Good morning anglers, Artificial Lure here with your April 19, 2025, fishing report for the Colorado River waters around Las Vegas.
We’re seeing a classic spring pattern on the river today. The water is running strong with flows near 2530 CFS below Glenwood Springs and climbing steadily. After some hot days, clarity goes brown, but you get good visibility after cool nights, and today visibility should be decent. Overnight lows kept the mud down but watch for color if the day heats up[1].
Weather is shaping up nicely — expect calm to mild breezes and highs reaching the upper 70s to low 80s. Sunrise hit at 6:02 AM with sunset expected around 7:18 PM, so there’s a long window for lines in the water. The lack of tide means river flows dictate movement, but fish activity is up with warming water.
Recent catches have been excellent, especially for striped bass, rainbow trout, largemouth, and smallmouth bass. On the stretch below Davis Dam, shore and boat anglers are reporting double-digit stripers. Most fish are coming in between 4 and 10 pounds, but some bigger ones over 12 pounds have shown up, especially near Willow Beach. Rainbow trout stockings continue, and trout are biting well, mostly in the 1 to 2 pound range[5].
Largemouth and smallmouth bass are getting active, especially in coves and rocky banks. Catfish action is steady at night and early morning near slower water.
For lures and bait, here’s what’s been working:
- Stripers: Go with swimbaits, big topwaters early, and anchovy chunks for bait. For trophy fish, try a glide bait or big paddle tail.
- Trout: Rainbow PowerBait, salmon eggs, and small spoons or spinners like Rooster Tails and Kastmasters.
- Bass: Soft plastics (Senko-style and curly tail grubs), small jigs, and shad pattern crankbaits.
- Catfish: Cut anchovies, chicken liver, or nightcrawlers on the bottom.
Hot spots to check out:
- Willow Beach: For double-digit stripers and steady trout action
- Below Davis Dam: Prime for stripers and catfish, with trout near the hatchery outflows
- Katherine Landing on Lake Mohave: Bass and panfish are biting in the coves
The caddis hatch is starting to pick up, especially for those fly fishing — blue winged olive and midge patterns still work, but caddis pupae and emergers are now a safe bet[1][4].
With water rising, be extra careful if you’re wading or launching a boat. Remember, some spawning closures remain at tributaries, but most of the main river is open, especially around Las Vegas.
Get out there, fish safe, and tight lines — the bite is on, and this is one of the best weeks of spring to be on the Colorado.