Fall Fly Fishing in Truckee

BY AUSTIN ZIMMERMAN, TROUT CREEK OUTFITTERS

More Opportunities Than Days in the Season

For the avid fly fisher, fall is possibly the most anticipated season of all. The water begins to cool in mountain lakes and the fish emerge from beneath the thermocline. They can be seen eagerly feeding along the shoreline. Everything from Mackinaw to large lake dwelling Rainbow Trout, Kokanee Salmon, Brown Trout, Lahonton Cutthroat, Brook Trout, Tiger Trout, Golden Trout, and even Smallmouth Bass are available to the Truckee fly fisherman within a brief window of time. The options are endless this time of year and the fishing is excellent!

Truckee River Trophy Browns

It is no secret that the Truckee River is home to browns of trophy proportions. While they can be found year-round, September is the prime time to track down these hard-fighting and savvy wild fish. The Truckee River boasts fantastic public access via the Legacy Trail and several exits along the I-80 corridor. From the Town of Truckee, one can easily access the river along Glenshire Drive by way of several pullouts just off the side of the road. The Hirschdale, Floriston, and Farad exits all provide additional access to prime trout fishing waters. Trophy browns are often caught using streamers, crawdad patterns, and nymphs such as a Pat’s Rubber Legs, Pheasant Tail, or other mayfly imitations.

Back Country Brook Trout

If you want to find a little solitude, take a hike into the backcountry. Lakes such as Upper Velma, Fontanillis, and Aloha all provide excellent angling opportunities for those willing to make the hike. The fish in these lakes are some of the most beautiful you will find anywhere in the Sierra. Brook trout are often eager to take anything from a foam grasshopper pattern off the surface, to a damsel fly nymph stripped along the bottom. If you’re learning how to fly fish, fishing a backcountry lake is a great way to increase your chances of catching a quality fish. Lakes are beginner friendly and a safe place to bring the quality outdoor time to the family.

The World’s Largest Cutthroat Trout

If catching a trout over twenty pounds sounds exciting, consider checking out Pyramid Lake. This is a world-renowned, destination fishery, and it’s right in your backyard. Most days you’ll have to go early for the best chance at landing a trophy. However, the uniquely lunar landscape is worth the trip all on its own. The opportunity to witness the pastel sunrises of pink, red, and orange reflected off deep blue alkaline waters and otherworldly white tufa rock is enough to draw anglers back year after year. Add the potential for world-class fly fishing, easy access, and camping to the mix and it is easy to see why this lake is so popular among locals.

Most anglers fish Pyramid Lake from the shore with a “switch” rod for an easier roll-cast. The most common set up is an 11’6” six weight rod, with a twelve-foot tapered leader down to 1x tippet. Most fishermen prefer to suspend a midge or a balanced leech under an indicator. Leeches in a “Midnight Cowboy” color, or large red or black midges with silver or copper wire and a white bead, are popular choices for Pyramid Lake. Catching upwards of twenty fish a day ranging from five to twenty pounds is possible at Pyramid Lake.

Trout Creek Outfitters

Austin and his brother, Miles, opened Trout Creek Outfitters in downtown Truckee in 2020 with a small group of friends who are fellow anglers. Austin and Miles have been avid local fishermen from an early age. At the age of 10, when asked what he was going to be when he grew up, Austin replied, “A fisherman!” Along with all of the gear that you need to fish in Truckee, they provide daily fishing reports in the shop, sell fishing licenses, and publish a comprehensive weekly fishing report every Friday. Sign up for the Friday fishing report/ newsletter on their website: www.troutcreekoutfitters.com