Fishing report: Stripers finally turning up on top

Friday, Sept. 16, 2005 | 9:51 a.m.

NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE

LAKE MEAD: Anglers are finally experiencing some top water action for striped bass, otherwise there has been little change in the fishing during the past week.

Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) creel census clerks report that boaters are still having good luck for striped bass in the Las Vegas Wash end of the lake. Most of the stripers are around 2 pounds.

Over the weekend, anglers who competed in a Nevada Striper Club fishing tournament had fair success for stripers. However, the largest fish brought to the scales weighed just 4 1/2 pounds.

A variety of methods are being used to catch the fish. Some anglers are using jigs while others are having luck by fishing with anchovies. Boaters have reported seeing boils taking place near Boulder Canyon.

Two boaters who were fishing Monday in the Overton Arm caught and released many stripers that were 10 to 12 inches in length at the Meadows. Jigs baited with squid proved to be the best method for catching the small stripers. They reported to NDOW that there were numerous boils in that part of the lake.

The U.S. Open largemouth bass fishing tournament will be Monday through Wednesday out of Callville Bay.

LAKE MOHAVE: The 35 anglers on hand for last week's rainbow trout plant at Willow Beach enjoyed fair success. Boaters had the advantage over shore fishermen because they were able to catch the fish as they moved into deeper water.

The action for trout continued to be fair for boaters in the Willow Beach area over the weekend. NDOW creel census clerks saw a 19-pound striper that was caught in the area over the weekend by a boater.

Sally Brooms of Searchlight Boat and RV Storage said a pair of boaters had excellent luck for small stripers on Saturday night north of Cottonwood Cove. They caught approximately 70 stripers with anchovies, including five that were more than 20 inches in length. Most of the fish ranged 15-16 inches. They also caught four channel catfish with anchovies that were around 3 pounds each.

URBAN PONDS: Channel catfish were stocked this week in ponds at Floyd Lamb State Park, Lorenzi Park and Sunset Park in Las Vegas, Veterans Memorial Park in Boulder City and Hafen Park in Mesquite. The final catfish plant of the year is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 14.

EAGLE VALLEY RESERVOIR: Trout fishing continues to be fair from boats and the fishing dock. Weeds are causing some problems, although they are not as bad as they have been in previous years.

ECHO CANYON RESERVOIR: Fishing has slowed for rainbow trout but remains good for largemouth bass and crappie. The upper end of the lake is weedy.

KIRCH WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA: There has been little fishing at the area in recent days because of cool weather and high winds. Fishing success has been spotty for rainbow trout and largemouth bass.

The change in weather has caused water surface temperatures to drop from the mid-70s to the high 60s. Trout plants will take place when temperatures hit 65 degrees.