The Truckee is seeing typical fall conditions right now. The upper section of the river is low, but thanks to increased releases out of Boca, the canyon section of the river is right around 450 CFS, which we would call above average. As mentioned, at 100 CFS the upper section of the river here in town is quite low. That said, it is still fishable, and when flows get that low, the dry fly fishing often becomes better.

 

This is the time of year when the October Caddis begin their yearly emergence, and it’s a fun but short-lived window when we can throw these large caddis patterns at fish eager to maximize calories before a long winter. The October Caddis adults also make for a better alternative to the waning hatch of grasshoppers for a dry dropper. Pair these with a zebra midge or BWO nymph a couple feet under the caddis and use it as a searching pattern, covering lots of water in search of those more ambitious trout in any given run.

 

For those looking to maximize odds on an already tough and technical river, we would recommend using an indicator or euro rod, being sure to get down in front of fish quickly and without any drag on your flies. The usual suspects for fall fly selection will certainly get the job done so long as you are pairing them with an excellent drag free drift and ample weight.

 

Your odds will always go up if you can do this within the first few drifts of any given run and have enough familiarity with reading water and knowing where the fish would be most likely to hold. You should put most of your focus on this water and not unlikely sections of a run. This is probably one of the biggest differences in what sets a successful Truckee River angler apart from the rest. This is also something that can only be taught to a degree and really requires consistent practice to master.

 

As far as these usual suspects, we are recommending to fish stonefly patterns, such as Pat’s Rubberlegs, BWO patterns like Micro Mays, good ol’ Zebra Midges, as well as various size 18 perdigons. Also don’t forget worms, eggs, and October Caddis pupa as other options for your larger fly choice. Streamer fishing has also been getting better as the fish begin to chase flies around a bit more with water temps continuing to cool. Olive, white, black, brown, yellow, they all have their day and once again, we’d say presentation would likely be more important. Covering a lot of water is another great way to maximize odds when chucking streamers. They are likely to decide whether to hit your fly or not the first time they see it.