Marlette Lake offers respite from heat for anglers

If you are an angler in western Nevada trying to escape the summer heat, try fishing Marlette Lake. This is the highest mountain lake on the west side of the state. Located at an elevation of 7,833 feet, Marlette sits in a basin 1,600 feet above Lake Tahoe. The lake is accessed via Spooner Lake State Park, less than 20 minutes from Carson City. Surrounded by pine trees, wet meadows and aspen groves, the lake is 1.5 miles long and .5 miles wide. Marlette Lake has only been open to fishing since 2006.

As a fisheries biologist with the Nevada Department of Wildlife, I have fond memories of working there for 13 years. This lake was a source for trout eggs dating back to 1883 when the Nevada Fish Commission began collecting brook trout eggs. One hundred years after the first brook trout were spawned at Marlette Lake I had the pleasure of being part of the spring cutthroat trout spawning project. The Verdi hatchery crew would move the spawning station into Trelease Creek at the south end of the lake as soon as the road was open up North Canyon Creek.

As a green biologist assigned to Washoe County, I learned the ropes of setting up the station from hatchery hands like Danny Fulton and George Fitz. In years where there was little snow pack, we would sandbag North Canyon Creek to increase flows into Trelease Creek. If you gave these guys from the School of Hard Knocks a good days work, they would give you a little respect. It wasn't earned easily.

The fish would run up the stream into a trap where they would be sorted each morning and afternoon. We would spawn once a week and often had dignitaries like Sen. Lawrence Jacobson come up to spend the day spawning fish in the shade of a canvas tent suspended over the stream.

Marlette Lake was closed to fishing in those years and wardens zealously guarded the lake from poachers. The allure of the brook trout and cutthroat trout attracted anglers each year and the lake had a reputation for big fish.

The idea of allowing the public to fish brood stock lakes was not accepted until recent years. In California, Heenan Lake which served as a cutthroat trout brood stock, was opened to limited fishing in the late 1990s. It proved to be popular and angling pressure with catch and release regulations had minimal impact on the fishery. Given this example and the support of local sportsman and the Nevada State Parks, Marlette Lake was opened to fishing in 2006. Angling is allowed from the second Saturday in July through Sept. 30. Fishing is catch and release only and anglers must use lures or flies with single barbless hooks.

I fished Marlette Lake on opening day 2006 with Mark Warren, the present Chief of Fisheries for NDOW, along with more than 40 other anglers. We caught a few fish apiece and had a great trip on our mountain bikes.

After the initial rush of anglers, pressure has diminished. In 2006, NDOW reported 512 anglers fished 1,648 days to catch and release 11,263 fish. The following year angler use dropped to 305 days. On the opening day this year, there was only one angler who showed up. The 4.5 mile walk in is a big factor in the light fishing pressure.

I returned this July, walking in with a backpack full of fishing gear and waders. There is a moderately-difficult hiking trail that parallels the North Canyon road. This trail is shorter than walking the road and eliminates conflicts with mountain bikers descending the North Canyon road.

After leaving the park headquarters the trail drops down to Spooner Lake. From the lake, the trail goes up the North Canyon road past Spencer's Cabin then leaves the road above a creek crossing. It doesn't meet with the North Canyon road again until it summits out at the top of North Canyon.

There are several places along the trail with benches where weary hikers can rest with nice views of North Canyon. Plan on three hours to walk in and two hours to walk back down. Walk in early when it's cool outside and head back in time to get back before dark. Take plenty of water or take a water filter to refill your water bottle in the springs that feed Trelease Creek.

The lake has a good population of cutthroat trout, Tahoe rainbow trout (a strain of rainbow trout derived from wild rainbow at Lake Tahoe) and brook trout. Fish average 13-18 inches.

I fished the south end of the lake for two hours and caught a rainbow and hooked a couple nice brook trout. Standing in the water belly deep was a refreshing change from the heat of hiking in.

Fishing with a float tube allows anglers to access deeper water that trout prefer in late summer. Take a wide assortment of flies, spinners and lures to improve your odds of hooking up. If you plan on making this trip, my last advice for you is to invest in a good mountain bike. The ride back down the mountain is free and easy on your soles. Don't forget to bring some cash to cover your state park fee of $6 per vehicle.