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
Flows have been hovering around 400cfs and overall the river is fishing very well. Spin fisherman using small rapalas and spoons are finding fish in the deeper runs and pools. Bait fisherman concentrating around the parks are catching a few of the LCT. Fly fisherman have been doing well on the surface in the mornings with light mayflies, hoppers during the heat of the day, and caddis in the evenings. Tightline nymphing methods using large stoneflies and crayfish can be effective for very large trout this time of the year. It’s time to get out there!
Truckee River Angler Guide Information
07-28-2023Stocking Updates
| Stocked | Species | Inches | Date Stocked | Year to Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5198 | Cutthroat Trout | 8 | 04-05-2023 | 5198 |
| 5502 | Cutthroat Trout | 8 | 04-11-2023 | 10700 |
| 5636 | Cutthroat Trout | 8 | 05-11-2023 | 16336 |
| 850 | Cutthroat Trout | 11.5 | 09-07-2023 | 17186 |
| 3990 | Cutthroat Trout | 10.1 | 09-07-2023 | 21176 |
| 728 | Cutthroat Trout | 10.5 | 09-13-2023 | 21904 |
| 3181 | Cutthroat Trout | 10.8 | 09-13-2023 | 25085 |
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.