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Colorado River Sunrise Session - Stripers, Bass, and More
Published 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Description
Artificial Lure here with your sunrise session fishing report for the Colorado River near Las Vegas, Sunday, September 7, 2025. It’s 7:45 a.m., and we’ve got another golden day lined up for river anglers and Lake Mead folks.
First up, the **weather**: Variable wind out of the northwest, starting brisk but tapering off by midday, and it’s shaping up to be sunny with temps heading towards the mid-80s. No precipitation on tap according to local forecasts, so you’re in for a dry day with just enough breeze early to keep the bugs moving. **Sunrise hit at 6:20 a.m., sunset will glow out at 7:11 p.m.** on the river.
As for **water and river conditions**, Coyote Gulch reports that water levels remain low in the Colorado Basin this September due to poor runoff this past winter. Lake Mead surface elevation is hovering near 1,065 feet, which is low, but still leaves plenty of fish-holding water especially in deeper canyons and main river bends. Flows may be slightly reduced near the dam as reclamation is adjusting releases, but this can concentrate the bite in slower pockets and eddies along the upper reaches.
You won’t find much in the way of tidal changes upstream, but dam releases and wind patterns can affect current, debris, and fishing clarity—keep an eye on conditions.
Let’s talk **fish activity**. Recent catches have been steady despite the drawdown. Local guides are reporting:
- **Striped Bass**: Still the main event, with early mornings and evenings producing the most numbers, especially around drop-offs near Willow Beach and Eldorado Canyon. Anglers dragging cut anchovies, shad, and working medium diving crankbaits have put 5 to 10 fish in the boat per outing, with some slot fish running up to 10 pounds.
- **Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass**: More active at sunrise and sunset, hugging submerged structure and rocky points. Soft plastics, 3-inch tubes in natural colors and green pumpkin, plus spinnerbaits fished tight to rock faces are pulling solid limits.
- **Channel Catfish**: After dark, near river mouths and deeper holes. Nightcrawlers and stink baits are the top ticket.
- **Trout**: Stocked rainbows visible below the Hoover Dam and at Willow Beach on snaggy days, with PowerBait and small inline spinners catching limits before breakfast.
- **Panfish**: Bluegill and redear sunfish lively along weed beds, especially in coves.
In the past week, anglers are citing 8-12 striper per person on good mornings, several keeper bass per trip, and “a bucketful” of panfish for the kids. Trophy striper hunters landed a 17-pounder north of Cottonwood Cove just two days ago, using live shad.
**Best lures and bait** right now:
- For stripers: **Deep-diving crankbaits (chrome/blue), swimbaits, fresh cut anchovy and shad.**
- For bass: **Soft plastics (green pumpkin tubes, senkos), white spinnerbaits, medium diving jerkbaits.**
- Catfish: **Chicken liver, stink baits, large nightcrawlers.**
- Trout: **PowerBait (chartreuse), small Kastmasters, gold Panther Martins.**
**Hot spots** you should try today:
- **Willow Beach tailwater**: Just below Hoover Dam for trout and stripers.
- **Eldorado Canyon**: Rock ledges for bass, striper runs at dawn and dusk.
- **Cottonwood Cove**: Look for deeper holes on the southern points for big stripers, with open water trolling picking up at midday.
Water clarity is running 4-6 feet in embayments—expect a mildly stained look after windy hours, which helps the bite on reaction lures.
Advice for today: Start early for topwater action, move deeper as the sun rises. If the water is glassy, switch to finesse plastics. Don’t be afraid to chase birds—especially gulls and terns—they’re tipping off feeding stripers.
Thanks for tuning in to the Colorado River report! Be sure to subscribe for daily local fishing wisdom straight from the water. This has be
First up, the **weather**: Variable wind out of the northwest, starting brisk but tapering off by midday, and it’s shaping up to be sunny with temps heading towards the mid-80s. No precipitation on tap according to local forecasts, so you’re in for a dry day with just enough breeze early to keep the bugs moving. **Sunrise hit at 6:20 a.m., sunset will glow out at 7:11 p.m.** on the river.
As for **water and river conditions**, Coyote Gulch reports that water levels remain low in the Colorado Basin this September due to poor runoff this past winter. Lake Mead surface elevation is hovering near 1,065 feet, which is low, but still leaves plenty of fish-holding water especially in deeper canyons and main river bends. Flows may be slightly reduced near the dam as reclamation is adjusting releases, but this can concentrate the bite in slower pockets and eddies along the upper reaches.
You won’t find much in the way of tidal changes upstream, but dam releases and wind patterns can affect current, debris, and fishing clarity—keep an eye on conditions.
Let’s talk **fish activity**. Recent catches have been steady despite the drawdown. Local guides are reporting:
- **Striped Bass**: Still the main event, with early mornings and evenings producing the most numbers, especially around drop-offs near Willow Beach and Eldorado Canyon. Anglers dragging cut anchovies, shad, and working medium diving crankbaits have put 5 to 10 fish in the boat per outing, with some slot fish running up to 10 pounds.
- **Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass**: More active at sunrise and sunset, hugging submerged structure and rocky points. Soft plastics, 3-inch tubes in natural colors and green pumpkin, plus spinnerbaits fished tight to rock faces are pulling solid limits.
- **Channel Catfish**: After dark, near river mouths and deeper holes. Nightcrawlers and stink baits are the top ticket.
- **Trout**: Stocked rainbows visible below the Hoover Dam and at Willow Beach on snaggy days, with PowerBait and small inline spinners catching limits before breakfast.
- **Panfish**: Bluegill and redear sunfish lively along weed beds, especially in coves.
In the past week, anglers are citing 8-12 striper per person on good mornings, several keeper bass per trip, and “a bucketful” of panfish for the kids. Trophy striper hunters landed a 17-pounder north of Cottonwood Cove just two days ago, using live shad.
**Best lures and bait** right now:
- For stripers: **Deep-diving crankbaits (chrome/blue), swimbaits, fresh cut anchovy and shad.**
- For bass: **Soft plastics (green pumpkin tubes, senkos), white spinnerbaits, medium diving jerkbaits.**
- Catfish: **Chicken liver, stink baits, large nightcrawlers.**
- Trout: **PowerBait (chartreuse), small Kastmasters, gold Panther Martins.**
**Hot spots** you should try today:
- **Willow Beach tailwater**: Just below Hoover Dam for trout and stripers.
- **Eldorado Canyon**: Rock ledges for bass, striper runs at dawn and dusk.
- **Cottonwood Cove**: Look for deeper holes on the southern points for big stripers, with open water trolling picking up at midday.
Water clarity is running 4-6 feet in embayments—expect a mildly stained look after windy hours, which helps the bite on reaction lures.
Advice for today: Start early for topwater action, move deeper as the sun rises. If the water is glassy, switch to finesse plastics. Don’t be afraid to chase birds—especially gulls and terns—they’re tipping off feeding stripers.
Thanks for tuning in to the Colorado River report! Be sure to subscribe for daily local fishing wisdom straight from the water. This has be