fished very well through the first week of September as a result of consistent flows and low water temperatures. At the time of this writing, the USGS Gauge in Reno shows just over 400 cfs. This is great news and we hope to see stable conditions continue  through the fall. Insect life on the Truckee River continues to consist of mayflies, caddis, and stoneflies.

Mayflies and caddis continue to be an important food source on the Truckee. Mayflies currency range between a size 14 and 20. As late summer takes hold, we typically see smaller and smaller mayflies. While you don’t have to be too specific on matching exact types of mayflies during this time of the year, you want to match general size and color. Many mayflies will be either a brown or black color on top with a lightly colored underbody. Spanish Bullets, Jig TNT’s,

While many of the mayflies active in the river are smaller sizes (#16-20), stoneflies are large and the same can be said for caddis. Our nocturnal stonefly hatch is in full swing upstream of Reno to the town of Truckee, CA. The nocturnal stone hatches at night- meaning you will likely not see adults during the day. Upstream of Reno, you may see stonefly shucks on rocks along the river bank. These stoneflies crawl to the bank and find a dry rock to hatch from. Areas with these shucks are great places to fish large stonefly nymphs. Typically, this will be in moderately fast water with quick access to a deep pool or pocket. Stoneflies fish best in these heavy flow areas and may not be as effective in slower water. Stoneflies like the Double Bead Stone and the Tunghead Stone are bulky and do a great job imitating these stoneflies.

and Psycho Mays all do a great job representing these bugs. 

For those wanting to target Brown Trout, mouse fishing and streamer fishing have been productive when timed right. Brown Trout in the Truckee River are fish eaters. These trout may not feed throughout the day- only feeding in short windows convenient for them. Most often, streamer fishing is best with low light conditions. Rain storms, morning/evenings, and the dead of night can all be productive. Fishing a mouse like the Hair Mouse in the dark is a thrilling and exciting experience if you haven’t tried it! Some nights can be very productive while others are void of encounters. I prefer as little light as possible- meaning moon phases early in the cycle tend to fish best. A full moon is much brighter on the water than you might think; leading to spooky fish and difficult conditions. 

Streamer fishing has been great in the aforementioned conditions. This is the time of year to break out the obnoxious and outlandish streamer patterns. While smaller, non-articulated flies can see some success, large articulated baitfish can do some serious work on Truckee River trout. Shop favorites include the Bangtail, D&D, Barely Legal or Cheech Leech for this time of year. Given the current water clarity, color combinations of olive/white, olive,yellow, and all white have worked well. The two-tone presentation seems to work well during late summer.

Flies we Suggest: Double Bead Stone ,Tunghead Stone ,Mini Crayfish Jig, Spanish Bullet, Jig TNT’s, Psycho May, The Ticket, OCD Caddis, Hair Mouse, D&D, Barely Legal, Cheech Leech