Trophy Fish Program 1968-2018 Stream & Lake Records Nevada Department of Wildlife Cover: A 10 lb. Rainbow Trout caught by Steve Young out of Ruby Lake NWR Introduction written by Patrick Sollberger, Fisheries Staff Specialist Trophy Fish Program compiled and edited by Debbie Slaven & Lynn Walker State of Nevada Steve Sisolak, Governor Department of Wildlife Tony Wasley, Director Fisheries Division Jon C. Sjöberg, Chief of Fisheries Board of Wildlife Commissioners Brad Johnston, Chairman .................................................................... Yerington Paul E. Valentine, Vice Chairman ..................................................... Henderson Jon Almberg ....................................................................................................... Ely Thomas Barnes ................................................................................................. Elko Tommy Caviglia .................................................................................. Henderson Kerstan Hubbs ..................................................................................... Henderson Dave McNinch ............................................................................................... Reno Tiffany East .................................................................................................... Reno Casey D. Kiel .......................................................................................... Lovelock Persons are free to use material in this report for educational or informational purposes. However, since most reports are part of continuing studies, persons intending to use this material in scientific publications should obtain prior permission from the Department of Wildlife. In all cases, tentative conclusions should be identified as such in quotation, and due credit would be appreciated. This program or publication receives funding through the Federal Aid in Sport Fish and/or Wildlife Restoration. Federal Laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and sex. If you believe you’ve been discriminated against in any NDOW program, activity, or facility, please write to the following: Diversity Program Manager Director U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Nevada Department of Wildlife 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS: 7072-43 6980 Sierra Center Parkway, Suite 120 Arlington, Virginia 22203 Reno, Nevada 89511-9939 Introduction .........................................................................................................................i Record Fish of Nevada .......................................................................................................1 Largest Fish of the Year by Species ..................................................................................2 Recipients of “Largest Fish of the Year” Certificates for 2018 ......................................3 All Trophy Fish Entrants for 2018 ....................................................................................5 Summary of Nevada’s Lakes and Streams Record Fish, 1968-2018 ............................17 Number of Trophy Fish Entries by Water, 1968-2018 ...................................................71 Summary of all Entries, 1968-2018 ..................................................................................100 Current Year’s Summary Native Fish Slam for 2018 ...................................................102 Native Fish Slam Completions, 2012-2018 ....................................................................103 John DiGiacomo with a 7 lb. 12 oz. Largemouth Bass from Echo Canyon Reservoir Shawn Smee with a 1 lb. 1 oz. Blue- gill from Mason Valley WMA outpond Water Record Cutthroat Trout caught out of Pyramid Lake by Tyler Youngberg (Native Fish Slam) 2018 NEVADA TROPHY FISH PROGRAM Welcome to the Nevada Department of Wildlife’s Trophy Fish Program that began in 1968. This booklet recognizes the talents, or luck, of anglers for catching notable-sized fish from many of the over 800 waterbodies found around the state. This program allows anglers to catch 29 different fish species, each having a designated minimum weight for entry. To help us out, please include on the entry form the “specific location” where your fish was caught. Most importantly, add the “mountain range” or other location-identifying characteristics for stream caught fish, because there are multiple streams in the state having the same name. Additionally, it is important to include a clear photograph for us to make a positive identification. Several species look very similar, so holding the fish broadside with the mouth closed for example can be critical. Multiple photos taken at different angles may also help. It is essential that if you believe you caught