Las Vegas area fishing report: Lake Mead bass are heading for the deep

Thursday, Dec. 13, 2001 | 9:55 a.m.

NEVADA DIVISION OF WILDLIFE

Lake Mead fishing continues to make a steady decline as striped bass are moving away from shore and are headed toward deep water, where they will spend the winter months. Largemouth bass are also moving toward deep water, but will usually remain close to structure such as cliff walls.

During the past week there have been reports to the Nevada Division of Wildlife that at least a half dozen stripers weighing from 10 to 20 pounds have been caught at Government Wash. There are also reports of small numbers of stripers being caught at the mouth of Gypsum Wash and below the campground at Las Vegas Bay Marina.

Local angler Brent Zinn caught a 38 pound, two-ounce striper at the mouth of Pumphouse Cove with an O'Henry lure on Sunday.

Anglers are still catching stripers near the surface with poppers. They are also going deep to 180 feet with baits to catch the fish.

Anglers who have been fishing in the Overton Arm have been taking some fish by trolling in the Muddy River area and in the Virgin Bowl. With the arrival of cooler weather, now is the time to find crappie in the Virgin Bowl and Muddy River.

Rainbow trout fishing continues to be good. Anglers landed trout that range from 12 to 17 inches at Willow Beach. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is scheduled to stock 2,000 rainbow trout today.