Rye Patch Reservoir Depth Map & Fishing Spots (NV)

Hatch outlook

Callibaetis (Speckled Dun)Active window

Typical here: May 1 – Oct 1 · multi-brood; a documented midsummer lull when surface temps push fish deep

nymphthe hours before the midday emergence — nymphs rise off the weed tops in a vertical zigzag that can take hours — sources split between slow 2–4 inch strips with long pauses and a quicker steady retrieve; carry both speeds
dunmidday, roughly 11am into early afternoon
spinnermid-to-late-morning falls

Trout browse the weed-bed edges knocking nymphs loose, then cruise the flats sipping duns at midday — the marquee western lake mayfly.

The midday emergence puts cruisers over weed flats in under 20 ft: a casting bubble with a #14 Callibaetis nymph retrieved dead-slow with pauses is the honest match. Between hatch hours, small spoons and #1 inline spinners along the weed edges and drop-offs pick off the same fish.

The event happens over weed flats and weed-bed edges in 20 ft of water or less

Damselfly migrationActive window

Typical here: May 25 – Aug 31 · Davis peaks around the third week of June; Crowley runs through July

nymphdaytime, over days to weeks — the event is the shoreward swim: nymphs leave the deep weed beds and migrate toward shore to crawl out, swimming with a sinuous sidewinder motion in the top two feet — retrieve TOWARD shore in small slow strips with pauses, nearly unweighted so it stays in the strike zone
adultsummer days over and around the weed beds — still on the menu into early September

The marquee visual event of western stillwaters — fish follow the migration into the shallows and 'shark' in behind a swimming nymph a few inches under the surface.

The best conventional window on western lakes: fish herd olive nymphs along the weedlines in a few feet of water. Work the smallest olive and gold spoons and #1–2 spinners slowly ALONG the weed edge and toward shore — direction matters, the naturals all swim shoreward. Everything happens in the top 2 ft.

peak migration flurries run days at a stretch inside the multi-week window

The event happens over shallow weed flats and weedlines, migrating toward shoreline tules, timber and other crawl-out structure

Chironomids (stillwater midges)Active window

Typical here: Apr 25 – Oct 31 · end of April to the end of October at Crowley — the main food source for the entire season

nymphearly morning, start of the day — fish the bloodworm ON the bottom — 4–6 inches off the mud before the emergence starts
pupathe cool morning hours are prime — as the emergence builds, slide the pupa up to 12–15 inches off bottom under the indicator; a little wind chop does the jigging

Concentrates by DEPTH BAND and mud type, not a fixed spot: roughly 20–25 ft in spring, deeper midsummer, in against the feeder creeks in summer heat, 5–25 ft in fall. Match the band.

This one translates almost perfectly: a slip float with a 1/64–1/100 oz midge-pattern jig set 4–15 inches off bottom over a mud flat, dead-sticked with the chop doing the work. Depth control is everything — no moving lure imitates a hanging pupa; the float rig IS the technique.

The event happens over open mud flats alongside weedlines, channels and basin edges; feeder-creek mouths in summer heat

Grasshoppers (east-side summer)Active window

Typical here: Jul 1 – Sep 30 · the East Walker and Upper Owens terrestrial program

adultall day in high summer, best when afternoon wind knocks bugs onto the water

Pulls fish to the windward grassy banks and edges for months — fish the bank the wind blows ONTO.

The friendliest crossover of the summer: on lakes, drift the windward bank with a bubble-and-foam-hopper — the bubble's splash doesn't hurt a hopper presentation. On rivers, the same rig dead-drifted along the undercut grass banks, or small gold spinners under the banks between rises.

The event happens over grassy banks, undercut edges and windward shorelines

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Rye Patch Reservoir

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Fishing Rye Patch Reservoir: what the data says

11,474-acre reservoir near Pershing County. The lake tops out around 20 ft. Contours on this water are modeled from its actual shoreline and max depth. Good for finding likely water, never for navigation. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.

The drawn water covers 12,159 acres wrapped in 103.7 miles of bank, broken up by an island. With a shoreline index of 6.7, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 89% of this chart, as modeled. Tip to tip the water measures near 16.7 mi with a 7.1-mi widest point. It sits in Pershing County. If the bite dies, Squaw Valley Reservoir is 67 mi to the west.

