This is a picture of Rogers Spring. Located on Northshore Road
inside the Lake Mead Recreation Area. This is one of a group of geothermal springs
in this area. The water is believed to travel miles underground and emerges as
hot mineral water from the Rogers Spring fault. At the source, the temperature
is recorded to be 82°F / 28° C. This warm water collects in a pond
with its deepest point being about three feet.
It is this pond that we see in the picture that drew me to this
body of water. When talking about geothermal springs, fishing is not the first thing
that comes to mind. In fact, many warm springs don’t have fish in them. Microorganisms
tend to thrive here, with few warm springs containing naturally occurring fish species.
It was on YouTube where I first learned that this particular spring does contain
fish. An underwater video, showing large
amounts of small fish swimming around.
Only after contacting Park services to enquire about fishing
this small pond, did I gather information on why this pond has so many fish in
it. These springs have seen numerous failed attempts at using the water through
the years. From diverting the water to farmlands to a small tropical fish
hatchery in the 1950s. It is this last attempt that provides the fishing opportunity
in this spring. The pond is successful as a hatchery, but not a profitable one,
and was thus abandoned.
The small tropical fish, however, still remain in these
waters. Studies have reported that there are at least seven different species of
fish in the pond. However, years of interbreeding can make it hard to pinpoint
the exact species. Do not expect any giants. Most of the fish are in the one-inch
range with some reaching five inches. But do not be fooled, nets are not
allowed in the pond, so catching these fish on rod and reel is no walk in the
park. Attempting to catch “wild” tropical fish in this small pond; what a strangely
wonderful thing to offer fisherman.
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