– The main Carson River begins near the town of Genoa where the east and west forks merge and it ends at the Carson Sink beyond Fallon. Pioneers (mid- to late 1800’s) originally fished for native trout, however, Comstock mining activities, channelization, water diversions, introduction of other fishes, and overharvesting caused the demise of cutthroat trout and limited the range of mountain whitefish.
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- Region
- Western
- County
- Lyon
- Type of water
- River
Fishing Report
Flows are up on the Carson River so ice shouldn’t limit fishing any more this season unless we get another real hard cold snap. Not many reports back yet but fishing should be good until flows peak with increasing runoff. Spin fisherman should start find a few fish on dark spinners and plugs as the water dirty with the increase in flow. Fly fisherman swinging dark leech and buggers are also connecting occasionally. Flows will be unsafe and unfishable this spring with our record snowpack. Know your limits on the water.
02-12-2023
Stocking Updates
| Stocked | Species | Inches | Date Stocked | Year to Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2033 | Brown Trout | 9.5 | 03-15-2023 | 2033 |
| 2063 | Rainbow Trout | 9.7 | 03-20-2023 | 2063 |
Pertinent Information
The Carson River fishery primarily begins at Mexican Dam (adjacent to Carson City) and ends in Dayton. Some fishing does occur in the river upstream of Ft. Churchill, but it depends on the flow and water conditions. The river is considered navigable, making it accessible to the public below the average high water line. However, land upstream of Mexican Dam is mostly private and it is difficult to find public access to the river. Entrance to the river, however, occurs frequently from Carson City to Dayton with Fort Churchill State Park being about the lower end of easily accessible public land. A put and take trout fishery occurs in these areas along with large- and smallmouth bass. Channel catfish and bullheads are caught more in the lower reaches near Ft. Churchill. A canoe/raft launch site along with a handicap access-fishing platform can be found at Camp Carson Park near Lloyd’s Bridge (Carson City). There is an additional boat launch/takeout at Morgan Mill Park near the BLM office.