Fishing Big Spring Reservoir in Washoe County, Nevada

• Overview

  The Washoe County end of Nevada holds Big Spring Reservoir. The surface lies 5,512 feet up. At some 598 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. Some 6.6 miles of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. It ranks high for size among our Washoe County listings. The nearest town is Lakeview, 62 miles away. Alturas lies 77 miles off, Winnemucca another 100 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Big Spring Reservoir

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Across Washoe County, recorded fish include tahoe sucker, great basin cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, brown bullhead and brown trout. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Read Big Spring Reservoir before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August to average close to 67°F, with January the cold end at about 29°F. Spring and autumn are the strongest, but nothing is truly closed. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Expect Big Spring Reservoir to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, Gooch Lake is 5.2 miles off. What applies at Big Spring Reservoir may have changed since it was mapped.