Southern Nevada Fish Reports

Striped Bass are biting anchovies outside of Hemenway Harbor and Callville Bay Marina, as well as near the Boulder Islands.  The fish near the islands are coming from depths of 50 to 60 feet.  Most of the fish are in the 1- to 3-pound range.  Anglers are still bringing in Smallmouth Bass on plastics and shad imitations in coves that have good shore vegetation.  

Action for rainbow, brown and tiger trout has been good with the fish taking a variety of baits, lures and flies. Overnight temperatures have been dropping into the teens and are effectively shutting down the bass and crappie action.

Trout action has been good with the fish taking a variety of baits and lures. Among them are PowerBait in orange, green or rainbow, as well as night crawlers. Small spinning lures, such as Mepp’s and Rooster Tails have been catching fish near the dam.

Anglers are catching stocked rainbow trout in the 12-inch class. The fish are taking PowerBait and spinners from below Davis Dam to the Big Bend of the Colorado State Recreation Area. Stripers weighing from 1 to 3 pounds are picking up anchovies fished off the bottom, but stripers pushing 5 to 8 pounds are hitting top-water lures and jerkbaits.  

With the return of warm temperatures, catfish and black bass are active and biting. Look for both largemouth and smallmouth bass in the back of coves around Cottonwood Basin. They are hitting crawdads and plastic worms. Colors vary depending on water clarity. Willow Beach has been sluggish, but 3-pound stripers are taking anchovies.  

The last catfish plant of the season was scheduled for this week at Floyd Lamb, Lorenzi, Sunset, Boulder City and Hafen Park ponds.  Action for bluegill and bass has slowed down due to cooling water temperatures, while catfish action has been sporadic for anglers using night crawlers or hotdogs.  

Water temperatures are hovering near 65 and that has all our warm water species biting. Black bass are biting out of Callville Bay on silver colored crankbaits. Outside of Government Wash, anglers are catching striped bass with trout imitation swimbaits. Government Wash has been good for threadfin and gizzard shad. Catfish have been active and biting on anchovies fished off of shelves from shore in

The nighttime temperatures have been dropping into the teens which has stimulated trout action and has been very good around the lake with the fish taking Powerbait in orange, green or rainbow colorations, along with small spinning lures, spoons, and flies.  Gold ribbed hares ear nymphs are working very well along the dam.  With the chilling waters the bass and crappie have really slowed down.

Chilly overnight temperatures have caused a stop to bass and crappie action but have improved the trout action.  Fish are taking a variety of baits and lures with Powerbait in orange, green or rainbow working best off the dam.

Action has improved slightly for the striped bass in the area.  Following the trout plants, anglers have found greater success using trout imitation lures to catch Stripers, although anchovies still remain as the top bait.  Trout are dispersing from the stocking sites and in the area of Sunshine Peninsula, anglers are catching near limits using spinners and night crawlers.

NDOW is offering a free family fishing clinic on Saturday, Nov. 17 at Floyd Lamb Park from 9 am – Noon, with basic instruction from 9 am – 10 am and fishing to follow. The class will cover the basics of fishing at the park, along with casting skills, fish identification, how to choose baits and lures, knots, and rigging.  Loaner rods, tackle, and bait

Anglers have had fair success working the coves.  Largemouth Bass are taking plastics in darker colorations in about 25 feet of water.  Catfish have been hitting on anchovies at night from shore or boat by the dam.  The Striped bass while rather elusive for some have been found to take topwater baits as the sun hits the water.

 The final Catfish stocking for 2018 is scheduled for the week of Oct. 22 and depending on water temperatures, trout plants will begin in November.  Bluegill and bass are starting to slow down with the cooling temperatures, but are most active between 9:00 am – 4:00 pm, taking mealworms and nightcrawlers.  Catfish are taking nightcrawlers, shrimp and hotdogs.  

 Striper have been out at sunrise and sunset.  Various swimbaits and threadfin shad are bringing in smallmouth and largemouth bass in the evening.  Boulder Basin continues to be a hotspot with anglers trolling through the Boulder Beach area.  Smallmouth bass are still hitting on mostly near rocky shelves and points like the Boulder Islands.

 Crappie action really picked up this week with the fish taking Hares Ear nymphs for fly fishers and night crawlers suspended under a bobber for bait fishers.  The trout action slowed down a bit this week, but with the cooler overnight temperatures it should start picking up soon.