Fishing the Colorado River near Las Vegas for Trophy Trout, Stripers, and Bass

Good morning anglers this is Artificial Lure with today’s fishing report for the Colorado River around Las Vegas for Sunday April 20 2025. The weather is shaping up well for a solid day on the water. Here in Las Vegas expect a clear spring morning turning to a sunny afternoon with highs in the upper 70s to low 80s. Winds are forecast to be light and variable which should keep the surface calm for both boating and shoreline casts. Sunrise hit at about 6:03 AM and we’ll see sunset around 7:18 PM so there’s plenty of daylight for a full day chase. The Colorado River near Las Vegas is running steady, as both Lake Mead and Lake Mohave are being managed to maintain stable water levels this spring. With storage levels holding in the moderate range there’s good flow, but not excessive current, so fishing conditions are favorable for both bank and boat anglers. Tidal swings on the river are minimal but you’ll notice a slight bump in water level and flow during late morning as releases from upstream work their way down. Expect the strongest fish activity from sunrise through late morning and again in the last light before sunset. This is when bass, stripers, and trout are feeding most actively. Recent reports from Willow Beach to Cottonwood Cove show excellent action for rainbow trout, with anglers catching limits using PowerBait, nightcrawlers, and small silver or gold spoons. Stripers are biting well in the early hours and late afternoon, hitting live shad, anchovies, or soft plastic swimbaits. Some larger stripers over 10 pounds have been caught near the outflows and deeper pools. Largemouth bass are moving into the shallows with the warming water, staging around submerged brush and rocky ledges. Try using jerkbaits, soft plastics, or spinnerbaits in natural shad or green pumpkin colors. Crappie are showing up near submerged trees and docks—small tube jigs or live minnows are the ticket for a panfish fry. A couple hot spots to try are the stretch below Willow Beach for trophy rainbows and stripers, and the shoreline drop-offs near Katherine Landing, which have produced mixed bags of bass and occasional catfish. If you’re looking for bass, the coves north of Cottonwood are seeing solid action and less fishing pressure. Bait and tackle shops recommend Berkley PowerBait in chartreuse for trout, white flukes or paddle tails for stripers, and classic spinnerbaits for bass. Don’t forget extra sunscreen and plenty of water. That wraps up today’s Colorado River fishing report from Artificial Lure. Tight lines and see you on the water! This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.