This is when things get interesting. Going into this month the fishing will get better on all the waters I guide on. Rain should add some volume to the Truckee River and this storm should churn things up at Pyramid Lake. The NOAA climate maps are calling for a wet March and April. Hopefully, we can keep this ball rolling and get continued storms to come through Northern California and Western Nevada.
We may still have a good water year. Remember 2011? We had a longer dry spell in January of that year than we just had. We received over 500 inches of snow in March. For everyone that packed their bags and moved to Colorado or wherever, good, we don’t need you. We will get a good winter again, hopefully, we can salvage this one.
On the Truckee River, February is a pretty good month. Way better than December or January. Why? Easy, it will be warmer, usually. The dry fly fishing east of Reno on the lower stuff will be pretty good. We will also get trouts to start chasing streamers. The big browns will move out of some of their winter holding water and move up along banks ready to ambush. Fun to get those guys from the boat. The nymphing will be good too. We may see some skwalla stones through Reno. Usually though, we’ll see them mid- March, so don’t count on it.
The fly fishing at Pyramid Lake will get better too. I was there most of this week and it’s been mostly an early and late afternoon grab, but when we get some weather rolling through and some wave action you may get them all day. Retrieving buggers and beetles on a shooting head system has been the way to go. Bobbers been catching some fish too. Pull off the bobber and fish your nymphs “naked” like they say, you’ll have way more fun. Most all the beeches have been producing fish come last light. Stay until the sun drops below the mountains.