Joe's Fishing Hole: Summer boating season is here

Last weekend was the start of the summer boating season and it was obvious at area reservoirs that there are quite a few new boat owners. Some were having trouble launching their boats and thankfully, other boaters were patient and a few even offered to help. Let us take a refresher on launching a boat.

The boat landing is divided into three areas. First, there is the pre-launch area or the ready lane. This is where you should prepare your boat for launching. Next is the ramp, where the boat is launched into or retrieved from the water. Finally, there is the parking area where the truck and trailer are stored while boaters are on the water.

The pre-launch or ready lane is where you prepare your boat for the water so that a minimum of time is spent launching the boat into the water. Remove tie-downs and the engine support. This is also a good place to disconnect the trailer lights. Now is the time to load and stow any gear that will be taken onto the water. Check your boating systems such as the bilge pumps, lights, horn, tilt motor and steering. Make ready any docklines and fenders and of course don't forget to install the drain plug!

Once you are ready and it is your turn at the launch ramp, get the vehicle and trailer lined up and back down the ramp far enough that the inlet for the engine cooling water is covered so that when the motor is started, the engine is getting cooled.

Disconnect the safety chain and winch hook, lower the motor into the water and start the engine, letting it warm up a bit and back the boat off the trailer. If you are launching the boat by yourself, obviously set the parking brake before leaving the vehicle and getting into the boat. Tie the boat up at the end of the dock and park your vehicle and trailer, returning directly to the boat.

If you have help, the person driving the boat should take the vessel a short way from the launch ramp to allow others to launch their boats and the driver should go park the rig. Once the driver returns to the dock, the boat may approach the dock allowing the person to board.

Reverse this process as you load the boat back onto the trailer taking care to not set the trailer too deep into the water. Line up the bow of the boat with the center of the trailer, driving the boat onto it slowly and letting the boat settle before winching it further.

Attach the bow strap and safety chain, make sure to raise the outboard up before driving up the ramp and clear the ramp areas as quickly as possible. Once up in the parking lot, reconnect the trailer lights, attach the tie down straps and remove any gear that isn't stowed away on the boat. Remove the drain plug to allow the boat to drain. Finally clean, drain and dry the boat, as well as flush the engine with fresh water to help prevent the spread of invasive species. If you are a new boater, practice this at the lake during the week when it isn't as busy, if you are able.

WILDHORSEThe lake is full and spilling. Great news. However, snowmelt flows into the lake continue to keep the water murky and fishing is slow. As you get more towards the middle of the lake and the south and north ends the water does start to clear up. Look for the coves that are closest to the canyon by the dam and the furthest from the inflows of Hot Creek, Penrod and Hendricks arms where the water is flowing into the lake. Anglers have had a little luck first thing in the morning before the winds begin to pick up. Fly rodders have landed a few fish stripping buggers and leech patterns which provide some turbulence to attract the fish. Balanced leeches and chironomid patterns under an indicator may also work where the water is clearer. Presentations for those throwing hardware include attractor patterns such as spinners, rooster tails, spoons, Rapalas or panther Martins. Darker colors for both fly and spin fishermen seem to be working better. Worms or PowerBait fished around three feet under a bobber are catching a few fish for bait anglers where the water is clearer though active presentations are producing more fish where the water is muddy. No black bass may be kept until July 1. There is about 3 cfs of water spilling at this time, though the river picks up water from the tributaries as you go downstream. The first two miles below the dam are fishable and fishermen report fair to good fishing there. Wildhorse Reservoir was stocked with approximately 20,000 fish last week with more scheduled over the next few weeks.

SOUTH FORK RESERVOIRThe lake level hasn't changed much as they continue to let water out of the dam as there is still a lot of snow in the basin that melts into South Fork. If there was a wet system that came through on top of the snow, there needs to be enough room in the reservoir to capture water to minimize flooding downstream. That being said, if the flow was shut off, it would fill in a week to 10 days at the rate the water is flowing in now. Anglers should also stay far away from the spillway as there is a lot of water going through it and the current there is very strong. Fishing has picked up in the lake and anglers were catching 14-to-18-inch trout both from shore and boats. Bass fishing is also fair to good though it is catch and release only for bass right now. Male bass have moved into the flats along shorelines preparing spawning beds holding on the beds as the females come in to lay their eggs. While it is okay to fish for bass, all black bass must be released until July 1. Both lipped and lipless crankbaits have produced bass as well as soft plastics. For fly fishermen targeting trout, buggers, leeches and balanced leeches are working in the more turbid water while chironomids, balanced leeches and other nymphs are working in the clear water found further north in the lake and the coves. For spin fishermen, still fishing worms in the stained water conditions is not very effective, so they should be throwing spinners and small lures with a slow retrieve to attract the fish. With the discolored water dark colors that provide a good silhouette seem to be working the best. The clearer water at the north end of the lake is more conducive to bait fishing using worms or PowerBait. South Fork Reservoir is scheduled for stocking over the next few weeks.

WILSON RESERVOIRLittle change here from last week. The lake is spilling, though with all the snowmelt is turbid and fishing is slow to fair for trout. Expect these conditions to continue as long as there are high flows coming into the lake from the above average snow pack. Spin anglers should be using rooster tails, spinners, Rapalas and Kastmasters in flashy or very dark colors. For fly fishermen, large flies like wooly buggers and leech patterns are the best bet. A few bass are being taken with crankbaits. The road is in fairly good shape going out though there is wash boarding in spots. Wilson was stocked this week with approximately 15,000 fish last week.

