Fish On: Nevada fall on the Truckee River

“This is a bigger river with different water than the upper reaches that flow from Lake Tahoe.”

By David Lass

Brothels, casinos and more sagebrush than a John Wayne Western, the Truckee River from the state line to Reno takes on a much different shape as it enters the Nevada desert. This is a bigger river with different water than the upper reaches that flow from Lake Tahoe, and to be successful here, your techniques need to change accordingly. As water temperatures start to lower with colder nighttime averages, fall becomes my favorite time to fish this section of the Truckee River.

Floriston rates mandate that the Truckee River be maintained at 500 cfs from March to September and 400 cfs from October to February. CFS is cubic feet per second and is the primary method of measurement used to record the volume of water in a river or stream. When the level of Lake Tahoe drops below 6,226’, this mandated rate changes to 350 cfs, but only from November to March. If the lake level dips below 6225.25’, this rate changes to 300 during the same months. Summer flows can average around 1,000 to 3,000 cfs, so I try to avoid this section altogether during the summer months, even though friends have landed numerous 10-lb. brown trout during the middle of the day in July. Other factors to consider during the summer are a high volume of rafters, tubers and high water temperatures that stress the fish.

After Labor Day, summer crowds are all but gone and the lower water temperatures encourage fish to feed more aggressively and move out of the faster water and undercut banks into more accessible lies. Fall water temperatures, flows and sunlight angle make trout more comfortable to spread out and explore a variety of water types. Sure, the classic holes and runs will still hold some of the biggest fish, but also pockets of slow water behind boulders and shallow riffles will consistently hold large fish, as well. I am told that trout also feed more actively during the daylight hours in fall than they do during summer.

The section from the state line to Crystal Peak bridge in Verdi is managed as a trophy wild trout fishery. Nevada Department of Wildlife plants a good part of the river below this, mostly near and through the various Reno city parks throughout spring and summer with 7- to 11-inch rainbow and cutthroat trout. By fall, these same stocked fish that survived anglers, birds and giant rainbow, and brown trout grow as much as 3 inches and start to take on the characteristics of a wild fish. You will catch many more wild fish in the fall than you will in the summer because of the mortality rate of these stocked fish.

In addition to larger stocked trout, fall provides better – still not great – odds of catching one of the leviathan wild rainbow and brown trout for which the Truckee is famous. Brown trout are especially aggressive pre- and post-spawn, which usually occurs in October and November. Aggression generated by hormones will entice these fish to chase big streamer patterns that imitate small trout, dace and sculpins. I’ve heard rainbows taping out as large as 30” here. I’ve had days where nymph fishing has produced a handful of brown and rainbow trout from 20-27”. It can be outright epic.

There is abundant access to the Truckee from the state line to Reno, but respect private property. Streamside parks in Verdi, Reno and Sparks make for great places to park the car and walk up and downstream. The highest pressured areas are closest to the public accesses, so walking a little will significantly improve your chances of catching fish. My favorite place to escape crowds is located along Old Highway 40 near Verdi by taking exit 5 off Interstate 80, and along Mogul Road by taking exit 7. You can access the river from several roadside parking areas. Mayberry Park, located relatively close to the Patagonia outlet, is another great option that serves well as a jumping off point, but is hammered by fishing pressure.

All of the bridges in downtown Reno will are notorious for holding some of the biggest fish in the river. My friend Larry swears that some of the best fishing on the river is in downtown Reno. Every year, a lucky angler catches a 10-pound trout by one of the many bridges in town, and it usually happens close to dark.

Anglers targeting large, wild fish should throw many of the big flies that produce good results on the upper river, such as streamers and crawfish patterns and October caddis patterns. Large stonefly nymphs are important here as the water quality in the Truckee through Nevada has improved incredibly over the past decade, so a size #4-6 Pat’s Rubber legs is always a good option to use when nymphing. A size #10 epoxy stone represents the skwala stonefly nymph well, which is a signature hatch on this part of the Truckee during late winter.

The other signature hatch is the October caddis, a large, bright orange-colored caddisfly that hatches on the Truckee from late September to late October. I use size #6 or #8 orange flies tied on 200R Tiemco hooks to imitate both the larval and pupal stages of this fall insect.

I feel that the best approach to fish this part of the river is with meaty, large food items. However, other important insects to keep in your fly box when visiting this section are midges, which hatch along the Truckee year-round, and mayflies, which are most important in early fall and spring. Trout focus on midges the most during the winter months when few other insects or food sources are available to eat. Remember, even big fish eat midges when nothing else is available. However, if I were to use one nymphing rig when fishing the Truckee in the fall, I would tie on a #6 brown variegated Pat’s rubber leg as my point fly with a #18 green super pupa as a trailing fly. There are amazing numbers of caddis in the lower Truckee River.

Approach this section with a 5 or 6 weight rod equipped with a 9ft 4x leader and two weighted nymphs tied below a split shot and strike indicator. I like to carry a second rod with me, as well that has a sinking line and streamer or crayfish imitation attached to it.

To fish the Nevada side of the Truckee, you’ll need to obtain a Nevada fishing license for $9 residents and $18 for California residents per day.

If you check this section of river out and want to test your skills amidst other local and regional anglers, think about participating in the October Cutthroat Classic, which benefits the Sagebrush Chapter of Trout Unlimited and is sponsored by Patagonia. This is a two-day, two-person tournament on Oct. 22 and 23, and the entry fee is $230. Entry fees and registration can be mailed to Kevin Weddle, 375 Pine Street, Reno, NV 89501, or by calling (775) 848-8894. See you out there.

Trout Unlimited is the largest coldwater conservation organization in the country working to conserve, protect and restore North America's coldwater fisheries and its watersheds. David runs the Truckee-Tahoe Office for TU. He may be reached at (530) 587-7110 or dlass@tu.org. For more information, visit www.tu.org.