Artificial Lure here with your Lake Mead fishing report for Saturday, August 9th, 2025.

We're waking up to another classic desert summer morning—sunrise hit at 5:55 am, and we’re looking at high temps that’ll break triple-digits by mid-afternoon. The sky’s mostly clear, humidity low, and the wind is starting light but will pick up from the south after noon, so best get lines wet early or plan for some late-evening action—sunset’s coming at 7:47 pm. Tidal fluctuation isn’t much of a player on the freshwaters of Mead, but the falling lake level certainly is, sitting stubbornly around 31% of full pool according to the Bureau of Reclamation and recent reports from Coyote Gulch.

Let’s talk fish activity. Stripers remain the primary draw. Early birds trolling the Boulder Basin and near the Hemenway launch have found schools pushing shad to the surface just as the sun peeks over the bluffs. The key is to watch for birds dive-bombing and, if you’ve got one, put your electronics to work: as Brass To Bass demos on TikTok, “find the bait, find the fish.” The majority of striper catches this week are in the 1-4 pound range, with some bigger linesiders tipping 8 pounds reported near Temple Bar and the mouth of the Narrows.

Black bass—both largemouth and smallmouth—are getting sluggish in the mid-day heat. The Lake Mead, Nevada Fishing Report podcast highlights that once that sun gets high, bass pull off the points and slide deep, holding around structure or drop-offs in 20 to 40 feet. Anglers working the early-morning topwater bite along rocky banks are having success with walking baits and poppers, but as the heat rises, switch tactics: drop-shot rigs with shad-colored plastics, football jigs, and finesse worms are the ticket. Smallmouth especially are hanging near rocky ledges and submerged brush piles.

For live bait, anchovies remain the gold standard for striper—chunk a piece on a circle hook and let it drift deeper as the sun climbs. If you’re running artificials, chrome spoons, Kastmasters, or white bucktail jigs have all produced strikes, especially when you get into schooling activity. Trollers are picking off fish running deep-diving rattletraps or umbrella rigs tipped with swimbaits around 30 feet.

Catfish catches are up this week, with good numbers of channel cats coming out of the Overton Arm and Callville Bay—nightcrawlers, cut baits, and stink baits have all done well after dusk.

Pan fishing is more limited, but a few bluegill and redear sunfish are being caught around boat docks and shaded coves with worms or small jigs. Carp are rolling in the backwaters for anyone looking for something different.

Hot spots to circle on your map:
- The Boulder Basin, just off Hemenway, especially for early stripers chasing shad
- Temple Bar points and the mouth of the Narrows for numbers and a chance at a trophy
- Overton Arm for channel cats, especially after dark
- Fishfinder’s Cove and Government Wash for smallmouth, particularly if you’re rigged for finesse

With falling water levels and higher temps, the fish are a touch pickier and pushing deeper by the day, but put in your time early and key in on baitfish activity—there are still plenty to catch. Keep hydrated, wear that sun protection, and snag fresh gear or bait before you launch—stores like Big 5 Sporting Goods have plenty of summer deals.

Thanks for tuning in to your Lake Mead fishing report with Artificial Lure. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss what’s biting or what secret spot’s heating up. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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