Southern Nevada Fish Reports

The Nevada Department of Wildlife planted rainbow trout in the valley ponds. The fish have been taking a variety of worms and spinners. The most popular baits are rainbow-colored PowerBait, night crawlers, mealworms, and mini marshmallows with a salmon egg.

Live shad, anchovies, and soft plastics are producing striper bites. Anglers are seeing schools cruising in about 30 to 40 feet of water. Reports of black bass action are coming in from Hemenway, Temple Bar, and the Overton Arm. Some anglers are experimenting with hard plastics in shad and bluegill patterns, while others are committed to soft plastics on Ned rigs. Crappie are biting tube

Rainbow trout were caught with night crawlers and PowerBait in rainbow, orange, or green colorations. Families have been seen fishing 20 feet out from shore. Ice has thickened for ice fishing. The center of the reservoir has not been tested. Park rangers still urge visitors to use extreme caution before walking on the ice. Spring Valley State Park received lots of snow recently, so travel

The ice around the reservoir's shoreline is thin. The birds have kept some portions of the lake clear, but not much. Ice is too thin to walk on. Open water covers the center of the lake. For up-to-date ice conditions, contact the park at 775-962-5103.

Striped bass in the one-to-three-pound range are taking anchovies along the shorelines of the Colorado River. Pencil Poppers and Glide Baits are taking hits from larger fish. Black bass are hiding in deep pockets. Some anglers are having luck tempting them with ChatterBaits and flashy spinners. Look for trout hiding in underwater vegetation and boulders, in small pools along the shoreline, or within other areas

Rainbow trout are hungry for trout jigs and grubs at Willow Beach. Striper action is hit and miss, but patient anglers are landing double-digit fish on trout-patterned swimbaits. On the lake, boaters are trolling jointed swimbaits and throwing Whopper Ploppers for a striped bass hookup. Black bass anglers are reporting success with deep-diving crankbaits and ChatterBaits in deeper coves.

NDOW has been stocking the urban ponds with rainbow trout since mid-November. The limit is three fish for urban ponds caught with a rod and reel. Best baits for the trout are night crawler pieces and PowerBait. Small fly patterns, such as Pheasant Tail and Hare’s Ear nymphs, are great on a fly rod or a couple of feet below a bobber. Also, a few

Ned rigs are the go-to setup for black bass in the Boulder Basin. Anglers are also reporting moderate success using brown and green jigs. Striper are chasing pearl-colored soft swimbaits. Crappie action is beginning to pick up in the Overton Arm. Crappie jigs and other styles of soft plastics in green and yellow are producing catches.

Temperatures have remained cold enough for ice to form across the reservoir but is still only a couple of inches thick. Not enough for ice fishing. There is still running water coming in at the north end. For up-to-date ice conditions, contact Spring Valley State Park at 775-962-5102

Thin ice line the shoreline throughout the day. Though the overnight temperatures are dropping well below freezing, the lake's center ranges from open water to thin ice, depending on the time of day. For up-to-date ice conditions, contact Echo Canyon State Park at 775-962-5103.

Striped bass weighing more than 10 pounds are showing a preference for Glide Baits and other swimbaits up to 6 inches in length. Small stripers and catfish are hitting a variety of lures and frozen anchovies. Anglers are having moderate success for black bass with chatterbaits and jigs. Stocked rainbow trout are hungry for night crawlers and glitter PowerBait.

PowerBait and spinners are catching rainbow trout from the shorelines of Willow Beach. For a striped bass catch, trout-patterned swimbaits are your best bet. On the lake, boaters are catching a mix of striped bass, smallmouth bass, and largemouth bass when using diving crankbaits in water 20 feet deep or more. Shoreline anglers are having luck in the coves just above Davis Dam.

Trout are hitting spinners, night crawlers, and PowerBait In the late afternoons, night crawlers also are bringing in catfish and bluegill. Most park ponds have been stocked regularly since Thanksgiving. In the Las Vegas area, the ponds are located at Floyd Lamb Park, Lorenzi Park, Sunset Park and Veterans’ Memorial Park.

Anglers are seeing an increase in largemouth and smallmouth bass action at the northern end of the Boulder Basin. Various poppers, crankbaits, and jigs in white and green are working from shore and boat. Topwater activity is slowing down for striped bass, but some fish are now hitting spoons and Glide baits in shad patterns.