Shore anglers will do best where the banks are steep

Wild Horse Reservoir - Owyhee, NV (Elko County)


by Nevada Department of Wildlife
8-12-2022
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Surface water temperatures are in the 70’s and algae is thick along with scattered weed beds.   With the warmer surface water temperatures, the trout have moved into deeper water and anglers should stick to early in the day when surface water temperatures are their coolest.  Anglers report fair fishing for trout from boats or float tubes in deeper water, especially in the canyon by the dam, while shore anglers report fair fishing early in the mornings and slow to poor fishing the rest of the day. If fishing from shore be out at first light for the best opportunity. It seems to shut down by 8:00 am. Shore anglers will do best where the banks are steep as the water gets deep closer to shore. Bass fishing is good while perch fishing is slow. For trout, the same fly patterns continue to work as fly fishermen are having some success with black or wine-colored leech patterns as well as wine or red chironomids fished deep. Wooly buggers, PT nymphs, gold ribbed hares ears and damsel fly nymphs are also producing fish at first light in shallower water. Fly rodders need to use a fast sinking line to get down deep enough to put the presentation in front of the fish. Another technique is to use a fast-sinking line, fishing without casting or an indicator, letting the presentation sink straight down in the water column. Balanced leeches along with the usual assortment of nymphs and chironomid patterns work well this way. With the above average temperatures and lack of snowpack this year, the thermocline is a few feet deeper than normal and will be down between 20 and 23 feet deep so fly fishermen will have a hard time getting down to that depth.  For bait anglers fishing from shore, try fishing an inflated worm a few feet off the bottom using a slip sinker in deeper water.  Another option would be to roll some PowerBait to make a bell shape and fish it in a similar fashion to the inflated worm using a slip sinker and it will float up a couple of feet above the bottom.  For bass, dark colored soft plastic grubs and crankbaits are working.  Fishing structure where the water gets deep quickly from shore can be productive.   For wipers, target the mouths of Penrod and Hendricks arms on the north east side of the lake.  Wipers are piscivorous (a big word for eating other fish) and so swimbaits and minnow imitation lures fished with a fairly fast retrieve should be used.  The limit is one black bass and one white bass hybrid with a minimum size of 15 inches.





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