What special fishing regulations apply at Wild Horse Reservoir?

Wild Horse Reservoir carries 5 special-regulation overlays that override Nevada's statewide 2026 rules, covering Rainbow trout, Brown trout, Smallmouth bass, and Walleye. One of them reads: "Walleye 10 / day no statewide minimum NDOW Quality Management (Northern NV's premier walleye fishery + NDOW Walleye Tournament venue); trout 5 / day combined; smallmouth bass 6 / day combined no min." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.

Do I need a fishing license to fish Wild Horse Reservoir?

Yes. Wild Horse Reservoir is in Nevada, so a valid Nevada fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Wild Horse Reservoir; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Nevada rules.

Do Wild Horse Reservoir's special rules replace Nevada's statewide limits?

Only where they conflict. Nevada's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Wild Horse Reservoir by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.

Which species have special rules on Wild Horse Reservoir?

Rainbow trout, Brown trout, Smallmouth bass, and Walleye have a water-body-specific rule on Wild Horse Reservoir, each linking to its full Nevada regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Nevada limits.

2026 regulation year

Wild Horse Reservoir 2026 — Nevada Fishing Regulations

Nevada statewide rules apply unless overridden below.

Last updated May 30, 2026

Wild Horse Reservoir carries 5 special-regulation overlays on top of Nevada's 2026 fishing rules — covering Rainbow trout, Brown trout, Smallmouth bass, Walleye. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.

Get change alerts

Watch Wild Horse Reservoir (NV) and we'll email you when a season, bag limit, slot, or closure changes. Free while in beta.

State-level special regulation

Walleye 10 / day no statewide minimum NDOW Quality Management (Northern NV's premier walleye fishery + NDOW Walleye Tournament venue); trout 5 / day combined; smallmouth bass 6 / day combined no min
Source: Nevada special-water list

Per-species rules on Wild Horse Reservoir

Rainbow trout regulations →
Trout 5 / day combined; stocked-rainbow + wild-brown fishery alongside dominant walleye populations
Brown trout regulations →
Trout 5 / day combined; reservoir brown trout fishery alongside stocked rainbow + walleye
Smallmouth bass regulations →
6 / day combined black bass no statewide minimum; mixed smallmouth + walleye + stocked-rainbow + wild-brown reservoir
Walleye regulations →
10 / day no statewide minimum NDOW Quality Management; Northern NV's premier walleye fishery + recurring NDOW Walleye Tournament venue (3-6 lb fish routinely)

Official source

Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) publishes the authoritative 2026 Nevada fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.

Visit official Nevada fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Nevada Department of Wildlife's emergency-order feed — check it before any Nevada trip during the active season.

Other special-regulation waters in Nevada

Browse all water bodies →

Frequently asked questions

What special fishing regulations apply at Wild Horse Reservoir?: Wild Horse Reservoir carries 5 special-regulation overlays that override Nevada's statewide 2026 rules, covering Rainbow trout, Brown trout, Smallmouth bass, and Walleye. One of them reads: "Walleye 10 / day no statewide minimum NDOW Quality Management (Northern NV's premier walleye fishery + NDOW Walleye Tournament venue); trout 5 / day combined; smallmouth bass 6 / day combined no min." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
Do I need a fishing license to fish Wild Horse Reservoir?: Yes. Wild Horse Reservoir is in Nevada, so a valid Nevada fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Wild Horse Reservoir; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Nevada rules.
Do Wild Horse Reservoir's special rules replace Nevada's statewide limits?: Only where they conflict. Nevada's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Wild Horse Reservoir by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
Which species have special rules on Wild Horse Reservoir?: Rainbow trout, Brown trout, Smallmouth bass, and Walleye have a water-body-specific rule on Wild Horse Reservoir, each linking to its full Nevada regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Nevada limits.

← Back to Nevada regulations overview