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Wildhorse Reservoir Fishing Report

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

Nevada’s high desert trout lake: Wildhorse grows rainbows, browns and bass at 6,200 feet in the Owyhee country.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Water temp
~54 F est.
Air / High
64 / 67 F
Wind
SSW 10 mph

Sources: 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.

Wildhorse Reservoir feels the season turning: shorter days, grouping fish. Today brings cloud cover, wind SSW around 10 mph, steady pressure near 1008 hPa and a high of 67. 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: Warmer at 73 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.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~54 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp64 F
High / Low67 / 45 F
WindSSW 10-20 mph
Pressure1008.3 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 3%
Sunrise / Sunset06:12 / 19:11
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~54 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, 67/45 F, wind 17 mph, rain 3%

Fair or better. A 17 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Wildhorse Reservoir: 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 Wildhorse 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
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).

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~54 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 Wildhorse Reservoir today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Rainbow trout led the card at excellent. High of 70 F, wind to 19 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 65 F, wind to 21 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 78 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. Trout, bass and perch limits per current NDOW regulations; tribal permits may apply on adjacent reservation waters.

Access

Wildhorse State Recreation Area ramp, campground and shoreline; nearby resort with supplies.

About this water

A 2,800-acre reservoir on the Owyhee River at 6,200 feet, Elko County, Nevada.

Fishing Wildhorse Reservoir: the full guide

Elko County water

Wildhorse Reservoir spreads across roughly 2,800 acres of high desert at 6,200 feet in northern Nevada, on the Owyhee River north of Elko. It is one of the state’s better trout fisheries: rainbow and brown trout grow well in the cold, fertile water, joined by an unusual mix of yellow perch and smallmouth bass. The surrounding country is sage and rimrock, remote and quiet.

Trout by season

Ice-out in spring brings trout shallow and aggressive: casting spinners, spoons and flies from shore and small boats produces well. Summer sends fish deeper and favors trolling with lures and bait. Fall brings a strong shallow bite again as water cools. Winter ice fishing is genuinely popular here, with anglers coming from Elko and Idaho for perch and trout through the hard water.

Perch and bass

Yellow perch are abundant and school over the flats, providing steady action and dominating the winter fishery. Smallmouth bass, unusual for a Nevada trout reservoir, hold the rocky shorelines and provide summer light-tackle sport. The mixed fishery makes this an unusually varied stop for a high desert lake.

Remote logistics

Wildhorse State Recreation Area provides a ramp, camping and shoreline access, with a small resort nearby offering supplies and rooms. Elko is 70 miles south: bring what you need. Wind sweeps the open water and weather changes fast at elevation. Winter access requires attention to road conditions on Nevada 225.

Common questions

How is the ice fishing?

Popular and productive: perch and trout draw anglers from Elko and southern Idaho through the winter.

Are there really smallmouth?

Yes: an unusual addition to a high desert trout reservoir, holding on the rocky shorelines and fun on light tackle.

How remote is it?

Seventy miles north of Elko with minimal services: bring fuel, food and supplies, and watch the weather at elevation.

Is fishing good at Wildhorse 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

South Fork Reservoir74 miSouth Fork Boise River117 miAnderson Ranch Reservoir117 miLucky Peak Reservoir128 miMagic Reservoir132 miLake Lowell137 mi
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