Western Nevada NDOW Fishing Report

Photo Credit: Courtesy of NDOW

by Nevada Department of Wildlife
10-2-2019
Website

BILK CREEK RESERVOIR

The reservoir is fishing great for bass now that the summer heat is finally setting in. Bait fishing remains good early and late in the day with powerbait in deeper water for trout. Trout fishing will pick up again as night time temperatures drop.

Good reports back from Blue. Sporadic midge, damsels, and mayfly hatches have fish on the surface early and late in the day. Snail and damsel patterns have been an excellent retrieved or trolled slowly behind a sinking line.
The Carson is fishing well but has been pretty crowded in the usual haunts. Flows are still coming down making some access points challenging. Spin fisherman using larger spinner and spoons have caught some good fish recently. Fly fisherman moving larger streamers through deeper water have caught some really healthy fish recently. Larger stonefly nymphs paired with small pheasant tails under the indicator have also been productive. Hopper fishing will continue to get better as flows come down through summer.
Fishing is fair to slow for walleye, crappie, wiper and catfish. A few walleye are being caught slowly trolling minnow imitations or worm harnesses. Trolling faster with rapala minnow imitations is a good method for walleye as well. For crappie use bright colored jigs in the flooded vegetation. The few that fly fish Chimney Reservoir tend to stick with the chartreuse and yellow Clouser minnows. Note that all tiger muskie must be released and report the tag # to NDOW. Additional Tiger Muskie fingerlings will be introduced during the 2019 season and some larger fish are showing up during surveys.
The East Walker River flows are currently high with higher water demands downstream. Flows will start to come when night time lows start to fall. Fishing will be great when the river comes into shape. Fly fisherman have reported a few fish on larger streamers but high flows make wading a challenge. Spin fisherman using larger plugs or rapalas may entice the occasional larger fish in deeper pools or runs.
Terrestrial fishing is excellent. Parachute ants, beetles, and damsel adults are all taken off the surface throughout the day. Fish have also been aggressive enough to hunt down slowly retrieved nymphs all day long. Midge and dragons are the most prolific insects at the moment. Fish have also been on the surface feeding pretty actively when the wind is down.
There is currently an algae bloom at Knott Creek Reservoir. NDOW will be monitoring the bloom over the coming weeks. Cooler temperatures in the short term will help but expect this to extend through August. Check back for updates.
The bass have been a little inconsistent but when you find them, expect to hook up often. The cooler overnight lows have the fish less active in the morning making afternoons and evening the best bet. Spin fisherman using chartreuse and white jigs, kastmasters, and small spinners are finding fish along sandy beaches. Fly fisherman are finding bass on bright streamers along many of the sand beaches. In addition to the bass,  a few large trout have been caught this season near the dam. Seasonable warm temperatures in the extended forecast should keep fishing more consistent.
Good to fair reports of smaller macs trolling fairly deep. Cooler temperatures will help bring fish up over the next six weeks. Shore anglers are using smaller spinners for planted trout and larger spoons for larger rainbows and browns have been doing well.
Fishing has been fair at Hinkson for bass. Bass can be found early and late in the day right next to the tulles and around other structure. In addition to the bass, a few trout are still being caught early and late. Poppers and mice patterns on the surface can be good near the shore and along the tulles. Spin fisherman bouncing small jigs along the bottom have been picking up both bass and trout.
The 2019 fishing season is closed

Fishing has been good and will continue to get better with the falling temperatures. Spin fisherman using small rooster tails, spoons, kastmasters, and mepps are catching trout 12-15”” range. Fly fisherman in boats trolling small woolly buggers, leech patterns, and nymphs continue to pick up fish all day long. Some of the better fly patterns include; sheep creek specials, Zug bugs, and red copper John’s. Terrestrials from shore can be effective all day when the wind is calm. 

