Finally Some Precip!
Our extended fall weather may finally be ending with some rain and snow forecasted over the next 10 days. While this may make fishing a bit more difficult, for our long term fishery health it’s much needed! The rain might spike the flows on our rivers, but for the angler willing to brave the storms, the biggest fish are usually caught during flow changes and out of our bigger lakes during the storms. Think Pyramid lake, Tahoe, and Caples.
This report is written to give a quick overview of the Tahoe area, for a more detailed report including access, stop by the shop or give us a call at 530-541-8208
East Fork Carson River: Been fishing well but during any type of rain or snow check the flows on this freestone river before you go! If the flows jump 30 CFS or more, chances are the river will turn off-colored and the tactics will change. Right now we are fishing small midges and blue wings behind small stoneflies or floss worms, but if the flows jump think bigger stoneflies, egg patterns, bright worms, flashy perdigones or other flies that will be visible in the colored water. Streamers also tend to work a little bit better during the runoff windows. This river fishes well throughout the winter especially during high pressure systems so if we continue this mild winter after the rain, get out there.
East and West Carson River Fishing Regulations:
Whole river from Nevada state borders catch and release, artificial, barbless.
West Fork Carson River: Fishable but not our favorite winter fishery as the water gets very cold and low. If you do fish it, look for any deeper, slower moving water and throw tiny bead head nymphs with or without an indicator and look for the small wild fish that still need to eat during the cold months!
Truckee River: Blue wings have been starting to come off but still in limited amounts. Hopefully with the cooler weather and humidity forecasted, this hatch will finally start to pop off. The mid-winter blue wing olive hatches can be some of the best fishing in CA/NV during the right conditions on the Truckee. When the hatch is going, both dry fly fishing and nymphing is at its peak. The hatch normally starts around 1 PM on cloudy days and sometimes lasts until sunset.
Truckee River Fishing Regulations:
Below Lake Tahoe Dam:(All Year) Closed for 1000’ below Lake Tahoe Dam.
Below 1000’ of the Tahoe Dam to Trout Creek: Catch & Release Barbless Artificial - NO BAIT. Zero Bag limit.
Trout Creek to Mouth of Prosser Creek: Catch & Release Barbless Artificial Flies only. Zero Bag limit.
Prosser Creek to NV Stateline: Catch & Release Barbless Artificial Flies only. Zero Bag limit.
Little Truckee River: Flows still hovering at 40 CFS, which for most of us is too low to fish, but people will fish this tailwater until they physically can’t (too much snow). Beadless midges, BWOs, and tan san juan worms for nymphs, with the possibility of blue wing olive dry flys if the hatch gets going. Hoping for enough snow to make the road impassable and give these fish a break!
Little Truckee River Fishing Regulations:(All Year)
Stampede Reservoir downstream to Boca Reservoir: Catch & Release Barbless Artificial - NO BAIT. Zero Bag limit.
East Walker River: Only open in Nevada but low flow conditions likely until March. Generally not worth the travel for 20 CFS conditions. Guys may have success but we prefer fisheries that are a little less fish in a barrel.
East Walker River Fishing Regulations:
California: Closed
Pyramid Lake: Finally the low pressure that makes this lake come to life is coming and now’s the time to plan those trips. While this may be a good thing, expect crowds especially on the weekends so get up early and “claim” your spot or rock. A Balanced leech about 4.5 feet down, and a chironomid close to the bottom is a good starting set up for indicator fishing off the rocks. Stripping set ups normally have a combination of a floating booby or tadpole with an unweighted wooly worm or bugger. The goal is to have your line in the sand with those floating/unweighted flies being dragged just above the bottom of the lake.
Shore fishing on Tahoe: An often overlooked oppurtunity that is close to home and may reward the fish of a lifetime is fishing the rocky shorelines of Tahoe. During these cloudy, slightly windy, low pressure systems is normally your best bet to have some decent success hanging one or two balanced leeches from an indicator and casting them off the rocks. The fish cruise close to the boulders picking off baitfish and crawdads that get sloshed about from crashing waves so during these conditions so you don’t need to cast very far. If you don’t want to make the journey to Pyramid Lake or only have a few hours to spend fishing, make a few casts on Tahoe!
Heenan Lake: Heenan Lake is closed for the season.
Hot Lakes:
Sawmill Lake - Closed for the season.
Caple’s Lake- Throwing a streamer or balanced leech from the dam may be worth it!
Tahoe - Not a numbers game but when we fish Tahoe we are looking for that fish of a lifetime
