Good morning River Rats, this is Artificial Lure with your August 29th fishing report for the Colorado River around Las Vegas. Let’s drop the tailgate and talk shop—it’s shaping up to be another solid late-summer morning for anglers willing to hit the water early.
The sun came up at 6:07 am and we’ll see it duck back behind the mountains right around 7:17 pm tonight. The weather’s cooperating today: expect clear skies, light breeze, and high temps cresting into the low 90s by afternoon. Water conditions are classic late August—levels are a bit lower thanks to the ongoing dry stretch across the region, but flows remain good, and clarity isn’t bad. For those tracking water temps, you’re looking at high 60s, maybe nudging into low 70s by midafternoon—prime for a strong bite, especially early and late.
You won’t get tidal fluctuations here, but be aware: as typical in late summer, the Bureau of Reclamation may pulse flows for downstream irrigation. If you see the current picking up, adjust your anchor and watch your drift speed, especially if you’re working deeper slots below Willow Beach or near the Big Bend backwaters.
Fish activity has been lively—it’s a good time to be on the river. According to Nevada Fish Reports, rainbow trout action has been steady near Willow Beach owing to recent stocking, and stripers are feeding hard at dawn and dusk from the north end of Lake Mohave all the way down to the Big Bend cut. Some days, the boils can get electric! Catfish are still holding deep in the troughs, with flatheads and channels biting best at dusk and after dark.
What’s been in the bag lately? Rainbows up to 16 inches between the Willow Beach launch and the Arizona Hot Springs. A handful of trophy striped bass—reports of a 23-pounder near Katherine Landing just a few nights ago. Smaller stripers are being caught throughout the day, especially on shad-imitating swimbaits. A few lucky folks even hooked into smallmouth and largemouth bass along riprap just above Davis Dam.
Bait and tackle talk: if you want trout, get out early and try drifting PowerBait or nightcrawlers, either off the bottom or slow-rolling them above weed beds. For stripers, go with large swimbaits in shad or bone colors, or classic anchovy chunks on a sliding sinker rig. Topwaters like Spooks or Pencil Poppers are scoring bonus hits at first light. Catfish will always fall for stink bait, chicken livers, or cut mackerel after sundown.
Best lures right now:
- For stripers: 5- to 7-inch soft swimbaits, chrome Rat-L-Traps, and topwater plugs at dawn
- For trout: gold Kastmasters, Mepps spinners, and salmon eggs
- For bass: Ned rigs, finesse worms, and small crankbaits pitched near rocky structure
Tactics-wise, look for boils and bird activity, especially early. Evening sessions after the crowds fade can be money for bigger bites.
A couple hot spots worth your time:
- **Willow Beach**: Always a solid bet for rainbows, and those big stripers cruise by this stretch early.
- **Big Bend State Recreation Area**: Excellent for both stripers and bass, with plenty of shoreline access and deeper pools.
For kayak anglers, paddle upriver from Willow and toss swimbaits along the canyon wall—watch for sudden boils, and keep your rod ready. If you want a lounge-and-wait session, set up bank rods with cut bait below the dam.
With August winding down and weather still stable, now’s the time to get those lines wet before the fall crowds and cooling temps. As always, be safe on the water and keep an eye out for sudden wind kicks—monsoon season can bring surprise gusts.
Thanks for tuning in to your local river reel talk. Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss a bite or a bend in the rod. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
