Fall Fly Fishing on the Truckee River: Brown Trout, Redds & Seasonal Tactics
As the heat of summer fades, the cooler temperatures of fall move in. Here in the Reno area, fall is an excellent time of year. The weather is usually sunny, daytime air temperatures are often comfortable, and colder nights begin to cool the Truckee River.
Those changing conditions bring some of the most interesting fly fishing opportunities of the year, especially as brown trout become more active and fall hatches begin to show.
Why Fall Changes the Truckee River
As September gives way to October and then November, cooler nights begin to pull water temperatures down. After the heat of summer, that change can bring longer fishing windows and more comfortable conditions for both anglers and trout.
Fall weather in the Reno–Tahoe area can still be warm during the day, but mornings and evenings cool off quickly. Those colder nights are what really begin to change the river.
Brown Trout Are the Star of Fall Fly Fishing
The star of fall fly fishing is, without a doubt, the brown trout. As September gives way to October and into November, brown trout begin to enter their spawning season.
They take on a new look, with deeper and more vibrant shades of red, orange, and gold. Males can also develop a hook-shaped lower jaw referred to as a kype.
Brown trout become more aggressive with other fish as they move into areas ideal for spawning. That aggression can make them much more willing to grab a streamer when it is presented correctly.
What Trout Redds Look Like
When trout go to spawn, they seek areas with the right gravel size, oxygen, and current flow to lay their eggs. There are only certain places on the Truckee River that meet those requirements.
A redd can be thought of as the fish’s nest. The trout turns its body sideways and uses its tail to move gravel aside, creating a shallow depression in the streambed.
This process also exposes clean gravel that is free of much of the moss and algae found around it. As a result, the redd often appears noticeably lighter and brighter than the surrounding river bottom.
Redds are commonly found in relatively shallow gravel areas, which also makes them easy for anglers to accidentally walk through.
Do Not Fish or Wade Through Redds
When you see trout paired up and sitting over a redd, they are actively spawning. Leave them alone!
You wouldn’t want to catch a hook to the face while you’re spawning either.
Focus your fishing efforts somewhere else. It is, however, perfectly fine to watch the process take place. It’s pretty amazing to witness, and as long as you can restrain yourself from casting, it’s all good.
Also keep in mind where you wade when moving through the river. Walking directly through a redd can damage or destroy hundreds of eggs at a time.
Those redds hold the next generation of fish, and as anglers we need to do our best to make sure that generation has a chance.
Where to Focus Your Fishing in the Fall
Look for deeper holes and faster-moving water around the river rather than fishing directly over spawning areas.
These deeper areas can hold fish that are staging near spawning water as well as other trout positioned downstream to eat eggs and other food drifting through the current.
Those fish are fair game.
Fall Fly Fishing Tactics on the Truckee River
Fall fishing tactics can vary quite a bit. Streamers, egg patterns, and Blue Winged Olives can all become important depending on the day and the section of river you’re fishing.
Streamer Fishing
Streamer fishing on the Truckee River can be a great way to target larger brown trout during the fall. We often use olive, black, white, and gray streamers.
The goal is to cover water and show the fly to fish that may be willing to chase or strike aggressively.
Read Streamer Fishing the Truckee River →Egg Patterns
Egg patterns can be effective during the fall because natural eggs can be washed downstream from spawning areas and become available to other trout.
The key is to fish downstream or away from active redds rather than targeting the spawning fish themselves.
Blue Winged Olives
Blue Winged Olive mayflies are a common aquatic insect during the fall and winter months.
Trout can key into BWOs and may even rise to the surface for them, making this one of the more consistent dry-fly opportunities on the Truckee during colder weather.
Nymphing
Nymphing remains productive throughout the fall. Adjust depth, fly weight, and presentation to the water you are fishing rather than relying on one fixed rig.
Cooler water does not automatically mean every fish will move into the same type of water at the same time.
Fall Float Fishing on the Truckee River
Depending on river flows, fall can also create opportunities to fish from a raft.
We often look at lower sections of the Truckee east of Reno during colder months. A raft makes it possible to move through a lot of water and can be especially useful when presenting streamers.
Float fishing is always condition dependent. Flow, water temperature, weather, and safe navigation all determine whether a section makes sense to float.
Walk-and-Wade Fishing in the Fall
Being on foot can give you access to sections that are too low or otherwise inappropriate to navigate with a boat.
It also makes it easier to slow down and concentrate on individual runs, pockets, and deeper holding water.
As always in the fall, watch where you step. Gravel areas that look unusually clean or bright may be active or recently used spawning redds.
More Truckee River Fall Fishing Resources
Explore a Fall Day on the Truckee River
Fall can be one of the most interesting times of year on the Truckee River. Cooler water, changing hatches, aggressive brown trout, and a wide range of techniques can all come together during the season.
