I’ll be there at the end of May and am really looking forward to stealing a day on the river. I realize it may still be flowin’ high, but I’d love some suggestions for fly selection, nice spots, etc. I’d really love to get away from the crowd (if at all possible, I realize there’s a San Fran Fly Fishers group with a big stretch there as well.)
Anyway…if anyone can point me in the right direction, I’d greatly appreciate it! Thanks in advance!
cpholley -
Head west.
John
Sorry, cpholley -
I just couldn’t resist.
Wish I could help you with fishing the Truckee, but I really can’t. I do have the impression that there is also some mighty fine fishing on the Little Truckee, which comes in from north, and may have better access since I think a lot of it is on Forest Service land.
The Truckee could be a big brawling river come May, and the Little Truckee might offer a more sedate alternative.
Either way, best of luck.
John
P. S. Is a welcome in order ?? Noted this is your second post - so in case you haven’t officially been welcomed before now, let me be the first, from Idaho, of all places.
I have only fished the Truckee a few times. If the main Truckee is high you may be able to fish the Little Truckee since the flows are more regulated. There are some big fish in the Little Truckee but they are not easy to catch. Your best bet for up to date infomation is the Reno Fly Shop. They also have a seasonal fly shop in Truckee during the regular fishing season. Andy Burk at the Reno fly shop can give you up to date infomation prior to your trip.
Good Luck,
Jet
The guys with the best info will be the Reno Fly Shop and Truckee River Outfitters (both shops operated by Reno Fly Shop). Their web address is http://www.renoflyshop.com/index.html. Drop them a line and you will get an answer back from Rob or Andy.
With the snowpack we have this year, the Little Truckee might be a better bet below the dam.
Here is one article on the Truckee
I fished the Truckee River a couple of times, north of Truckee and upstream from Lake Tahoe. I got a lot of good information on flies and spots from the Tahoe Fly Shop.
http://www.tahoeflyfishing.com/
The best thing I got was a fishing guide to the Truckee River that gave all the spots, how to access them and the best techinques for fishing them. It was like a big map. When I get home, I’ll try to find it.
Hey guys, thanks for all the replies… been a while since I checked in. Thanks for the Welcome too!
Dunfly - I would LOVE to see that map…let me know the name of it and I’ll try to buy one online. Sounds very helpful.
JohnScott - thanks for the good-natured ribbing… west would be a great start. I’ll check the little truckee… hadn’t thought of that.
I’m really looking forward to trying to fish it…i know there’s some decent fishing if we can get away from the crowd a bit, but I know too little about the fishery. Keep any suggestions coming, they are GREATLY appreciated!
There are some other good streams coming off the East side of the Sierra that you might want to check into, if the others are blown out. A good fly shop should be able to steer you in the right direction.
I just moved north to NV and have fished the Truckee twice but just don’t know enough to give you assistance. Here are a couple links/boards which you may want to ask assistance from. Don’t forget you also have the American River (chance for 1/2#er steelheads) flowing west thru Sacramento and the Carson River (I like East Fork) just south east.
http://www.ncffb.org/joomla_1.0.12/index.php/THE-BOARD/Campfire/
http://www.kiene.com/messageboard/viewforum.php?f=15&sid=bdc5ccb751ad0a2f305dcc2446eadb1b
http://www.flyline.com/places/
Find a copy of either Seth Norman’s Flyfisher’s Guide to Northern California , which has a chapter on both the big and Little Truckee or Northern California River Maps & Fishing Guide by Esther Poleo & Ray Rychnovsky which is a good collection of maps. Both texts are readily available online.
cpholley,
I have fished the Truckee a few times usually in late June and early July. I’ve done OK there, but really haven’t figured it out yet. I bought a map from Reno fly shop called Truckee River Fishing Access that has some really good information. It is a product of Tahoe Angler Productions, P.O. Box 1554, Tahoe City,CA 96145. See if you can obtain one the Reno fly shop or direct from them. It tells you the access points to the river, some river hatch information and some information about the river at that particular point of the river (pools, riffles, spillways, parking, wading, fishing methods, gravel bars etc.) The map shows the Truckee starting in Tahoe City all the way east of Reno. PM me if you have any questions. Good luck.
It might be a little tough fishing in May, and its been my experience that if it flowing over 400-450cfs, wading is tough. The trophy section just inside of the Nevada state line has been good to me this year. But I’ve been having a great time from the border all the way to Sparks. Been using the basic nymphs, copper johns, pheasant tails, scuds. Go for the slower water and go deep. The streamers have been doing well, but in May, they might slow down a little. Some dry fly action has been going off lately, generally the BWO and PMD’s have been working. But it dosen’t really matter, sneaking away for a day of fishing on new water and exploring sound like a fine way to visit our little area. Good Luck!
Beigefoot
The Truckee will probably be unfishable in May. The Truckee has a ton of fish, and they are all very hard to catch. It is nicknamed the “toughee”. Call the reno fly shop for advice, the truckee outfitters (owned by reno fly shop) is going out of business.
PS: I have found the little truckee a bit easier to fish, and would think it would be fishable
PPS: for a guide you may want to contact ralph cutter
Sorry to take so much time to get back with you. I developed a particularly nasty condition called Gillian Barre Syndrome and have been a little out of commission. I couldn’t find the map I have but I think it is by StreamTime. Here is one link to someone that sells them.
http://www.americanflyfishing.com/Books+and+Media/Fishing+Maps/Streamtime+River+Maps.html
I fished it in late May/early June and it was running fine, but that was a dry year. It has been wet up there this year, so I don’t know how it is running. The Truckee is a very tough river to fish. Access is good and there are a lot of places to fish it, but the fish are about the pickiest I’ve ever seen.
Thanks Dunfly, I just bought one. And thanks to the rest. I’m sooo many stinkin miles from fishable trout water (Texas), that I don’t mind throwin one fly to one fish for 5 straight hours! Sounds like fun!!!
I haven’t read too many reports lately, just one that said LIttle was at 350cfs and Truckee was blown…anyone up that way? I’ll be there in two weeks. Can’t wait!
I’m thinking of giving it a try this weekend. If I do then I’ll post a fishing report. I’ll probably go to the Truckee along highway 89 between Truckee and Lake Tahoe.
So…DruLee…did you get a chance to get out? I’d love to know how it went. Thanks!
I ended up not going. I took my dog for a walk on Saturday down to the Bear River and the water level was up by almost 2 feet. Holes like this:
were just full of fast flowing green foam. The heat wave we had was apparently melting the snow pack and the river was really moving.
I checked the USGS website for the Truckee river and it showed the flow rate at about double what is was last week. So I decided not to drive all the way up just to try to present a fly in a class 5 rapid.
Maybe next weekend.
Anyone fish the Truckee or Little Truckee this past weekend? It’s gettin close to go-time for me! I knocked the rust off this past weekend in Wisconsin, and am eager to try the waters around Tahoe next weekend (my free fishing day is actually Saturday the 31st). Thanks !