Cow Lake in Washoe County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Cow Lake sits in Washoe County, out in Nevada. It lies 5,518 feet above sea level. Roughly 240 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Lakeview lies 43 miles from the water. The big place round here is Reno, 158 miles distant. What else is close: Calcutta Lake (2.1 miles), Horse Lake within 3.2 miles, Middle Lake (3.7 miles), Bald Mountain Lake within 7 miles and Racetrack Reservoir (7.9 miles). The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Cow Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Records held for Washoe County cover tahoe sucker, great basin cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, brown bullhead and brown trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Fish Cow Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 66°F; the cold one sits at 28°F. The year gives four workable seasons without severe ends. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Cow Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Calcutta Lake, 2.1 miles away. Check the position at Cow Lake before loading the car.