Southern Nevada Fish Reports

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

Fishing is hit or miss, especially with the unpredictable nature of the monsoonal weather patterns. The Willow Beach Hatchery plants rainbow trout every Friday. That means anglers can find stripers close by. Swimbaits in trout and shad patterns, along with poppers ion their varieties, are go-to lures for topwater action. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are hiding in coves around Cottonwood Basin. Anglers are catching catfish

Despite sightings of small sunfish along the shoreline, action for the bigger fish has been slow. The unstable weather pattern and hot temperatures have combined to keep many people away from the parks. The next catfish plant is planned for some time in mid to late August depending on water temperatures. Some anglers are trying their luck for carp while fishing is slow and have

Sunset and sunrise fishing has been good for striped bass and catfish. Most anglers are using anchovies with a few white topwater lures thrown in. Black bass fishing is good from Government Wash to Echo Bay. Anglers area using frogs and dark colored plastics. Black bass are hiding under the vegetation in coves at the north end of Boulder Basin.

 Anglers are having moderate success for rainbow trout early in the day using spinners and worms fished below a bobber. Fly-fishers are using worms, gnats, and Woolly Buggers for trout and crappie. Some areas may have weeds to contend with.

Fishing with grubs, worms and crawdad imitations is working well for bass. Crappie and bass action picks up as temperatures warm up throughout the day. Anglers have been catching crappie on green and brown jigs, and on night crawler pieces fished below a bobber.

This stretch of the river has been hot for striped bass. The average fish has weighed about 2 pounds, and anchovies are a top choice for bait. Lures are working too. Some anglers have been catching fish with the Rapala X-Rap and jointed trout imitations. Catfish have been hitting well around Big Bend and further south.

Anglers continue to find success for black bass, bluegill and catfish in coves throughout the center portion of the lake. Various plastic imitations have been catching striped bass and black bass. Look for the bluegill in coves north of Cottonwood Cove. They are biting on night crawler pieces and small diving jerkbaits.

Bluegill, bass, and catfish are slow to take lures or bait. Catfish are being hooked on stink baits in the morning or at sunset. Processed stink baits are generally a good bet. Bluegill like meal worms and grubs. Spinnerbaits are still fooling bass at Floyd Lamb in the morning hours.

Anglers have shifted to fishing at dawn and dusk to beat the heat. Stripers are hiding near drop-offs with deep water and waiting for bait fish. Though you may see some boils early in the morning. A Zara Spook, Jumpin’ Minnow, Sassy Super Fluke or similar bait will catch boiling stripers. Black bass are active in many coves throughout the Government Wash area. Water levels