Fishing continues to be good for spin, bait and fly rodders

South Fork Reservoir - Elko, NV (Elko County)


by Nevada Department of Wildlife
4-23-2022
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Little has changed in fishing conditions and the fishing has been good for trout at South Fork. Mid-week surface water temperatures ranged from 49 to 52 degrees, but with Thursday night’s snowfall expect them to drop a few degrees. However, fishing continues to be good for spin, bait and fly rodders with most anglers fishing from Jet Ski Beach, on the northeast side of the lake, near the spillway on the northwest side of the lake and by the dam on the east side of the lake. While not in great numbers, trout have moved up into the river above South Fork in an effort to spawn.  Bait anglers seem to be having the best luck with worms floated off of the bottom about 20-30 feet from shore in six to 10 feet of water.  Spin anglers continue to report good luck with gold Kastmasters and gold colored spinners. 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, largemouth and wipers have shown up in the creel.  Male bass are transitioning from the deeper water to the spawning beds hanging in about 15 to 20 feet of water. It may be a couple of weeks before they move into the beds. The wipers were caught near shore in shallow water as they are attempting to spawn even though they aren’t able to.  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. No black bass may be kept until July 1.  Return them to the water as soon as they are caught.