Doucette: Fish behavior directly tied to water temperatures

Make sure to thank a veteran this weekend for his or her service to our great nation. All the freedoms we enjoy are due to the sacrifices of millions of men and women throughout the 248 years we have been a country. To all of you, including my son, thank you.

With overnight lows dipping into the teens this week and snow on the mountains, the high mountain lakes are icing over and surface water temperatures continue to drop at area reservoirs. The colder temperatures have trout moving into the shallows while warm water fish like largemouth bass transition into deeper water for the winter.

It was pointed out that I talk about water temperature a lot, but being cold blooded, fish behavior is directly tied into water temperature. Spawning, eating and physical activity are all affected by temperature. As the water temperature dips lower, fish body temperature also lowers. When low enough their heart rate slows as they enter what may be called a resting state. They move less, expending less energy, and therefore do not need to eat as much.

As fall progresses with cooler temperatures and shorter days, trout feel the lean times coming ahead and will feed aggressively while they can. This past weekend was an example of that, as trout fishing finally turned on at area reservoirs with anglers reporting good catch rates as well as very nice trout coming to the net.

Wild Horse

Very little change here as surface water temperatures are still around 40 degrees first thing in the morning, warming into the low to mid-40s on sunny days. It won't be long before ice starts forming here.

Fishing was good this past weekend. Especially for fly fishermen using balanced leeches. Shore fishing has picked up, as trout are cruising the shallows looking for food. Worms under bobbers or green PowerBait floated off the bottom continue to work for bait anglers.

Chironomid patterns and balanced leeches under an indicator have been producing quality fish for fly rodders. Wooly buggers and leeches stripped on an intermediate or slow sinking line are also catching trout. No report on any bass being caught, though few anglers are fishing for them. Blade baits may work in deeper water for bass.

For trout, small spinners, rooster tails or panther Martins should work for spin fishermen. Small minnow imitations in perch or chub colors may also catch a few trout. Just fish all the hardware slowly. With the colder water fish metabolism is slowing down.

Fishing for perch has been slow to fair for numbers, but poor for size, with fish averaging 4 to 6 inches as the perch population is still recovering from a 2022 die-off.

South Fork Reservoir

The surface water temperature was 46 degrees at the Jet Ski Beach on Monday morning and the algae is dissipating due to the colder temperatures. Water along shorelines was turbid along the east shore due to wave action, caused by the wind stirring up the bottom.

Shore angling for trout was fair to good last weekend. Trout have moved up in the water column as well, into shallow waters in search of food. Worms or PowerBait floated off the bottom using a slip sinker or below a bobber in the shallower water was working for those targeting trout.

Fly fishing has been fair to good using both balanced leeches and chironomid patterns. Balanced leeches in black/red, black/blue, wine or olive were working. Snowcones, chironocones, zebra midges in black or red, and Yankee buzzers were all catching fish. Wooly buggers sized 6 to 10 and leech patterns sized 10 to 14 in the black/red, black/blue, wine and dark red stripped on an intermediate or slow sinking line should also work.

Bass fishing is slow though few are fishing for bass this time of year.

No recent report on catfish or wipers being caught.

Jiggs/Zunino Reservoir

Surface water temperatures have dropped into the low 40s. No recent reports from anyone fishing it. On windy days or when there are lots of ducks, the water can be a bit muddy. Use the same presentations and techniques as at South Fork Reservoir. NDOW is asking anglers to return all bluegill and bass back into the water to help establish those fisheries.

Wilson Reservoir

The water level is good for this time of year and, unlike other reservoirs in the area, Wilson doesn't have much algae with good visibility. Fishing for bass has been slow and trout fishing has been good. Surface water temperatures last weekend started at 40 degrees first thing in the morning, warming up to 44 around midday. The same techniques and presentations that work at South Fork, work here.

Ruby Lake NWR

Bass fishing is pretty much done for the year in the south marsh. Fishing in the collection ditch has been good for trout averaging 15 to 20 inches, with quite a few fish over 20 inches. Water clarity is good and water levels continue to be very good though vegetation is still thick in many areas.

Brown and tiger trout are still active, even though the spawn is over, with some good fishing for brown/tiger trout still being found at the north end of the ditch. With the cold front and precipitation, it is time to switch to sub surface presentations, though blue wing olives, ants and midge dry flies may work on warmer sunny afternoons.

Fly anglers have had luck stripping wooly buggers, leeches or small streamers in black or olive using short slow strips. Nymphs under an indicator are working best.

Spin fishermen should be using spinners, Kastmasters, panther Martins and other small lures fished slowly.

It is artificial presentations only in the collection ditch, which includes the pond behind the hatchery all the way to Brown Dike. Wading is not allowed the entire length of the collection ditch.

