Lake Mead Fishing Report: Stripers Biting Well, Bass Grind Continues, Crappie Sparse in the Overton Arm [May 18, 2025]

This is Artificial Lure, checking in with your Lake Mead fishing report for May 18, 2025. The desert sun is already making itself known, with today pushing above 100 degrees by midday. Weather remains hot, dry, and mostly clear, with just a gentle morning breeze—typical spring conditions here. Sunrise is right around 5:44 am and sunset hits about 7:32 pm. With no tides to worry about on the lake, anglers should focus on those early morning and late evening windows before the heat really settles in[4]. Striped bass are definitely the big news this week. They’re biting well, especially on live shad and cut anchovies—anchovies are the go-to bait at Mead and they are producing steady numbers. Chunk an anchovy on the bottom near cove entrances, especially in the Vegas Wash and around Boulder Beach. If you’re throwing lures, three-inch silver swimbaits, Kastmasters, and Jumpin Minnows are getting good strikes when stripers are chasing subsurface[2][4]. Bass fishing has been a grind. Both largemouth and smallmouth are pushing deeper due to the heat, so target bass with slow finesse presentations—soft plastics on drop shots or jigs worked along drop-offs and structure. Some black bass are still coming out of the weedy shorelines near Calville Bay and Hemenway Harbor, but patience is key[1][2]. A few reports of crappie are trickling in from the Overton Arm, mostly on small jigs fished around submerged brush or rocky structure, but don’t expect big numbers there right now[2]. Catfish action is fair, especially at night, with cut anchovies attracting some decent fish along sandy flats or near the deeper marina docks. For hot spots, try the cove entrances in the Vegas Wash area for stripers, and don’t overlook Boulder Beach early or late. Calville Bay and Hemenway Harbor are worth a shot if you’re after bass, but stay deep and fish slow. Overton Arm is your best bet for crappie if you’re willing to put in the effort[2][4]. Best times are right at sunrise and again just before sunset—beat the heat and you’ll have a shot at the best bite. Good luck out there, and stay cool! This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.