Nevada fishing report, June 17, 2015

LAKE MEAD — With the arrival of summer heat, anglers have shifted their activity to the grey light of morning and then again before dark. Look for stripers near submerged benches surrounded by deep water as the stripers are waiting to feed on bait fish. Largemouth bass are making their presence known and have shown up in many coves throughout the Vegas Wash. One angler reports that Rapala minnow lures have been catching these fish. With lower water levels be sure to keep an eye out for new islands and submerged rocks. Check launch ramp conditions before heading to lake.

LAKE MOHAVE — Anglers continue to find success for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, bluegill and catfish in various coves throughout the lake. The Nevada Department of Wildlife has been working with other agencies to build and install many artificial fish habitat structures. These structures provide a safe environment where small fish can avoid predators. Various plastic imitations have been catching the fish. Double-digit stripers have not shied away at Willow Beach. Fish weighing 1.5, 12.5 and 15.6 pounds have been caught recently near mile marker 53 and 52.

LAUGHLIN — This stretch of the river has been hot for striped bass. The average fish has weighed about 2 pounds and anchovies are a top bait choice for the area. While anchovies are often productive, many lures work well too. They also keep the angler actively engaged. One local angler recommends the Rapala X-Rap series. Catfish have been hitting well in the area of old Community Park and further south in the Topock Marsh.

URBAN PONDS — Free Fishing Day events at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs and Veteran’s Memorial Park in Boulder City brought out lots of anglers, young and old alike, eager to try their hand at fishing. While the fish were not entirely cooperative, anglers did find some success for bluegill and catfish. For catfish, the smellier the bait the better. Processed stink baits are generally a good bet. Hotdog slices and night crawlers have also been working well.

KIRCH WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA — Bass fishing has been excellent on the WMA. Anglers have reported high success on both Cold Springs and Haymeadow Reservoirs with most bass coming in at more than 12 inches in length. Three- and 4-inch Yamasinko worms are working well without preference to color. Weedless hooks are helpful to keep frustration at a minimum. Excavations are currently underway on the boat launches at Cold Springs and Haymeadow to increase boating access.

EAGLE VALLEY RESERVOIR — Anglers have had moderate success catching the various species of trout. Fishing in the early morning as well as in late afternoon can increase the probability of catching a fish. PowerBait, without preference to color, and small spinners have worked well. For fly-fishermen, Prince Nymphs and Woolly Buggers have produced fish. Some areas may have some weeds to contend with.

ECHO CANYON RESERVOIR — While no tagged fish were caught during the Family Fishing Derby held on Free Fishing Day, the event was a success. Bass action has been very good, with grubs, worms and crawdad imitations working well. Crappie have been hitting on tubes in green and root beer colors, and night crawler pieces fished below a bobber. Trout action has been light, but anglers are having better success in the evenings with small spinners.