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December 31, 2004
Wildlife Digest
The cold weather and snow that descended on Nevada this week is certain to bring joy to the hearts of some of the state's more hearty anglers since it means that ice fishing season has finally arrived. Already there have been reports that conditions are very good for fishing and anglers have been reeling in some nice rainbow trout at several locations in Elko and White Pine counties while conditions should soon be good at lakes in Lincoln County. Joe Doucette, information officer for the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW), said one of the better ice fishing locations in the state is Comins Lake, located seven miles south of Ely along U.S. 93. Anglers who have been cutting holes in the ice have been rewarded for their efforts recently with good success for rainbows, including a few that have topped 3 pounds. Doucette said that some of the better methods for catching rainbows at Comins include fishing with jigs that are tipped with live worms and dunking weighted wooly bugger flies. Cave Lake southeast of Ely along State Route 486 is another good ice fishing location and offers spectacular scenery. Ice here can become quite thick in winter measuring 2 feet or more. Ice fishers use PowerBait, worms and jigs to catch rainbow trout. Reports coming from Wildhorse Reservoir in northern Elko County indicate the ice is now about six inches thick and fishing is good for trout and yellow perch. Anglers have been known to fill their ice chests with perch by jigging with mealworms or small earthworms. Doucette said that Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge south of Elko in Ruby Valley can be an excellent ice fishing location. It also receives little fishing activity, so anglers usually have the area to themselves. Jigs that weigh 1/32 ounces as well as corn, worms and PowerBait will catch trout at Ruby Lake. In the next couple of weeks when ice conditions improve, anglers can expect to find good fishing at Eagle Valley Reservoir east of Pioche and Wayne E. Kirch Wildlife Management Area 35 miles south of Lund. Both have abundant numbers of rainbow trout, and they will take everything from PowerBait to worms to small jigs. Doucette said anglers should use caution before venturing onto the ice. Tips on ice fishing safety can be obtained at NDOW's website at www.ndow.org/fish/ice/. Volunteers needed for trout program Volunteers are needed by the Nevada Department of Wildlife to assist Las Vegas area teachers in maintaining fish tanks that are used in the agency's Trout in the Classroom program. Ivy Santee, NDOW conservation educator, said 30 participating schools will be provided with 10-gallon aquariums and 200 rainbow trout eggs for the program. Live trout will then be produced in the classrooms and will stay in the aquariums for several weeks before being released into area lakes and ponds. "Tank buddies help teachers to maintain the aquariums and are available to answer questions about any problems that may arise," Santee said. A training session for tank buddies will be held on Jan. 8. For information about the program, contact Santee at 486-5127, ext. 3503. Don't toss out old licenses Hunters and anglers are being reminded by the Nevada Department of Wildlife to hang on to their 2004 hunting and fishing licenses because they have two months of life remaining. "Nevada's hunting and fishing licenses do not expire at the end of the year," said Kathy Teligades, NDOW license office supervisor. "Nevada's license year runs from March 1 through the end of February, so licenses are valid through Feb. 28." Teligades said Nevada's license year corresponds to the close of hunting seasons and the final upland game season (cottontail rabbit) closes on Feb. 28. This allows hunters the use of licenses until the close of all hunting seasons without having to purchase a new license while a season is still under way. Licenses for the 2005-06 license year will be available for sale by late February at most sporting goods stores, bait and tackle shops and NDOW offices. |
