Autumn Riches on the Colorado River - Chasing Fall Bites and Mixed Bag Catches in Las Vegas

Artificial Lure here with your November 7, 2025, Colorado River fishing report right from the heart of Las Vegas. If you’re chasing that fall bite, listen up—conditions are changing, but the river’s still giving up fish for those who know where and how to look. First, a rundown on Mother Nature. Sunrise hit at 6:12 AM, and we’ll lose light quick this evening, sunset’s at 4:40 PM. The weather is cool and dry—expect low 60s this morning, warming up into the mid-70s by early afternoon. Light winds and clear skies are making for postcard-perfect autumn river days. Now, tides don’t swing as hard here as on the coast, but reports of king tides from the Pacific—thanks to the Beaver supermoon—mean the reservoir levels upstream are getting an extra push this week, so water clarity is decent, maybe a touch lower than usual near inflows. Fish activity’s been steady. Morning and near-sunset continue to be the best windows. Local guides and tackle shops report a mix of catches: good numbers of striped bass in the deeper runs below Hoover Dam, with most fish running two to five pounds. The striper schools are hitting best at dawn and dusk, chasing shad and anchovy schools pushed up by the cooler temps. Catfishers are also finding smaller channels and the odd blue up in the daytime with cut bait near shore. For you bass hounds, largemouth and smallmouth are both in play. The largemouths are hitting soft plastics—try a 6-8 inch watermelon worm or a dark-colored jig pitched around brush piles and submerged rocks. Smallmouth have been smacking shad-pattern crankbaits and small spinnerbaits near rocky drop-offs, especially at Willow Beach and the coves just north of Cottonwood Cove. Don’t sleep on the jerkbait bite either, especially on windblown points in the afternoon. If you want numbers, stripers are leading the pack, but I’ve heard of a couple 10-pounders weighed in this week. Bass are steady rather than hot—expect to work for ‘em, but most anglers are putting half a dozen in the boat if they stay mobile. Catfish up to three pounds are being caught off coves and camp spots south of Laughlin—best on chicken liver or nightcrawlers in slack water pockets. As for bait and tackle, keep it simple: - For stripers, frozen anchovies or live shad are top producers. Match those with a 3/4 oz jighead or Carolina rig. - For bass, soft plastics in green pumpkin, watermelon, or black-blue, rigged Texas-style, have been the most consistent. Mix it up with a craw-style trailer on your jigs. - Don’t skip crankbaits—chrome or shad patterns have been drawing reaction strikes in clear water. Now, let’s talk hotspots: - Willow Beach is firing for early stripers and smallies, especially where cooler inflows hit the main river. - Cottonwood Cove area remains a reliable bet for both bass species—work those rocky points and submerged ledges, especially with moderate current. - The Powerline area just below Davis Dam is another good call for mixed-bag action—catfish in the shallow This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.