NDOW HOME
Home | Search State of Nevada
Apply for a Tag Register Your Boat Buy a License

 

 


Fishing

 

Fish Nevada
Fishing Report


YOUR HOT SPOTS!

Where are you and your fellow Nevada anglers fishing? You let us know! Check out our Nevada Fishing Hot Spots page to find out!

 

Available fishing reports are generally updated weekly for southern Nevada. Reports for northwest and northeast Nevada will be posted as made available.

USGS Link for Nevada stream and river flows.


Southern Nevada

QUAGGA REMINDER: With the ice melting on northern waters, anglers are preparing their boats for the trip north and NDOW is asking boaters to take the necessary precautions to prevent the spread of quagga mussels from the Colorado River system to other waters. Thoroughly clean, drain and dry your boat, trailer and towing vessel before traveling to another water.

EAGLE VALLEY RESERVOIR

Fishing is being described by anglers as slow but steady. Fishing pressure has increased along with the warming temperatures. PowerBait, Rooster Tails and silver spoons have all been taking nine- to 10-inch rainbows. Weeds are starting to make their annual debut along the shoreline and will make fishing more difficult in the near future.

ECHO CANYON RESERVOIR

Crappie have been active and taking bait. Fish for them along the south shoreline and into the narrows at the reservoir’s upper end. For rainbows try the deep water along the dam.

LAKE MEAD

Tournament anglers found good fishing for both largemouth and smallmouth bass over the weekend. Most of the fish were taken in water less than 10 feet deep on drop shot rigs or with various crankbaits. Catfish and small stripers are also providing anglers with some action. Catfish are taking stink baits and the stripers cut bait or live shad.

LAKE MOHAVE

Shore and boat anglers continue to find fair to good fishing for catfish and largemouth bass. Whisker fish are taking prepared baits fished on the bottom. Bucket mouths to four pounds and the occasional striper are taking top-water plugs and jerkbaits. Boaters are catching striped bass by trolling with prepared bait just outside of the coves in 20 to 80 feet of water. Stripers are also taking lures. Most fish are in the one- to three-pound range with an occasional ten-pounder.

At Willow Beach fishing is remains slow from boats as well as from the shore. One boating party, however, reportedly caught several trout while fishing from the southernmost buoys to about a mile downstream. They were using an assortment of small hardware or night crawlers.

Here are some of the successful anglers from Lake Mojave. From left to right: Bruce Silat with a 42-inch, 41.46 pound striper, Chuck McMurry holds up a 36 inch and a 34.5-inch striper, and 7-year-old Lily Easter holding up a 22.5 pound striper.

LAUGHLIN

No Report.

WAYNE E. KIRCH WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA

As spring turns to summer, weeds will become a problem along the shorelines of the reservoirs on the management area. Bait anglers will need to adjust their leader length to keep their bait above the weeds. Floating baits or worms with mini marshmallows are generally productive. Bass anglers will want to work the edges of the reed beds and open pockets.

URBAN PONDS

A few rainbow trout are still biting at the Floyd Lamb Park and Veteran’s Memorial Park ponds. Bluegill and catfish are also biting. One angler reeled in a 16-inch largemouth bass while throwing a spinner-bait at Floyd Lamb on Saturday. NDOW plans called for catfish to be stocked this week at Sunset and Veteran’s Memorial parks. The ponds at Lorenzi and Floyd Lamb parks will be stocked next week. So too will Hafen Park in Mesquite. For bluegill go with small hooks and meal worms or bread rolled into balls. For whisker fish try stink baits, night crawlers or chicken livers.


Northeastern Nevada

The weather has been the big inhibitor in fishing lately, with thunderstorms and high winds. Please keep an eye on the weather conditions, and when they deteriorate, get off the water. There will be plenty of other days to go fishing.

ANGEL LAKE

There are several large drifts on the road up to the lake, so it may be a while before this road is open.

CAVE LAKE

Fishing at Cave Lake is fair to good depending upon the day and the changing weather conditions. Small spinners, worms and PowerBait are all working for planter trout.

COMINS LAKE

Trout fishing has been poor here due to the illegal introduction of pike which have decimated the trout and bass fishing here. Due to this, NDOW is currently not stocking Comins with trout.

ILLIPAH

Illipah was stocked in late April and fishing is good. There are some larger trout that are carryover fish from last year’s stocking operations.

