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 June 2 2023
Firing off on the Truckee River. Yes, good fishing. Big fish time. Most folks think the rivers too high and not fishing. Well, think that. The Truckee River has actually come down a lot in a week. 2,380 cfs, here in Hirschdale. Down from 4000 and change last week. Good clarity too. Down river a bit bigger and becoming fishable. Off color, but not bad. You can probably hit some spots down in Reno now also. It's hard in Reno when the rivers pumping because of all the alders. When the rivers up in the alders and heavy bushes you really can't get in it. You can probably get some spots now though. Look, use heavy tippet. Fish bigger flies. Sometimes I fish one fly because I know I'm going to loose a lot of rigs in the bushes and wood. You're fishing now, where you used to be standing. Great for the old timers that can't wade, because we really don't have to wade in. If the big water intimidates you, give it about 6 weeks. It's going to be good all summer this year.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report May 29 2023
Good solid fishing in the high Truckee River water. Flows have actually come down a lot since last weekend. They were up over 4k, and now down under 3000k. She has cleared up a lot too. Still big, and I'm sure it will continue to be big for the foreseeable future, but it's fishing well. Perfect fishing weather. Warm, and afternoon thunderstorms. You guys have to know where to look. Any place trouts can get out of current. There's some more fishable water now that flows have dropped some, but you still gotta find that soft water. Slow walking pace water. You're always looking for that water. Right now, in a summer pocket water slot, anytime. They're usually always in water, slow walking pace, 2-4 feet deep. Summer, winter, spring, fall, through a 106 miles of the Truckee River. Why, because they can't fight that current all day. I've only been fishing the CA side. Not that you can't find that water down in Nevada, but it's harder. So look for inside bends, outside bends, anywhere you think a fish can stay out of the big strong flows. And look, everything around here is high. The Little Truckee, everywhere. Every river in California for that matter. You just have to adjust and figure out how to fish in the higher than average flows.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report May 20 2023
She's big and bad, the Truckee River. Can you catch fish in this water? Absolutely. Flows have been somewhat stable this week. Between 3,300 cfs-3,600 cfs, here in Hirschdale. Pretty big flows, and a little off color. Not chocolate milk. Down river, she's much bigger and dirty. It's gonna be hard to find fishable water from say, Floriston down in through Reno. It can be done, but you'll have to be Jedi. Back in '18, it was higher. It was above 5k for several months. Who knows how high the river will get? There's still so much snow that has to melt. Right now it ain't too bad. It's fishing, if you know what, and where. Like I said before, this is the time that's gets me excited to fish. Why? This is when the big fish show up. Good luck in August. So, you'll have to find soft edges where the fish can get out of current. It's there, if you look. They'll literally be a rod tip away. This is probably one of those times that if you don't have a good guide that understands the river at these flows, you ain't catching fish. You can't bullshit your way into catching fish at these flows. Streamers, worms, rubberleggs, they all doing the trick right now. Any big stupid nymph you have. Use heavy ass tippet, as you're fishing up in the bushes. Figure you're going to loose a lot of flies. Pull the leader with your hand, not straight with the rod tip when you get hung up. That's how you get out of the wood. Get fishing boys and girls. Be safe and have fun.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report May 14 2023
Here she goes. Up and up and up, the Truckee River. This will be our run-off now. 2,300 cfs as a write this. It's stopped freezing at night, so now we'll get our melt going. Honestly, this is when it gets good. I'm more excited than the kayakers. Now, you'll probably come up here and scratch your head when you see the water. However; if you look for some soft edges, you're gonna find fish. What you find, may shock you. I always get those phone calls every year, "when is the best time to get those big browns," This would be your time. Now, if you think you're gonna put on an Adams and get some dry fly fishing in, look elsewhere. Your shit needs to be down and dirty. Think worms, stones, leeches, streamers, etc. Flies with some flash and weight. She's gonna keep coming up. 3'rd biggest snowfall year on record. She ain't gonna come down until after the 4th of July. I think it will be mid-July this year. When she comes down it's gonna be good too.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report May 8 2023
Spring on the Truckee River. Big flows = big fish. Sorry for the lack of posts, been in SoCal for a bit. Anyways, I'm glad to be home. Glad to be fishing again and back with my family. You take these things for granted sometimes, but I'm blessed to live here, and get to fish for a living. Yeah, so the Truckee River is big. Gonna get a lot bigger too. 1,500 cfs now, but she'll keep rising this week once we get some warm weather, and once it stops freezing every night. When we get those lows in the 40's and high's in the 70's, watch out. I was out fishing when it was 6000 cfs a few years ago. While there wasn't a ton of fishable water, we ripped them when we found it. Make sure you have worms, make sure you have streamers. Make sure you have strong tippet. It's kinda game on for me and my clients. You're gonna loose a ton of shit in the bushes when your nymphing, but if you can re-rig and hang in there. Well, it's brown trout time. This is it. We'll have high water until mid-July this year. Then it'll still be high, and it'll be awesome. Gonna be fun here on out. I'll keep posting.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report March 30 2023
Still snowing.Probably some more snow next week. 3'rd snowiest Winter on record so far. Understand, when we get a ton of snow in Tahoe, it's a ton of snow. On the Truckee River, feeling much more like February than March. April will feel more like March. Just gonna be a cold spring. Waiting for that run-off to happen. With this cold weather, gonna be awhile. Pretty descent fishing though when the weather's warm. We've had lots of cold days, with a few warmer ones in between. Not too many bugs, just the midges, and occasional blue wing floating by. That should change a bit next month. Flows are really nice though. Good wading and floating flows. Both in Ca, and on the Nevada side of things.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report March 24 2023
