The Truckee River has seen dramatic shifts in flow due to the holiday storms that rolled through the West Coast. Targeting the times with lower flow below 800 cfs at the Reno gauge is your best bet. Fish have been keying largely on attractor patterns with the off-color water conditions following a storm. Bright attractor patterns like the Squirminator are great for grabbing a trout's attention in lower water clarity. For nymphs representing other aquatic insects like mayflies, try using a Firestarter, Duracell, or Hot Cheek. When clarity is good, opt for more natural looking nymphs in the smaller sizes, #16. When clarity is not as good, move to a #14.

The river has already returned to a blue-green hue here in town and fishing has been much more productive as of late. The forecast shows a high-pressure system over the next 10 days that will stabilize river conditions. If we see this weather hold, it is possible we see a return of Blue Winged Olives (BWOs) that can be fished both above and below the surface.

January and February can surprisingly offer the most productive dry fly fishing out of any month on the Truckee River. While you will see BWOs through town and up onto the California side, we typically target this hatch east of Reno.

When targeting rising fish, it is critical that you read the water. Simply, slow down as you walk up the water and watch what is happening. Identifying active fish will help you hook and land a higher number of trout. Slow pools, tailouts, and recirculating currents/eddies are great places to start. When fishing a dry, it is best to size down to a 5x tippet and a total leader length of 10-12'. This longer leader reduces drag and gives your fly more time to dead-drift before being pulled on. Flies we recommend for the BWO hatch include the Baetis Cripple, Pullover BWO, Purple Haze, and the classic Parachute Adams. Size 14-18 are your best bet.

Flies we suggest for the Truckee River: Duracell, French Nymph, Fire Starter, BH Zebra Midge, Pullover BWO, Purple Haze, Baetis Cripple, Parachute Adams, Squirminator, Hot Cheek