Southern Nevada Fish Reports

Transitions into fall weather patterns are resulting in an increase in black bass activity on Lake Mohave. A variety of hard and soft plastics are tempting smallmouth up to 6 pounds. Green pumpkin chigger craws and bluegill crankbaits are two popular choices. In addition, striper anglers are finding fish up to 7 pounds when trolling in at least 20 feet of water near Davis Dam.

Anglers reported good fishing over the weekend. Catfish are favoring hotdogs and chicken gizzards. Families are catching small bluegill on worm pieces. Just a reminder, there are yellow or red and white tackle bins or garbage cans located around the community ponds for unwanted tackle and fishing line.

The black bass bite is picking up in coves throughout the Overton Arm. Both hard and soft plastics in shad patterns are producing catches in the 2-pound range. Kayakers launching from Hemenway and Temple Bar are having luck with striped bass on topwater lures. Shoreline anglers are targeting catfish overnight with smelly corn and chicken liver fished just off the bottom.

With nighttime temperatures dropping into the 30s, trout fishing has been good throughout the day. Crappie action has picked up as well. Night crawlers combined with a mini marshmallow has worked the best for rainbows. Fly-fishers have been catching both rainbows and crappies using Hares Ear Nymphs in olive or natural colorations.

Weather is looking clear for the upcoming weekend. Overnight lows in the 40s yield good fishing throughout the morning. The water levels remain low, and shorelines are muddy, but fishing action off the dam remains good. Rainbow trout are taking spinners and Woolly Buggers, while crappies are chasing bright-colored jigs. Small bass are taking various topwater lures just after sunrise and again before sunset. Rainbow

Boaters are catching striped bass with trout-patterned swimbaits and pencil poppers. Small stripers are taking anchovies thrown from shore near drop-offs. Rainbow trout up to 12 inches are taking green and orange PowerBait.

Jointed swimbaits remain the lure of choice for stripers weighing more than 5 pounds at Willow Beach. Shore anglers are fighting tall grasses surrounding the fishing pier. Lake Mohave boaters are trolling deep for striped bass weighing up to 10 pounds. Some anglers are also reporting success with umbrella rigs near the dam. Black bass are striking dark-colored chigger craws and grubs in shallow coves.

Slightly cooler mornings are giving anglers more fishing opportunity. Catfish are taking hotdogs, small shrimp, or stink baits. The Nevada Department of Wildlife stocked catfish on Tuesday. Small bluegill and bass are taking chartreuse-colored lures. Anglers are encouraged to discard their unwanted fishing line and tackle in the trash cans provided at the parks. At Sunset Park, anglers can use the red and white recycling

Anglers are reporting good action from sunrise until about noon. Stripers are still boiling in the Boulder Basin and taking poppers and jerkbaits. Catfish are hitting chicken liver and anchovies overnight in Government Wash, while black bass are taking baits at the south end of Boulder Basin. Anglers have been successful with hard and soft plastics.

Rainbow trout have been hitting night crawlers combined with a bit of mini-marshmallow or chartreuse sparkle PowerBait. Crappie action has picked up with some fish taking spinning lures and small jigs.

The trout bite is improving with overnight temperatures dropping back down into the 50s. Anglers looking for trout are starting in the morning and fishing throughout the day for bass and crappie. Bass and crappies are hitting spinning lures and plastics.

Anglers using PowerBait are catching rainbow trout up to 12 inches just offshore. Small stripers averaging 1 to 2 pounds are quick to attack pink and purple jerkbaits. Chicken liver is the go-to bait for catfish since anchovies have been in short supply.

Rainbow trout up to 4 pounds have been caught in coves south of Willow Beach Marina. Anglers are experimenting with PowerBait, Panther Martins, and Rooster Tails. On Mohave, boaters trolling deep diving crankbaits are finding stripers in 20 to 40 feet of water. Black bass are hitting a variety of jerkbaits, Rat-L-Traps, and spinners thrown in about two feet of water near brushy shorelines.

Bluegill, bass, and catfish are still active and taking a variety of baits and lures. Small hooks dressed with mealworms or chunks of night crawlers are working the best for bluegill. Some young anglers have even hooked a few catfish on orange PowerBait.

Boaters are reporting that the best striped bass action is taking place before noon in the Overton Arm. Topwater baits like Zara Spooks and other light-colored hard plastics are seeing the most action. Black bass anglers are having moderate success in pockets around Hemenway and in Government Wash. Catfish up to 5 pounds are taking corn and worms throughout the Boulder Basin.

Cool nighttime temperatures are slowing down the aquatic vegetation and it should be clearing up soon. Crappies have been jigs and plastics. Trout and bass are hitting spinners and night crawlers.  

The trout bite is improving with overnight temperatures starting to drop. Anglers are starting in the morning for trout and fishing throughout the day for bass and crappies. The bass and crappies are hitting spinning lures and plastics.

Anglers are catching stripers weighing between 1 and 6 pounds in shallow water along the shoreline of the river. Trout-patterned lures, especially jerkbaits, are tempting the fish. Frozen anchovies are a reliable choice as well. Anglers are experimenting with both hard and soft plastics to fool smallies near Laughlin Lagoon.