By Don Quilici
Saturday, Feb. 9 was the opening day of the 2008 fishing season at the Ft. Churchill Cooling Ponds in Lyon County, and all applicable waters (Bass Pond, Beaver Slough, Crappie Pond, Hinkson Slough, North Pond and the Walker River) at the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area (MVWMA), also in Lyon County.
Those waters close on Sept. 30.
LATEST WATER CONDITIONS:
All waters are ice free, but it was reported that even with the good weather, there were very few fishermen for the Openers.
OPENING WEEKEND:
At Hinkson Slough: A fly fisherman and his buddy, both from Gardnerville, caught and released more than 30 fish in 3 hours on Sunday, beginning at about 1 p.m. Nothing big, their largest was only 13 inches. They were using Sheep Creek and Brassy Bead head flies. They reported that other fishermen did not do well.
At the Cooling Ponds: A half-dozen fishermen were doing good on Saturday for small catfish (8-12 inches) with chicken livers. The biggest catfish was 14 inches.
COOLING PONDS:
How to get there: Drive east on U.S. 50 to Silver Springs. Take Alt. U.S. 95 south toward Yerington. One mile past Wabuska will be Sierra Way, a paved road on your left. Take Sierra Way east to the cooling ponds.
You can only fish from the shoreline. Wading or use of boats or other floating devices is prohibited. Fishing is prohibited from the center dike and posted areas.
The limit is 15 game fish, of which not more than 2 may be black bass. Minimum size for black bass is 14 inches.
Fishing hours: One hour before sunrise to two hours after sunset.
This is a warm water fishery that produces good numbers of catfish and largemouth bass.
Because the water is warm compared to other waters at this time of the year, largemouth bass fishing can be very good here, even early in the season.
Channel Catfish run 8-14 inches in length and can be caught with worms, chicken liver, shrimp or popular prepared baits.
This water is owned by Sierra Pacific Power Company and is open to the public through an agreement between NDOW and the power company. MVWMA WATERS:
How to get there: 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 management area headquarters, there will be a large information board, with a map directing you to those other waters.
Fishermen are encouraged to read and to know the fishing regulations before fishing at the Management Area.
Fishing hours are any hour of the day or night.
The limit for all waters, except Hinkson Slough, is 5 trout and 15 warmwater game fish, of which not more than 2 may be black bass.
Note: Beginning March 1, if bass are kept at the MVWMA, they must be smaller than 11 inches or larger than 14 inches.
HINKSON SLOUGH:
The limit is 2 trout and 15 warmwater game fish of which not more than 2 may be black bass. Minimum size for trout is 16 inches. Artificial flies or lures only. Bass and bluegill fishing will be slow until water temperatures warm up.
BASS POND:
This pond can produce some very good largemouth bass fishing when temperatures start to warm.
The pond can become quite weedy later in the summer, so fishermen would be wise to test these waters, before the weeds start.
CRAPPIE POND:
This has only largemouth bass.
In spite of its small size, this pond has some good-sized bass and typically starts to produce good fishing action by mid-April.
RECENT FISH PLANTS:
Jan. 30: North Pond: 803 rainbow trout, 9.8 inches in length.
Jan. 30: Hinkson Slough: 2,033 rainbows, 9.8 inches.
Jan. 31: North Pond: 550 rainbows, 9.8 inches.
SPECIAL NOTE:
NDOW purchased and planted 200 grass carp in Hinkson Slough, two years ago, in an effort to control the weed growth in this pond.
So don't be alarmed if you see some large carp in the pond.
Fishermen are requested to return these fish, unharmed, to the water should they be caught.
FOR INFORMATION:
Call the Nevada Department of Wildlife at 688-1500 in Reno or the NDOW Region No. 1 Office in Fallon at (775) 423-3171.
• Bet Your Favorite Pigeon
Bet your favorite pigeon that he can't tell you what different kind of fish species can be found in the Ft. Churchill Cooling Ponds.
If he grins and says, " Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Bluegill and Redear Sunfish," you just lost this bet.
• Don Quilici is the Outdoors editor for the Nevada Appeal.