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Truckee River Fishing Report | September 8, 2025

Report by Matt Heron
Matt Heron runs Matt Heron Fly Fishing and guides the Truckee River.
What is working right now

Water temps and flows are in great shape on the Truckee River, with cold nights dropping temps and flows around 350 to 550 CFS below Boca. Keep throwing hopper-droppers with crayfish patterns or rubber legs as attractors, then a size 16 caddis or size 16 PMD behind them. Watch water temps and fish safety between noon and 2 PM. The Little Truckee is mostly a PMD game.

How is the Truckee River fishing right now?

Conditions are excellent. Cold nights have kept water temps down and flows are perfect throughout the system. Below Boca and on the Little Truckee, flows just started to drop. From Truckee down through Boca and the canyon you are looking at about 350 to 550 CFS.

What flies are working on the Truckee River?

Keep throwing hopper-droppers. Crayfish patterns and rubber legs work well as attractors, with a size 16 caddis or size 16 PMD dropped behind them. You can also dead drift tiny micro leeches or small streamer jigs. That combination is catching a lot of fish.

How is the Little Truckee River fishing?

The Little Truckee is mostly a PMD game right now, with some green drakes in size 10 to 12 still around. You can fish worms too. The Nevada side of the Truckee has very similar bugs, especially during the morning game.

When should I watch water temps on the Truckee?

Start thinking about water temps and fish safety between noon and 2 PM, when it warms up. It gets a little warmer later in the week, so keep a thermometer with you. Cold nights in Truckee have been dropping temps and helping the fishery.

What is the outlook for the Truckee River?

Not a lot has changed and conditions are in great shape for the season. Keep it simple with crayfish, rubber legs, size 16 caddis, and size 16 PMDs, plus the hopper-dropper game. You can start thinking about golden stoneflies and nocturnal stones too.

Watch the full report

From the report (Matt Heron): Water temps have been absolutely amazing thanks to really cold nights in Truckee. From Truckee all the way down through Boca, through the canyon, you are looking at about 350 to 550 to keep it simple. Definitely keep throwing hopper droppers. Crayfish patterns and rubber legs are working really well as an attractor, and I would put a size 16 caddis or a size 16 PMD behind that. On the Little Truckee it is mostly a PMD game.

Truckee River September 8, 2025 FAQ

What are the Truckee River flows right now?

From Truckee down through Boca and the canyon, about 350 to 550 CFS. Flows below Boca and on the Little Truckee just started to drop.

What is the best fly setup on the Truckee River?

A hopper-dropper with a crayfish pattern or rubber legs as the attractor and a size 16 caddis or size 16 PMD behind it.

What is working on the Little Truckee River?

Mostly a PMD game, with some size 10 to 12 green drakes still around. Worms will also produce.

When are Truckee River water temps a concern?

Between noon and 2 PM, when it warms up. It gets warmer later in the week, so carry a thermometer for fish safety.

Can I fish streamers or leeches on the Truckee?

Yes. You can dead drift tiny micro leeches or small streamer jigs along with the hopper-dropper rigs.

Are stoneflies a factor on the Truckee River?

You can start thinking about some golden stoneflies and nocturnal stones, but crayfish, rubber legs, caddis, and PMDs keep it simple.

Who guides the Truckee River?

Matt Heron of Matt Heron Fly Fishing.

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