Lake Mead Fishing Report: Bass, Stripers, and Catfish Biting Strong

This is Artificial Lure with your Friday morning fishing report for Lake Mead, Nevada, September 12th, 2025. First light hit at 6:27 a.m. and we'll have sunset tonight at 6:59 p.m. The forecast calls for clear skies and a slight southwest breeze, keeping temps mild with a high around 85°F. Water level sits at 31% full, which means plenty of structure is exposed and fishing pressure is light despite the ongoing Tier 1 water shortage. Lake Mead has seen strong bass action this week, with the WON Bass tournament kicking off yesterday. Denny took the day-one lead catching his fish mostly on chartreuse and white spinnerbaits and topwater walking baits, while limiting out with largemouth and smallmouth. The big catch of the day was an 8.01 lb Las Vegas largemouth that gave Uribe’s team a real boost—impressive anytime, but especially given the recent lower lake levels. Soft plastic finesse worms in watermelon and scuppernong colors also produced solid results, as reported by several tournament anglers. Striped bass remain active near Boulder Basin and Las Vegas Bay, with early risers picking up schoolies on shad-pattern swimbaits and live anchovies fished at 20–40 feet. A couple of regulars landed double-digit numbers before 8 a.m. yesterday, mostly stripers under 2 lbs but with a handful touching the mid-4 lb mark. The key is to follow the birds—when you see gulls or terns working a boil, get in close and cast right beyond the frenzy. Catfish are biting well after dark below the Vegas Wash and around Government Wash, with chicken liver, cut mackerel, and shrimp doing the heavy lifting. Recent catches have been decent, with channel cats running 2–6 lbs and an occasional blue catfish mixing in. Sunfish and panfish have moved a bit deeper as the water warms, but kids and shore anglers are still finding action using small chunk nightcrawlers and pieces of redworm by Hemenway Harbor marina rocks. Expect redear and bluegill mostly in the 4–8 inch range. Best baits today: - For bass: chartreuse-white spinnerbaits, topwaters, watermelon finesse worms on a drop shot. - For stripers: shad-pattern swimbaits, live anchovy, silver spoons. - For cats: chicken liver, cut mackerel, shrimp. Hot spots to hit: - Boulder Basin: For early-morning striper boils and topwater bass. - Government Wash: Solid evening and nighttime catfish action. - Las Vegas Bay: Mid-morning striped bass and the occasional bonus largemouth. Low water means exposed rock shelves, submerged brush piles, and narrow coves—be mindful of navigation and don’t crowd the ramp. Look for bass and stripers chasing bait into pockets as the sun gets high. Thanks for tuning in to Lake Mead’s Friday fishing report. Subscribe for more daily updates and local tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.