Truckee River Public Waters | Matt Koles | E63

Jun 3, 2025

Matt 'Gilligan' Koles, a dedicated fly fishing guide with over 20 years on the Truckee River, discusses critical access issues affecting public enjoyment of this vital waterway. He reveals ongoing conflicts with private landowners who have illegitimately blocked access, using intimidation tactics. The conversation dives into the historical significance of the Truckee River and its ecological challenges, while Koles emphasizes the community's fight for public rights through the nonprofit Truckee River Public Waters. It's an inspiring call to action for preserving nature's treasures.

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ANECDOTE

PowBot's Northern Pike Childhood Tale

PowBot shares vivid childhood memories of fishing for Northern Pike and Walleye in Michigan and Canada, including a memorable 40-minute battle with a huge Pike.
These early experiences deeply shaped his view of fishing and why he hasn't embraced fly fishing yet.

ANECDOTE

Trail Whisperer's Cape Hatteras Adventures

Trail Whisperer recounts formative fishing experiences at Cape Hatteras, north Carolina, where he learned to surf and fish and witnessed extraordinary ocean fishing.
The stories include catching sharks and giant Great White sharks, highlighting the thrill and scale of saltwater fishing.

INSIGHT

Truckee River's Vital Role

The Truckee River is a cherished, accessible natural resource flowing through downtown Reno.
Its varied use for fishing, rafting, and community engagement underscores the river's vital regional role beyond typical city waterway perceptions.

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Along one of the best stretches of the Truckee River for fishing, a private landowner in Hirschdale has been blocking legal public access by placing no trespassing signs below the high water mark of the river. Longtime Hirschdale resident Matt “Gilligan” Koles, who’s been a fly fishing guide on the Truckee River for more than two decades, has been fighting these illegally placed signs, as well as dealing with aggressive intimidation tactics involving drawn firearms by the landowner. The Truckee is considered a navigable river, meaning the public has legal access to the river below the high water mark. Nonetheless, the illegally placed signs have not moved, and the intimidation has scared most of the public away. In response, last fall, Matt and a group of fly fishing friends formed @truckeeriverpublicwaters – a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to protecting legal public access to the Truckee River. In Episode 63, the boys chat about the importance of the Truckee River, a bit of its history, a little about fishing and a lot about the access struggle community members in Hirschdale have been facing and what we as the public can do to ensure legal access is preserved.

2:00 – PowBot growing up fishing for Walleye and Northern Pike in Michigan.

7:25 – Trail Whisperer growing up fishing at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

13:00 – The importance of the Truckee River to the Reno/Tahoe region.

16:45 – Truckee River public access issues are happening in Hirschdale.

19:35 – The story of OTB and Deer Creek trail access issues.

24:00 – Public vs private land access issues and knowing your access rights.

27:35 – More reminiscing about Cape Hatteras.

29:10 – Whatcha been riding?

30:45 – Truckee River Trivia – the river doesn’t start in Lake Tahoe, there’s an Upper Truckee River.

31:35 – Introducing Matt “Gilligan” Koles and Truckee River Public Waters.

35:30 – Senator Newlands (Newlands Act) bought a bunch of land and diverted the Truckee River.

38:45 – Matt’s story moving to Hirschdale and creating Gilligan’s Guide Service.

43:30 – What makes the Truckee River so special for fly fishing?

46:10 – Lake Lahontan and the origins of the Lahontan Cutthroat Trout – a native prehistoric fish.

48:09 – Some unique facts about the Truckee River.

49:45 – The Paiute Tribe of Pyramid Lake, water rights, drought and the reservoir system feeding the Truckee River.

55:00 – Truckee River Public Waters – preserving public access along the Truckee River.

56:30 – The current public access issues people are facing currently in Hirschdale.

1:05:15 – The confusion over the “high water” mark on the Truckee River.

1:19:00 – The Hirschdale bridge is the main access point for the Tahoe Pyramid Trail.

1:22:00 – What should the public do regarding legal access to the river in Hirschdale?

1:25:30 – What if you get harassed by a landowner? What should you do?

1:32:16 – How can people help support Truckee River Public Waters?

1:34:25 – All fisherman are liars and the Truckee River is hard to catch big fish.

1:38:20 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?