A word of warning about the wind at Walker Lake:

Many unwary boaters get caught on Walker Lake every year. What can start out as a picture perfect day can quickly turn into disaster. This is due to storms, which quickly advance over the Wassack Range directly to the west of the lake. A large storm front pushing over the mountain will often be preceded by 10 to 15 mph winds from the north or the south. When the storm front breaks over the mountain, winds can quickly increase to over 30 miles an hour.

Veteran boaters at Walker Lake usually know the weather forecast before going out on the lake. When a storm front is expected, boaters need to keep a watchful eye on the flats at the north or south end of the lake. When the ground is dry dust storms indicate that a storm is eminent. Very often when a storm is pushing over the mountain, there will be no waves on the lake due to the fact that winds are coming from many different directions. You can actually stand on the beach and watch tumbleweeds moving in four different directions in a 50-foot radius. When the storm breaks over the mountain, the wind will rally and take a set direction. This can be northwest, southeast or east. When this occurs it is possible to be offshore and have waves, as small as a half foot high. Or you can see and hear the wall of big waves coming down the lake. If you have a sea worthy craft, very often it is best to stay on the lake for the 2 to 3 hour period it may take for the wind to settle down. If you don't have a sea worthy craft, your best strategy is to get to shore and worry about your boat later. When a storm does come up it is important consider the direction the waves are coming from. If the waves are coming out of the southwest, trailering a boat at the Sportsman's Beach boat ramp is dangerous, you may want to beach your boat for your own personal saftey, at the State Park Beach area. For anglers with car toppers, the State Park Beach at the south end of the cliffs is also the safest place to take out under those conditions.

If you are caught in large waves it is important to keep the bow (front end of your boat) pointed directly into or quartered into the waves, the latter being perferred. This will become very difficult, if not impossible without a sea anchor, if your motor fails. This device is a canvas sock, that is attached to a rope, with the opposite end of the rope attached bow (the front end of your boat.) The sea Anchor drags in the water and stabilizes the boat. Another piece of equipment that could save your life when caught in a storm is a good anchor with plenty of rope. The general rule for the length of an anchor line is for it to be 6-8 times as long as the water depth you want to anchor your boat in. Your best safety equipment is common sense. Know your boat and its limitations. Be aware of the weather and don't get caught out on the lake when a big storm is forecast.

Minimum Recommended Safety Equipment List for Walker Lake, Nevada, for a small boat 10 - 15 ft: You may want to add to this list.

1. Anchor and Anchor Rope 300 Ft. minimum.

2. United States Coast Guard Approved Fire Extinguisher (even for the small aluminum boats with outboard motors.)

3. Bailing Bucket.

4. Sea Anchor, and rope.

5. United States Coast Guard Approved Life Jackets (one per person of the appropriate size.)

6. United States Coast Guard Approved Throwable Floatation Device.

7. First Aid Kit.

8. United States Coast Guard Approved Marine Grade Flares and Flares Gun with Flare (with valid service dates.)

9. One United States Coast Guard Approved Orange Distress Flag (for daytime use only.)

10. Flashlight

11. Portable Cell Phone, you can make and receive cellular telephone calls from most of the lake. Mineral County Sheriff Deptartment phone # is 945-2434, for emergency's only.

12. VHF Marine Radio, (Recommended by the United States Coast Guard.)

13. CB Radio (not recommended by the United States Coast Guard, because of Radio signal skip. However if used, make sure to specify that you are located at Walker Lake Nevada, because of radio signal skip. You can try using channel 9 and if you can not get anyone to respond then try using channel 19 and ask one of the truckers to call the sheriff's office, many of the truckers have cell phones.)

14. Water proof sealed bag with a change of clothes.

Be sure to pick up and read "The Nevada Boat Act" booklet at your nearest Nevada Division of Wildlife Office, or your local sporting goods store.

Make sure some one else on the boat knows how to operate your boat.

Before you leave home - make sure someone knows where you will be and expected time of return.

Most important thing to remember: Not one fish or one more minute fishing is worth and injury or someone's life.

**The USCG Auxiliary offers classes on boating safety, call 1-775-852-5557 for information on these classes.

Special Thanks to Mike Sevon with The Nevada Division of Wildlife Fallon office, and the United States Coast Guard Auxilary for their assistance in putting this together.