Colorado River Las Vegas Fishing Report for September 17, 2025

Artificial Lure here with your Wednesday, September 17, 2025, Colorado River Las Vegas Fishing Report. Fishers hit the river early today with sunrise around 6:30 AM and can expect sunset close to 6:45 PM. Weather’s been riding that classic late summer-to-fall edge: **mornings cool and clear, with afternoon highs cracking the upper 90s**. The wind’s been up—gusts 25 to 35 mph—making for some choppy water. According to the National Weather Service Las Vegas, expect this wind and slightly cooler temps to persist, so keep your hats strapped and watch your casts. The river flow’s steady with no major rain, but do note: there’s a Lake Wind Advisory, and the **Red Flag Warning** for fire risk remains in effect with low humidity. No major tidal swings here—being above the Hoover Dam flattens things out. Still, boaters and shore anglers alike are feeling the breeze, and it’s stirring up the food chain. **Fish activity:** The past few days saw decent action on striped bass, largemouth, and catfish around the Willow Beach and Laughlin stretches. A few respectable smallmouths have shown up near rocky drop-offs north of the big marinas. Early morning and the last light before sunset are the ticket, thanks to surface chop dispersing baitfish and keeping the predators close to shore. Reports from local guides and tackle shops say **stripers are schooling up and moving fast**, chasing shad along deeper ledges and outflows. Anglers drifting live shad, anchovies, or throwing chrome swimbaits and spoons have seen steady hits—especially when they bounce those baits mid-column. **Bass anglers**: Ned rigs and tube jigs in watermelon or pumpkinseed are money along riprap and boulder clusters. Try a Strike King Coffee Tube or a small paddle-tail swimbait if the bite slows. Craw-pattern crankbaits ticking the bottom get reaction strikes, especially near submerged structure. Don’t be afraid to finesse it—lighter line, slower retrieve, as the fish get a little more selective in these post-summer flows. **Big catfish** crews are still working classic setups—stink bait, chicken liver, or shrimp—late evening into the night along deeper pools and back eddies. Fish over 10 pounds aren’t uncommon this week, especially from the Colorado River below Davis Dam. **Recent catch summary:** The bulk of this week’s hauls are striper in the 3-7 pound range, with some real husky fish breaking 10 lbs for patient night anglers. Largemouths are hitting in that 1-3 pound bracket, numbers good but weights a bit lighter than early summer. Carp are always cruising if you’re chasing something different, and bluegill remain thick in the coves. **Hot spots:** - **Willow Beach pier area:** Pre-dawn for stripers and late afternoon for bass. - **Big Bend of the Colorado State Recreation Area:** Both striper and catfish action off rock points and deeper water near the park’s edge. - **Davis Dam tailwater:** Consistent numbers, especially for catfish and the occasional trophy striper when the This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.