A Truckee River safely accessible to all people for all future generations.

About Us.

Live it.

We are a group of passionate fly-fishing anglers and guides aiming to keep access to the Truckee river public. As a group that recreates and considers the Truckee river a main artery of our livelihood we do hope you will join us in fighting for safe public access.

Our Mission.

Protect it.

To ensure public access on the Truckee River, acting as a voice for people, wild fish, and habitat throughout the Truckee River watershed.  We will raise public awareness to threats to public access, impacts to wild trout, or risks to the health of the watershed.  We will advocate for the rights of present and future generations to enjoy access to the Truckee River for its fishing, trails, kayaking, rafting, swimming, cold clean water, and wild trout. 

Truckee River Public Waters is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 2024.

Board of Directors.

  • Man standing in the Truckee River holding up a brown trout.

    Matt "Gilligan" Koles

    DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT

    As a longtime fly fishing guide on the Truckee River, I've experienced intimidation while accessing it in Hirschdale. This spurred me to advocate for public access. The Truckee River faces threats from private landowners, development, and water diversions. It needs a voice. I am committed to preserving the river for my children and future generations to enjoy its clean water and wild trout.

  • Bill Kitchen

    DIRECTOR

    Bill Kitchen is a fly fishing guide based out of Reno, Nevada. He was born and raised in central California and moved to Reno as a teenager. It is here where his love for the Truckee River began. Bill is an advocate for the Truckee river and speaks for it's fish and is a voice for public access.

  • A man and his child enjoy a snack on the banks of a river with their dog.

    Burton Li

    DIRECTOR/TREASURER

    Burton is an avid fly fisherman who has been fishing the Truckee River for over a decade. The son of a fisheries biologist, he spent much of his youth fishing and exploring the eastern sierras around Mono Lake. He attended UC Santa Cruz and has a major in Community Studies, where he studied social change and community activism. He is now the CEO of Sutro Li, an accounting firm that specializes in providing accounting for nonprofit organizations. Burton lives in Truckee with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.

  • A man kneels in the river posing with a brown trout.

    Doug Brown

    DIRECTOR/SECRETARY

    Doug was raised in Reno, Nevada and grew up exploring western public lands/waters. As a child he developed an early passion for fly fishing on the Truckee River and exploring the Great Basin. He has continued the tradition of exposing his family to the outdoors through public lands/ water and is committed to ensuring that access to public lands remains unfettered for future generations.

    Doug is a practicing lawyer in Reno, Nevada where he lives with his wife, Leslie. He enjoys fly fishing, spending time with his family and bird hunting with his dog, Rosebud. He served in the United States Marine Corps. and subsequently attended undergraduate school at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He attended law school at the University of The Pacific, McGeorge School of law.

  • A young man kneels in the Truckee River holding up a brown trout for the camera.

    Blake Hunter

    DIRECTOR

    Blake is a 14 year veteran fly fishing guide and lifelong local of the Lake Tahoe/Truckee region. He's a Western State College University, CO graduate with a passion for the outdoors. If he's not ripping his snowboard in the backcountry in the winter, you'll likely catch him on the banks of any stream or river in the Truckee area.