Waterways yield great catches as ice thins

Old man winter got a reprieve from the latest blast of cold air to hit the Silver State, but it shouldn't be long before the ice covering Nevada's northern trout waters makes way for spring fishing. When it does, anglers should be ready to experience some of the best fishing of the year.

In late winter, fish are concentrated in shallow depths below the ice where they can find the highest concentration of oxygen. As the ice begins to melt, oxygenated water remains in place and so will the fish, at least until the water temperature begins to equalize and the various layers in the water column turn over, or remix. Until then, trout will hold near the edge of the melting ice or in shallow areas and will attack just about anything an angler throws. This is especially true when the shallows begin to warm under sunny skies, triggering aggressive feeding behavior in trout.

Some anglers have the misunderstanding that the ice must be completely gone before they can go fishing. Often the best fishing of the year can be found along the edge of the melting ice. Early in the ice-off period, these edges can be accessed from the shoreline. But there will be a point when anglers will need a boat or float tube. Ice-off is not the time to try fishing from the ice. It will be too thin, and even the biggest fish isn't worth the risk of falling through.

I have found early-season success with Panther Martins, Rooster Tails, Super Dupers and a variety of spoons. Flies and other baits also can be productive.

One of the first places where ice-off occurs each year is the Kirch Wildlife Management Area, three hours north of Las Vegas. Known as Sunnyside to old-timers, Kirch is home to four popular fishing destinations -- Adams-McGill, Cold Springs, Haymeadow and Dacey reservoirs.

Though Adams-McGill is known as a largemouth bass fishery, its reputation for giving up large trout has grown.

The most productive day I have had on Adams-McGill took place when ice-off had occurred by mid-February. Snow still covered the nearby foothills and sleet pelted me throughout the day -- but the fish didn't seem to mind. They were already wet. It was cold enough that I had to take a number of soup-and-sandwich breaks, but the fishing was worth the extra effort. I didn't catch a large number of fish, but I did reel in a half-dozen rainbow trout, all 16 to 20 inches long. I was throwing a number 12 bead head Prince Nymph from the comfort of a float tube.

Haymeadow and Cold Springs are popular spring trout destinations and can be fished from their dams. Both are productive into the early summer months when water temperatures warm up and weeds become a problem for shore anglers.

Other reservoirs that should experience ice-off in the coming weeks are Eagle Valley and Echo Canyon near Pioche. Several reservoirs and lakes in Southern Utah should open soon as well. Among those are Enterprise, Newcastle and Minersville reservoirs. Higher-elevation waters such as Panguitch and Kolob won't experience ice-off until later.

Freelance writer Doug Nielsen is a conservation educator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. His "In the Outdoors" column, published Thursday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NDOW. Any opinions he states in his column are his own. He can be reached at dougnielsen@att.net.