Southern Nevada Fish Reports

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. 

Murky water has made fishing tough, though anglers have found good fishing for bass and crappie throughout the day with jigs and Woolly Buggers. Trout prefer hitting PowerBait and night crawlers in the early morning hours or late in the evening. Temperatures are reaching into the 80s during the day and dropping into the 50s at night.

Largemouth bass are hitting crayfish imitations, worms and grubs in darker colors. Green or root beer color tube baits, small jigs and nightcrawler pieces are bringing in crappie. Anglers are having better success later in the morning, but the action slows during the afternoon heat. Fishing picks up again after the heat subsides and shadows return to the water. 

Anglers are reporting good fishing for stripers from the dam south through Casino Row. The fish are averaging two pounds. Stripers and catfish also are being caught near Big Bend. Black bass are going for rattling jigs, while catfish are taking night crawlers and anchovies. Fishing has been best at sunrise and sunset.

Stripers are taking baits off the Willow Beach fishing pier. Anglers are finding success from the shoreline and boats with anchovies and jerkbaits. The lake is also producing channel catfish in and around coves. Crankbaits and plastics are taking largemouth and smallmouth bass.

Bluegill and catfish are the go-to fish at the urban ponds. Mealworms are fooling the bluegill, with the best bite taking place in the early morning or late afternoon. Anglers have had fair success for catfish in the evenings using stink baits. Due to seasonally high temperatures, catfish will not be stocked during the month of July.  NDOW reminds anglers that the limit at all

Anglers are catching a mixed bag of stripers and black bass on plastics and crankbaits. Surface fishing has been good for stripers pursuing shad. There have been some limits of crappie coming out of the Overton Arm.

Trout are hitting night crawlers and sunset and orange PowerBaits in the mornings.  Most action throughout the day has slowed with warmer temperatures. Murky waters are making some of the popular spots on the lake difficult to fish. The bass are hitting worms and crankbait; anglers must catch and release bass through June 30th.

Black bass and crappie still hitting on a variety of lures, such as jigs and spinners. Fly fishers are casting a variety of olive flies and buggers. Trout action is good in the early morning before temperatures rise through the day.