Mat Tank is a reservoir in Nevada, near Elko County.
Mat Tank is a reservoir in Elko County, Nevada.
Use the shape you can see at Mat Tank: check the best cover, the first drop, and one open-water line before moving.
The fish mix here is not confirmed, so check fresh local information before choosing a target or keeping a catch; work a quiet shoreline, then watch water color during the day.
At Mat Tank, begin with one slow bottom presentation and one moving bait, then let bites show whether fish are holding close to cover or roaming open water.
Use wind as a clue; a light push can carry food toward a bank, but hard wind may muddy it, so look for a clean edge near a point or protected pocket; check a rocky edge, then fish the same shape nearby.
Early in the year, protected water and the first warm afternoon can be the best clues; as the water heats up, check deeper edges without assuming every fish is on the bottom; cooling fall water often makes points and firm banks useful again; check the downwind corner for food, then repeat the depth that gives the first bite.
A medium spinning rod, 8-pound line, a small box of jigs, a few crankbaits, and a simple bottom rig cover most situations; change depth or speed before changing every piece of tackle; work a creek turn before a flat bank, then test the drop before leaving.
Record the wind, water color, depth that produced twice, and cover after a bite; those four notes are more useful on the next trip than a long list of spots that did not produce; watch water color during the day.
Explore nearby waters, including local Featured destinations. Check each page for access and fishing restrictions.
Distances are straight-line estimates between mapped water locations.