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Fly Fishing On The Little Truckee River, California

Fly Fishing Little Truckee River California

Fishing Report
(Bottom Of Page)

Fly and Gear ordering and delivery: We can get flies to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Please see the bottom of this column for ordering options.

We also have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes. They make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.

Type of Stream
Freestone and Tailwater

Species
Rainbow Trout {Wild and Stocked)
Brown Trout (Wild and Stocked)
Kokanee Salmon

Size
Medium

Location
Middle Sierras

Nearest Towns
Truckee

Season
Last Sat. of April through Nov. 15.
Tailwater section below Stampede
Reservoir downstream to Boca
Reservoir open during winter

Special Regulations:
“Wild Trout” designated area

Access:
Mostly easy but some areas require
hiking

Non-Resident License
State of California

Weather
National Weather Service Link

USGS Streamflow data:

Seasons:
The general season is from the last Saturday in April through November 15.
Spring:
Springtime can be good in the tailwater if the discharges are reasonable. The freestone section is subject to runoff.
Summer:
Summertime is the best time for fly fishing Little Truckee River.
Fall:
Fly fishing the Little Truckee River during the early Fall can be productive due to spawning brown trout and Kokanee salmon.
Winter:
The tailwater section below Stampede Reservoir downstream to Boca Reservoir is open for fishing under special regulations.

Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
4, 5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 to 12 ft., 5 or  6X Nymphing:  
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X

Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X

Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Supreme Four, Superb Five
or Ultimate Six

Fly Reels:
For 4/5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators

Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.

Fly and Gear ordering and delivery:

Email us  at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.

Copyright 2016 James Marsh

Fly Fishing Little Truckee River California
The Little Truckee River is both a freestone stream fishery and a tailwater fishery. The best fishing takes place in the designated “wild trout” section in the tailwater of Stampede Reservoir. This section lies between Boca Reservoir and Stampede Reservoir.

The Little Truckee River starts from Webber Lake and Perazzo Creek and flows into Stampede Reservoir. Its upper freestone section is only available to the public west of highway #89. The other part is on private property. It begins as a riffle and pool type pocket water stream flowing through a canyon and then flows open meadows. Perazzo Creek enters the meadow section above highway #89. Large brown trout and Kokanee salmon migrate out of Stampede Reservoir into the river during the Fall spawning season. The river also has some nice rainbows. The trout are wild unless you consider the migrating stockers that come out of the lake.

The tailwater section below Stampede Reservoir above Boyington Mill Campground consist mostly of grassy meadows with lots of undercut banks. Below the campground the river flows through a canyon and consist of pocket water. In the Fall larger brown trout move into the river from Boca Reservoir along with Kokanee salmon. Fly fishing Little Truckee River can vary greatly depending on the releases of these dams. There are several very good mayfly, caddisfly and stonefly hatches that takes place.

Sagehen Creek, a tributary of Stampede Reservoir, is also a good fishery. It’s a spring creek that runs through a valley. It has a population of browns, brooks and rainbows.  Catch and Release, barbless hooks only regulations apply from highway # 89 to the gauging station. It flows through both a forested area and a meadow near the lake. There’s a campground located on the creek.

Perazzo Creek, another tributary, is a freestone stream with pocket water consisting of pools and runs between them. Near the Little Truckee River is changes into a meadow stream. The trout consist mostly of browns and brook trout.

Independence Creek is another tributary of the Little Truckee River that consist of a tailwater that flows from Independence Lake. It is mostly pocket water with rainbows and brown trout.

Little Truckee River Fishing Report:

02/23/2020 The stream is in good shape
with midge, little BWOs, and Squala
stoneflies hatching.
03/14/2020 Trout are being caught in
good numbers by our customers. Stream
levels are okay.
11/12/20 Sorry for the missed reports. The
stream is currently in an okay condition.
We received two good recent reports from
customers. There are sitll some good
hatches.
03/20/21 The river is running low but in
good shape otherwise. We don’t have any
reports from anglers fishing lately.

94/23/21 Conditions are very good. We are getting good reports from customers fishing the stream. There are good hatches taking place.