Southern Nevada Fish Reports

Constant high summer temperatures are keeping the fish out from shore during the day and bringing them closer to shore at night.  Early risers are chasing boils in and around the coves on the north side of Boulder Basin. Striped bass are biting on anchovies, shad swimbaits, and live shad. Catfish are biting on almost anything, mainly at night. Black bass are hitting on plastics

Lake Mohave is a bit slow but I have heard that coves near the power lines are showing some signs of striper activity. The evening has been working the best for action.

Bass fishing is hot just like the weather. Now that it is reaching 90 degrees in the mountains, bass are active. Anglers are catching the fish with dark green jigs and Woolly Buggers. Rainbow trout will be found in deeper portions of the reservoir.

Both shoreline anglers and boaters are catching bass and trout. The trout are feeding off the bottom and taking PowerBait or worms. Bass are ambushing baits from their hiding spots in vegetation. Bright colored Mepp’s spinners are popular with the bass, but they also are taking worms fished below a bobber.

Anglers using anchovies are reeling in catfish and striped bass all along the river. Most stripers are in the 1- to 3-pound range, but one lucky angler pulled in 10-pound striper from the shoreline at Big Bend. Crankbaits or pumpkin-colored plastics are bringing in smallmouth bass.

Bass in the Cottonwood Basin have been hiding out in coves with vegetation. Black bass are hitting on plastics fished from shore and boat. Further north, striped bass are hitting on anchovies or jerkbaits at Willow Beach. Jointed trout or shad imitations also have been catching the fish. Stocked rainbow trout are taking PowerBait with glitter as well as Rooster Tails.

 Bluegill and green sunfish are the most common catch at the urban ponds. Largemouth bass and catfish also are hitting for persistent anglers. Some nice bass were caught in Tule Springs over the holiday weekend. Catfish are taking hotdogs and stink baits. Sunfish are hitting on mealworms.

Boulder Basin is providing good striper action for anglers using anchovies and white Zara Spooks. The best fishing is taking place at sunrise and sunset. Those also are the best times to avoid the heat. Catfish are hitting on stink baits, anchovies, and hot dog pieces. Black Bass are taking frogs and creature baits at Government Wash.

Seasonal weed growth is starting to show along the edges of the reservoir. Rainbow trout are taking small spinners such as Mepp’s, Rooster Tails, and Panther Martins in a variety of colors during the early morning hours or after sundown. Anglers fishing off the dam and dock are doing well with PowerBait or night crawlers fished below a bobber to keep the bait above the

Crappie action is starting to slow down, but anglers continue to have success for rainbow trout and largemouth bass. Spinners, traditional baits, and Woolly Buggers are catching the fish. As the water begins to clear, weeds will become thicker near the surface and make fishing a little difficult.

 Boaters are catching bass and stocked rainbow trout. The casino area is still a productive spot for rainbows as well as small stripers in the 1-pound class. From the upper Big Bend area down to the Avi, anglers are catching catfish on anchovies or stink baits. Bluegill are hiding in the shadows and taking night crawlers.

Largemouth and smallmouth bass are more active where drop-offs and vegetation come together. Anglers also are catching black bass with plastics at the mouths of coves in Cottonwood Basin. They also are catching fish while trolling their baits in deeper waters. Striped bass are hitting anchovies and swimbaits. Rainbow trout are hitting on dark colored Woolly Buggers and night crawlers south of Willow Beach.

Water levels are good at most of the ponds except for Sunset Lake, which is low for maintenance. Bluegill are taking mealworms, and catfish are taking hotdogs and night crawlers. Due to heat related problems when transporting fish, the Nevada Department of Wildlife will not plant catfish during the month of July.

Stripers are biting all over the Boulder Basin.  Anglers are finding the fish shallow in the mornings and switching to deep diving lures later in the day.  In recent days, anglers have found good fishing in the Overton Arm during afternoon striper boils. Trolling with shad has worked in the Vegas Wash area and outside of the water intakes.