Rainbow Trout fishing at Rye Patch Reservoir

Early season rainbow trout use the shallows, holding in 5 to 20 ft. Even in summer they hold at 5 to 20 ft; winter keeps them in 4 to 20 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 9 ft that grades prime for winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	5 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	5 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (9 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	6 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Gravel shoal (4 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	4 to 20 ft	dawn	Break off the point (9 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Channel Catfish fishing at Rye Patch Reservoir

When the water first warms, channel catfish slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 6 to 20 ft game here, winter a 6 to 20 ft one. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 17 ft of water and rates prime come winter. The feeding windows run after dark and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dusk	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)
Summer	6 to 20 ft	night & dusk	Deep basin (17 ft)
Fall	6 to 20 ft	dusk	Deep basin (17 ft)
Winter	6 to 20 ft	midday	Deep basin (17 ft)

Walleye fishing at Rye Patch Reservoir

Spring puts walleye in skinny water — 4 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 6 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 6 to 20 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 9 ft, rated prime for fall walleye. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	4 to 15 ft	dusk & dawn	Gravel shoal (4 ft)	1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig
Summer	6 to 20 ft	dusk & dawn	Break off the point (9 ft)	Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled)
Fall	6 to 20 ft	dusk & night	Break off the point (9 ft)	Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow
Winter	6 to 20 ft	dusk & dawn	Deep basin (17 ft)	Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait

Largemouth Bass fishing at Rye Patch Reservoir

When the water first warms, largemouth bass slide up into 2 to 10 ft. Summer is an 8 to 20 ft game here, winter a 6 to 20 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 10 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	Spinnerbait, Chatterbait
Summer	8 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (9 ft)	Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait
Fall	4 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait
Winter	6 to 20 ft	midday	Break off the point (9 ft)	Blade bait, Jigging spoon

Crappie fishing at Rye Patch Reservoir

Come spring, look for crappie tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 6 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 17 ft that scores prime in winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub
Summer	6 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Weed flat (7 ft)	Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled)
Fall	8 to 20 ft	dawn	Break off the point (9 ft)	Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2")
Winter	6 to 20 ft	midday	Deep basin (17 ft)	Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon

White Bass & Hybrids fishing at Rye Patch Reservoir

Come spring, look for white bass & hybrids tight to the bank in 3 to 15 ft. They move out to 6 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-lake point: a point around 8 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A jigging spoon or a topwater (when schooling) is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	Gravel shoal (3 ft)	Rooster tail / inline spinner, Curly-tail jig (white/chartreuse)
Summer	6 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Jigging spoon, Topwater (when schooling)
Fall	6 to 20 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Small blade bait, Jigging spoon
Winter	6 to 20 ft	midday	Deep basin (17 ft)	Jigging spoon, Blade bait (vertical)

Rye Patch Reservoir also holds smallmouth bass (6 to 20 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.

Notable structure

Structure-wise the chart holds 14 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 17 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 17 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 9 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft
Secondary point: point, around 8 ft
Weed flat: weed flat, around 7 ft
Shoreline point: point, around 4 ft
Shoreline point: point, around 4 ft
Gravel shoal: gravel shoal, around 4 ft
Gravel shoal: gravel shoal, around 3 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
Gravel shoal: gravel shoal, around 3 ft
Weed flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
Weed flat: weed flat, around 2 ft

Public access & boat ramps

Boat launch — ramp
Boat launch — ramp

Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.

Rye Patch Reservoir fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Nevada waters are set by the Nevada Department of Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Rye Patch Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Nevada fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Rye Patch Reservoir?

Rye Patch Reservoir is about 20 ft (6 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.

What fish are in Rye Patch Reservoir?

Anglers target rainbow trout, channel catfish, walleye, largemouth bass, crappie, white bass & hybrids, smallmouth bass on Rye Patch Reservoir.

Where is the best fishing spot on Rye Patch Reservoir?

Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 17 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in winter. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.

When is the best time to fish Rye Patch Reservoir?

For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.

What are the fishing regulations for Rye Patch Reservoir?

Fishing on Rye Patch Reservoir is regulated by the Nevada Department of Wildlife. Check the official Nevada regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.

Nearby waters

Squaw Valley Reservoir 67 mi · Pyramid Lake 78 mi · Onion Valley Reservoir 80 mi · Chimney Reservoir 82 mi · Wall Canyon Reservoir 89 mi · Lahontan Reservoir 94 mi · Willow Creek Reservoir 102 mi · Sparks Marina 106 mi · Catnip Reservoir 110 mi · Virginia Lake 110 mi · Weber Reservoir 110 mi · Frenchman Lake 111 mi, CA

See how Rye Patch Reservoir stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Nevada · best smallmouth bass lakes in Nevada · best crappie lakes in Nevada · best channel catfish lakes in Nevada

Browse all Nevada fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.