Little has changed in fishing conditions and trout fishing has been good

South Fork Reservoir - Elko, NV (Elko County)


by Nevada Department of Wildlife
4-8-2022
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Little has changed in fishing conditions and the fishing has been good for trout at South Fork. The water temperature has moved into the mid to high 40’s.  Fishing has been good for spin, bait and fly rodders with most anglers fishing from Jet Ski Beach, on the northeast side of the lake and near the spillway on the northwest side of the lake and by the dam on the east side of the lake.  Bait anglers seem to be having the best luck with worms floated off of the bottom about 20-30 feet from shore.  Spin anglers continue to report good luck with gold Kastmasters, spinners and small jigs. Fly fishermen report that fishing has also been good for trout in the 15 to 20-inch range. Most are being caught with chironomid (midge larva) patterns fished under an indicator. Black snow cones with a white bead and red wire ribbing have been working well. Red snow cones are also producing fish. Black, olive or purple wooly buggers and leech patterns have are also catching fish.  However, brown or root beer colored wooly buggers and leeches with some flash seem to be working the best for stripping.  A few smallmouth and wipers have shown up in the creel.  Male bass are starting to transition from the deeper water to the spawning beds hanging in about 15 to 20 feet of water.  The wipers were caught near the surface, but in the middle of the south end of the lake.  If targeting these warm water fish, slow down the retrieve as the water is still well below their comfort zone and they are moving slower.  Chartreuse was working for the wipers but no report on what was working for the black bass.