South Fork Reservoir Fishing Guides
A high desert reservoir on the South Fork Humboldt below the Ruby Mountains, gauged for elevation, and northeast Nevada's most productive mixed trout and wiper fishery within sight of Elko.
Guides on the South Fork Reservoir
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About the South Fork Reservoir
South Fork Reservoir sits at around fifty-two hundred feet in the sagebrush foothills below the Ruby Mountains, impounding the South Fork of the Humboldt River a short drive south of Elko and the community of Spring Creek. It is a high desert reservoir in a treeless basin, and it is by a clear margin the most productive still water in northeast Nevada. The Rubies rising to the east supply the snowmelt that fills it, and the surrounding country is open range and public land.
The gauge reads reservoir elevation and water surface level rather than flow, which is exactly the right measure for a water like this. Nevada reservoirs live and die by snowpack, and elevation is the honest indicator of how the lake is doing. A good water year puts the reservoir near capacity with flooded sage and productive shallows; a run of dry years drops it hard, concentrates fish, warms the water and can shorten the trout season considerably. Check it before committing to a drive.
The fishery is a genuine mixed bag and better for it. Rainbow trout are stocked and grow quickly on the reservoir’s abundant forage, brown trout reach good size, and wiper, the white bass and striped bass hybrid, were introduced and have become the reservoir’s most distinctive target. Largemouth and smallmouth bass fish the rock and the flooded brush, and crappie, bluegill and perch fill out the panfish side. Winter ice fishing is a real tradition here.
Access is easy. South Fork State Recreation Area covers the shoreline with ramps, a campground and day use areas, and Elko is close enough to make a morning trip routine. The reservoir is open and exposed, so wind is the main planning consideration for small boats.
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The photo at the top of this page is not South Fork Reservoir.
It is a regional stand-in, honestly captioned but generic — we will not put a name to a river we cannot prove. Send us a photograph you took here and it replaces the stand-in, with your credit on it.
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Pool right now
- 24 hours0.00 ft → steady
Reading taken 3h ago at USGS 10319910, S FK RESERVOIR AT SPRING CK, NV. Elevation is the surface of the lake above the survey datum, not depth. Source.
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Access
South Fork State Recreation Area - the state park on the reservoir, with boat ramps, camping and day use areas.
Spring Creek - the residential community immediately north, the nearest settlement to the water.
Elko - the regional city north, with full services, tackle shops, lodging and air service.
Ruby Mountains - the range east that feeds the reservoir, with alpine lakes and trout streams of its own.
Humboldt River - the river system the reservoir belongs to, with stream fishing above and below.
Lamoille - the small community at the foot of the Rubies, the gateway to the canyon country.
Jiggs - the ranching settlement south, a landmark on the back road approach.
Seasons
Spring: the strongest trout fishing of the year, with cold water, stocked rainbows and browns feeding in the shallows.
Summer: warm and windy, with wiper and bass taking over and trout dropping to deeper, cooler water.
Fall: cooling water brings trout back to the shallows and wiper feed hard, making this an excellent window.
Winter: the reservoir ices in most years and ice fishing for trout and perch is a local tradition.
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Questions
What species can you catch on the South Fork Reservoir?
Anglers target Black Crappie, Bluegill, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Channel Catfish, Common Carp, Lahontan Cutthroat Trout, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Tui Chub, Wiper, Yellow Perch on the South Fork Reservoir in Nevada.
Where can you access the South Fork Reservoir?
South Fork State Recreation Area - the state park on the reservoir, with boat ramps, camping and day use areas. Spring Creek - the residential community immediately north, the nearest settlement to the water. Elko - the regional city north, with full services, tackle shops, lodging and air service. Ruby Mountains - the range east that feeds the reservoir, with alpine lakes and trout streams of its own. Humboldt River - the river system the reservoir belongs to, with stream fishing above and below. Lamoille - the small community at the foot of the Rubies, the gateway to the canyon country. Jigg...
When is the best time to fish the South Fork Reservoir?
Spring: the strongest trout fishing of the year, with cold water, stocked rainbows and browns feeding in the shallows. Summer: warm and windy, with wiper and bass taking over and trout dropping to deeper, cooler water. Fall: cooling water brings trout back to the shallows and wiper feed hard, making this an excellent window. Winter: the reservoir ices in most years and ice fishing for trout and perch is a local tradition.
Where are the fishing regulations for the South Fork Reservoir?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Nevada agency site: https://www.ndow.org/fishing/regulations/