RUBY LAKE NWRHarrison Pass is open and the road is in fairly good shape. However, there is standing water in many areas along the dikes and access roads to the collection ditch so care must be taken when driving. Surface water temperatures in the south marsh have moved into the 60s with good fishing for bass in unit 21 and off Brown Dike. Access to the collection ditch is good. This should be a good year for bass in the south marsh and for fishing for trout in the collection ditch and spring ponds. Fishing in the collection ditch and spring ponds has been good with recent stocking as well as nice carry over trout from last fall. Water clarity is improving. Fly anglers have had luck stripping wooly buggers, leeches or small streamers. Chironomids, pheasant tail nymphs and gold ribbed hares ear nymphs have also been working. Damselflies and Mayflies should start coming off soon, so damsel nymphs, dries and Mayfly dries may also be part of your arsenal. Spin fishermen should be using spinners, Kastmasters, panther Martins and other small lures. It is artificial presentations only in the collection ditch.

JAKES CREEK/BOIES RESERVOIR

The reservoir is full and anglers report catching trout up to 17 inches along with some bass and a few catfish. Use the same flies, lures and presentations as at South Fork Reservoir. Aquatic vegetation has not started to grow yet, so shore fishing is still accessible. Jakes Creek was stocked with approximately 3,000 fish last week.

COLD CREEK RESERVOIRCold Creek received its spring allotment of 2,050 Rainbow Trout averaging 8.5 inches and 1,517 Tiger Trout averaging 9 inches. Anglers can expect to catch 8-to-10-inch Rainbow Trout and 8-to-10-inch Tiger Trout. The Largemouth Bass population at Cold Creek Reservoir is small and recovering from recent reservoir drawdowns. Although harvest is still allowed, anglers are encouraged to catch and release bass caught until their population is well established in the lake.

CAVE LAKECave Lake is lowered to minimum pool and unfishable. Cave Lake is closed to fishing due to shorelines that are very soft and dangerous due to the complete saturation of the soil. Dam construction is fully underway. Fish stocking will resume once the construction is completed and the lake starts to fill. For more information on Cave Lake, please contact the NDOW Ely Field Office.

COMINS LAKEFishing is slowly picking up but continues to be slow compared to most years. The water continues to be a tea-stained color from the release of tannins due to the rehydration of the vegetation surrounding the lake. Surface water temperatures are in the low 60s and Largemouth Bass have been staging for the last two weeks. Despite slower catch rates anglers can still expect to catch 14-to-18-inch Rainbow Trout and the occasional Brown Trout and possibly a Tiger Trout. A total of 8,539 Rainbow Trout were stocked this spring averaging 9 inches. Largemouth Bass in the 10-to-13-inch range have been caught using active presentations. Crankbaits seem to be working well. Post-spawn Northern Pike are beginning to be more active in recent weeks. Anglers are encouraged to target Northern Pike while they are fishing. Please note that NDOW has placed radio tags in several Northern Pike. These pike will have an orange Floy tag near their dorsal fin and a small antenna (~ 7 inches long) coming from their stomach. Please return these fish to the water for research purposes. All other pike should be humanely dispatched. There is no limit on the pike.

ILLIPAHIllipah Reservoir is near 90% capacity. Water clarity has improved, and water temperatures are sitting between 58 and 60 degrees. A total of 8,031 Rainbow Trout averaging 9 inches were stocked into the reservoir this spring. Anglers can expect to catch 8-to-10-inch Rainbow Trout with the occasional carryover trout up to 16 inches. A variety of night crawlers, PowerBait, and spinners should produce trout for anglers. Fly rodders have had success with bugger and leech patterns and chironomid fishing is picking up with the improvement in water clarity. The road into Illipah Reservoir does have some minor ruts but otherwise access is good.

ANGEL LAKEThe road is open to Angel Lake though the lake is 90% ice covered. There is a stretch of open water along the dam available for fishing. However, there is a small snow drift to walk over to get to the dam. No report on how fishing is.

ALPINE LAKESThe lakes are ice and snow covered. With the snowpack expect a very late start to summer fishing at the high elevation lakes. It will probably be July before some of the lakes will be accessible.

STREAMSFlows in area streams are well above the long-term median though down significantly from last week. Access to many streams is still difficult due to road conditions and either snow, mud or flooding causing travel problems in many areas. Travel off roads is not recommended at this time. Carry chains, tow chain or rope and a shovel and be prepared to spend the night. Please leave a trip plan with someone responsible so that if you don't return home at the expected time someone can start looking for you. Streams will be turbid which will also add to the difficult fishing conditions. You can get to the Bruneau on the Gold Creek Road though the river is still experiencing some flooding with the high flows. The washouts on the Gold Creek/Diamond A road to Jarbidge have been repaired by the Elko County Road Department. The Jarbidge is over its banks in areas as well. As of the morning of June 2, the East Fork of the Owyhee was flowing at 5.35 cfs below Wildhorse dam, while the station near Mountain City was flowing at 240 cfs. The Jarbidge River at 237 cfs, the Bruneau River at 381 cfs, Salmon Falls Creek at 771 cfs, Lamoille Creek a very high 379 cfs with some flooding, the South Fork of the Humboldt is also over its banks in areas is flowing between 1,000 and 1,280 cfs, Cleve Creek at 45.6 cfs, Steptoe Creek at 30.4 cfs and Kingston Creek at 55.4 cfs.

Doucette

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At one time, Elko County may have been 4,800 feet higher in average elevation.