General Information Nevada, Spanish for "snow-capped," is a western state of 109,895 square miles composed of vast, arid rangeland covered by cactus and sagebrush. To the west lie California and the Sierra Nevada mountains, one of the many rough and sometimes isolated mountain ranges that shape Nevada's contour. Despite the extreme conditions of the desert and arid rangeland, Nevada offers the outdoors enthusiast some scenic and successful hunting and angling opportunities. Capital City: Carson City Largest City: Las Vegas National Parks and Forests: Great Basin National Park Humboldt National Forest Lake Mead National Recreational Area Toiyabe National Forest Sport Fishing Nevada is best known by most anglers for its trout fishing. The state's boundary and inland lakes remain relatively cold due to runoff from the Sierra Nevada mountains, and other lakes support populations of lake, cutthroat, rainbow and brown trout. Many of the outlet rivers of the larger lakes also are productive. The Truckee, flowing out of Lake Tahoe, is a favorite spot for trout anglers, as is the Colorado River below Hoover Dam. North-central Nevada offers excellent trout fishing in the Humboldt River drainage. Warmwater species such as bass are a popular resource among many anglers who visit Nevada. Lake Mead is highly regarded for its population of largemouth bass. Crappie can also be caught in many of the lakes in Nevada. For information on licensing, seasons, limits, rules and regulations, please visit the Nevada Department of Natural Resources website.