Eastern Nevada Fishing Report

The water level has dropped a bit so there is more shoreline for fishing.  Bait anglers have seen fishing slow as trout are keying on aquatic insects.  Fly rodders have had success using small elk hair caddis, hopper or stimulator with an olive or peacock soft hackle dropper below though any dropper fly with green or peacock herl will work.  Small spinners and rooster tails should also be effective, just give them enough time to sink to the level the fish are at. Spin anglers can put a fly behind a bobber for casting and have better luck that way.  

Fishing is slow to fair for trout and fair to good for bass.  There continues to be a mayfly hatch so  BWO’s, PMD’s, hares ears, Adams and Griffiths gnats are all worth a try for fly fishermen.  The water level is still good with some of the willows in the water providing cover for bass, so fish for bass near the willows.

While the water level is low, the lake isn’t losing any more water and the inflow appears to be keeping up with evaporation.  Just like the rest of the eastern Nevada reservoirs, the trout fishing has slowed as they move into the deeper cooler water.  The usual worms, PowerBait or mealworms should all work.  Small spinners and spoons should be good for spin fishermen.  The usual black and olive wooly buggers, small chironomids, hares ears and pheasant tail nymphs are good starting points for fly rodders. The trick is to get any of the presentations deep into the water column. 

The weeds have come on and shore anglers are finding it difficult to catch fish from shore.  Trout fishing has been fair, while bass fishing has been good. However, right at dusk, the trout bite seems to turn on.   Bass fishing is also good, especially in the evenings with anglers reporting a large number of 6 to 8 inch fish with keeper bass being caught about every fifth fish.  Dark soft plastics in blue or black with sparkles were working for bass. Worms and PowerBait are popular here as are black or olive woolly buggers, prince nymphs, PT’s and hares ears.  

Shore fishermen don’t appear to be faring as well as boaters or float tube anglers as the edges are getting weedy and the fish are hanging in the deeper cooler water in the middle of the reservoir. Remember this is a wakeless water so go slow if you are in a boat with a motor.  It is difficult to launch much more than a small rowboat or car topper due to water and shore conditions.  Small spinners, PowerBait or worms should all work.  While fly rodders should be using hares ears, small nymphs and wooly buggers.  Please return any black bass or blue gill back to the lake to help with rebuilding the warm water fishery here.

Area streams are at or near normal flows making for good fishing. Not only that, but hoppers are out and this is the time of year to hit our creeks for some great dry fly action.  Just be on the lookout for snakes. Lamoille Creek is finally flowing at a normal 15 cfs as of this past Thursday. Streams in northern Elko County are flowing close to normal with the Bruneau at 22 cfs and the West Fork of the Jarbidge at 7 cfs and they are fishing well. The East Fork of the Owyhee was flowing at 63 cfs near Mountain City.  Creeks in central Nevada are flowing at normal or slightly below normal flows for this time of year and many such as Steptoe, Cleve and Ward Creeks are fishable. Fishing in Steptoe Creek has been fair to good, while fishing in Cleve Creek has been slow to fair.  No report on Ward.

Fishing is good at the higher elevations as trout take advantage of the short growing season.    The same presentations and techniques that work at Angel all work well up here.  Remember the further you get from the trailhead, there is less fishing pressure therefore the better the fishing is.  All of the lakes are accessible.  

Bass fishing for keeper sized bass is good.  With water levels up the bass are spread out more so anglers need to move until they find them.  Dark plastic four to six inch grubs with sparkles in them seem to be the presentation of choice. Colors include blue, dark red, dark green, purple and motor oil.  Fishing in the ditch for trout is fair.   Fly rodders should try the usual assortment of nymphs under an indicator as well as wooly, seal and crystal buggers. Scuds, midges, and small Blue Winged Olives are all worth a try.  Of course the usual small hares ears, PT’s, copper Johns and buggers are all staples in the ditch. Spin fishermen should try small minnow imitators and gold spinners.  The collection ditch is artificial lures and flies only and no wading is allowed. Boats can still be easily launched at both the main boat ramp and at Narciss as the water level in the south marsh is good.  The road was graded a couple of weeks ago, but is already washboarded.   

The surface water temperatures have climbed into the mid to high 70’s and trout fishing has slowed considerably due to this.  Even boaters don’t seem to be having a lot of luck for trout. The trout being caught are averaging between 13 and 17 inches with an occasional 20 inch fish.  If fishing from a boat, use a deep diving presentation to get your terminal tackle to between 15 and 20 feet deep for trout. Some trout are being caught in the river above the reservoir using hopper patterns.  Black bass are moving into vegetation at the south end of the lake and onto structure along shorelines.  Some smallmouth and largemouth bass have moved into the river above the causeway. There are special regulations in the river including single barbless hooks, so make sure to read the fishing proclamation for this water before fishing here.  Mayflies and damselflies are hatching, so flies such as pheasant tail nymphs, gold ribbed hares ears, pale morning duns, blue winged olives (BWO’s) and other mayfly as well as damselfly imitations should be used. Damselflies should be fished near vegetation and mayflies may be fished on more open water.  There is road construction south of the state park headquarters so those wanting to access the west side of the lake will need to go in through Twin Bridges.  Expect this to continue into October.

Fishing for keeper crappie continues to be fair to good.  The road is rough so care should be taken driving here.  Anglers report catching crappie in the rocks, fishing a small white plastic grub underneath a bobber.  Crappie like structure, so look for submerged brush, willows and rocks.