Truckee River Fly Fishing Report 5/30/2019

It’s been a while since I last posted, probably the longest I’ve gone since I started this blog in 2008, but there has been only a few minor changes to my previous reports. The last two weeks have been stormy, gray days, cold, and snow. Even chain controls over the summit with the last event only a few days ago. These conditions can provide the ultimate trout weather, and often do, but at this point most fair weather anglers are ready for summer. The first change has been the flows have dropped a little. Glenshire went from 2,100 cubes down to 1,500 and with recent thunderstorms in the last 48 hours has bumped up to 1,600. It’s the same story with the Boca inlet all the way down to the state line. Fishing remains decent and good quality trout when (if) you land them in the net, some of the rainbows have the most spectacular coloration right now. Overall flows are on the big side and high water tactics still prevail. We are starting to see more hatches like March Brown and Baetis mayflies but the trout are still eating below, and smaller flies having been producing. The sun is supposed to return next week with warmer temps but you just never know what will happen in the Sierra. See you out there…

Truckee River Fly Fishing Report ~ 5/5/2019

Yesterday was another gorgeous day on the Truckee River, love those sunny Spring days after a long winter. There is a chance of thunderstorms and precipitation from today through Tuesday evening, well at least that is the forecast for now. One thing is for certain, cloudy weather provides better trout fishing with lower light conditions. The flows have been ramped down a tad from Lake Tahoe, Donner Lake, Prosser, and Stampede. Water temps have come up to 48 degrees as recorded in the afternoons of the last week. Runoff is all dependent on air temps, wind, and direct solar radiation. Warmer windy days with bluebird skies will result in a more rapid melt, cool cloudy days will lessen that effect. Typical angling pressure exists during this time on the upper watershed.

From Prosser creek upstream water clarity is still much better and because of such, small dark flashy and subtle nymphs are actually more effective than the big stuff. Try colors like black, brown, and dark olive. Oh, and never leave home without a quiver of worms in flesh, red, and pink. My guests and I have lured some trout from under overhanging willows and smaller log jams with bigger streamers like sculpins and baby brown and rainbow trout patterns. Not much in the way of hatches, I have yet to see a March Brown, or any Carpenter ants yet, just a whole lot of midges.

Special thanks to Tahoe Truckee Fly Fishers and a few new members who participated in yet another in depth and informative High Water Workshop. I just love sharing the knowledge I’ve learned over the last 4 decades, and seeing anglers quickly progress in their skill set. I may have some spots opening up for the 5/18 workshop, so stay tuned.

Looking forward to the season ahead, It’s going to be good for a long time. See ya out there where the wild things are…

Jon Baiocchi / Baiocchi’s Troutfitters ~ baiocchistroutfitters@yahoo.com ~ 530.228.0487