Fly fishing on the Truckee River has improved since the last fishing report as a result of dropping flows. The storms that pounded the region in early January have shifted and made way for sunny days here in the Reno/Tahoe area. As a result, clarity has improved greatly as tributaries to the main river have settled down and cold temps have stopped snow melt. 

Most days lately on the Truckee River have started slow as a result of cold water temperatures. Fortunately, the fishing has improved throughout the day following warming water temperatures. In the winter, trout respond to even the slightest temperature increase in a positive way. 

As January comes to a close, the Blue Winged Olives (BWO’s for short) begin to make their appearance. Hatches of BWO’s can come off midday and make for some fantastic dry fly fishing or nymphing in the winter. When targeting a hatch, flies like the Baetis Cripple and the Pullover BWO work great when dressed with a bit of floatant. Since dry fly fishing is not always a reliable option every day, it is a good idea to carry a variety of nymphs on every outing. BWO nymphs such as the Micro Mayfly and the Hot Cheek have been reliable when fished near the bottom.  

Tip: Cloud cover and light precipitation can improve the BWO hatch significantly. While not super comfortable for the angler winter temps, cloud cover and a slight drizzle can produce some of the best dry fly fishing of the year on the Truckee River.

Flies we Suggest:  Hot Cheek, Micro Mayfly, Jig TNT, Neon Jig, Duracell, Hot Butt, Baetis Cripple, Pullover BWO,