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Fishing Washoe Lake: what the data says
5,562-acre lake near Washoe County. The lake tops out around 12 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Channel Catfish fishing at Washoe Lake
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer fish stay in 4 to 12 ft, and winter fish hold in 4 to 12 ft. Franktown Creek inflow is the standout, a inflow / creek mouth at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring channel catfish. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | dusk | |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday |
White Bass fishing at Washoe Lake
Start shallow in spring: white bass sit in 2 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 4 to 12 ft, and winter fish hold in 4 to 12 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Franktown Creek inflow: a inflow / creek mouth around 4 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | see map |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | see map |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | see map |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | see map |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 10 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 8 ft
- Feeding flat: feeding flat, around 6.112331616194987 ft
- Old creek channel: creek channel, around 6 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 5 ft
- Franktown Creek inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 4 ft
- Shoreline point: point, around 3.319575530458454 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
- Gravel shoal: gravel shoal, around 2.379695177479366 ft
- Weed flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
- Gravel shoal: gravel shoal, around 1.788928252510909 ft
Common questions
How deep is Washoe Lake?
Washoe Lake is about 12 ft 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 Washoe Lake?
Anglers target white bass, channel catfish on Washoe Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Washoe Lake?
Franktown Creek inflow is the top-rated area: a inflow / creek mouth in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Washoe Lake?
For channel catfish, the summer bite is best in after dark 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.
Nearby waters
Hobart Reservoir · Marlette Lake · Spooner Lake · Virginia Lake · Truckee River (Nevada) · Sparks Marina
See how Washoe Lake stacks up: best channel catfish lakes in Nevada
Browse all Nevada fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.