GUIDED TRUCKEE RIVER FLY FISHING. WELCOME TO GILLIGAN’S GUIDE SERVICE.
Guided Fly Fishing the Truckee River, Little Truckee River, Pyramid Lake Nevada, Truckee-Tahoe-Reno
A guided trip for beginners and experienced anglers includes instruction that builds a basic foundation necessary not only to catch fish but to understand the patterns in which fish feed and what they feed on particularly in the Truckee River throughout the changing seasons. A day with Gilligan’s Guide Service also includes honing the proper casting technique and fly presentation in order for an angler to have success on some of the most beautiful and difficult waters around Truckee, Tahoe, and Reno.
If you are new to fly fishing and do not have equipment, Gill will provide gear including waders, boots, and rods at no additional cost. Gilligan’s Guide service runs trips year round along the Truckee River, including float trips along the Nevada side, Little Truckee River, and Pyramid Lake Nevada.
TRUCKEE RIVER FLY FISHING – LATEST BLOG POSTS
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report July 24 2024
Solid fishing in the mornings here on the Truckee River. Afternoons not so much. Been pretty hot, and you really have a small window in the mornings to get out and get some fish. O' dark thirty to about noon. After that, I'd check the water temps. We have plenty of water, but it's always good to see what's happening with them water temps. We've been doing really well though. Flows are perfect, and them trouts are in that fast water. Kinda easy to find the fish, not so easy to always pluck them out of there. Folks loose a lot of flies, they can't wade, etc., but if you can get in there, you'll get some. Of course tight line nymphing is the way to go. I feel they'll eat just about anything in that fast water. Any Euro type fly will work, any old American style fly too. Make sure you have some crayfish. The key is to get your flies in the zone, near the bottom. Not in the rocks, but right above them.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report July 8 2024
Bit of a heat wave here on the Truckee River. 90's and 100's round these parts. Hot. Get out and get your fishing in earlier in the day. I don't think think the fish are so interested in the afternoon. Flows have come down to average. 500-550 here in Hirschdale is about normal for this time of year. 450 through Reno, pretty normal. Good wading flows. Of course trouts are mostly eating crayfish, stones, caddis. Fish those bugs in the fast pocket water. Get your files down to where the fish are. On the bottom . Euro nymphing is and should probably be your rig of choice.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report July 2 2024
Flows have finally settled down on the Truckee River. 785 cfs here in Hirschdale, and I'm sure that will come down this week some too. 550 cfs here in Hirschdale are perfect wading flows. 450 cfs in Reno is what you're looking for. 750 cfs now. Things are getting closer to average flows. The big news is the here is the heat wave we'll have this week. Thank God we have a lot of water, or I'd be worried about water temps. 90's in Truckee, 100's in Reno, ugh. I'll do all morning trips. Good news is, I'll know right where to find them, sucked down in fast water. With the flows lowering and the water temps rising, they'll get into fast chutes, pocket water, heavy riffles. The euro rig reigns supreme. It would surprise you, some of the water these trout will hold in. Probably surprise a lot of so called guides too. When you're Googling shit in Pittsburg, picking your first sponsored ad guide will usually be fine. If you're serious about catching fish this time of year, you're gonna need a guide that knows what they're doing. The whole Truckee River has great flows now. From Tahoe City through Reno. Have fun.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report June 29 2024
Fly fishing on the Truckee River is really good. Flows are still somewhat high, but man, the fishing is good. We have about 950 cfs here in Hirschdale, and about that through Reno as well. Good healthy flows and strong healthy trout. When flows drop the fishing will just get better. Fish close, trouts are not out in that middle current. They can and are in faster water, but not in the middle. Not anywhere in the middle of the river right now. It's a smorgasbord of bugs. You may get some on dries during the day, but it's a nymphing game. If you want dry fly fishing on the Truckee River, go in the evenings. The caddis hatches are intense right now. Down in Reno, it's tough wade fishing when the waters high. You really need a raft to cover and affectively fish the water down there right now. I feel the Ca side is better when the river is high. At least for the wade fishing. We have a heat wave coming next week. Look to get your fishing in mornings, and very late evenings.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report June 22 2024
Pretty much on fire out there on the Truckee River. I don't say that often, but we have just the right water temps and weather pattern. Flows are still big at 940 cfs here in Hirschdale, but the fishing is very good. We just had one of the best Green Drake hatch, that I've seen in about 10 years. Crazy good. They're still lingering too. Blind casting the dry, or definitely still fish the nymph is the way to go. Evening caddis hatches have exploded. You'll see caddis, and PEDs near dark. The hotter the weather, the more those caddis pop, but you'll have to go right near dark. You'll get a butch of other bugs in the mix too, Sallys, etc. Of course nymphing is the bread and butter out there.... So far it's a pretty great start to Summer.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report June 18 2024
