The Truckee River was originally home to Lahontan cutthroat trout and cui-ui sucker. During normal years, adult trout ascended from Pyramid Lake and descended from Lake Tahoe to the Truckee River and its tributaries to spawn. Thousands of young fish returned as natural recruitment to these large lakes. It was probable that some young and adult cutthroat trout also occurred in the river throughout the year. With the influx of white settlers in the mid- to late-1800’s, water was diverted for agriculture and municipal use, stream habitats were degraded, the river was over-fished, and other fish species were introduced. Extinction of the Pyramid Lake cutthroat trout had occurred by the 1930’s. While cutthroat trout numbers were dwindling, many different sport fish species were introduced and today, rainbow and brown trout have become the most successful.
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- Region
- Western
- County
- Washoe
- Type of water
- River
Fishing Report
Fishing has been excellent this winter and should remain that way until we see some heat and runoff. Flows are prime through Reno and the river is healthier than it has been in a long time. Water temps are prime and fish are very aggressive. Fly fisherman are loving how plentiful the insect are and will be this summer. Baetis mayflies are slowing down a little compared to a month ago but can still be found hatching in good numbers during most warm overcast afternoons. Skwalla stoneflies are also back after going missing during the last drought. Look for them in Mogul up to the state line. Spin fisherman are finding great fish on rapalas and larger spinners. Spoons have also been very effective in deeper runs and pools.
Truckee River Angler Guide Information
03-23-2024Stocking Updates
| Stocked | Species | Inches | Date Stocked | Year to Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3181 | Cutthroat Trout | 10.8 | 09-13-2023 | 30337 |
| 728 | Cutthroat Trout | 10.5 | 09-13-2023 | 27156 |
| 3990 | Cutthroat Trout | 10.1 | 09-07-2023 | 26428 |
| 850 | Cutthroat Trout | 11.5 | 09-07-2023 | 22438 |
| 3431 | Cutthroat Trout | 11.6 | 09-06-2023 | 21588 |
| 1821 | Cutthroat Trout | 8.2 | 05-16-2023 | 18157 |
| 5636 | Cutthroat Trout | 8 | 05-11-2023 | 16336 |
| 5502 | Cutthroat Trout | 8 | 04-11-2023 | 10700 |
| 5198 | Cutthroat Trout | 8 | 04-05-2023 | 5198 |
Pertinent Information
The Truckee River originates at the outlet of Lake Tahoe and flows approximately 110 miles to Pyramid Lake. NDOW manages approximately 40 miles of fisheries between the California State line and Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation. This river is one of the most heavily fished waters in the state, supporting between 60,000 and 100,000 angler days per year. Anglers can fish for rainbow trout, brown trout, cutthroat trout, mountain whitefish, and largemouth bass (in lower sections). High runoff from March to June makes fishing difficult, but once flows return to normal in summer, the river becomes easier to fish. Some of the best fishing occurs in late spring and early summer and again in fall. Nightcrawlers and Power Bait fished in large pools work great, and fly-fishing and using small spinners are very popular.