a state record fish, you must have it weighed on a scale that is “certified” and have an NDOW employee witness it. Although exciting, it is not always easy catching a fish that meets the weight requirement for a trophy fish. Congratulations goes out to everyone that enters the Angler Recognition program. In 2018, we approved 140 Trophy Fish Entries, with 50 meeting the minimum weight requirements, while the remaining 90 entries only established water records. A variety of species were caught, but cutthroat trout was the dominant entry (14 caught), all over 10 pounds and caught from Pyramid Lake. The largest was 22 pounds 10 ounces caught by Donny Ross. Total catch of largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and channel catfish came in distant seconds. The largest were a 9 pounds 1-ounce largemouth bass caught by Dante Ray at Hinkson Slough (Lyon County), a 4 pounds 7 ounces smallmouth bass by Eric Christiansen at Barth Pit (Elko County), and a 20 pounds 8-ounce channel catfish by Mike McNeilly at South Fork Reservoir (Elko County). Entries for establishing “water records only” do not need to meet the minimum species weight requirements. Many are from water bodies that had no previous entry. Shawn Smee, by far, submitted the most entries (total 57), coming away with 44 new records by the end of 2018 (that is, a few records were beaten after his initial water record entry, a few by himself). Most of his records were made from close to home waters, demonstrating that you do not have to travel far to catch fish from different water bodies. It was a good year for anglers completing the Nevada Native Fish Slam. James Gruetzman, Anthony Guerrero, and Hollie Snyder were the 17th, 18th, and 19th anglers to complete the slam. Finally, and new for 2018, we opened the Nevada Native Fish Slam for anglers to complete as many times as they would like. As amazing as it was for Steve MacMillan to be the first to complete the Nevada Native Fish Slam, he was again the first to complete it for the second time! Congratulations to everyone completing or submitting entries to the Native Fish Slam. As usual, the following pages describe current and historical trophy fish catches from Nevada’s waters. We hope the great success that anglers found last year will excite you to head out and enjoy the great fishing Nevada has to offer. Record Fish of Nevada & Largest Fish of Year 2018 Anthony Guerrero caught a Mountain Whitefish from the Truckee River Native Fish Slam Channel Catfish weighing 12 lbs. 5 oz. from Liberty Pond by Charles W. Judson Cynthia Singletary caught a Redband Trout out of Jarbidge River Native Fish Slam Wiper caught by Everett Wisener weighing 16 lbs. 4 oz. RECORD FISH OF NEVADA NEVADA STATE RECORDS NEVADA DATE WORLD SPECIES WEIGHT LENGTH NAME OF WATER RECORD HOLDER CAUGHT RECORD Common Name Lbs. Oz. Inches Lake or Stream Angler Name All Tackle Bass, Largemouth 12 0 26 Lake Mead Michael R. Geary 3/8/1999 22 lbs 4 oz Bass, Smallmouth 811 21.5 Sheep Creek Reservoir Curtis Ockerman 5/31/2010 11 lbs 15 oz Bass, Spotted 46 19.75 Sparks Marina Dante Ray 4/19/2013 10 lbs 7 oz Bass, Striped 63 0 49 Lake Mohave Allan S. Cole 3/15/2001 69 lbs 9 oz Bass, White 4 0 19 Lahontan Reservoir Greg Ackerman 5/13/1984 6 lbs 13 oz Carp 3410 37.75 Truckee River Justin Edland 5/3/2005 75 lbs 11 oz Catfish, Bullhead 611 21.5 Lida Junction Pond Wayne B. Logan 6/29/2004 7 lbs 7 oz Catfish, Channel 327 35.5 South Fork Reservoir Scott Barrett 6/27/2011 58 lbs 0 oz Catfish, White 174 31.75 Lahontan Reservoir Corey Ryan 6/26/2008 19 lbs 5 oz Catfish, White 174 33.2 Humboldt River Jose Mendoza 9/17/2005 19 lbs 5 oz Crappie, Black 35 16.5 Weber Reservoir Lake A. Pressey 4/21/2017 5 lbs 0 oz Crappie, White 31 16.1 Rye Patch Reservoir David Lorain 6/17/2006 5 lbs 3 oz Grayling, Arctic 015 13.75 Desert Creek George Delich 7/1/1978 5 lbs 15 oz Muskie, Tiger 1710 39.75 Barth Pit Jason A. Edgar 5/2/2002 51 lbs 3 oz Perch, Sacramento 4 9 17 Pyramid Lake John Battcher 7/18/1971 3 lbs 3 oz Perch, Yellow 18 13.3 Dufurrena Ponds Warren Todd Goodale 5/23/1987 4 lbs 3 oz Perch, Yellow 18 13.5 Wildhorse Reservoir John A Shorter III 2/16/2019 4 lbs 3 oz Salmon, Kokanee 413 25.7 Lake Tahoe Dick Bournique 7/31/1973 9 lbs 10 oz Salmon, Silver 812 28.5 Lake Mead William Musso 5/9/1974 33 lbs 4 oz Salmon, Silver 812 30.3 Lake Mead Charles W. Caskey 10/25/1974 33 lbs 4 oz Sunfish, Bluegill 310 15.25 Colorado River Mike Tahash 9/14/2010 4 lbs 12 oz Sunfish, Green 113 12.75 Battle Mtn. H.S. Pond Keegan Quintana 6/23/2010 2 lbs 2 oz Sunfish, Pumpkinseed 015 10.13 Peavine Ponds Dante Ray 8/2/2009 1 lb 6 oz Sunfish, Redear 25 13.75 Colorado River Bill Condon 6/26/2004 5 lbs 12 oz Trout, Brook 510 22.8 Bull Run Reservoir Richard Baker 7/19/1980 14 lbs 8 oz Trout, Brown 27 5 33 Cave