Since last week’s storm pushed through, we have seen the flows on the Truckee stabilize, sitting at just under 300 at Glenshire Bridge and at a bit over 500 at the Farad gauge. These are ideal flows for this time of year, and this coupled with a week of weather in the upper 50’s should really switch on the bite.

The rain brought with it a bit of tint to the water, hopefully making the fish a bit less on edge and willing to take some larger offerings. The weeks leading up to these storms, we were putting a strong emphasis on “Little Black Stuff” down to a size 20 or 22. This should have changed since this storm, but if in doubt, the smaller flies are always worth a try.

As we approach the month of March, we should begin to see the first big hatch of the year start up: The Skwala Stonefly. We have already heard reports of this bug hatching on some of the lower elevation rivers in the area, which means that the Truckee is not far off. These size 8-10 stoneflies are a double cheeseburger to a trout that’s been eating salad most of the winter. Skwalas are not only great options to fish under an indicator but can also provide some excellent topwater fishing if conditions align. We have been fishing these nymphs with moderate success over the last few weeks, but as soon as we begin to see the first few adults begin to hatch, they should be a top choice for anyone fishing the river through the spring.

Other bugs of note this week would be crayfish, little black winter stones, BWO’s and midges. Fly patterns imitating any of these aquatic insects will all be options for those heading out here in the coming weeks.