The Truckee River has come into shape very nicely in the last week with excellent flows and water clarity. Some access here on the California side has begun to pop up, and Glenshire area has one parking area for 1-2 cars right at the bridge as well as a plowed parking area at the Legacy Trail right up the road from the bridge which provides easy access the this plowed trail system running along the river. Further down the hill, Hirschdale has a few areas to pull off around the Little Truckee confluence and around the western offramp but be aware of some no parking signs right underneath the interstate, being kept clear for snow removal.

While there’s still a good amount of snow on the ground in the lower canyon, Floriston and Farad exits will have a handful of parking areas available and with bright days this week, we should river access get better daily.  The Nevada side has very little snow on the ground by the time you get past Verdi and both parking and getting around will be easier down there. With the increased visibility this week, switching back to smaller presentations under an indicator with light tippet will once again be best, so be sure to have a good selection of size 18-20 BWO nymphs and midge pupa to use as your dropper flies, but the fish are still looking at the easy meals such as worms, stones and eggs as well, so these flies are best run in tandem, fishing an attractor with a smaller dropper below. As fish move back into there typical lies now that flows have settled down, we’ve seen the indicator once again do best thanks to its ability to cover greater distances and suspend in the slower slack water where fish will often hold in the winter months. Fishing will be best mid-day, so if you can’t tear yourself away from the ski hill, worry not, getting both skiing and fishing done in one day is certainly obtainable with the best skiing in the mornings and the best fishing in the afternoons!