Stream Fishing On The Decline In Nevada Due To Drought

Stream fishing around Lake Tahoe and western Nevada is struggling because of the drought. But fishing may actually be better at the lake itself.

Streams that flow in and out of Lake Tahoe are historically low.

Jay Swartley, at Tahoe Fly Fishing Outfitters says the stream conditions have meant less business. His customer count is down 10 percent.

“We have also just lost fisheries too, that we can fish, but we don’t really fish as much,” says Swartley.

Swartley says fish are stressed by the warmer water and lower oxygen levels and the streams don’t look like they usually do.

“The waters don’t look good, aesthetically," says Chris Healy of the Nevada Department of Wildlife."Anglers make a subtle choice, that ‘Hey, I don’t want to fish under these conditions,'"

Shelly Hudson at Lake Tahoe Sport Fishing says the drought is bringing more stream anglers to the lake.

“It’s going to be a good summer, it really is," she says.

Hudson says the summer’s warmer water in the lake could prompt salmon to spawn earlier, which would mean a longer fishing season.