Fly Fishing the Truckee River in Reno, Nevada
Casinos and gambling, dive bars and strip clubs, the last stop before Burning Man and Hot August Nights—those are some of the things that first come to mind when people think about “The Biggest Little City.”
Sure, all those things are here in Reno, Nevada, but there’s a lot more this little city has to offer. One of those things is the Truckee River, which runs directly through town and offers some surprisingly productive trout fishing right in the middle of the city.
Fly Fishing in Reno Is Closer Than Most People Think
Reno is Northern Nevada’s largest city. Its close neighbor is Sparks, Nevada, and for all intended purposes they’re pretty much the same place. The two cities had a combined population of around 380,000 in 2021 and are more or less separated by Highway 395/580, which runs north and south.
Interstate 80 cuts through the cities running west to east and follows the Truckee River’s path. That means the river is never far away, even when you’re right in the middle of Reno.
The Truckee River Through Reno
The Truckee River runs from Lake Tahoe roughly 121 miles to its terminal end at Pyramid Lake. On that journey it loses 2,232 feet of elevation and, during that rapid descent, passes through several very different landscapes.
You’ll see pine forest near the town of Truckee, California, high desert around Verdi, Nevada, suburban cityscape through Reno, and increasingly arid desert farther downstream near Mustang.
Trout fishing is popular through much of the river. Brown and rainbow trout are present throughout the system, and some Nevada sections are also stocked with cutthroat trout.
The Truckee River in Reno is one of the more productive stretches. Surprisingly, some very good trout water can be found right inside the city.
The river cuts through the west side of Reno and several public parks. Places like Idlewild Park and Mayberry Park are among the more popular areas. You’ll often find people playing sports, exercising, walking dogs, or letting kids play on the playground—and just steps away is a river that can hold trophy-size trout.
It’s also not unusual to see people fly fishing while walking through downtown Reno. With easy access through the parks system, fly fishing the Truckee River in Reno has become a common sight.
How to Fly Fish the Truckee River in Reno
Nymph fishing is the most common way to catch fish on the Truckee River through Reno. European Style Nymphing, or ESN, is a very popular method here.
ESN utilizes a long, thin leader with weighted flies attached to reach depth quickly. There is no traditional indicator attached to the line. Instead, the angler relies on a colored sighter, line control, and the feel of the flies to help detect strikes.
Indicator fishing is still very common and can be extremely productive, especially in the winter months when fish move into slower water.
Streamer fishing is another fun and exciting way to fish the Truckee River. Floating can be a great way to cover water with this method when river conditions are appropriate.
Euro Nymphing
Long leaders, weighted flies, and direct contact make ESN a useful technique for fishing the Truckee’s pockets, runs, and faster water.
Read the Euro Nymphing Guide →Streamer Fishing
Larger flies can be stripped, jigged, swung, or dead drifted when targeting aggressive trout and covering likely holding water.
Read the Streamer Fishing Guide →Walk-and-Wade and Float Fishing Around Reno
Most of the time the Truckee River around Reno can be explored on foot, but when water levels are appropriate, floating opens up another way to fish the river.
Some areas of the Truckee in the Reno area are hard to get to on foot without crossing private property. From a raft, anglers can move through stretches that are otherwise difficult to reach while covering more water in a day.
Floating is always condition dependent. Water level, temperature, weather, and safe navigation all play a part in determining whether a float makes sense.
More Truckee River Fishing Resources
Want to Spend a Day on the Water?
Current Fly Fishing offers walk-and-wade and seasonal float trips on the Truckee River. Trips are tailored to current conditions and experience level, with equipment provided for one or two anglers.