Rolling right through March on the Truckee River. We had a nice break from the weather there for a bit, but now it's cold and more snow on the way early next week. At least it should be a nice weekend. Who knows the long range. My guess, a colder than average Spring. Flows have come down a lot. Right around 500 and change here in Hirschdale. Still very cold at night, so we're just not getting any run-off. That, and they have nothing coming out of Boca. So flows are good and the fishing ain't that bad. Feels more like February fishing than March. https://youtube.com/shorts/dmjAT6568jI?feature=share
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report March 18 2023
Finally something to talk about. Been a crazy Winter on the Truckee River. The sun actually came out, and we had a few 50 degree days this week. It pretty much hasn't stopped snowing since November. I cried uncle in February, and March came in like a lion. It's been gnarly. It gets to the point where it's a bit depressing. Though it's a Godsend for summer. I just started getting after it again. Thanks to all the rain last week, a lot of our snow has melted. We had about 8 feet on the ground, and now have about 3-4. Downriver from here, towards the stateline, most has melted. So how's the river. About perfect right now. 900 cfs here in the Hirsch. It's still very cold at night, so we're not getting any run-off. Wait until May, lol. This river is going to get pumping. Bring it, I love it like that. Big water years, are big fish years. Big water years gets me excited to fish. If I'm excited, you should be excited. We're only a few inches away from beating the '82-83' snow year. The year of the avalanche at Alpine. No one thought we'd ever beat that winter because of climate change. '51-52' ain't that far off. It's only mid-March. https://youtu.be/RS7DPa2mLno
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report March 2 2023
Wow, pretty insane snow totals here for the the Tahoe area and the Truckee River. I really haven't done any fishing. It's been cold, like really cold, and I've been dealing with snow removal. Hard to keep up with it all sometimes. One of the bigger dumps we've had here in Hirschdale. We're at about 5.500 feet and we easily got 4 feet in 2 days. Up on the summit they got about 12 feet in the last week. An impressive week of snow. Add that to what we already have and well. We'll have some run-off this spring, lol. This Winter will stack right up there with some of the famous ones. I think we're gunning for '16,17', at this point. '82,'83, Winter ain't out reach. If anyone remembers, the spring and summer of 17', was about the best I can remember for big fish on the Truckee River. It should be like that soon. Unless you fish the Nevada side of the Truckee River, good luck, you ain't parking or getting to the river for a few days anywhere on the CA side. Good news, they've bumped the flows out of Boca. Sitting at about 330 cubes here in the Hirsch. I haven't even been down out East in Nevada on the lower river that much either. Been pretty cold there too. Got a day Friday. I think we'll have a good March down there though. Next week is much more promising for fishing. Going to be cold and snow again this weekend, but it looks like we're getting bigger warmer storms after. That's always good for the fishing. Should get the river up and won't be as cold. Rain will settle and pack this snow down and access will be easier.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report February 17 2023
Progressively getting a bit warmer on the Truckee River. Figure, it's February and it's gotta warm up at some point. Been a cold winter. Still shit tons of snow, good news for summer. Winter is far from over here in the central Sierra's though. Bit lower and cold flow wise on the California side of things on the Truckee River. 275 cfs, Nevada side, out East through the conservancy, around 475 cfs. Down there, been fishing pretty well, especially if you can get a windless, cloud cover day. Been getting some on top, and of course down below. Ain't gonna be that long until this stuff here starts fishing good, (CA). Days are getting longer, and when that sun starts melting some of this snow, flows will come up. Just been so cold, none of this snow has melted.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report February 6 2023
Another good round of snow for the Truckee River. First good snow in a few weeks. That deep cold we were in seems to be gone. Gonna warm up this week and the fishing should be pretty good. 40's in Truckee ain't bad. Been still waiting on the bugs down on the Nevada side. It has to get going this week. Should be warm, and with some cloud cover at times. That's a good recipe. Do some streamer fishing early, wait for some heads to pop up later. Flows are pretty ideal. Right around here in Hirschdale will fish too. This will be the first warmer week we've had in almost 2 months. We won't get the blue wing hatches like in Nevada, still early, but you might see some good midge hatches starting. Streamers and nymphs will get the majority of your fish though.
Truckee River Fly Fishing Report January 27 2023
Cold on the Truckee River. Pretty much summed up the week. Very cold lows in Truckee, and Reno. Been in the negatives most mornings here in Hirschdale. Just barely warming up to fishable temps. Reno has been much more fishable, especially out East on the lower river. We'll have a few days of warmth, then cold for the beginning of next week. It should warm back up again mid-week. Still lots of snow, and access ain't that easy on the CA side. Reno side is much better access wise. Flows have lowered back down to kinda low and clear here in CA. No water coming out of Boca. Boca is filling up pretty good, and I imagine releases will resume soon. They'll be a lot of snow melting this spring and they'll need to make some room. A lot of snow is an understatement. Ton of snow I should say. The dry fly fishing is just getting going down through the Nature Conservancy in Nevada. Can get real good in there if there's a little overcast. A boat helps, but you can find some good zones wade fishing as well.