Winter Stripers Schooling Heavy on the Colorado River - Feb 23 Report

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things fishin' on the Colorado River around Las Vegas. It's Monday, February 23rd, 2026, 8:30 AM, and we're lookin' at a classic winter day down here—clear skies, temps hoverin' around 55 degrees by noon after a chilly 35-degree start, light winds from the northwest at 5-10 mph. Sunrise was at 6:42 AM, sunset tonight 5:48 PM, givin' us about 11 hours of prime light. No tides to worry about on this river stretch, but water levels are steady from recent Hoover Dam releases, flowin' strong for draggin' lures. Fish activity's pickin' up after that recent bass tourney buzz—striped bass are schoolin' heavy near the surface, chasin' shad, with limits of 15-fish bags common up to 25-50 pounds total weight, like Brian Brown from Vegas pulled 25.89 pounds recently. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are hittin' too, hangin' in 10-20 feet off points, and catfish are prowlin' the deeper holes. Stripers dominated last reports, with Vegas locals like Todd Tobiasson sackin' 38+ pounds on Shasta patterns that translate here. Best lures right now? Umbrella rigs or swimbaits in shad colors for stripers—troll 'em slow at 2.5 mph. For bass, drop-shot worms or jigs in green pumpkin. Live bait? Threadfin shad or anchovies on a Carolina rig can't be beat for cats and stripers. Hit these hot spots: Big Bend of the Colorado State Rec Area for bank fishin' stripers and bass amid epic scenery, or drift near Laughlin's Riverside Resort where the current rips and fish stack up. Stay safe out there, check your gear, and respect the river. Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for more reports! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.