Western Nevada Fish Reports

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 excellent with very little fishing traffic. The best mid-summer tactic seems to be big flies for big fish. Retrieving larger streamers near deep water from shore, or trolling them behind a float tube with a sinking line. A few fish have been seen on the surface late in the day. Damsels and midge will continue to be the most productive flies next

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.

The Truckee is healthy and fishing very well. Flows have bounced around a bit over the last month but seem to have stabilized now at roughly 500 cfs in Reno. Sporadic caddis hatches have been reported in the evenings from downtown to the state line. Good news for those who like to throw dry flies, it’s hopper time on the Truckee. A few larger fish

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

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.

Spooner has been fair from shore and good from float tubes or kayaks. The vegetation hasn’t taken complete control of the shoreline yet leaving some shoreline fishing access. Fly fisherman using callibaetis mayfly emergers late in the day are finding fish on the surface. Slowly retrieved woolly buggers and small leech patterns have worked during the afternoons both from shore and from boats. Powerbait and

White bass can be found along most of the sandy beaches late in the day with the occasional wiper showing up. A few walleye and smallies have shown up near rocky shoreline. Fly fisherman are finding success with sinking lines and small chartreuse or white clouser minnows. I’d expect that a 10” white deceiver streamer would entice one of the 15+ pound wipers out there.

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

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 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.

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.

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. 

Spin fishing has been best with a small kastmaster and rooster tails or powerbait off the bottom. Fly fisherman in float tubes are doing well with sheep creek specials and midge larva under an indicator or fishing small streamers slowly trolled behind a float tube. 

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

Walker Lake is currently at 44% of capacity and rising. An increase in the lake level is key to the fishery rebounding.