Sept. 30 is an important date, every year, in the local fishing world, as it marks the end of the fishing season at a number of different locations. Those locations include Hobart Reservoir, the Fort Churchill Cooling Ponds, the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area and Topaz Lake.
So, if you don't want to wait until 2007 to try your luck at those locations, you had better hurry and get in some last-minute fishing.
Here's some useful info:
HOBART RESERVOIR:
It is a small, high-mountain lake located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, between Carson City and Lake Tahoe.
To reach the reservoir, drive on a dirt road in Ash Canyon, on the west side of Carson City, to a chain across the road, which marks the boundary of the State Parks System vehicle-prohibited area.
From that chain, it's about a one-mile easy hike downhill to the reservoir. However, remember that it is a steep, UPHILL hike on the return trip to your vehicle.
The reservoir contains Eastern brook, cutthroat, rainbow and bowcutt trout.
The largest trout entered in the Nevada Trophy Fish Record Book for Hobart Reservoir is a 2-pound, 2-ounce cutthroat, although it is acknowledged that much larger trout have been taken from there in past years (A number of those were huge 5+ pound brook trout taken by poachers).
The fishing hours are one hour before sunrise to two hours after sunset. The limit is five trout, only one of which may be longer than 14 inches. Fishing is restricted to artificial flies or lures, with a single barbless hook.
You must possess a valid Nevada fishing license and Trout Stamp.
Hint: Your best success will be in the very early morning or very late afternoon hours, when the sun is NOT on the water.
FORT CHURCHILL COOLING PONDS AND THE MASON VALLEY WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA:
The Fort Churchill Cooling Ponds and the fishable waters of the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area (Hinkson Sough, Bass Pond, Crappie Pond, Bluegill Pond, North Pond and that portion of the Walker River within the Management Area) will all close to fishing Sept. 30.
To reach the Fort Churchill Cooling Ponds, drive east on U.S. 50 to Silver Springs.
Then, take Alt. U.S. 95 south toward Yerington. One mile past Wabuska, take Sierra Way, a paved road on your left. Drive east to the cooling ponds, which are owned by Sierra Pacific Power Co.
To reach Hinkson Slough, Bass Pond, Crappie Pond, Bluegill Pond, North Pond and that portion of the Walker River, all located within the Management Area, take the first dirt road on your right, before reaching the Fort Churchill Cooling Ponds parking area.
Drive south on that dirt road to the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area Headquarters Building.
At the headquarters, there is an information board, with a map directing you to the fishing waters.
North Pond has a boat ramp.
Hint: According to Elmer Bull of NDOW, late September is the best time of the year to catch nice sized bass at Hinkson Slough.
For information, call the NDOW Region No. 1 Office in Fallon at (702) 423-3171.
TOPAZ LAKE:
That interstate lake which is located along U.S. 395 on the Nevada-California Stateline will close for the 2006 fishing season, two hours after sunset on Sept. 30.
The lake will be closed to fishing during the months of October, November and December. It will not re-open until its big traditional opener on Jan. 1. By contrast Topaz Canal stays open year-round.
The lake limit is five trout, 10 mountain whitefish and 15 warmwater game fish, of which not more than five may be black bass.
Be advised that the area within a 100-yard radius of the Topaz Marina is closed to fishing.
Either a Nevada or California fishing license is valid anywhere around or on the lake.
Hint: If you have a boat, troll with flashers and worms at a depth of about 10 feet at the south end of the lake. If you fish from shore, try spincasting with a Roostertail lure.
For information, call Chuck Fields at the Topaz Lake Marina at (775) 266-3550.
Finally:
Be advised if you don't fish before Oct. 1, you will wait until:
Jan. 1 for Topaz Lake to re-open.
The second Saturday in February, 2007, for the Fort Churchill Cooling Ponds and the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area waters to re-open.
All the way to May 1 for Hobart Reservoir to re-open.
-- Bet Your Favorite Pigeon
Bet your favorite pigeon that he can't tell you which one of those waters was planted a number of years ago with Tiger Trout (A sterile hybrid crossbreed between a brook trout and a brown trout).
If he grins and says, "It was Topaz Lake, and they still catch a Tiger trout, there, every once in the while," he wins this bet.
-- Don Quilici is the Outdoors editor for the Nevada Appeal.