Lake Mead Fishing Report: Thriving Spring Bite for Bass, Stripers, and Crappie

Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure with your Lake Mead fishing report for Friday, April 18, 2025. We’re greeted with classic spring conditions out on the big lake today—clear skies, highs topping out in the low 70s, and just a bit of a breeze to keep things comfortable. First light is around 6:14 a.m. and sunset will be at 7:23 p.m., giving you plenty of daylight to chase your next trophy. No tides to worry about since we’re landlocked, and water levels have been holding steady this week, so get out while the bite’s hot[4][2]. Fish activity is strong across all the go-to species. The bass bite is really picking up, with largemouth and smallmouth both pushing up shallow mornings and evenings as they stage up for the spawn. Most catches are coming in between 2 and 4 pounds, but a few chunky 5-pound smallies have made headlines this week. Your best bets for bass: green pumpkin or watermelon soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and football jigs with craw trailers. Early morning or in shaded stretches, topwater lures like Zara Spooks are drawing some aggressive strikes—don’t be afraid to throw those spooks right up into the skinny water[4][7][10]. Striper fishing remains excellent, with fish averaging 5 to 10 pounds and some hitting the scales at 20-plus. Best success is coming on live shad or fresh-cut anchovies, especially in deeper water around Callville Bay, Boulder Basin, and Hemenway Harbor. Trolling deep-diving crankbaits or vertically jigging silver spoons in 30 to 50 feet has also been productive—look for those bait balls on your electronics and get after them[4][5][6]. Crappie are lighting it up in the Overton Arm, mostly running 10 to 12 inches. Small white or chartreuse jigs, especially tipped with a minnow, are pulling numbers from rocky outcrops and brush piles. Catfish are a bit more hit or miss, but patient anglers working Vegas Wash and Boulder Beach in the evenings with cut anchovy or chicken liver are bringing a few chunky cats over the gunwales[4][5]. For hot spots today: Overton Arm is your best bet for both bass and crappie. For stripers, I’d start at Callville Bay, Boulder Basin, or Hemenway Harbor. If you’re fishing from the bank, check out Government Wash and Boulder Beach for a mixed bag of stripers and catfish[4][5]. The spring bite is definitely on. Make sure your license is current—Nevada or Arizona as needed—and keep an eye out for submerged hazards if you’re boating. That’s your report from Artificial Lure. Conditions are prime, so get out there and enjoy the Nevada spring. Tight lines and bent rods to all! This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.