Stillwater · Mixed · US, US

Martis Lake

Martis Lake terrain map

Martis Lake is a small stillwater up near Truckee that earned its reputation the hard way — as one of California's pioneering wild-trout, catch-and-release, barbless waters.

Fair · Rainbow
Balanced Leech · 8-12
A respectable few hours, if you choose your moments
Good wave on — drift country. A useful wave. Work the productive shore.
49% confidence
limited data

Martis Lake is often best in spring through autumn.

What moved it
  • WindSW 16 km/hGentle breeze
Today's fly
Balanced Leech
Balanced Leech8-12
Proven pattern for this period
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Gentle breeze
SW 16 km/h
N
SW
from the south-west
Wave20 cm ripple
Water temp8.4°C
Air temp8°C
CloudClear
Pressure1017 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

No gauge on this water — readings are regional estimates from weather, not a live gauge.

How to fish it · for Rainbow
When
No strong hatch signals at the moment — general searching tactics should work best. The ripple is helpful — fish should move onto the feed and a slow-drifted team or single wet will cover water well.
Where
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. When no hatch is visible, a buzzer team — black stripped quill on the point, attractor or pearl-rib on the top dropper — is the default starting point on any UK stillwater.
The plan
Plan A

Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. When no hatch is visible, a buzzer team — black stripped quill on the point, attractor or pearl-rib on the top dropper — is the default starting point on any UK stillwater.

Plan B

If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.

Watch for

Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.

Bank

Bank-only venue. Fish from accessible margins, points, weed edges, and inflows.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

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Through the year
0–3 scale · September highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Flying AntsHatch
1
2
1
Gray DrakeHatch
1
1
CallibaetisHatch
1
2
2
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Rainbow fly box
CH
Chironomid
12-16 · Pattern
Proven pattern for this period
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
52%
Cloud25%
Wind65%
Temp60%

A reasonable day here, though cloud isn't quite in the sweet spot.

Fishing better nearby · 5
Little Truckee River
10 km
80
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Truckee River
6.0 km
75
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Milton Reservoir
46 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Rubicon River
54 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Frenchman Lake
66 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
About this water

Martis Lake is a small stillwater up near Truckee that earned its reputation the hard way — as one of California's pioneering wild-trout, catch-and-release, barbless waters. It is weedy, it is technical, and it does not give fish to anyone in a hurry. The rainbows, browns and cutthroat here have seen flies before and made up their minds about most of them. What it offers in return is the kind of fishing that makes you a better angler whether you want to be or not: cruising fish in clear water, real hatches to read, and the quiet satisfaction of fooling something that knew better. On a still evening with midges coming off and trout dimpling along the weed lines, Martis is as good as small-water fishing gets in the Sierra.

  • Lake
  • Mixed
Why this score
  • autumn conditions with clear skies and breezy wind.
Related guides
Thermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperatureEuro Nymphingsubsurface methods
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