We're that in couple week stage when the Truckee River is very good. When you get those just right water temps, trouts get pretty active. Lots of bugs, lots of trout eating bugs. I'm mostly nymphing, but theres's been some times when the dry fly fishing has went off. Green drakes and pmds. The Drakes have come off pretty hard the last few days and even a beginner angler can catch them when it's like that. Of course nymph with drakes, pmds, caddis. Have some dries ready if you see 'em. It's gonna heat back up again, so it'll mostly be a nymphing game in the pocket water again. With the heat comes the good evening caddis hatches though. That'll last almost all summer. With the heat the trout start feeding big time on crayfish. Have those too. Flows are still up They got some gates open on Lake Tahoe, and I imagine that'll last all Summer. A little birdie told me that there's fish up all along the 89 stretch. Fish all over with all the water.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report June 11 2024
Flows are steadily coming down on the Truckee River and the fishing is very good. Bugs of every kind are out. Pmds, stones, green drakes, caddis, a whole smorgasbord on the menu. Nymphing with the any of the mentioned bugs should get you some fish. Yes, I said nymphing. I doubt you'll see any fish rising during the bright sun of the day. Evenings are another deal now, you'll see caddis, pale evening duns, and if you get lucky a green drake hatch. Mainly it's nymphing here on out. Tight line nymphing is the bread and butter here on the Truckee River. Euro as they now like to call it. That's how I guide and teach. Taking off the bobber will open up a whole new World for you. These trout are in the slots and faster water, and that is the key to catching these fish.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report May 30 2024
Flows are still up on the Truckee River. Not too big, but for a lot of folks, hard to manage. Look for soft water trout can get out of current. Anywhere along the edges. Soft flat bank water. They are not in the middle of the river. Weathers perfect, and there's fish to be caught. Bugs are coming out too. You can nymph with just about anything right now, and they'll eat it. Drakes, stones, caddis, etc. The warmer the weather gets, the more bugs we'll see. Thing is you'll see them, but you won't see the fish, They'll all be sub-surface. That's the Truckee.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report May 21 2024
Great Spring weather and good fishing on the Truckee River. Perfect frigging weather. Springs the best. Usually it don't stop snowing until June, but this years been pretty nice. Flows are slowly coming down. Around 1000 cfs here in Hirschdale, and 1,300 cfs down lower. Not that big really. Clarity is coming back in shape too. Was never really bad the last few weeks, but much clearer now. My best advise is to lay off the worms and put the nymphs back on. Crazy to think Summer is almost here. I'll try to get some clinics lined up soon. Still look for soft water. That's the key. They are not in that main current. They are spread out, but not in current.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report May 5 2024
Glitch in the system with the snow and the weather this past weekend. 68 by next weekend in Truckee, bring it. Pretty solid Spring fly fishing on the Truckee River. Big fish time. Not lots of fish time. Flows came up a bit with the rain and snow. About 1,200 cfs here in Hirschdale and higher as you go down towards Reno. We still have some snow that needs to melt, so we'll see what happens when we start hitting the 70's. So much of our water in the Truckee River is controlled by reservoir releases that it's hard to tell what flows will be like this month. My advise, just go fishing If the water comes up and it gets off color, worms and streamers. If it's high but good visibility, standard nymphs. Remember, fish close. Trout are not out in current right now.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report April 29 2024
Pretty darn good Spring fly fishing on the Truckee River. If you're after numbers, wait until Summer, actually go fish the Lower Sac, but if you like big fish, this is the time. Nice Spring weather too. Sunshine and big puffy Simpson clouds. We got right around 1000 cfs here in Hirschdale. Actually it's around 1000k all up and down the river. So yeah, somewhat bigger flows. Clarity is actually very good for the higher flows. Think nymphs when the waters is high and clarity is good. Sometimes they'll grab the streamer, but the eggs and the worms should be switched out. Stones, crayfish, march browns is what you should be fishing. If it gets dirty again, put the worm or the streamer back on.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report April 24 2024
Big Spring Fishing on the Truckee RIver. The fish are big, and the flows are big. Yep, good old fashioned Spring fishing. Lot's of water coming down the pipe. So, fish the edges, or any flat bank water you see. Fish are not in current. You literally may walk right on top of them right now. They can be smuggled right up to the bank. Don't use your 5x, and zebra midge rig. Use heavy tippet. Sometimes I fish one fly to make it easy. I fish 2x in these flows, 0x for streamers. The whole river is pretty big, but it's not as high as last year, or '18. It's totally fishable. Color is not too bad either. Honestly, this is my favorite time to fish the river. You just have to adjust and learn to fish higher flows. Or you can go up to the Little Truckee where there's 30 cars in one lot.