Guide To Popular Choices For Great Fishing In Nevada

All about fishing in the Silver State

Major Lakes & Species
Lake Sizes & Locations
Nevada Fish Species & State Records

Typically Nevada is perceived as a barren, hot, dry desert. Some parts are. Other areas include high-country lakes, trees and snow ski areas. Nevada offers the full spectrum of fishing, from trout and salmon fishing in Lake Tahoe, to bass, crappie, catfish and striper fishing in Lake Mead and Lake Mohave.

The state of Nevada offers a wide variety of fishing opportunities. Here, you can fish for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, channel catfish, white catfish, black crappie, white crappie, walleye, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, brook trout, brown trout, lake trout, bluegill, green sunfish, pumpkinseed sunfish, redear sunfish, white bass, yellow perch, coho salmon, kokanee salmon, stripers, northern pike and tiger muskie in local lakes, rivers, ponds and/or streams.

Major Nevada Lakes & Species

Lake & Fish Chart

Major angling destinations, cross referenced with the fish species found in each of the lakes. For a detailed list of primary fish species in NV, plus state fish records, see the list below.

Fishing lake sizes and locations in the state.

Lake Lahontan, aka Lahontan Reservoir is a 10,000-acre lake in the western part of the state at Silver Springs.

Lake Mead is a 160,000-acre lake on the eastern border of the state, at Henderson.

Lake Mohave is a 28,800-acre lake on the arizona border in the far southeast corner of the state, at Laughlin.

Lake Tahoe is a 123,000-acre lake on the western border of the state, at Glenbrook.

Pyramid Lake is a 120,000-acre lake in the west-central part of the state, 4 miles north of Nixon.

Ruby Lake is a 15,000-acre lake in the northeast part of the state, 5 miles south of Ruby Valley.

Rye Patch Reservoir is a 11,000-acre lake in the northwest part of the state, 35 miles southwest of Winnemucca.

Topaz Lake is a 1,200-acre lake on the southwest border of the state, 8 miles southwest of Wellington.

Washoe Lake is a 5,800-acre lake in the west central part of the state, 5 miles north of Carson City.

Wild Horse Reservoir is a 2,800-acre lake in the north-central part of the state, 12 miles south of Mountain City.

Fish Species & State Records in Nevada

Bass

Largemouth bass

World record: 22 lbs 4 oz

State Record: 12 lbs 0 oz

Smallmouth bass

World record: 11 lbs 15 oz

State Record: 8 lbs 11 oz

Spotted bass

World record: 9 lbs 8 oz

State Record: 4 lbs 6 oz

Catfish

Channel catfish

World record: 58 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 32 lbs 7 oz

White catfish

World record: 22 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 17 lbs 4 oz

Crappie

Black crappie

World record: 6 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 3 lbs 5 oz

White crappie

World record: 5 lbs 3 oz

State Record: 3 lbs 1 oz

Walleye

World record: 25 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 15 lbs 4 oz

Trout

Rainbow trout

World record: 42 lbs 2 oz

State Record: 16 lbs 8 oz

Cutthroat trout

World record: 41 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 24 lbs 12 oz

Brook trout

World record: 14 lbs 8 oz

State Record: 5 lbs 10 oz

Brown trout

World record: 40 lbs 4 oz

State Record: 27 lbs 5 oz

Lake trout (Mackinaw)

World record: 72 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 37 lbs 6 oz

Golden trout

World record: 11 lbs 4 oz

State Record: 0 lbs 15 oz

Panfish & Sunfish

Bluegill

World record: 4 lbs 12 oz

State Record: 3 lbs 10 oz

Green sunfish

World record: 2.2 lbs

State Record: 1 lbs 13 oz

Pumpkinseed sunfish

World record: 2 lbs 4 oz

State Record: 0 lbs 15 oz

Redear sunfish

World record: 5.4 lbs

State Record: 2 lbs 5 oz

White Bass

World record: 6.8 lbs

State Record: 4 lbs 0 oz

Yellow perch

World record: 4 lbs 3 oz

State Record: 1 lbs 8 oz

Salmon

Coho salmon (silver)

World record: 33 lbs 7 oz

State Record: 8 lbs 12 oz

Kokanee salmon

World record: 9 lbs 10 oz

State Record: 5 lbs 2 oz

Striped bass

Stripers

Inland world record: 64 lbs 8 oz

State Record: 63 lbs 0 oz

Hybrid Striper (Wiper)

World record: 27 lbs 5 oz

State Record: 25 lbs 9 oz

Other species

Northern pike

World record: 55 lbs 1 oz

State Record: 27 lbs 0 oz

Tiger muskie

World record: 51 lbs 2 oz

State Record: 17 lbs 10 oz

Click the images and links above for species details.

NV Department of Wildlife

Click here to obtain a Nevada Fishing License. Enjoy additional information about fishing in Nevada when you visit the Nevada Department of Wildlife website.

Lake Tahoe is home to excellent fishing for big mackinaw trout

Fishing Guides Serving Nevada

We are looking for information on local guides who offer services within Nevada. You can find a listing of NV fishing guides here. If you are a fishing guide in Nevada or know of a good resource, please send us information for consideration.

Boating In Nevada

Visit AA-Boats-Boating.com to find information about fishing boats in Nevada and other boating information. Be sure to visit section dedicated to activities for kids in NV.