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

• Overview

  Virginia Lake is set in Washoe County, Nevada. Around the bank it is open dry country. At about 25 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Reno lies 2.1 miles from the water. Reno is the closest city, 1.9 miles away. Within a short drive: Manzanita Lake lies 2.6 miles on, Lower Peavine Creek Reservoir just 3.3 miles, Hunter Creek Reservoir lies 3.9 miles on, Alexander Lake just 4.6 miles and Fuller Lake lies 9.4 miles on. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Virginia Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Across Washoe County, recorded fish include tahoe sucker, great basin cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and brown bullhead. The county list is broader than any single water. On Virginia Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 71°F and January about 34°F. Fishing continues through most of the calendar, with quiet spells rather than closures. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. Plan around that when you fish Virginia Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Boat use is marked as prohibited in public data. There is a car park half a mile from the bank. A pier 130 yards from here gives a platform over deeper water. Somewhere to sit and eat is half a mile out. Toilets are half a mile away, which matters on a long session. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Manzanita Lake is 2.6 miles distant. For Virginia Lake in particular, ask before you travel.