Boulder Basin, Overton Arm yield stripers

Friday, June 17, 2005 | 9:28 a.m.

NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE

Boaters fishing in deep water off Boulder Beach have had fair success by fishing with anchovies and chumming with corn and anchovies. Anglers are not permitted to fish from shore at Boulder Beach.

The back of Las Vegas Wash was productive earlier in the year but is now difficult to fish because of the declining water level. Boaters have been catching channel catfish at night across lake from Callville Bay. The fish range 1 1/2-2 pounds and are being taken with anchovies.

NDOW biologists say this year's spawn of threadfin shad is outstanding in the Overton Arm and about average in the Boulder Basin. Shad, the primary source of food for game fish, are now spawning and will continue to spawn for several more weeks.

Biologists attribute the good spawn in the Overton Arm to high water inflows recently from the Muddy and Virgin rivers. Those inflows brought nutrients that created the desirable spawning conditions.

Anglers are baiting their hooks with anchovies and are having no trouble catching 30 or more fish that weigh around a pound. The 40 people who were on hand for last Friday's rainbow trout plant at Willow Beach had a difficult time because the fish immediately headed for deep water.

While some anglers managed to catch a few fish, many had no luck. The next Willow Beach plant was planned to ftoday.

Maes reported that daytime temperatures were in the low 70s and the nights dropped down into the low 40s. Surface water temperatures also dropped a couple of degrees to 68.

The rainbow trout caught were primarily the recently stocked 11-inch fish; however, a few fish that measured 13 inches were also taken. The trout were taken primarily on PowerBait and night crawlers. Anglers also took largemouth bass that averaged 12 inches and hand-size crappie.