Winchell Lake in Elko County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  This water sits in Elko County, Nevada. Beyond the shoreline you have rolling bush. At 3 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Elko County list. Wells is the closest town at 11 miles. The big place round here is West Valley City, 163 miles distant. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Winchell Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Species logged across Elko County include brook trout, rainbow trout and tahoe sucker. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. At Winchell Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 58°F in August and bottom out at 22°F in January. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Once it clears, about mid May, the fishing comes on quickly. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid May until roughly late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Time your trip to Winchell Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Angel Lake is 3 miles off. Treat Winchell Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.