Current Water Conditions

The Truckee River is flowing strong and fishing has been solid as we move into mid-July. Flows remain consistent and healthy—hovering around 294 CFS near Tahoe City, 361 CFS through Truckee, and roughly 665 CFS at Farad. Anticipate a slight increase in volume if additional water is released from Lake Tahoe. Mornings offer excellent clarity and cool temperatures, making for productive outings. By mid-morning, wet wading is comfortable, though early risers may still want an extra layer.                

Water Temperatures

Water temperatures are staying in the high 50s to low 60s°F, which keeps trout actively feeding during the cooler parts of the day. Expect slight warming through the afternoon as daytime temps rise.

Hatches

You’ll still find good evening activity from PMDs, Yellow Sallies, and Caddis, though hotter days are compressing the hatch window a bit. Watch for rising trout near sunrise and sunset. Prime hatch timing is around 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Effective Tactics

Nymphing continues to produce across seams, pocket water, and tailouts, with both tightline and indicator setups working well. The dry fly bite is best early and late—roughly 6–11 a.m. and again near dusk. Morning sessions with caddis emergers have brought in some impressive trout. When the light is low, streamers like crayfish and Sculpzillas are effective in deeper channels and along cutbanks. A 5x leader paired with an indicator or dry-dropper setup remains a reliable choice.

Catch Report

The action has been consistent throughout the system, especially in the Glenshire, Hirschdale, and canyon areas. Anglers are reporting solid rainbows and browns in the 14–20" range, with some streamer-eating bruisers topping out around 24"..

Fly Box Must-Haves

Caddis Emergers (#16), Green Rockworms, Squirmy Worms, Elk Hair Caddis (#16), E/C Caddis (#12-14), Caddis Pupae in Brown/White, Pheasant Tails (#14-18), Beadless Pheasant Tails (#16), Split Case PMDs (#16), Streamers-Sculpzillas and Conehead Mullers, Crayfish Patterns in Green or Brown or Purple