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Lake Mead Fishing Report: Stripers Sizzle, Bass Struggle in Late May Heat
Hey there, fellow anglers! Artificial Lure here with your Lake Mead fishing report for Wednesday, May 28, 2025.
The sun's already making its presence known this morning, rising at about 5:25 AM, and we'll have daylight until around 7:50 PM tonight. Temperatures are climbing into the high 90s today, so bring plenty of water and sunscreen if you're heading out.
Lake Mead's been showing some interesting patterns lately. The stripers have been absolutely on fire these past couple weeks. Since mid-May, the striper bite has been consistently hot[1][2], which is great news for those of you targeting these fighters. They're hitting well on anchovies and cut bait in the 30-50 foot depths, particularly around the Boulder Basin and near the dam.
Bass fishing, however, has been a bit of a struggle lately[1]. The reports from the past few weeks show largemouth and smallmouth bass have been playing hard to get[2]. If you're determined to target bass, your best bet is working finesse jigs, soft swimbaits, and spinnerbaits around boulder structures in 5-10 foot depths[4]. Early morning and late evening have been producing better results when the water cools slightly.
For those heading up to the Overton Arm, be advised that crappie have been sparse up that way based on reports from May 18[2]. Not worth the trip if that's your target species.
The desert heat cranked up early this year according to reports in early May[3], and that trend has continued through late May. Water temps are now in the upper 70s, which has pushed many fish deeper.
A couple hot spots worth checking out: Government Wash has been producing decent striper action on anchovies, especially in the early mornings. For those with boats, the area around Black Island has been giving up some nice stripers to anglers trolling with deep-diving lures that mimic shad.
As for bait and lures, live shad remains the premium bait if you can net some, but anchovies and cut bait are working great for stripers. For artificial offerings, anything that mimics the abundant shad population is your best bet - silver and white have been the hot colors.
Lake level is still down, so be careful navigating, especially in areas you might not have fished recently. Some new structure has been exposed with the water levels, creating new fishing opportunities but also new hazards.
That's all for today, folks. This is Artificial Lure signing off. Tight lines, stay hydrated, and I'll see you on the water!
The sun's already making its presence known this morning, rising at about 5:25 AM, and we'll have daylight until around 7:50 PM tonight. Temperatures are climbing into the high 90s today, so bring plenty of water and sunscreen if you're heading out.
Lake Mead's been showing some interesting patterns lately. The stripers have been absolutely on fire these past couple weeks. Since mid-May, the striper bite has been consistently hot[1][2], which is great news for those of you targeting these fighters. They're hitting well on anchovies and cut bait in the 30-50 foot depths, particularly around the Boulder Basin and near the dam.
Bass fishing, however, has been a bit of a struggle lately[1]. The reports from the past few weeks show largemouth and smallmouth bass have been playing hard to get[2]. If you're determined to target bass, your best bet is working finesse jigs, soft swimbaits, and spinnerbaits around boulder structures in 5-10 foot depths[4]. Early morning and late evening have been producing better results when the water cools slightly.
For those heading up to the Overton Arm, be advised that crappie have been sparse up that way based on reports from May 18[2]. Not worth the trip if that's your target species.
The desert heat cranked up early this year according to reports in early May[3], and that trend has continued through late May. Water temps are now in the upper 70s, which has pushed many fish deeper.
A couple hot spots worth checking out: Government Wash has been producing decent striper action on anchovies, especially in the early mornings. For those with boats, the area around Black Island has been giving up some nice stripers to anglers trolling with deep-diving lures that mimic shad.
As for bait and lures, live shad remains the premium bait if you can net some, but anchovies and cut bait are working great for stripers. For artificial offerings, anything that mimics the abundant shad population is your best bet - silver and white have been the hot colors.
Lake level is still down, so be careful navigating, especially in areas you might not have fished recently. Some new structure has been exposed with the water levels, creating new fishing opportunities but also new hazards.
That's all for today, folks. This is Artificial Lure signing off. Tight lines, stay hydrated, and I'll see you on the water!
