Following the spring storm this past week, the Truckee boasted some great fishing throughout multiple sections. We saw warmer days following the storm which resulted in increased feeding activity. Here in Reno, flows have hovered between 800-950cfs. While flows are higher than they’ve been in the past few months, the spring flows we are experiencing now are still very fishable and yielding impressive results. If flow appears too high or clarity is diminished where you are, try working upstream until you are above tributaries.

The majority of the fishing we are doing is subsurface with indicator rigs or the European Style Nymphing (ESN) method. In the past week I’ve preferred the ESN setup as it allows me to fish typical nymphs along with jigged streamers. As the water clarity and flow changes, switching back and forth between the nymph and streamer rig has worked well. 

The California side of the Truckee also fished well this past week. On a recent trip, we found fish on the ESN rig working through pocket water and faster riffles in the afternoon. It was a welcomed surprise to find fish hanging out in water more typical of summer trout fishing. The key to success upstream has been timing. As water temperatures rise throughout the day, trout become more willing to move for food.  Moderate temperatures are forecasted for the coming week and should help to regulate spring runoff. Now is a great time to be on the river. It is important to note that these spring flows demand extra caution when wading the river. This often restructures my plan throughout the day knowing that some sections may not be safe to wade. A side effect of the higher flows is the pushing of trout to edges of the channel. In many situations, wading may not be necessary as the fish are within feet of the bank. 

Flies we Suggest: French Nymph #14, Fire Starter #16, TJ Hooker #8, Perdigon Black #14, Carot #12, Jawbreaker White #1/0, Jawbreaker Orange #1/0, Heisenberg Cowboy