Nevada is a hot, mountainous desert landscape with very few persistent sources of freshwater. One of those sources is the perennial Walker Lake, a type of lake rare in this region because most freshwater sources are ephemeral and come and go with the wet and dry seasons. As a result, Walker Lake is crucial for wildlife. Migratory birds, in particular, use this lake as they travel to and from nesting and feeding territories along the Pacific flyway. Visitors are sure to spot flocks of white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos), snow geese (Anser caerulescens), and black-necked stilts (Himantopus mexicanus) as they stop in the lake for a much-needed break on their journey.
The lake itself is only about 12 miles (19 km) long. As a rare perennial lake, it is one of the few locations in the state for year-round boating and fishing, although few fish species are present at Walker Lake. Therefore, very few sport fishing opportunities exist.
Unfortunately, the lake’s salinity is increasing, causing trouble for native wildlife. Due to the evaporation of fresh water and decreasing flow into the lake, the concentration of dissolved salts has risen to half the concentration of seawater. Additionally, the lake has shrunk considerably over the last two decades. Changes in salinity threaten to extirpate sensitive fish species like the Lahontan trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii henshawi), which is rare and may no longer be found in this lake.
Fish Species in Walker Lake
1) Cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii)
The cutthroat trout is a widespread, large-bodied salmonid with an olive-green, spotted body. They can attain weights of more than 40 pounds (18 kg). Most individuals have some red hues, such as blushing on the operculum, the flap that covers the gills, and a red strip running down the sides of the body. This species is split into eleven subspecies, with some considered threatened to critically endangered. Only the Lahontan trout (O. c. henshawi), a subspecies of the cutthroat trout, is found in this lake due to heavy stocking efforts. As a result, its populations are dwindling, uncommon in the lake, or even extirpated from the region.
Juveniles and breeding adults can be found in small streams; they can spend a substantial part of their life in the sea, although some populations may never migrate to the ocean. They consume small fish, algae, and invertebrates and are poor competitors compared to other fish in the same ecological niche, such as salmonids and sunfish. Additionally, they are often predated upon by other salmonids, piscivorous birds, and bears.
Cutthroat trout feed at night and during the day, and an angler can take advantage of this extended active window to catch one. One source recommends using lures and flies; the best baits include live worms or fresh salmon eggs.
2) Lahontan redside (Richardsonius egregius)
The Lahontan redside is a small fish species found in Walker Lake. These silver minnows develop vibrant red stripes on their sides, the trait that gives them their name.
Populations of this fish are distributed throughout habitats by age class. Juveniles inhabit the shallower edges of the stream where smaller insects are abundant, while adults will occur more often in open water. The Lahontan redside breeding season lasts from May to August, and, like the speckled dace, adults form groups above spawning substrates where they deposit their eggs. Redsides do not give any parental care to their offspring.
Lahontan redsides are an essential food source for many predatory fish species like the Tahoe sucker. As a result, they are a critical part of the ecosystem where they occur.
3) Tahoe sucker (Catostomus tahoensis)
The Tahoe sucker is one of the few species native to Walker Lake. This species of fish belongs to the bottom-dwelling group of fish known as Catostomidae, a group characterized as having a downward-facing mouth so they can root around in the substrate for food. Their diet includes worms, insects, and small crustaceans. Tahoe suckers are mottled brown fish, sometimes with a bright red stripe running down their sides.
This species loves large lakes, Walker Lake included. It is abundant throughout the lake and connected rivers, with most Tahoe suckers inhabiting shallow shoreline areas. They spawn from April to August. Tahoe suckers do not construct nests and leave their eggs dispersed among the substrates.
While Tahoe suckers are not necessarily sought after as sportfish, they can be used as live bait if caught.
