Southern Nevada Fish Reports

Anglers have been catching 10- to 12-inch rainbow trout in the early mornings. The aquatic vegetation that has hampered anglers is starting to dissipate slowly. Anglers are dropping green and white jigs off the boat or fishing them below a clear bobber. Bass are biting hoppers and plastics.

Some areas are becoming more fishable as the weeds start to dissipate. Trout are hitting worms at sunrise, but the action drops off through the day. Crappie are biting on worms or jigs fished four feet below a bobber. Bass are active throughout the morning and hitting on plastics and creature baits.

River anglers are enjoying an increase in striper activity. They are catching the fish from both boat and shore. Live bait is preferred, but bright and flashy jerkbaits are an excellent alternative. Smallmouth bass are hanging out in shaded areas with an abundance of vegetation. The fish are quick to bite a variety of lures in blue, green, and red.

Many anglers are catching rainbow trout at Willow Beach. Mice tails and Panther Martins are fooling fish near the fishing pier. Anglers are catching striped bass when trolling trout-pattern lures or casting swimbaits during the overnight hours. On the main body of the reservoir, black bass and striped bass action is slow. Anglers near Katherine Landing report moderate success for stripers while throwing shad swimbaits, but

Summer temperatures continue to bake southern Nevada, so fishing remains best at sunrise and sunset for sunfish and bass. Small night crawler pieces set off the bottom are working very well for bluegill and green sunfish. Bass are hitting on spinners and crankbaits.

Striper boils continue to occur across the Boulder Basin and in the Overton Arm. Stripers are taking shad swimbaits and topwater lures when thrown into a boil. Black bass action is tapering off, but a few patient anglers are having luck throwing Rat-L-Traps and spinnerbaits near rocky points. Anchovies and worms fished off the bottom are attracting catfish in the shallows overnight.

Fishing has slowed as vegetation increases, and temperatures are still high. As temperatures cool, vegetation will subside and fishing from shore will be more successful. Bass are taking plastics and jigs. Crappie are hitting on bright-colored jigs. Anglers have had the most success for trout right after sunrise, with most fish in the 12-inch range.

The action has been a little slow overall. Fishing has been best right at sunrise before the day heats up. Crappie are hitting on green and yellow jigs and tubes. A few anglers brought in bass using green plastics. Trout will take a worm and PowerBait below a water bobber. The vegetation across the reservoir has limited shore fishing.

Striper action is hot all along the river. Colorful jerkbaits and topwater lures are landing fish from 3 to 15 pounds. The smallmouth bass bite is picking up in grassy coves. Anglers using Ned rigs with green pumpkin and watermelon plastics are catching fish up to 3 pounds.

Panther Martins and Rooster Tails are tempting rainbow trout at Willow Beach. Kayakers are trolling large, trout-patterned swimbaits to catch striped bass. On Mohave, striper boils are emerging north of the Cottonwood Basin. Black bass action has been slow, but patient anglers using Ned rigs off rocky points have had moderate success.

Sunfish action is what anglers are finding on the ponds. Bluegill and green sunfish are taking mealworms and small flies with red about 10 feet from shore. Anglers are finding a few catfish at sunset using night crawlers and chicken liver. Bass are hitting on drop-shot rigs with plastics.

Striper anglers are reporting increased boil activity near Hoover Dam and Kingman Wash. Anchovies and live bait have been more productive than lures for shore anglers. Boaters that are unable to find boils are having luck trolling in open water. Largemouth bass are quick to hit buzzbaits and Rat-L-Traps, while smallies show a preference for bright-colored crankbaits.