Jakes Creek/Boies Reservoir

Little to no change here. Aquatic vegetation growth is still making shore fishing difficult, so float tubes or small watercraft are the way to go. This will continue until ice covers the lake.

Fishing has been fair to good for 13- to 16-inch trout. Either dark or flashy spinners or small plastic baits fished with varying retrieves should work. Worms or PowerBait fished under a bobber is best for bait anglers.

For fly rodders, wooly buggers and leech patterns on a sink tip or intermediate sinking line have been working. The usual assortment of nymph and chironomid patterns are also producing a few fish.

Like other reservoirs in the area bass fishing is very slow to poor.

Cold Creek Reservoir

Fishing should be good for rainbow trout and tiger trout in the 9- to 12-inch range.

Anglers fishing for trout should use spinners, nightcrawlers, and PowerBait. Fly fishers should use midge patterns, leeches or woolly buggers. Fish the buggers and leeches slowly.

Bass fishing is poor with colder water temperatures. There is a limited black bass fishery and anglers are encouraged to catch and release these bass to help improve the bass fishery.

Cave Lake

Cave Lake is lowered to minimum pool and unfishable. Cave Lake is closed to fishing due to shorelines that are very soft and dangerous due to the complete saturation of the soil.

Comins Lake

Trout fishing is good for 15- to 20-inch fish. Nightcrawlers are producing trout for anglers, as well as spinners and small lures. Fly fishermen should use leeches, woolly buggers, scud and midge patterns. Black bass fishing is poor. There is a limited bluegill fishery and anglers are encouraged to release bluegill so their population can become better established.

Anglers pursuing northern pike will have the best luck on hard and soft plastic baits, as well as flashy spoons, bucktail streamers and Clouser minnows. Please note that NDOW has placed radio tags in several northern pike. These pike will have an orange Floy tag near their dorsal fin and a small antenna (~ 7 inches long) coming from their stomach. Please return these fish to the water for research purposes. Please do not return pike without the tags back to the lake.

Surface water temperatures are in the low 40s and anglers have been catching a mixed bag of rainbow trout and a few brown trout. Anglers should do well using nightcrawlers, PowerBait, and spinners.

Fly rodders should be using the usual assortment of wooly buggers, leech and chironomid patterns fished under an indicator. The brown trout spawn is over, but some reservoir sized fish are still remaining in the creek while those that moved back into the lake are still at the south end of the lake.

Angel Lake

Expect snow around the lake and some skim ice along the shorelines in the morning. Trout are preparing for winter and trout fishing should be good for 8- to 10-inch fish using worms, green PowerBait and small spinners. Small crystal buggers, wooly buggers and leech patterns stripped slowly with a sink tip line should work for fly rodders.

Small red chironomid patterns, hares ears, PT nymphs and copper Johns fished under an indicator should also produce fish. As of the writing of this report, the road was still open to the lake, but there may be snow and icy conditions. It generally is closed after the first significant snowstorm. Be sure to check road conditions at www.nvroads.com before heading out.

High mountain lakes

Ice is forming on many of the high mountain lakes. Fishing has been good to excellent in the high mountain lakes before recent storms moved through but no reports since. Anglers can expect winter conditions this weekend in the high country and only experienced back country travelers should visit them. There will be no more reports on these waters until late spring or early summer depending upon snow conditions.

The beaver ponds in Lamoille Canyon have produced a lot of fish over the past few weeks, though ice is forming on them and fishing may be done here soon if not by the time you read this report. The gauging station on Lamoille Creek was showing ice.

The tail water below South Fork is still producing nice trout, but flows are very low so fish are holding in the pools.

Water conditions below Wild Horse Dam in the East Fork of the Owyhee are good and fishing has been good there. Expect icy wading conditions and snow on the road. There was an accident on the road earlier this week through the canyon due to slippery conditions.

The flows on the Jarbidge and Bruneau Rivers have haven't changed much and fishing has been fair, though access will soon be through Idaho. Anglers should note that bull trout have recently spawned in the Jarbidge and its tributaries and should avoid damaging the redds. Anglers venturing into the Mary's River area south of Jarbidge should be aware that the Orange Bridge is closed and may be for a while.

As of Nov. 6, the East Fork of the Owyhee was flowing at 14.0 cfs below the dam and 31.5 cfs at Mountain City; the Jarbidge River was flowing at a low 3.27 cfs; the Bruneau River at 16.9 cfs; Salmon Falls Creek at 47.8 cfs; Lamoille Creek was showing ice; the South Fork of the Humboldt at 3.87 cfs; Cleve Creek at 6.81 cfs; and Steptoe Creek at 4.00 cfs.

Joe Doucette is a former public information officer for the Nevada Department of Wildlife for eastern Nevada and also owns the Elko Fly Shop.