Lower Colorado River Morning Bite: Chase the Dam Flows and First Light Stripers

This is Artificial Lure with your Colorado River, Las Vegas fishing report. We’re looking at a classic desert morning on the lower Colorado: clear skies, light winds early, and building heat by late morning. Expect calm conditions at first light, a light breeze mid‑morning, and it getting downright toasty by early afternoon. Pack extra water, a buff, and sunscreen; the river glare gets you faster than you think. Sunrise over the Laughlin–Colorado River stretch comes early, with first light just before most folks are rolling out, and sunset landing in the early evening. That gives you solid low‑light windows at both ends of the day. Around here those dawn and dusk periods are prime time for striped bass and smallmouth to slide out of the deep and push bait toward the edges. The river isn’t tidal this far inland, so instead of chasing highs and lows, you’re watching **current releases** from Davis Dam. When they’re pushing more water, you’ll see sharper current seams and fish stacking on the edges and behind boulders and structure. On lighter flows, fish spread out and get a little pickier. Listen for generation schedules from the dam operators or check local boards and marina chatter; when you hear “they’re pulling water,” that usually means a better bite. Recent reports from local anglers and shop talk along the Laughlin and Bullhead City stretch say **stripers** have been the main headliner, with schoolie fish in the 1–3 pound range common and an occasional 5–8 pounder mixed in. The shore guys working at first light have been picking off a handful apiece when the schools push shad to the bank. Boaters drifting mid‑river holes and current seams are putting more numbers in the net, especially when they stay mobile and follow birds or surface boils. **Smallmouth bass** have been steady along the chunk rock banks and riprap, especially where you get a little shade and broken current. Expect a mix of 10–14 inch fish with a few nicer bronzebacks if you’re patient and cover water. Sunfish and the odd channel cat are still in the mix for anyone soaking bait off the slower shoreline pockets. For **lures**, keep it simple and match the bait: - For stripers, throw 3–5 inch paddletail swimbaits in shad or ghost colors on 3/8–1/2 oz heads, small white or chartreuse bucktail jigs, and slender jerkbaits or walking topwaters during low light. Chrome, bone, and translucent patterns get bit. - For smallmouth, think bottom contact and profile: 3 inch tubes in green pumpkin, small craw imitations, Ned rigs, and compact crankbaits that tick the rocks. A little chartreuse on the tail never hurts in this clear water. If you’re bait fishing, **anchovies** are still the old‑school staple for stripers here. Cut anchovy chunks or whole baits on a sliding sinker rig in the deeper runs will get attention, especially when the current steps up. Nightcrawlers or pieces of shrimp will pick up cats and panfish along the softer banks. A couple of **hot spots** to keep in mind: - The **casino stretch through Laughlin into Bullhead City**: work the current breaks, bridge pilings, and riprap edges at first and last light. It gets pressure, but it also reloads with bait and gamefish all the time. - The deeper **runs just below Davis Dam**: when flows are up, this section stacks stripers and smallmouth. Focus on eddies, ledges, and any obvious breaks where the fast water meets soft water. Hit it early, pay attention to the dam flow, and keep your eyes on the birds and surface activity. When the desert goes quiet and you suddenly hear shad flickering on top, that’s your cue to fire a cast. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn