The Truckee River is fishing well as we finish off the month of October. Fish activity seems to have picked up quite a bit with the cooler temperatures. We hope you get out on the water this weekend!

With November beginning, we urge you to wade with a keen eye. Brown trout have begun their spawn in many parts of the river in shallow water. Avoid spawning fish when possible and let them be. These spawning fish are critical to the future of the Truckee River trout fishery. Typically you will see multiple fish grouped together in shallow gravel chasing each other around. The spawning trout will clear the gravel of sand and algae before laying their eggs. These cleared off areas are called redds. They are often easily seen and identified as areas to avoid walking through.

The dry fly fishing has heated up with daily hatches of midge and small mayfly in the lower sections of the river. Water temperatures tend to be slightly warmer downstream as opposed to above the Truckee Meadows. Fish have been keying on Blue Wing Olive patterns such as the Baetis Cripple and Parachute Adams. If you are having difficulty getting the fish to key on your fly, a Purple Haze or Parachute Pink will stand out from the rest and earn a take. Consider lengthening your leader from the standard 9’ to around 10-12’. This can greatly reduce the drag on your fly and give you a longer drift without drag. A 5x tippet is your best bet for the dry fly.

Nymph fishing has remained the most productive lately with fish keying on BWO nymphs like Galloup’s Jig BWO. Pairing a natural pattern with an attractor nymph such as the Perdigon in red can get fish to feed. One of our more popular attractor patterns this time of year is the Pearl & Orange. This fly does a great job imitating a variety of insects including mayfly and midge.

Flies we suggest for the Truckee River: Galloup’s Jig BWO, Pearl & Orange, Perdigon, Baetis Cripple, Parachute Adams, Thin Mint, BH Zebra Midge

We have both Walk/Wade and Float Trips available through fall and winter on the Truckee River.