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Striper Frenzy, Largemouth Action, and Catfish Bonanza: Colorado River Fishing Report
Published 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Description
Artificial Lure reporting in from the mighty Colorado River near Las Vegas. Saturday’s sunrise hit the water at 6:14 am, lighting up a calm river under crisp desert air—a blessing after last night’s steady winds. According to Weather Underground, it’s swinging cooler after a run of balmy fall days, with clear skies, temps starting in the low 50s at dawn, and highs expected to peak near 71 degrees. Bundle up for early runs and shed layers as the morning warms.
We don’t work with tides out here, but river flow remains steady with underlying concern over water levels. The water’s lower than average for autumn—local reports say it’s the leanest draw since the ’40s—so target deeper troughs, channel bends, and eddy pockets.
Fish activity this week has been solid. The Lake Mead Fishing Report notes a steady bite for **striped bass**, **largemouth bass**, **catfish**, and the occasional **crappie**. Stripers are hitting hard right now—schooling up near Willow Beach and the river stretches below Hoover Dam, especially as they chase shad in cooler water. Morning and twilight see the most action, but midday is still decent for cats if you drop deep.
Recent catches:
- Striped bass, averaging 2–7 pounds, with several reports of larger fish near power lines and Black Canyon.
- Largemouth bass, mainly 1–3.5 pounds, active closer to brush and rocky points.
- Channel catfish, classic river bottom feeders, found below spillways and drop-offs.
- One bonus: A handful of crappie landed off submerged timber south of Cottonwood Cove earlier this week.
**Best lures right now**:
- For stripers: 1/2–3/4 oz. swimbaits, deep-diving crankbaits, and silver spoons. The classic anchovy cut bait is still a winner.
- For bass: Plastics are producing—Senko worms, green pumpkin tubes, and craws; try Texas or wacky rigging around submerged rocks and brush.
- Catfish can’t resist fresh chicken liver or stinkbait, especially bounced off deeper muddy trenches midmorning.
Local tip: If you’re chasing stripers, focus early mornings at Willow Beach or the base of Hoover Dam. Use live shad if you can find ’em, or mimic shad with white or chartreuse swim jigs. For largemouth, bluff edges and rocky covers upstream from Nelson’s Landing are holding fish—work slow and methodical.
Hot spots today's anglers should hit:
- **Willow Beach**: A perennial favorite for stripers.
- **Cottonwood Cove**: Holding bass and occasional crappie, especially if you work the submerged brush.
- **Black Canyon stretch**: Good for mixed bags, best if you have a boat.
If you’re shore-bound, try the river parks near Laughlin—catfish and bass both bite well from there when drifting bait. Boaters, keep navigation lights handy for low water and mind the coves: submerged obstacles are closer to the surface now.
A side note for wildlife buffs—there are protected species in these waters, including the unique Devils Hole pupfish in isolated springs. Respect the conservation areas and stick to marked public fishing zones.
Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure’s Colorado River update. Don’t forget to subscribe for daily waterside reports and insider tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This episode includes AI-generated content.
We don’t work with tides out here, but river flow remains steady with underlying concern over water levels. The water’s lower than average for autumn—local reports say it’s the leanest draw since the ’40s—so target deeper troughs, channel bends, and eddy pockets.
Fish activity this week has been solid. The Lake Mead Fishing Report notes a steady bite for **striped bass**, **largemouth bass**, **catfish**, and the occasional **crappie**. Stripers are hitting hard right now—schooling up near Willow Beach and the river stretches below Hoover Dam, especially as they chase shad in cooler water. Morning and twilight see the most action, but midday is still decent for cats if you drop deep.
Recent catches:
- Striped bass, averaging 2–7 pounds, with several reports of larger fish near power lines and Black Canyon.
- Largemouth bass, mainly 1–3.5 pounds, active closer to brush and rocky points.
- Channel catfish, classic river bottom feeders, found below spillways and drop-offs.
- One bonus: A handful of crappie landed off submerged timber south of Cottonwood Cove earlier this week.
**Best lures right now**:
- For stripers: 1/2–3/4 oz. swimbaits, deep-diving crankbaits, and silver spoons. The classic anchovy cut bait is still a winner.
- For bass: Plastics are producing—Senko worms, green pumpkin tubes, and craws; try Texas or wacky rigging around submerged rocks and brush.
- Catfish can’t resist fresh chicken liver or stinkbait, especially bounced off deeper muddy trenches midmorning.
Local tip: If you’re chasing stripers, focus early mornings at Willow Beach or the base of Hoover Dam. Use live shad if you can find ’em, or mimic shad with white or chartreuse swim jigs. For largemouth, bluff edges and rocky covers upstream from Nelson’s Landing are holding fish—work slow and methodical.
Hot spots today's anglers should hit:
- **Willow Beach**: A perennial favorite for stripers.
- **Cottonwood Cove**: Holding bass and occasional crappie, especially if you work the submerged brush.
- **Black Canyon stretch**: Good for mixed bags, best if you have a boat.
If you’re shore-bound, try the river parks near Laughlin—catfish and bass both bite well from there when drifting bait. Boaters, keep navigation lights handy for low water and mind the coves: submerged obstacles are closer to the surface now.
A side note for wildlife buffs—there are protected species in these waters, including the unique Devils Hole pupfish in isolated springs. Respect the conservation areas and stick to marked public fishing zones.
Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure’s Colorado River update. Don’t forget to subscribe for daily waterside reports and insider tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This episode includes AI-generated content.