In the case of 2024, it seems Trout Spey is next on the list. Now of course the idea, or even interest of swinging flies for trout is nothing new. Spey junkies alike, including myself, have been keen on purposely swinging flies for decades, if not more. Not that there’s anything wrong with the accidental grab at the end of a nymphing drift!

Like the current Euro craze though, there seems to be a bit of a momentum shift in the sport, and industry. Yearly, we’re seeing more and more rods, lines, flies, content and all around information about trout spey than ever before.

Although the reasons why this “craze” is growing now can be debated, there’s no arguing the fact that it’s happening, and fast.

As someone who transitioned to swinging flies for steelhead when I moved to the west coast twenty years ago, the idea of swinging for Truckee River trout only made sense too. And was a simple one too.

Over the years, Lu has had dozens, if not more requests for trout spey trips with me and our guides. We’ve given endless lessons on casting, presentation and even had our fair share of success on the notoriously challenging Truckee River.

Lu and I are excited to finally add Trout Spey to our Truckee Trout School lineup! Here’s the details.

What: One day, beginners crash course on all things Trout Spey.

When: July 21st OR 22nd. Max 4 students per class.

Price: $350/pp

Time: 8am-4pm. Time is subject to change.

Where: Truckee River. Location TBD

Program Overview: This school is ideal for anyone new to trout spey, or a beginner/low intermediate spey angler looking to improve the skills they already have. Like all our trout schools, the focus will be teaching and learning, more so than catching fish. This is not a guide trip. However, we highly recommend booking a guide day as a follow up if it fits your schedule.

The day will be a mix of “classroom” style lessons on land focusing on the rods, running line, shooting heads, tips and leader construction. We’ll also cover fly selection pertaining to soft hackles and streamers.

The “on the water” portion of the day will include the basic roll cast, anchor placement, forming a D-loop and the forward cast. Specialty casts will include the Double Spey and Snap-T.

We’ll also discuss reading the water and swung fly presentations for trout.

Gear: Matt will provide all gear needed for the day. Feel free to bring your own gear though if you’d like!

Bonuses: We’ll also put together a nice little swag bag for each student to go home with!

This will be a fun one and we fully expect to sell out all 4 spots each day. Follow up asap with any questions or to book!

-Matt and Lu

The post Truckee Trout School: Trout Spey July 21st & 22nd appeared first on Truckee River Fly Fishing Guide | Matt Heron Fly Fishing.

In the case of 2024, it seems Trout Spey is next on the list. Now of course the idea, or even interest of swinging flies for trout is nothing new. Spey junkies alike, including myself, have been keen on purposely swinging flies for decades, if not more. Not that there’s anything wrong with the accidental grab at the end of a nymphing drift!

Like the current Euro craze though, there seems to be a bit of a momentum shift in the sport, and industry. Yearly, we’re seeing more and more rods, lines, flies, content and all around information about trout spey than ever before.

Although the reasons why this “craze” is growing now can be debated, there’s no arguing the fact that it’s happening, and fast.

As someone who transitioned to swinging flies for steelhead when I moved to the west coast twenty years ago, the idea of swinging for Truckee River trout only made sense too. And was a simple one too.

Over the years, Lu has had dozens, if not more requests for trout spey trips with me and our guides. We’ve given endless lessons on casting, presentation and even had our fair share of success on the notoriously challenging Truckee River.

But have we ever really promoted as a thing we do, or as a technique that can be as effective as it is rewarding on the Truckee River? Truthfully, not really.

I have a feeling that’s about to change thank to our friends at Sage and RIO.

So, let me ask you, would you be interested in taking the next step as an angler and digging more into the world of trout spey?

Let us know your thoughts below. We’d love to hear your feedback. And keep an eye out for some new programs coming down the pipe.

-Matt and Lu

The post Truckee Trout Spey appeared first on Truckee River Fly Fishing Guide | Matt Heron Fly Fishing.

Things are rolling on the Truckee River right now and conditions are almost as good as they can get.

Flows are a big higher than usual for the third week of June, but water temperatures (most of the day) and clarity could not be any better.

Depending on where you are the time of day, temperatures are anywhere from low 50s to low 60s most of the day. The wind from last week definitely did its job and stirred up Lake Tahoe a bit. That brought river temperatures down, in a good way.

That said, late afternoon and evening temps did hit 68 degrees this week according to our guide Jay Clark on Glenshire Dr. This means pack a thermometer and call it quits around 67-68 degrees. Hoot Owl river closers have started. Spread the word!!

