Peterson Reservoir, Nevada: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Peterson Reservoir sits in Nye County, out in Nevada. Country round the bank runs to dry open country. It runs to roughly 60 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. It is a small entry by Nye County standards. The town to know is Pahrump, 26 miles out. Spring Valley sits 66 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Nearby, in order: Crystal Reservoir roughly 3.2 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Peterson Reservoir

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Nye County records list brown trout, goldfish, brook trout, channel catfish and common carp among the fish reported. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Peterson Reservoir the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 86°F and December about 44°F. Winter is the comfortable season here rather than the difficult one. March through May is the strongest run, with autumn a second stretch. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. That shapes the year on Peterson Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Peterson Reservoir Parking gives parking half a mile away. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Crystal Reservoir at 3.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position on Peterson Reservoir before loading the car.