Southern Nevada Fish Reports

With almost no fishing pressure this past week, reports from this Lincoln County reservoir are minimal. Ice conditions remain good and rainbow trout are on the menu. Begin fishing with your bait suspended just below the ice. Then slowly begin dropping your bait at five to 10-minute intervals until you catch a fish. That will help you find the depth where the fish are holding.

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

Trout fishing has been exciting below Davis Dam. PowerBait and spinners have been catching stocked rainbows as well as a few carry over fish. If one bait doesn’t work try something different. Justin Smith weighed in a 26.5-pound, 41-inch striper at Rusty’s Riviera Marina. He caught the fish while casting a Glide Swimmer from the shoreline near Rotary Park.

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

Largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing has picked up. The coves with more aquatic plants are hiding some decent bass towards the central to south end of the lake. On the north end, striper fishing has been slow. A.C. Plugs brought in three striped bass ranging from 10 to 12 pounds out of Willow Beach. Early risers are catching these fish before 6 a.m.

Anglers are reporting that fishing is slow and live bait difficult to get. The best action for striped bass has been at depths of about 150 feet. When the live bait isn’t working try anchovies or jigging spoon. The weather should remain good with calm winds and temperatures near 70 degrees. Perhaps that will lead to some good fishing.

Ice and snow came in abundance over the weekend. The ice remains between 10 and 24 inches thick across most of the reservoir. Those few brave souls who have ventured out on the ice have found good fishing with night crawlers or PowerBait.

This is still one of the most underutilized waters with few anglers being seen on the reservoir. Ice conditions are good following the storm system that passed through over the weekend.

Striper fishing was slow this last week. Fishermen did manage to pull some striped bass from depths of about 100-140 feet. Shad have been the most productive bait when they can be caught. Jigging spoons and trolling with downriggers also have caught fish. Some anglers have been catching black bass from depths of about 40 feet. These fish have been hitting jigs and drop shot

The only fish being reported are striped bass. Fishermen have caught fish as large as eight pounds out of Cottonwood Cove using a boat early in the morning. Fishing from a boat near Willow Beach has proven successful for stripers as well. Swimbaits and top-water lures have been catching fish.

Barring unforeseen problems, such as strong winter storm systems, the local ponds are due to be stocked this week. The few reports that have come in say that trout are taking PowerBait or mealworms, along with small spinners and spoons.

The only report comes from Dacey Reservoir where a pair of anglers caught 13- and 16-inch rainbow trout on crappie jigs with spots on them. Only artificial lures may be used on Dacey and the limit is one trout per person. The ice was six to eight inches thick where the pair was fishing but very thin by the inflow area and boat launch. All

The ice is 18 to 24 inches thick on most of the reservoir. There are few spots where it is only eight to 10 inches. PowerBait continues to catch fish. One angler limited out quickly while using corn-scented PowerBait.

Ice conditions have been good this week, averaging about six inches throughout the reservoir. Anglers are encouraged to use caution as there are some thinner spots along the shoreline. There has been very low pressure on the reservoir recently, so if you are looking for a lonely place to go fishing this may be the spot.

Trout plants are scheduled at Rotary Park and Davis Camp this week. The trout tend to move downriver from these two locations after being released. Yellow and red PowerBait have been catching the fish. Li’l Jakes are catching feeding stripers. Shore fishing has been successful.

Striper action has picked up at Willow Beach. Folks at the marina store recently weighed in a pair of fish that went 15.28 and 12.80 pounds. The big stripers were caught using Bomber Long A and Red Fin lures.

Anglers are finding striped bass at scattered locations around the reservoir, but most reports of caught fish are coming from the west side of the Boulder Basin. The fish are reportedly ranging from two to five pounds, even along the shoreline. Fishermen are using anchovies, top-water lures, and live shad when available.