Nevada Fishing Reports

Matt Heron reports the Truckee River is in prime shape with steady dropping flows and perfect water temps holding in the 50s, briefly touching the low 60s in the afternoons. Clarity is excellent, and the canyon below Boca, though still pushing 1,000 CFS, is fishing well if you can handle fast water. The hatch is wide open... golden stones, yellow sallies, PMDs (size 16 emergers), and caddis. The green drakes are drawing quality fish to the surface, and blind casting size 10–12 dries is getting fish even without visible rises. Bobber rigs, dry droppers, and euro nymphing are all effective in fast pockets, but euro nymphing is the best play right now and will likely stay that way through summer.

The Truckee is running high with spring runoff, but flows are fishable and clarity’s better than expected. Blue-winged olives, March browns, and small caddis are hatching mid-day, and fish are taking dries and nymphs. Indicator rigs are the main producer, but streamers are moving some good fish, and dry fly windows have opened up on cloudy afternoons. Check out Matt's video for more details.

Tahoe’s spring bite is red hot, and conditions couldn’t be better. Water clarity is the best locals have seen in decades... glass-clear... with surface temps holding steady in the low to mid 50s. That combo has the big lake firing on all cylinders.

Mackinaw are stacked deep and hungry. Most boats are running either tube jigs tipped with sucker meat or deep-diving stickbaits between 80 and 110 feet. Both techniques are putting fish in the box. The southwest and north ends have been consistent producers.

Kokanee are starting to stage but still sitting deeper than usual for spring. Look for them between 60 and 75 feet, especially where you can mark bait. Trolling wedding rings behind dodgers is working well, especially early when the light’s low.

Nearshore action is picking up too. Rainbows and browns are pushing shallow, particularly in the mornings and late afternoon. Long casts with spoons or a slow roll with a streamer can pull strikes from cruisers nosing the banks.

Ken’s Sporting Goods reports mixed results on the East Walker River, which is flowing around 90 cfs. The “Miracle Mile” still seems to be recovering from last year’s fish kill, with most anglers struggling in that stretch. Better action came downstream, especially from below the bridge down to Murphy’s Pond. Anglers finding success were mostly drifting nymphs, with a few fish taken on streamers. Productive patterns included rainbow warriors, San Juan worms, squirmy wormies, perdigons, copper Johns, drag queens, dead drift crayfish, and sculpzillas. A bump in flows could help push more fish back into the Mile.

Winter is a great time to catch big Mackinaw on Lake Tahoe. For those who can brave the cold (most guides have heaters on their boats, though), Tahoe is delivering excellent days, with double-digit monsters not uncommon. The southwest area is producing the best at around 150 feet, trolling live minnows. Shore casters are seeing very good rainbow trout action from the west shore, casting spinners or live nightcrawlers off the rocks

The weather is cooling in the mountains, but Lake Tahoe’s fishing is heating up, especially for rainbows and browns. As the water temperature drops, these trout rise to the surface, making shallow trolling with spoons highly effective. Expect to pick up a few cutthroat as well. The Mackinaw bite is improving for quality fish, though numbers are still down. Most are holding deep, from 150 to 220 feet.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) reports that river flows are excellent, and fishing conditions are currently great. The river is flowing steadily at around 300 cfs and has been stable for some time. Stocked Lahontan Cutthroat Trout have been reported around parks in town and to the west. Water temperatures are ideal, with fish scattered throughout. Small spinners and spoons are performing well, especially in deeper areas. There have been some late afternoon mayfly hatches, which are expected to increase as winter approaches. Fishing should remain good until extreme cold weather sets in.

Following an outstanding early summer with giant Mackinaw, the shift to Kokanee has been equally impressive. Tahoe typically produces Kokes up to 14 inches, but this year, 16-18 inch fish are not uncommon. The southwest area of the lake has been most productive at depths of 55-75 feet. There are a lot of boats out, especially on weekends.

There's still concern that the low flows out of Taylor Creek might hinder the spawn for yet another year... a major worry for future numbers.

Mackinaw action has been sporadic, although fish are still being caught. The north and west shores have been the most productive.