Southern Nevada Fish Reports

Largemouth bass fishing has picked up because it’s spawning season and they are easier to find. Look for white circles with a gravel bottom in shallow water. NDOW encourages anglers to practice catch-and-release when possible during the spawning period. Striper fishing is picking up as well. Despite the rough weather conditions over the weekend one lucky angler reeled in five stripers.

Last week the reservoir received over 14,000 rainbows making for great fishing conditions. Anglers are doing well using a variety of baits and lures, but the most productive have been Mepp’s gold or silver spinners with red dots. Bait fishers have been doing very well using night crawlers.

Fishing activity has picked up and rainbow trout are taking a variety of baits. Night crawlers and Mepp’s spinners have been the bait and lure of choice. All campground facilities are open.

Anglers are finding some success at the upper marsh for panfish and catfish. Mealworms or night crawlers below a bobber will catch fish.

Rainbow trout have been the target fish while temperatures remain on the cool side. Below the dam at Davis camp and around the casino area, on both sides of the river, fishing has been good. Spinners and chartreuse PowerBait have been the favorite lures. Further down the river at Rotary Park some have found luck with night crawlers as well as hardware.

Due to an equipment failure in its water delivery system, and the subsequent loss of its rainbow trout stocks, the Willow Beach National Fish Hatchery has suspended its recreational fish stocking program, which included weekly fish plants at Willow Beach. The hatchery did save and release approximately 11,000 trout in mid-December. Though their numbers will diminish over time, these and holdover fish from previous plants

Striped bass fishing is picking up when the weather cooperates. Some river fishermen have weighed in stripers pushing four to five pounds. Try the coves with good brush cover. Some can only be reached by boat, but others can also be reached by car. The Lake Mead National Recreation map shows roads that will lead to shore fishing opportunities.

High winds have kept fishermen at bay. The rest of the week is looking warm again. Fishing for bass, both large and small, has been good on warm days. Shad remain tough to come by and the stripers haven’t been biting on much else. Water temperatures are still fairly cold, so black bass spawning season still isn't completely underway.