The fishing on the Truckee has slowed down quite a bit this week with the cold days affecting the water temps and therefore the fish. At the USGS gauge at Farad we saw the water temps drop to 32 degrees for the first time this year. We suspect this will slow fishing down at least in terms of numbers, but one thing that we learned over the years is the trout must continue to eat. Especially the big trout who must maintain their body mass. This means that even though you may not have great days catching a bunch of fish, the average size goes up in the winter and their winter colors coupled with the amazing scenery of a snow-covered stream is more than enough of a reason to make the trek to the river right now.

When water temps drop down into the mid-to-low 30’s, it becomes even more important to have your gear dialed because as the adage goes, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing”. Any leaks in your waders will become immediately apparent and should be taken care of before you head out. A good system of layering with a thin base layer, a couple of insulative layers and a bomb-proof shell is a must. Sunglasses are even more important in the winter than the summer with the snow’s highly reflective properties. I recommend using a darker tint this time of year for less light transmission. We are currently well stocked on glasses from Costa and Suncloud, base and mid-layers from Patagonia, gloves from Simms and Patagonia, and Shells from Simms, so stop on in or shop online!

With the colder days here in the Sierras, focus on fishing mid-day, say from around 11-3. This will be both the most comfortable time to be on the water as well as the time when the fish will be most active. We have still been fishing the same bugs as previous weeks, and stoneflies, worms, eggs, BWO’s and midges are all fishing well. Focus on slow water this time of year, get your flies near the bottom and make sure your drifts are drag free as these fish have ample time to inspect your presentation in this water type. For those looking to get out of the snow for the day, the lower river has been a bit warmer with only a light dusting of snow as of today (Yes, the Reno/Sparks area did see quite a bit of snow during this week’s storm!). When fishing out here last week we did see a good hatch of BWO’s around mid-day with some consistent noses popping up to feed. If you’re fishing out here, come prepared with your dry fly box!