Elko County Fish Reports

Fishing is excellent for trout. Trolling, bait fishing, and fly fishing with midges and balanced leaches under indicators have all been great. Trout up to 6-7 pounds are being caught. Anglers are reminded with the warming water temperatures to land trout quickly and unhook in the water if they are planning to release the fish. Anglers are reporting marking large schools of yellow perch in

Fishing is excellent for bass right now. The reservoir is full with lots of shoreline cover for the bass to be hiding in. Topwaters early and late in the day and soft plastics in the midday will catch fish. The trout fishing has also been very early and late as the fish move into the shallows to feed. Anglers are doing well trolling or fly

The road to Angel Lake is open all the way to the top. Anglers are having luck throwing green PowerBait and small trout spinners off the dam. Fly anglers paddling float tubes or kayaks near the rock walls are catching trout on small ant and leech patterns.

Water is starting to turn a little green, but the big algae bloom hasn’t happened yet. Trout of good size are still being caught from shore, but boaters are tending to have better luck in deeper water. Bass are hitting off weedy points and in the coves. Catfish are also active, with a 20 pounder caught from shore on shrimp. The lake was brought back up

Snowmelt is causing the river to swell greatly, with the gauge above the reservoir reading 605 cfs as of 5/24/2024. Increased flows are resulting in turbid water both above and below the reservoir, and difficult fishing conditions. Use caution during this time. Special Regulation: Artificial lures with single barbless hooks only above the Lucky Nugget causeway. Limit of 1 trout.

Jakes Creek Reservoir is full, with water temperatures in the low 50’s.  Anglers are having fair to good luck catching 13 to 18 inch trout from the shore, boat or float tube. Channel catfish were stocked 5/23/24.

Wildhorse Reservoir continues to spill into the river, resulting in good flows and fair fishing just below the dam. Wading is not recommended at thist time.

Harrison Pass is open and in good shape. The first spring stocking occured 4/9/2024, with rainbow trout averaging 10 inches. Fishing should be fair to good in the pond behind the hatchery and near the main boat landing. Panther Martins, Kastmasters and spinners are recommended. The bass bite will pick up by mid-June. Try small spinner baits or soft plastics. Special Regulation: Minimum size for

Rainbow trout were stocked 5/13/24. Water temps are in the 50s and water clarity is good. Trout fishing should be fair to good. Try rooster tails, spoons, Rapalas, or an inflated worm a couple feet off the bottom. Trout will be actively feeding in the shallows throughout the day. Anglers wishing to fly fish should find success stripping wooly buggers and leech patterns, or fishing

As of 5/24/24 the road to Angel Lake is open, but the lake is still frozen and shorelines are covered in snow.

Spring stockings of channel catfish and wipers occured this week. Most anglers are having luck fishing near the dam, catching rainbow trout in the 15″-18” range. Try Rooster tails and flashy spinners, or an inflated worm under a bobber. Fly anglers are having luck stripping olive wooly buggers or fishing balanced leeches under an indicator. Anglers should fish the shallows, where the water is warmer.

Jiggs Reservoir is ice free. Expect muddy conditions along the shorelines. Fishing should be fair to good for trout in the 10″ range. Try worms, spinners, and PowerBait near the bottom.

Flows are extremely high, take caution. As of 04/17, the East Fork of the Owyhee below the dam was flowing at 474 cfs while at the gage at Mountain City is showing 1250 cfs.

Harrison Pass is open. The first spring stocking occured 4/9/2024, with trout averaging 10 inches. Fishing should be fair to good in the pond behind the hatchery and near the main boat landing.

Willow Creek Reservoir is maintaining good water levels. Due to low numbers of fish in the reservoir, fishing is expected to be slow for the foreseeable future.

Road has been muddy but should dry out with the warmer weather. Expect similar conditions to South Fork Reservoir.

The boat ramp is officially open and the dock is in the water. Clarity at the south end of the lake is poor due to snowmelt running in at the inlet. Action for shoreline anglers has slowed since March. Most anglers are having luck fishing near the dam, catching rainbow trout in the 15″-18” range. Anglers should fish the shallows, where the water is warmer.