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Topaz Lake Fishing Report

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

The Nevada-California line lake: Topaz opens each January and stocks big rainbows in high desert water.

2/5

Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Flow

42 cfs

Air / High

71 / 72 F

Wind

SW 18 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 10296500, 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.

2/5Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Topaz Lake feels the season turning: shorter days, grouping fish. The river is running 42 cfs, dropping and clearing. Today brings clear skies, wind SW around 18 mph, rising pressure near 1007 hPa and a high of 72. Water sits around 54 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

Rainbow troutGood

Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown troutGood

Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

Tomorrow: Similar at 76 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 West Walker River near Coleville (inflow).

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 10296500.

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp71 F

High / Low72 / 54 F

WindSW 18-26 mph

Pressure1007.2 hPa, rising

Sky / Rain0% cloud, 1%

Sunrise / Sunset06:30 / 19:23

MoonLast Quarter, 50%

Water temp (seasonal)~54 F est.

Bite planner

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

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Partly cloudy, 72/54 F, wind 18 mph, rain 1%

Fair or better. A 18 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

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

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Best: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

The workhorse of western rivers: riffles, seams and dry-fly eats. Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

When to come: the Topaz Lake 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

Rainbow trout

Brown trout

SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 54 F (estimated, not a reading).

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 Topaz Lake 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. 23 mph gusts make boat control the real battle. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 73 F, wind to 23 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 68 F, wind to 19 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 79 F, wind to 21 mph.

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 or California license under the reciprocal arrangement for the shared water: verify current terms. The season traditionally opens January 1: check current NDOW and CDFW rules.

Access

Topaz Lake Park (Nevada) ramp and camping; California-side shoreline access off US 395.

About this water

A reservoir on the West Walker River straddling the Nevada-California line, Douglas County, Nevada and Mono County, California.

Fishing Topaz Lake: the full guide

A border reservoir

Topaz Lake straddles the Nevada-California line south of Gardnerville, filled by the West Walker River and used for irrigation storage. It sits at 5,000 feet in high desert country with the Sierra rising to the west. The fishery is trout: rainbow trout stocked heavily by both states, plus browns and cutthroat, with the famous January 1 season opener drawing crowds to a fishery that peaks in the cold months.

Winter and spring

The season traditionally opens January 1 and runs through September, an unusual calendar built around cold-water conditions. Winter and spring are prime: trolling with flashers and worms, casting spinners from shore and still-fishing with bait all produce, and the fish stocked before the opener run to good size. Summer warms the shallow lake and pushes trout deep, making the cooler months clearly better.

Fishing the lake

Trolling along the drop-offs and near the inflow is the standard method, with shore anglers doing well from the state park and the Nevada side beaches. The lake is relatively shallow and warms quickly, so depth control matters more as spring progresses. Wind is a regular feature of the Antelope Valley and can build chop fast.

Logistics on the line

Topaz Lake Park on the Nevada side offers a ramp and camping, with additional access on the California shore. A Nevada or California license covers the lake under a reciprocal arrangement for the shared water: verify the current terms. Gardnerville is 20 minutes north, and US 395 runs alongside, making it an easy stop between Reno and the Eastern Sierra.

Common questions

When does the season open?

Traditionally January 1, an unusual opener that draws crowds to a fishery best in the cold months.

Which license do I need?

Nevada or California covers the shared water under a reciprocal arrangement: confirm current terms before fishing.

Is summer worth it?

Less so: the shallow lake warms and trout go deep. Winter and spring are clearly the productive seasons.

Is fishing good at Topaz Lake right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Slow. Work for them. Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Nearby waters

Carson River16 mi Caples Lake28 mi Truckee River58 mi Lahontan Reservoir60 mi Stampede Reservoir64 mi Lake Amador74 mi

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