Southern Nevada Fish Reports

Weeds are getting thicker along the shoreline and the water is getting lower as the summer continues. Boaters are finding good fishing for rainbow trout in the morning and bass later in the day. The trout are taking rainbow PowerBait, as well as the chartreuse glitter varieties. Bass are hitting bright colored frog and crawdad plastics.

Striped bass are cruising the river below Davis Dam and hitting on anchovies or large crankbaits. Most stripers are averaging 1 to 2 pounds. One lucky angler reeled in a catfish weighing 13 pounds below Big Bend of the Colorado State Recreation Area. The angler was fishing with anchovies from his boat at night.

Anglers are reporting good action for smallmouth bass and striped bass while largemouth bass fishing has been sluggish. The smallies are hanging along drop offs and the largemouth bass are a little deeper in submerged brush. Plastic crawdads and worms are fooling the bass in Cottonwood Basin. Striper action has been spotty though anglers are having success overnight using anchovies. Rainbow trout and stripers in

Bluegill are biting on worm pieces at Floyd Lamb, Lorenzi and Veterans’ Memorial parks. Lorenzi also has feisty green sunfish. These fish are small so they will be easier to catch with small hooks and small worms. Bass are hitting bright colored jigs and spinnerbaits

Boiling stripers are taking anchovies and topwater lures throughout Boulder Basin and north toward the Overton Arm. For bait fishermen, stripers weighing from 1 to 3 pounds are taking cut anchovies. When fishing a boil, stay away from the edge and cast to the opposite side to avoid spooking the fish. Jointed swimbaits, pencil poppers and shad imitations are working for stripers. Silver and yellow

Rainbow trout are hitting rainbow colored PowerBait and night crawlers in the mornings off the dock and from shore. Weeds are coming up across the lake making shore fishing tough. Weedless hooks will help with that. Bass action is good. Anglers are having success with bright colored jigs and spinners.

Rainbow trout are taking sunset colored PowerBait and worms off the dam. Bass are hitting on bright colored spinnerbaits and jigs, though many are on the small side. Patient anglers are catching some hogs. Crappie action is slow on days with temperatures in the 90s. Weeds are getting thicker along the shoreline and the water level is gradually dropping.

The possibility of catching striped bass and black bass has increased steadily with temperatures pushing past 100 degrees. Fish are being found deep during the day. Catfish and striped bass are taking anchovies right off the bottom. Shore fishing is best during cooler times of the day.

Coves between Willow Beach and Cottonwood Cove are providing most of the largemouth and smallmouth bass action. Spinnerbaits have been the go-to lure for black bass out of river coves. Striped bass are hitting baits across the reservoir, mostly between dusk and dawn. Stripers in the 3-pound range are taking anchovies on the south end of the reservoir.

Cooling temps will make fishing more comfortable over the next week. NDOW plans call for a resumption of monthly catfish plants during the last week in August. The ponds at Sunset, Lorenzi, Floyd Lamb and Veteran’s Memorial parks are on the schedule. So too is Hafen Park in Mesquite. In the meantime, panfish continue to provide good opportunities for anglers at most ponds. Lorenzi Park

Bass action has been good with anglers catching fish as large as 4 pounds. The best fishing has been out of Callville Bay. Stripers are boiling all over the Boulder Basin in the evenings. The fish are taking silver swim baits that resemble threadfin shad. Channel catfish have been taking anchovies and stink baits all along the west side of Boulder Basin from Government Wash

Lake Mohave striper bite has not taken off yet. If you hear of any please let us know. I know it’s a bit on the warm side but we should be getting some striper action. The evening has been doing a little better and not as brutal on our anglers do to our heat this time of year. I have gotten some news of some

Seasonal rains are expecting to raise water levels and create some murky water conditions. Aquatic vegetation continues to thicken in the upper part of the reservoir. The best fishing still is in the early mornings for trout and after sundown as it cools off. Bass are biting throughout the morning.

The water level remains low but expected rainstorms should provide additional water. That, in turn, will increase the turbidity of the water which can make fishing difficult.

Action for 1-pound stripers is steady below the dam and from there to the Big Bend area. Some anglers have caught striped bass in the 5-pound range while fishing on the bottom with anchovies near Big Bend. Catfish also are bending rods. Boat fishing near the dam has been a successful option for stripers. Trout fishing will be slow for a couple months until temperatures