Gear & Tackle
Truckee River (California)

Rivers & StreamsFly Fishing Only per CDFW

Truckee River (California) Fishing Guide

California

Flows out of Lake Tahoe into Nevada; CDFW designates the river from Trout Creek downstream to the Nevada line a wild trout water.

Part of the Truckee River.

Photo: Missvain via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Trip at a Glance

Anglers come to the Truckee River (California) for rainbow trout, brown trout and cutthroat trout. November is outside the confirmed prime months here: rainbow trout and brown trout are prime Apr to Oct.

There are 6 shops nearby (3 fly, 3 bait and tackle), including Trout Creek Outfitters in Truckee. Also nearby: Lake Tahoe.

Season at a Glance

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Rainbow Trout
Brown Trout
Cutthroat Trout
No Agency Season

Legend

This Month Prime: Top Months Open, Slower No Agency Season Found

Prime From Water Temperature: measured at USGS gauge 10346000, set against FWS temperature ranges for Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout (our reading)How We Read It

Season Rules & Licenses

  • Trout Creek to Prosser Creek: open all year, artificial flies with barbless hooks, no trout kept. CDFW 2026
  • Prosser Creek to the Nevada line: artificial lures only; 2 trout a day from the last Saturday in April through Nov. 15; Nov. 16 to the last Saturday in April, barbless hooks and no trout kept. CDFW 2026

Rules: our short summary, not the official text. Gear & Tackle is independent, not a government site; rules change, so read the agency's current rules before you go.

Most anglers need a California fishing license; age cutoffs and exemptions are set by the state.

Buy a License from CDFW CDFW Fishing Regulations

License Sellers Nearby

Mountain Hardware & Sports

10001 Soaring Way, Truckee (530) 563-2950

Trout Creek Outfitters

10115 Donner Pass Rd, Truckee (530) 277-8205

Mountain Hardware & Sports

11320 Donner Pass Rd, Truckee (530) 587-4844

Swigards True Value Hdwe

200 N Lake Blvd, Tahoe City (530) 583-3738

Source: CDFW's license agent list, Jan 2025. Call ahead.

Parts of the Truckee River

Truckee River (California) Species

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow Trout

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Prime: Apr to Oct

View Species
Brown Trout

Brown Trout

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Prime: Apr to Oct

View Species
Cutthroat Trout

Cutthroat Trout

No agency season found.

View Species

Species per CDFW.

Images: Duane Raver and Timothy Knepp, USFWS. Public domain.

What to Use

Fishing In
Fish

Rainbow Trout

Prime: Apr to Oct

Fly

9 ft 5 wt rod, weight-forward floating line, 9 ft 4X to 5X leader. Add a sink-tip and 3X for streamers.

Rod, Reel and Line

  • RodRedington Classic Trout Fly Rod · 9 ft 0 in, 5 weight, 4 pieceCheck Price
  • ReelRedington Behemoth Fly Reel · for 5 and 6 weightCheck Price
  • LineRIO Gold Fly Line · 5wt floatingCheck Price
  • LeaderRIO Tapered Trout LeadersCheck Price

Tie On in November

  • Fly for November · #16-22Zebra MidgeTailwaters.See Options
  • Fly for November · #14-20Pheasant Tail NymphSee Options
  • Fly for November · #4-12Woolly Bugger · Umpqua Wooly BuggerCheck Price

Picks: general for this fish, each checked against state and federal agency pages, not specific to this water. Ask a local shop what is working.

Gear: rods, reels and lines are starting points, sized from each maker's page. Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.

Buy Local

Fly shops near Truckee River (California):

Map of Truckee River (California)

Area around a representative access point; the river runs beyond it. View Larger Map© OpenStreetMap contributors

Fishing VideosWatch Truckee River (California) Fishing Videos on YouTube

Planning for a Month

Prime in November

Nothing at its peak this month.

Daylight

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Moon

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Typical Weather

52°F high, 18°F low

About 2.5 in of precipitation for the month.

Typical Flow

150 cfs

Most years 131 cfs to 208 cfs.

Typical, Not a Forecast: weather from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals at a station about 2 mi away; flow from USGS gauge 10339410, 2016 to 2025.

Also Worth Packing

Clothing for November comes first, picked from typical weather here.

Waders & Boots

Simms Freestone Stockingfoot Waders

Durable, breathable four-layer waders built as a daily driver for seasons of wading.

Pack It For: Sep to Jun

Check Price Maker's Page

Waders & Boots

Simms Freestone Wading Boots

Supportive wading boots with determined traction for a full range of wading conditions, worn over waders or wading socks.

Pack It For: Year-round

Check Price Maker's Page

Nets & Tools

Frabill Rubber Mesh Landing Net

A floating trout net with tangle-free micromesh rubberized netting and a flat bottom that supports the fish's weight evenly.

Check Price Maker's Page

Sunglasses

Costa Polarized Fishing Sunglasses

Polarized lenses cut glare so you can see fish, structure, and flats.

Check Price

Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.

Shops Near Truckee River (California)

Guides and Charters Near Truckee River (California)

Nearby Water

Photo: Lara Farhadi, CC BY 2.0

Lakes & Reservoirs · California

Lake Tahoe

About 18 mi

A Sierra Nevada lake fished on either a California or a Nevada license, where NDOW says mackinaw (lake trout) are the most caught species and the Forest Service says the best fishing is in deep water from a boat.

Lake Trout · Rainbow Trout · Kokanee Salmon

View Water

Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0

Lakes & Reservoirs · Nevada

Pyramid Lake

About 55 mi

Managed by the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, which sets its rules and permits, and stocked by USFWS with the Pilot Peak strain of Lahontan cutthroat trout, the largest inland cutthroat trout in the world.

Cutthroat Trout

View Water