976-FRESH Freshwater Fish Report

LAKE MEAD: Continued overall tough action, but the stripers are starting to show in better numbers on cut baits at the dam and Katherineís. And the best bite has been at night during the dark moon phases. Both largemouth and smallmouth have been reported in good numbers on plastics in the shallows, with even a crew crankbait and topwater fish. Redear and bluegill bite is fair with most fish in six to 20 feet of water. Catfish also improving with some on cut baits. Water level is about 40 feet above the level at this time last year with lots of flooded brush, even if fairly deep water.

WILLOW BEACH: The striper bite has been just fair in the week after the full moon and this past weekend, but there have been some fish to 15.4 pounds landed in the Mile Marker 52 and 53 region on big, trout-like A.C. Plugs or similar lures. The trout bite remains good on salmon eggs, Power Bait, worms, Super Dupers and other small lures and jigs after the weekly plants of 3,000 rainbows. Lots of limits reported. Information: Willow Beach Resort at 928-767-4747.

LAKE MOHAVE: The black bass are mostly in the shallows and the bite has been good on plastics, grubs, and jigs. Topwater action is also starting. Some stripers are showing for trollers working anchovies in 30 to 50 feet with a few fish to 10 pounds reported in Cottonwood Basin and at the Power Lines near the dam. The stripers showing in the dam area are in the two to four-pound range. The catfish bite has been improving in the bays and off the points on cut baits. No panfish reports. Information: Cottonwood Cove at 702-297-1464, Katherineís Landing at 928-754-3245. Interesting web site for Willow Beach and Lake Mohave striper anglers: http://lakemohavestripers.com.

LAUGHLIN-BULLHEAD AREA: Winners in the derby to benefit the Senior Citizenís Nutritional Center were Dane Dupre, Bullhead City, with his 6.76-pound striper. The catfish category went to Kevin McMillan, Bullhead City, with his 10.48-pound catfish which he landed in the lower Colorado past the Avi bridge. The rainbow trout category went to Jason Whetstine, Bullhead City, with his 2.48 catch. The striper bite has been getting better and better with a lot of three to eight-pound fishing showing in the casino area from both sides of the river. The trout bite remains pretty fair from the casinos through the Rotary Park region. More and more catfish and stripers are showing, too. Both are being landed on anchovies, and some stripers are showing on swimbaits. The smallmouth bass bite is also starting to perk. Information: Riviera Marina at 928-763-8550.

PARKER STRIP: Fair to good smallmouth bass along the rip-rap on small cranks, plastics, and jigs. The catfish are fair to good on cut baits in the bigger pools and eddies. Bluegill and redear are good in the backwaters and quiet water in the main river. The flathead bite is starting to get hot on live goldfish or bluegill.

MARTINEZ LAKE AREA: Largemouth bass action has been good on plastics, jigs, and live bait, as more and more fish move shallow for the spawn. Channel catfish action is fair to good on stink baits, and the quality flathead action is picking up with some nice fish to 20-pounds-plus this past week. Bluegill are fair and improving, too, but still no crappie reports. Information: 928-783-9589 Thursday through Monday or www.martinezlake.com.

PICACHO AREA: The bass are good on plastics and live baits with some fish still showing on reaction baits. Generally fair and improving action on catfish, and the bluegill bite is starting to improve, especially in the sun-warmed backwaters.

BLYTHE: Summer-like temperatures, and the fishing on flatheads, channels, largemouth and smallmouth bass have all remained good. The bass are mostly in the shallows in a spawn mode with the best bite on plastics, jigs, nightcrawlers, and reaction baits. The catfish have been good, mostly on cut baits and live bluegill or goldfish in the local drainage ditches and the main river. The smallmouth bass are fair to good on crawdad-like crankbaits and plastics in the main river along the rip-rap. The tilapia and panfish bites have been getting better by the day. Few striper reports. Information: B&B Bait 760-921-2248.

HAVASU: The striper bite is good with some quality limits coming from the main river channel north over the sandbar with cut bait or on  shallow running (less than five feet deep) minnow style or topwater plugs for trollers or casters. Channel catfish bite good in the evening using cut anchovies or sardines. If you want a big channel or flathead use live sunfish up to five-inches long rigged Carolina-style with a one ounce weight. Best bite after dark. The smallmouth bass are good on wacky-rigged plastic worms and double tail jigs in brown or green pumpkin. Fish these off points or chunk rock banks where smallies hunt for crawdads. Dipping plastic trailers and worms in chartreuse dye also helps get bites when bass aren’t in the mood. The redear bite is also kicking into gear with some fish to two pounds reported on nightcrawlers. Information: Bass Tackle Master at 928-854-2277.

TOPOCK AREA: The bass and panfish action has been excellent in the gorge stretch of the river. A lot of smallmouth from two to five pounds are showing on cranks, plastics, and nightcrawlers, and the redear and bluegill are running up to 1-8, also on nightcrawlers. The stripers are also starting to move into the river in good numbers with a lot of fish staging at the mouth of the lake. The crappie bite is fair to good in Topoc Marsh at both Catfish Paradise and North Dike. Topock Marsh can be accessed by boat at North Dike, Catfish Paradise, and Five-Mile Landing. Information: Philís Western Trader at 928-768-4954 or Capt. Doyleís Fun Fishing guide service at 928-768-2667.

NEEDLES AREA: A few smallmouths are showing along rip-rap with the action better the further south you go. Also the striper are starting to show on cut baits and cranks along with the occasional catfish. Information: Needles Marina at 760-326-2197.

YUMA AREA: Largemouth bass action is good and getting better by the day with the best action on plastics, nightcrawlers and reaction baits in the warmer backwaters with some fish already in shallow water on beds for the spawn. The channel catfish action also fair to good. Flatheads also fair on live bluegill, tilapia, or goldfish. Fair bluegill bite in most backwaters and this bite is getting better by the day.

LAKE MEAD: Continued overall tough action, but the stripers are starting to show in better numbers on cut baits at the dam and Katherineís. And the best bite has been at night during the dark moon phases. Both largemouth and smallmouth have been reported in good numbers on plastics in the shallows, with even a crew crankbait and topwater fish. Redear and bluegill bite is fair with most fish in six to 20 feet of water. Catfish also improving with some on cut baits. Water level is about 40 feet above the level at this time last year with lots of flooded brush, even if fairly deep water.

WILLOW BEACH: The striper bite ramped up this past week around the full moon. Allan Cole, Henderson, landed fish at 20-8, 18, 18, 14, 13, and 10 pounds fishing A.C. Plugs between mile markers 48 and 51 on Saturday. There have been several other fish from seven to 20 pounds caught in the past week, too. The trout bite remains good on salmon eggs, Power Bait, worms, Super Dupers and other small lures and jigs after the weekly plants of 3,000 rainbows. Lots of limits reported. Information: Willow Beach Resort at 928-767-4747.

LAKE MOHAVE: The black bass are mostly in the shallows and the bite has been good on plastics, grubs, and jigs. Some stripers are showing for trollers working anchovies in 30 to 50 feet with a few fish to 10 pounds reported in Cottonwood Basin and at the Power Lines near the dam. The stripers showing in the dam area are in the two to four-pound range. The catfish bite has been improving in the bays and off the points on cut baits. No panfish reports. Information: Cottonwood Cove at 702-297-1464, Katherineís Landing at 928-754-3245. Interesting web site for Willow Beach and Lake Mohave striper anglers: http://lakemohavestripers.com.