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By Quiet. PleaseHey there, fellow anglers! Artificial Lure here with your Lake Mead fishing report for Wednesday, May 28, 2025.
The sun's already making its presence known this morning, rising at about 5:25 AM, and we'll have daylight until around 7:50 PM tonight. Temperatures are climbing into the high 90s today, so bring plenty of water and sunscreen if you're heading out.
Lake Mead's been showing some interesting patterns lately. The stripers have been absolutely on fire these past couple weeks. Since mid-May, the striper bite has been consistently hot[1][2], which is great news for those of you targeting these fighters. They're hitting well on anchovies and cut bait in the 30-50 foot depths, particularly around the Boulder Basin and near the dam.
Bass fishing, however, has been a bit of a struggle lately[1]. The reports from the past few weeks show largemouth and smallmouth bass have been playing hard to get[2]. If you're determined to target bass, your best bet is working finesse jigs, soft swimbaits, and spinnerbaits around boulder structures in 5-10 foot depths[4]. Early morning and late evening have been producing better results when the water cools slightly.
For those heading up to the Overton Arm, be advised that crappie have been sparse up that way based on reports from May 18[2]. Not worth the trip if that's your target species.
The desert heat cranked up early this year according to reports in early May[3], and that trend has continued through late May. Water temps are now in the upper 70s, which has pushed many fish deeper.
A couple hot spots worth checking out: Government Wash has been producing decent striper action on anchovies, especially in the early mornings. For those with boats, the area around Black Island has been giving up some nice stripers to anglers trolling with deep-diving lures that mimic shad.
As for bait and lures, live shad remains the premium bait if you can net some, but anchovies and cut bait are working great for stripers. For artificial offerings, anything that mimics the abundant shad population is your best bet - silver and white have been the hot colors.
Lake level is still down, so be careful navigating, especially in areas you might not have fished recently. Some new structure has been exposed with the water levels, creating new fishing opportunities but also new hazards.
That's all for today, folks. This is Artificial Lure signing off. Tight lines, stay hydrated, and I'll see you on the water!
The sun's already making its presence known this morning, rising at about 5:25 AM, and we'll have daylight until around 7:50 PM tonight. Temperatures are climbing into the high 90s today, so bring plenty of water and sunscreen if you're heading out.
Lake Mead's been showing some interesting patterns lately. The stripers have been absolutely on fire these past couple weeks. Since mid-May, the striper bite has been consistently hot[1][2], which is great news for those of you targeting these fighters. They're hitting well on anchovies and cut bait in the 30-50 foot depths, particularly around the Boulder Basin and near the dam.
Bass fishing, however, has been a bit of a struggle lately[1]. The reports from the past few weeks show largemouth and smallmouth bass have been playing hard to get[2]. If you're determined to target bass, your best bet is working finesse jigs, soft swimbaits, and spinnerbaits around boulder structures in 5-10 foot depths[4]. Early morning and late evening have been producing better results when the water cools slightly.
For those heading up to the Overton Arm, be advised that crappie have been sparse up that way based on reports from May 18[2]. Not worth the trip if that's your target species.
The desert heat cranked up early this year according to reports in early May[3], and that trend has continued through late May. Water temps are now in the upper 70s, which has pushed many fish deeper.
A couple hot spots worth checking out: Government Wash has been producing decent striper action on anchovies, especially in the early mornings. For those with boats, the area around Black Island has been giving up some nice stripers to anglers trolling with deep-diving lures that mimic shad.
As for bait and lures, live shad remains the premium bait if you can net some, but anchovies and cut bait are working great for stripers. For artificial offerings, anything that mimics the abundant shad population is your best bet - silver and white have been the hot colors.
Lake level is still down, so be careful navigating, especially in areas you might not have fished recently. Some new structure has been exposed with the water levels, creating new fishing opportunities but also new hazards.
That's all for today, folks. This is Artificial Lure signing off. Tight lines, stay hydrated, and I'll see you on the water!