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Lahontan Reservoir Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Nevada’s Carson River lake: Lahontan holds walleye, white bass and catfish an hour from Reno.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
1 cfs
Air / High
73 / 75 F
Wind
W 18 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 10312000, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Lahontan Reservoir sits in the sweet spot of the season: active fish and workable weather. The river is running 1 cfs, dropping and clearing. Today brings a mixed sky, wind W around 18 mph, rising pressure near 1007 hPa and a high of 75. Water sits around 66 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

WalleyeGood

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Northern pikeGood

Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

White bassFair

The spring river run: small crankbaits and roadrunners up the tributaries.

CrappieSlow

Spawning shallow around cover in spring; jigs under a float near buck brush and laydowns.

Tomorrow: Similar at 78 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Carson River near Fort Churchill (inflow).

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 10312000.

0111 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp73 F
High / Low75 / 56 F
WindW 18-23 mph
Pressure1007.1 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain39% cloud, 2%
Sunrise / Sunset06:27 / 19:22
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~66 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Overcast, 75/56 F, wind 20 mph, rain 2%

Fair or better. A 20 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Lahontan Reservoir: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

White bass illustration

White bass

Best: Mar-May run

River-run spawners and open-water schoolers. Fast limits when you find them. The spring river run: small crankbaits and roadrunners up the tributaries.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: spring, early winter

The ambush predator of weedbeds and cabbage edges. Aggressive, big and always worth a wire leader. Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Crappie illustration

Crappie

Best: Nov-Mar

Brush piles, bridge pilings and standing timber. The fish fry favorite. Spawning shallow around cover in spring; jigs under a float near buck brush and laydowns.

When to come: the Lahontan Reservoir calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Walleye
White bass
Northern pike
Crappie
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 66 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Lahontan Reservoir today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

2/5 Slow. The wind owns today. 25 mph gusts make boat control the real battle. Walleye led the card at good. High of 77 F, wind to 25 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Walleye led the card at good. High of 73 F, wind to 21 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Walleye led the card at good. High of 85 F, wind to 22 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Nevada requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Nevada license. Walleye, bass and catfish limits per current NDOW regulations.

Access

Lahontan State Recreation Area ramps, campgrounds and shoreline access off US 50 and Alt US 95.

About this water

A 10,000-acre irrigation reservoir on the Carson River, Churchill and Lyon counties, Nevada.

Fishing Lahontan Reservoir: the full guide

A desert irrigation lake

Lahontan Reservoir spreads across the Carson River valley east of Carson City, an irrigation storage lake for the Newlands Project surrounded by sage and desert hills. At full pool it covers about 10,000 acres, though levels drop substantially through the irrigation season. The fishery is warm-water and productive: walleye, white bass, channel catfish, largemouth and smallmouth bass, plus wipers in some years.

Walleye and white bass

Walleye hold the points, flats and channel edges: jigs in spring, trolled harnesses and crankbaits through summer, with low-light periods clearly better. White bass school over open water in numbers and provide fast action on small jigs and spoons when located. Both fisheries concentrate as the reservoir draws down through summer.

Bass and catfish

Largemouth and smallmouth work the rocky shorelines and any submerged cover. Channel catfish are abundant and reliable from the bank on cut bait, particularly in the warmer months. The drawdown that shrinks the lake each summer also concentrates fish, which can make late-season fishing surprisingly good if you can still launch.

Churchill County logistics

Lahontan State Recreation Area provides ramps, camping and extensive shoreline access, with the reservoir about an hour east of Reno via US 50. Wind is a regular feature of the desert basin. Water levels drop significantly by late summer: check current elevation, since ramps become unusable in low years.

Common questions

How close is it to Reno?

About an hour east: the most accessible warm-water reservoir fishing for the Reno and Carson City area.

Does the level drop?

Substantially through the irrigation season: check current elevation, since ramps can become unusable.

What is the best season?

Spring and early summer before the drawdown, with fall producing well when fish concentrate in the remaining water.

Is fishing good at Lahontan Reservoir right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Pyramid Lake45 miTruckee River51 miCarson River55 miStampede Reservoir56 miTopaz Lake60 miCaples Lake74 mi
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