Soldier Lakes Fishing Guide, Elko County, Nevada

• Overview

  Soldier Lakes is one of the Elko County waters in Nevada. The water sits 9,131 feet up. It covers about 6 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Compared with other Nevada water on our list, it sits high. Nearest place of any size is Spring Creek, 16 miles away. Beyond it, Elko at 26 miles and Wells at 31 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Soldier Lakes

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Elko County records list brook trout, rainbow trout and tahoe sucker among the fish reported. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The near bank of Soldier Lakes is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 60°F in August and bottoms out near 23°F in January. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Break-up comes around early May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Break-up sits around early May on average, with the water closing again about late November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. It holds true on Soldier Lakes more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Should this one be busy, Robinson Lake is 0.4 miles off. Signs at Soldier Lakes carry more weight than any list.