RYE PATCH

Fishing has slowed down some with the extreme heat but will pick up fall creeps in. Fishing will just continue to improve with good water conditions and the fall temperatures. Spin Fisherman are finding that Rapala minnow imitations are working well in addition to larger brightly colored jigs. Fly Fisherman are picking up an occasional walleye or bass on chartreuse woolly buggers or clouser minnows near the dam.
Fishing has been better as more access to lake opens up from shore. Fishing out of a boat will be the most productive option until the cold really sets in and knocks down the remaining vegetation. Morning mayfly and midge hatches have been a little inconsistent but fish seem to still sporadically breaking the surface till the sun comes up. Fly fisherman in boats have been doing well slowly trolling damsels or small dark leech patterns along the weed beds and in the deeper weed channels. Parachute adams, Cutter’s Bi-Visible Dun, and small black elk hair caddis are all excellent dry flies to have at Spooner in the Fall. Expect to hook a few chub during an outing.
Fishing at Squaw Reservoir can be productive through the summer months near the dam for trout or at the inlet for bass.  Now is the best time of year for largemouth bass at the reservoir. Early and late in the day poppers can be effective along and in the shoreline tulles. Spinnerbaits and floating rapalas can also work well along the shoreline for large bass. Fly fishing with sinking lines near the dam out of boats has been fair to good this spring.
Topaz has been fishing well, shore anglers with powerbait and boaters trolling flash rigs are doing the best. Most trout are around 12 inches with a few up to 18 reported. Crawlers off the bottom have also been productive early and late in the day. Fishing for trout should remain good and productive through fall.
The river is in excellent condition. Flows are at prime fall levels and the cool overnight temperatures have kept the trout happy. Fishing mid-day will continue to be good until the cold really sets in. Insects are abundant with the amount of water we’ve seen over the last three seasons. Spin fisherman have been doing well around the parks for hatchery trout. Depending on where you’re at on the river, there have been some good caddis hatches and a few pale mayflies still hatching throughout the day. E/C caddis, yellow elk hair caddis, and parachute orange dry flies have been productive. Nymph fishing continues to be the best method for numbers but streamers are going to be the best bet for the real big fish this Fall.
URBAN PONDS
The summer heat is finally on its way out and the Urban Ponds are scheduled to be stocked again through late fall. Fisherman are having luck using Powerbait, small night crawlers and salmon eggs. Spooner Lake, Sparks Marina, James Kinney Pond, Paradise Ponds, Marilyn's Pond, Baily Pond, and Wilson Commons all received fish plants the last week of September.
Walker Lake is currently at 44% of capacity and rising. An increase in the lake level is key to the fishery rebounding.

Wall Canyon Reservoir is currently difficult to access due to the amount of precipitation received in the region.  The access is road is extremely muddy and four wheel drive is necessary.  As things dry out in the spring expect excellent fishing for carryover rainbow and brown trout as well as smallmouth bass.

WASHOE LAKE

Stocking of several thousand channel catfish and white crappie along with half a million juvenile white bass has occurred in both Little Washoe Lake and Washoe Lake during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Expect slow fishing with some areas being more productive than others. Fishing should be productive in Little Washoe Lake this spring.





More Reports

Nevada Department of Wildlife Reports
for Wednesday, October 2nd, 2019
Cave Lake: Cave Lake water levels to be lowered temporarily while dam rehabilitation project is underway
: AIS Watercraft Stations Switching to Winter Hours
Lake Mead: Fish Have Been Taking Anchovies
Lake Mohave: Action For Bass is Picking Up
Colorado River - Laughlin: Trout Are Biting Below Davis Dam
Las Vegas Urban Ponds: Slightly Cooler Temps Slowing Down The Action for Warm Water Fish
Kirch Wildlife Management Area: Kirch Wildlife Management Area Fishing Report
Eagle Valley Reservoir: Tourt Action Has Been Good
Echo Canyon Reservoir: Weather is Looking Good For The Weekend
: NDOW Southern Fishing Report
Bilk Creek Reservoir: Great Fishing For Bass Right Now
Blue Lakes: Good Reports Back From Blue Lakes
Carson River: The Carson is Fishing Well
Chimney Dam Reservoir: Chinmey Reservoir Fishing Report
East Walker River (NV): The East Flows Are Currently High
Hobart Reservoir: Fish Have Been Surface Feeding Preety Actively
Knott Creek Reservoir: Currently an Algae Bloom
Lahontan Reservoir: Afternoons & Evening Bite is Your Best Bet
Lake Tahoe: Cooler Temps Will Help Bring The Fish Up
Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area: Fishing Has Been Fair For Bass
Marlette Lake: 2019 Season Closed
Onion Valley Reservoir: Fishing Has Been Good & Continues To Get Better
Rye Patch Reservoir: Fishing Continues To Improve
Spooner Lake: Fishing From Boat Has Been Most Productive
Squaw Creek Reservoir: Squaw Creek Fishing Report
Topaz Lake: Topaz Has Been Fishing Weel
Truckee River: The River is in Excellent Condition
Wall Canyon Reservoir: Difficult to Access

Nevada Department of Wildlife Reports
for Wednesday, September 25th, 2019
Lake Mead: 28 Pound Striper Catch
Lake Mohave: Stripers and Catfish Are Biting Throughout the Lake
Colorado River - Laughlin: Anglers Catching a Variety of Fish
Las Vegas Urban Ponds: Las Vegas Urban Ponds Fishing Report
Kirch Wildlife Management Area: Fishing Action Has Been Good
Eagle Valley Reservoir: Eagle Valley Reservoir Fishing Report
Echo Canyon Reservoir: Echo Canyon Fishing Report
: NDOW Southern Fishing Report