JAKE'S / BOISE RESERVOIR

Approximately 2,000 trout were stocked on Wednesday, May 7. Carry-over fish are in the 10 to 12 inch size with the occasional 14 fish being caught. The water temps are still a bit cool for bass fishing.

JIGGS / ZUNINO RESERVOIR

Jiggs was stocked with 2,000 fish on Wednesday, May 7. Anglers are being asked to keep the fish they catch up to the legal limit, as this water has been getting low in the late summer and most of the trout may not survive.

MOUNTAIN STREAMS & LAKES

Streams are full and muddy. Fishing will be a bit difficult in most of our area streams until the snow melt slows down later in the spring. The exceptions will be the beaver ponds that may clear up as the water slows down.

RUBY LAKE NWR

No change here. Fishing is slow to fair, with the main boat landing being sIow and the ditch being fair. I would recommend a bear hair streamer, wooly buggers or leach patterns in the ditch right now. They can be fished on a floating line and let the weight of the fly take it down. These flies tied with bead heads are also effective here this time of year. Bead head nymphs may also work. The larger patterns recommended in the South Fork report above, should be effective here as well.

SOUTH FORK RESERVOIR

Not much change here, though a few more bass and wipers are being picked up. Most of the trout appear to be hanging a bit deeper and trollers are having the best luck fishing between 15 and 20 feet down using flashers, wedding rings and spinners. The wipers appear to be moving into the coves at times and hitting the chub fry so watch for boils around the lake. Also, anglers have had success with the wipers at the south end of the lake in the willows. Most fly rodders are producing fish with wooly bugger, leach and similarly large patterns in browns, bloods, olives and blacks. Purple has also been effective. It appears that the larger patterns, sized 4 through 8 are working the best and that having flash in the tail and body is essential. The water temperature is in the 50’s and a few bass are being picked up in the afternoons. As the water temps get closer to 60, the bass will become more active. Finally, no black bass may be taken here until July 1st. One wiper 15 inches or longer may be kept.

WILDHORSE RESERVOIR

The lake level continues to rise which is good, but fishing has been just fair. There are perch hanging in the canyon on structure, but with the spawn about to start, fishing for perch probably will be slow until around Memorial Day. Trout appear to be hanging on the bottom. The Hendricks arm is a turbid, but considering the runoff, the rest of the lake isn’t that bad. The water is in the 40’s in the canyon but into the low 50’s in the coves and shallower parts of the lake. Not many anglers on the water, so it is hard to get a true representation of how the fishing is. But anglers should use larger presentations that have some flash. As the water temps warm up a bit, then the trout should start cruising the shoreline and will be more accessible. Right now though, boaters will probably have the best luck. On Monday, May 12, NDOW will be stocking catchable sized trout into the lake.

WILSON RESERVOIR

The water is spilling over the spillway. Fishing below the spillway should be good very soon. Damsel nymph patterns fished along the willow edges just south of the boat ramp should be very effective on warm sunny afternoons. Otherwise, bead head PT’s as well as wooly buggers and leaches are all worth a try if the damsels aren’t working. Fishing here should be on a par with South Fork as trollers will generally do better than shore anglers using the same methods as at South Fork.


Northwestern Nevada

BILK CREEK RESERVOIR

Road in good shape and ice is off.

BIG SPRINGS RESERVOIR

Water is dropping again. Springs discontinued to flow.

BOULDER RESERVOIR

    No reports.

CARSON RIVER

    With cooler temps, the Carson has been fishing slowly, but anglers have had some luck near the broken dam in Gardnerville. Try using Castmasters in gold and if fly fishing try using midge patterns.

CATNIP RESERVOIR TRIBUTARIES AND OUTLET

    Closed November 15..

CHIMNEY RESERVOIR

    Ice is off.

FORT CHURCHILL COOLING PONDS

    The opener on February 9 was a bit slow due to water temperatures. Fishing should pick up as the warmer temperatures continue. Some bass being reported in the 12 inch to 14 inch rage. Try using rubber baits or weighted grubs.

HOBART RESERVOIR

    Season opened May 1, but road may be inaccessible. Fishing hours are from one hour before sunrise to two hours after sunset. Limit is 5 trout, only one of which is longer than 14 inches. Only artificial lures with single barbless hooks may be used.