Temps in the canyon, below Boca are better late becuase of the releases on the Lower Little Truckee. If you’re going to fish late, head down low.

Flows from town to Boca are still on a dropping trend (462 cfs), as they have been for weeks. The flows from Boca through the canyon (1,120 cfs) pumped a bit this week when they started dumping Boca Reservoir. The lake is pretty damn full. It’s been a while, definitely a sight for sore eyes.

See all flows HERE.

Bugs, bugs and more bugs. They are all popping on the Truckee River right now.

Where to even start…Green Drakes in Sz 10, PMDs in 16s, Caddis in 14-18s, BWO’s in 18s, Yellow Sallies in 16s, Golden Stones in 10’s, Midges in 20s, Crayfish in 6-10s, something similar to March Browns in a 16…did I forget anything?!!

Oh yeah, hopper-droppers. Don’t leave home without them! Or even Green Drake-droppers.

It’s all happening right now. Have your nymphs, larvae, pupas, emergers, adults and spinners ready to go when you get here. Who the hell knows what you’re going to run into.

We had a one trip this week where my guest landed fish on bobbers, Euro, dries, Hopper-Dropper and Trout Spey. Whey I say it’s all happening right now; I mean it’s all happening!

Quick Reports:

NV Side Truckee River- Not much has changed down there. Our daily float trips are going well and nymphing has been the name of the game. Our crew is running into some fish on streamers and dries. As you can imagine, it’s the same fly list as above on the CA side.

Daily Classes- Our beginner’s classes are still going well and pond temperatures are holding strong to start the season, even with the warm weather. Some really nice rainbows are being landed each day by our students. Drop us a note if you’re looking to tune up that casting stroke!

Sawmill Lake- Sawmill continues to kick out some big rainbows for our guests this season. It’s been a mix of walk and wade from shore (sight fishing or w bobbers) and boat fishing. Most fish are being caught subsurface, but the dry fly thing is very possible if you hit it right.

Middle Fork, Feather River- This little gem continues to throw down good numbers of fish each day for our guests. It’s been some of the more consistent dry fly fishing in the area recently and PMDs, Caddis and hopper-droppers are by far been the go-to on our trips.

If you’re interested in getting out with one of amazing guides, drop Lu a note. She’d love to make your vacation one to remember!

The post Truckee River Fly Fishing Report: June 22nd, 2024 appeared first on Truckee River Fly Fishing Guide | Matt Heron Fly Fishing.

Here’s a small excerpt from our friends at Fly Water Travel…

Whether you are a seasoned fly angler or new to the sport, this trip to Montana with Simon Gawesworth is sure to be an exciting and educational adventure. Simon will be traveling with the latest Sage fly rods and RIO fly lines perfectly matched for the Missouri River. Students will learn in the classroom on select mornings and evenings and spend the first day learning to cast with Simon and Matt. The second day of the course is designed to teach anglers how to fish with dry flies, nymphs and indicators, streamers and soft hackles, all while wade fishing on the Missouri River. The remaining two days concentrate on putting into practice the skills learned with two days of guided fishing with top Montana guides.

Far Bank Fly Fishing Schools are designed so that students leave the course with all the knowledge and skills needed for a lifetime of enjoyment in fly fishing. We do this by keeping the instructor to student ratio to an absolute minimum. On group lesson days there will be a maximum of 4 students per instructor, and on the putting-into-practice fishing days, only two guests per professional guide.

Group Size: 8 students  (a minimum of 6 students is needed to run the school.

Itinerary: 

• April 30: Arrive Wolf Creek Lodge, Montana
• May 1: Classroom and casting sessions with Simon and Matt 
• May 2: Morning classroom session, full day of wade fishing with Simon and Matt…

Continue reading here with Fly Water Travel.

The post Montana Trout School w/ a Legend! appeared first on Truckee River Fly Fishing Guide | Matt Heron Fly Fishing.

Having booked dates and hotel rooms 3-6 months out, we were committed, and I’m glad we where.

Our first round of students set the standard with excitement, passion, and an incredible few days being introduced to fly fishing.

Goals for the week…cast better, tie knots faster, bugs and fly selection, and reading the water.

We had an absolute blast with the first crew of the year, and I want to thank you all for joining us this week. Not to mention a big thanks to guides John and Mike for helping along the way!

Enjoy a few highlights from the week and see our summer Trout School openings below.

Email us anytime for a full itinerary, details and pricing at mattheronflyfishinginfo@gmail.com

-Matt and Lu

The post Truckee Trout School 101 appeared first on Truckee River Fly Fishing Guide | Matt Heron Fly Fishing.