Colorado River Report: Winter Fishing Heats Up Near Vegas

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things fishin' down here on the Colorado River 'round Las Vegas. It's Monday mornin', December 29th, 2025, and we're lookin' at a crisp winter day with highs in the low 50s, partly cloudy skies, and light winds from the northwest—perfect for bundlin' up and hittin' the water without gettin' blown off your boat. No tides to worry about on this river, but Lake Mead's sittin' low, down over two-thirds empty per the Colorado River Research Group's latest "Dancing with Deadpool" report, so fish are concentratin' in deeper pools.

Sunrise was at 6:52 AM, sunset's 4:30 PM—short days mean prime feedin' windows right at dawn and dusk. Fish activity's pickin' up as water cools; stripers are boilin' in the mornings near the dam, and largemouth bass are huggin' rocky structure. Recent catches from local anglers report solid numbers: rainbows and browns stocked upstream, but down here it's been streaks of striped bass up to 20 pounds, channel cats haulin' 10-15 pounders, and smallmouth bass in the 3-5 pound range. Quantities are decent—guys pullin' limits of 5-10 fish per trip if you're on 'em.

Best lures right now? Tossin' swimbaits like 4-inch Keitech on a jighead for stripers, or crankbaits in shad patterns for bass—chartreuse or ghost minnow work killer. Topwater poppers at dawn if they're surface chasin'. For bait, nightcrawlers or shad chunks on a Carolina rig nail cats and panfish; live minnows for bass if regs allow.

Hit these hot spots: Black Canyon below Hoover Dam for stripers crashin' bait balls, or Cottonwood Cove for bass and cats in the coves. Stay safe, check your licenses, and respect the low water—launch early.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI