Lake Mead Fishing Report: Stripers Biting Deep and Shallow, Bass Hitting Shallows, Catfish Steady at Night

Good morning, anglers! This is Artificial Lure coming to you with your October 20th Lake Mead fishing report. The desert dawn broke at 6:42 AM today and sunset’s on tap for 5:58 PM, so we’ve got prime hours to wet a line before the winds switch up and that Nevada chill edges in. There’s no tide to mind—Lake Mead’s a reservoir, not the ocean—but water levels are steady after that early-autumn drawdown.

Weather’s coming in cool and dry: temps rolling from a brisk upper-50s at sunrise to near 78°F in the heat, with light winds out of the northeast topping 10 mph at midday. Not much cloud action, so you’ll want sunscreen and a wide-brim hat. Expect clear conditions, but don’t let those bluebird skies fool you—the fish are moving, and surface chop from the breeze is helping mask your approach.

Fish activity is ramping up going into fall. The stripers are schooling tight near drop-offs and coves, feeding heavy on threadfin shad before winter sets in. Reports since the weekend show solid action for striped bass, especially between Boulder Basin and Government Wash. Most catches are schoolies, 2-5 pounds, though the odd double-digit lurker pops up near deeper ledges. Shad-imitating crankbaits and swimbaits are hot—think silver/white or holographic finishes. Trolling deep-divers at 15-30 feet, especially at dawn, gets the biggest hits.

Largemouth and smallmouth bass have been pushing shallow early, then sliding deeper around midday. Anglers near Temple Bar and the Overton Arm landed chunks up to 3 pounds on Carolina rigs, green pumpkin plastics, and chartreuse spinnerbaits. Smallmouths are loving rocks and submerged points—drop-shot rigs and tubes working best.

Catfish remain steady for night owls off sandy banks. Stinky baits—chicken liver or cut mackerel—are bringing in channel cats from 2 to 10 pounds. Around Las Vegas Bay, several folks hooked some nice channels right after sundown this weekend.

Best hot spots today:
1. Government Wash – Stripers are pushing baitfish in tight. Early morning jigging, later-day trolling runs from the wash toward deeper water pay off.
2. Temple Bar – A classic for smallmouth and largemouth bass. Cast to rocky points early, especially with finesse plastics and shad-pattern jerkbaits.

Don’t skip Boulder Basin mid-morning for striper boils—they’re busting shad clouds just off the flats. For bait, frozen anchovies and live shad top the menu for stripers, while those preferring hardware should stick to shad-patterned swimbaits or topwaters.

Lake activity’s busy but the fish aren’t shy. Several boaters over the weekend reported dozens of schoolie stripers caught and released, plus solid bass from shoreline spots. If you’re shore-fishing, focus on shadowed areas as the sun climbs—fish will tuck in where light breaks the hard edges.

In summary:
– Bright, chilly morning, warming up nicely by afternoon.
– Stripers biting deep and shallow—schoolies are stacked, double-digit hawgs lurking, especially near ledges after sunrise.
– Bass in the shallows early, rocks by midday. Spinnerbaits and plastics in natural colors are best bets.
– Catfish coming at night; chicken liver and cut bait’s the ticket.
– Boulder Basin, Temple Bar, and Government Wash are lighting up for action.
– Bring sun protection, watch for afternoon winds, and keep your tackle versatile.

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