Report Date:
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BILK CREEK RESERVOIR
Fishing has been fair with limited ice this season. Trout fishing has been best in the afternoon and evening time with slow moving lures and small jigs off the bottom. Slow is key. Bait fishing with worms off the bottom and salmon eggs under a bobber have had mixed results. Largemouth Bass and Bluegill fishing will pick up when the water temperature warms.
BLUE LAKES
Closed to fishing until June 11, 2022. Fishing is expected to be good, as usual.
CARSON RIVER
Early spring flows on the Carson are at about 250 cfs and fishing has been good. This will likely change as runoff intensifies. Fishing can really be hit or miss this time of year. Expect stocking to pick up again in the next few weeks as flows come down. It’s good to keep in mind that dark flies and lures are easier for fish to locate when the water is off-color. Fly fisherman have been using large streamers dead drifted or high stick nymph methods in slower moving runs and pools. Spin fisherman using small spinners retrieved in deeper pools have caught a few good fish as well. Please be safe when wading high water in spr
Fishing for walleye, crappie, channel catfish and wipers will typically pick up when water temperatures get into the mid 50s. Fishing should get better as we near the end of April.
EAST WALKER RIVER
Flows are prime now and should stay ideal until the summer heat sets in and the water demand increases downstream. Until then, anglers willing to search a little are finding some good productive water. Overall, fish seem to be holding low in the deeper pools but as insect life picks up and spring creeps in, there should be a few rising fish to cast at soon. Flows will play a big part in how well the EW will fish over the next month. Nice weather matched with prime flows can make for a really good time. The river has been and will continue to be stocked this season as flows allow for it. Spin fisherman should focus on deeper water with bright spinners and small spoons. Fly fishing has been good with nymphs under small indicators or high-sticked in deeper runs. Light leaders and tippets can turn a good day into a great one with lower flows.
HOBART RESERVOIR
Hobert Reservoir is closed to fishing until May 1st 2022. If the winter ends mild, the road should be in good shape for the opener. Fishing should be excelle
KNOTT CREEK RESERVOIR
Closed until June 11, 2022. Fishing is expected to be good. A substantial fish die-off occurred in the summer of 2020 but the fishery is rebounding nicely. Fish size is expected to be smaller than normal as the fishery continues to rebuild.
LAKE TAHOE
Good reports from the Lake for small macs. The cold temps are helping to bring the fish up. This is also one of the better times of the year to find larger rainbows and browns near the surface, making them accessible to shore anglers. Shore anglers are using smaller spinners for planted trout and larger spoons diving plugs for larger rainbows and browns. Toplining for large rainbow and brown trout has also been productive in shallower water (less than 50 feet in depth).
MASON VALLEY WMA- Hinkson Slough
Hinkson Slough is fishing very well for recently stocked trout in addition to carryovers. Fly fisherman using the typical midge pupa or larva retrieved near the bottom, or under the indicator have done well. Small leech patterns retrieved on intermediate lines are also a good bet here for through spring. As we warm up and the bass at Hinkson start to wake up, larger streamers and surface plugs near the vegetation should become productive. Spin fishermen continue to do very well on small bright rooster tails and panther martins with single barbless hooks.
MARLETTE LAKE
Closed to fishing until July 15, 2022. The parking area at spooner has reopened which should make access to the trail and trailhead much easier this season. Fishing is expected to be great.
ONION VALLEY RESERVOIR
Closed to fishing until June 11, 2022. Fishing is expected to be great to excellent this seaso
RYE PATCH
Fishing for walleye, crappie, channel catfish, white bass, smallmouth bass and wipers usually picks up in April when water temperatures get into the mid 50’s. Smallmouth fishing has been fair with slow moving jigs and spoons.
SPOONER LAKE
The main parking area and new visitors center has reopened. Fishing should be great this spring with limited fishing pressure last season. Access is good and should continue to be unless we see some significant spring snowfall. Anglers can expect rainbow trout averaging 10 inches with an occasional tiger trout coming in slightly larger. Spooner has been fishing well and should continue to until the shoreline vegetation takes over in early summer. Chub populations continue to be an issue with some up to 12 inches eating flies and lures. Try moving to deeper water if you’re getting grabs but not hooking up, or only find that you’re hooking chub. Bait fishing is best from the surface using a bobber to suspend bait above the vegetation. Spin fishing is great from shore in the spring if you can cover some water.
SQUAW RESERVOIR
Squaw Creek Reservoir has fished very well over the past few seasons and should continue to fish well this year for both bass and trout. The inlet has fished well for trout using larger streamer flies and spinners. Dark colored lures and flies fished early and late in the day with brighter shades fishing best during the afternoons. Most trout are averaging 12-14 inches but 16 plus inch fish have been regularly reported. Heavier spoons and jigs are great near the dam for targeting the larger trout in the lake during the spring and summer. Fly fisherman can expect to see a couple fish on the surface eating midge early and late when the wind is down. Bass fishing should pick up near the inlet next month as spring begins to thaw us out.
TOPAZ LAKE
Topaz has been stocked very well this season and is fishing great. Shore and boat anglers are reporting trout averaging 12 to 14 inches with a few better mixed in. Bait fisherman using worms and bright dough baits near or off the bottom have done well in deeper water. Spin fisherman using spoons and diving plugs are finding aggressive fish.
TRUCKEE RIVER
The river is in excellent condition and fishing will continue to be great as long as the mild weather sticks around. Flows are currently ideal but they can jump pretty quick with any high elevation rain or unexpected heat. Roughly 500cfs in Reno makes for near prefect conditions on the lower river. Fishing mid-day will continue to be good until we really heat up making for some water clarity issues by the late afternoon. East of Reno some BWO mayflies may still be found in the afternoons hatching. Small mayfly emerger patterns and soft hackles just above, or under the surface have worked very well this winter. Nymph fishing continues to be the best method for numbers, but streamers are going to be the best bet for big fish, especially with the increasing flows. Spin fishermen continue to do well around the parks for some impressive carry-over hatchery rainbows. Spawning Lahontan Cutthroat should start moving out of Pyramid into the lower river very soon for anyone curious
URBAN PONDS
The hatchery trucks are out working hard which means that many of our community ponds in the western region have received one round of trout this season. As weather and water conditions allow for it, they’ll continue to get fish supplemented as needed.
Powerbait off the bottom is typically the best go-to fishing method at the western community ponds. When vegetation covering the bottom is an issue, try using salmon eggs on light lines under bobbers. Spin fishing can be excellent with small spinners in most of our larger ponds and lakes. The general rule of light-colored lures on bright days and dark-colored lures on dark days will help keep your lures visible. Fly fishing can be incredibly fun in the smaller community ponds. Dry fly fishing with small terrestrials insects can often entice fish to the surface all day.
Good reports back from Wall Canyon this Spring. Access seems to be good for now and should stay that way without extreme spring rain or snow. The lake is open and fishing well at both the inlet and the dam. Trout will likely make up most of the catch until we heat up a little more. Successful bass anglers are primarily fishing with slower moving worms or jigs near or on the bottom. Crayfish colored lures and flies work very well year-round at Wall. Larger streamer flies and Rapalas fished in open water will catch good trout and bass all spring. If you haven’t been here, it’s worth checking out.
