Lamoille Creek Fishing Guides
A clear snowmelt creek falling out of Lamoille Canyon in the Ruby Mountains, holding brook, rainbow and brown trout in pocket water through some of Nevada's best alpine scenery.
Guides on the Lamoille Creek
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About the Lamoille Creek
Lamoille Creek drains Lamoille Canyon, the glacially carved valley that cuts into the heart of the Ruby Mountains southeast of Elko and is often called the Yosemite of Nevada without much exaggeration. The creek falls from alpine lakes and snowfields near eleven thousand feet down through the canyon and out onto the Lamoille valley floor, and the gauge near the town of Lamoille reads discharge and stage, which on a snowmelt driven creek tells an angler almost everything about whether a trip is worth making.
This is small water fished with small tackle. The creek runs cold and clear over rock and cobble with plunge pools, pocket water, undercut banks and short runs, and the trout in it are wild, wary and not large. Brook trout are the most common fish in the upper canyon and can be caught in numbers. Rainbow and brown trout occupy the lower reaches where the gradient eases, and Lahontan cutthroat, the native trout of this basin, are present in parts of the drainage and are the fish most anglers most want to catch.
Timing is everything. Runoff dominates from roughly May into early July depending on the snowpack, and the creek runs high, cold and largely unfishable through it. Once flows drop the fishing turns on quickly, and from midsummer into October the canyon offers dependable dry fly water. The road up Lamoille Canyon is paved and gives access to a long stretch of creek, which makes this unusually easy fishing to reach for a mountain stream.
Elko is twenty odd miles away and supplies everything. The canyon itself sits in Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest with a campground, trailheads and the Ruby Crest Trail heading into the high country and its alpine lakes.
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Access
Lamoille - the small town at the canyon mouth near the gauge.
Elko - the city northwest, with full lodging, fuel, tackle and services.
Lamoille Canyon Scenic Byway - the paved road following the creek up the canyon.
Thomas Canyon Campground - forest service campground on the creek in the canyon.
Ruby Crest Trail - trailhead access to the alpine lakes above.
Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest - public land covering the canyon and headwaters.
Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge - marsh and lake fishing on the far side of the range.
Seasons
Spring: snowmelt runoff dominates and the creek generally runs too high and cold to fish well.
Summer: flows drop through July and the canyon fishes well on dry flies into the warm months.
Fall: the best conditions of the year, with low clear water, cooler temperatures and active trout.
Winter: the canyon road closes with snow and the creek is effectively out of reach.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Lamoille Creek?
As of Oct 18, 6:10 pm, the USGS gauge LAMOILLE CK NR LAMOILLE, NV reads 3 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Lamoille Creek?
Anglers target Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Lahontan Cutthroat Trout, Mountain Whitefish, Rainbow Trout on the Lamoille Creek in Nevada.
Where can you access the Lamoille Creek?
Lamoille - the small town at the canyon mouth near the gauge. Elko - the city northwest, with full lodging, fuel, tackle and services. Lamoille Canyon Scenic Byway - the paved road following the creek up the canyon. Thomas Canyon Campground - forest service campground on the creek in the canyon. Ruby Crest Trail - trailhead access to the alpine lakes above. Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest - public land covering the canyon and headwaters. Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge - marsh and lake fishing on the far side of the range.
When is the best time to fish the Lamoille Creek?
Spring: snowmelt runoff dominates and the creek generally runs too high and cold to fish well. Summer: flows drop through July and the canyon fishes well on dry flies into the warm months. Fall: the best conditions of the year, with low clear water, cooler temperatures and active trout. Winter: the canyon road closes with snow and the creek is effectively out of reach.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Lamoille Creek?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Nevada agency site: https://www.ndow.org/get-outside/fishing/