LAHONTAN RESERVOIR

    No Reports. Boat ramps are a challenge due to low water conditions. Reports of some black bass and walleye are showing up as well in several location near the dam. Try using spinner baits in white and Slugo’s in white. Fly fisherman try using Clouser minnows. This fishery is continuing to be a producer.

LAKE TAHOE

    Anglers report Mackinaw fishing has been good. Try fishing in 110-120 feet using Flat Fish, Wiggle Worts and Hoochies behind dodgers. Some anglers have picked up some planted rainbow in and around painted rock.

LIBERTY POND

    Received 708 rainbow trout stocking as of 2/15/08.

MASON VALLEY WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA

    Opened February 9, any hour of the day for the following waters:

    Bass, Crappie, North Bonds, Beaver Slough and that portion of the Walker River within the Mason Valley WMA.

    Hinkson Slough same season as above. Limit is two trout and 15 warm water game fish of which not more than two may be black bass. Minimum size for trout is 16 inches. Minimum size for black bass is 14 inches. Artificial lures only. Come March 1st, it will be unlawfull to possess black bass between 11 and 14 inches in length.

    The opener for Hinkson was very slow but has picked up in the last few days with some reports of 20 inch fish being caught. Try using a zug bug or a water boatman with intermediate line for best results. Some bass action has arrived with the warmer temperatures. For best results run roster tails along the vegetation.

MARLETTE LAKE

      Closed.

PINE FOREST COMPLEX (Blue Lakes, Knott Creek, Onion)

    Blue Lakes, Closed November 15.
    Onion, is dry Closed November 15.
    Knott, Closed November 15.

RYE PATCH

    Anglers have been producing some nice walleye below the dam. Some anglers have produced action above the dam on windy days. Try casting into the wind and retrieve toward the shoreline.

SPOONER LAKE

Iced over.

SQUAW CREEK RESERVOIR

    Randy Lusetti, Regional Game warden, reported anglers have been averaging four fish an hour. Spinners have been producing the best results. Anglers have reported catching a few bullheads on worms. The bass action is still slow.

TOPAZ LAKE and CANAL

    Topaz Landing, reports several quality fish where caught last weekend. One Tiger trout weighing in at 2lb 4 oz was caught last week on needle fish. Some additional catches report a couple of fish at 1lb plus. Most boaters are concentrating their efforts on the South East side of the Lake towards the mouth of the river. Needle fish have been the most productive. No reports from bank fisherman.

TRUCKEE RIVER

    Water is high and murky. Recently stocked April 15 with 9,000 cutthroat trout. Try using streamers this time of year and heavy nymphs. Lure fisherman still use bait fish type of lures. Check out stream flows. Click Here for stream flow the USGS nevada stream flows.

WALKER LAKE

    Karie Wright, Walker Lake Fisheries Biologist, reports Spoons and powerbait from shore have been catching a fish now and then. Trolling with spoons has been the most productive, but still slow. Access is the same. It is near impossible to launch at Sportsman's boat dock/ramp. Launching at State Parks, with four wheel drive has been the best option.

EAST WALKER RIVER SPECIAL REGULATION WATERS

    Fishing is slow due to winter conditions, midge patterns should still prove successful. Below the elbow area of the East Walker has been fishing good try using Broken Back Rapala's and Blue Foxes. Flows should be picking up soon with run off on it’s way.

WEST WALKER RIVER

    It's time to try this sometimes under fished water. Winter conditions might make fishing challenging.

WALL CANYON RESERVOIR

    Game Warden Randy Lusetti reported some Small Mouth action in the shallows.

WASHOE COUNTY URBAN PONDS

Marilyn's ond has been refilled and was recently planted May 5 with 500 rainbow trout.

All urban Ponds have been planted except Virginia Lake. Virginia Lake will not be planted this spring.

Check out the latest stocking report.

  • Sparks Marina
  • Paradise Pond
  • Virginia Lake
  • Idlewild Ponds
  • Rancho San Rafael Pond
  • Wilson Commons
  • Marilyn's Pond

WASHOE LAKE

Washoe Lake dried in 2004 and, although it is presently full and has been restocked, the fish population, consisting mostly of channel catfish and white bass, is small. Fishing is expected to be poor.

HOME | Fish| Boat | Hunt | Wildlife & Habitat | Learn & Participate | Licenses & Laws | Our Agency | Contact Us
Copyright © 2008 Nevada Department of Wildlife

Nevada Department of Wildlife