Fishing Report 07/12-07/24: Lake Mead

[endtrevor]

Hiya Folks,

Left my job two weeks ago, and I've hit Lake Mead nearly everyday since then. So I figure I'd post as I love reading everyone else's reports, and I've hit a good portion of the NV side of Lake Mead. I'm very much a novice- I've only been fishing for about five months (as such, please forgive any misgivings/rookie comments below). At Govt Wash I bank-fish, otherwise I'm out on my inflatable.

If anyone has questions, let me know.

Govt Wash:
Carp are active and biting. I haven't hit Govt Wash without catching at least two carp, (including three over 8lbs). My freezer is full of cleaned and skinned carp, and while I'm not sure how it tastes yet, I hear bad things. Going to deep fry it tonight. All caught on canned sweet corn.

Cats are biting around the shore, and don't seem to be going for anything past about 10am. I've caught a handful of them at Govt wash in three visits, I believe all of them being between 3/4lb-2lbs. I can't get any action going for them in deeper waters. I caught all my Cats on either corn (going for carp) or nightcrawlers. Not even a bite on any of the four Catfish baits I have.

I haven't caught a single bass in 20+ hours of fishing at Govt. Wash.

Hatchery Cove/Saddle Cove/Moon Cove:
STRIPERS. Are very active in deeper waters in this area, particular at Hatchery Cove. I really like to anchor down near the Hatchery(?) building that extends out into the Lake, and hit the bottom with a nightcrawler. I've caught a dozen stripers in the last week at that spot. Not taking any artificial baits.

Calville Bay/nearby
Skunked, 1 visit, 7 hours. There's a ton of huge cats near the Calville marina, so it got me hopeful for what was out there nearby. There were a significant number of Carp jumping out of the water, but I didn't bring any carp bait, outside of Cat bait (which apparently works occasionally?). Anyhoo, not a bite on anything. Spinners, shad, nightcrawlers, catfish liver and blood pellets, jigs, etc.

Gypsum Wash
Skunked, 1 visit, 7 hours

Kingman Wash (just north of Hoover Dam)
Skunked, 1 visit- 5 hours.

Pitchfork Cove
Skunked, 2 visits, 12 hours
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[MOJAVE_RED]

Good for you endtrevor ! I got my fishing bug resurrected at Lake Mead about 8 years ago . Just keep mixing it up , sounds like you are getting familiar with most of Mead. I started years ago from shore , then shore n tube , then kayak , and recently bought a coworkers jon boat .
If you are just chilling in a cove with your pole in the water with a worm on it waiting for a bite ...take your other pole tie on a crankbait and start casting that sucker around you and i'm sure you will catch a bass. A top water popper is a blast at this time of year especially early in the morning . As far as Govt goes for me is that almost every weekend there is a party there , campers , jet skiers , and us fishing guys all good people but i just don't really give Govt any of my time due to the constant chaos which i believe fish would stay away from , i do launch from there in the kayak but paddle right out.
Have you considered camping at any of your favorite spots ? try and find your self some shade in those tucked away coves on your tube and give yourself a few more hours of some really good fishing . be safe out there man !
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[lvfishingdude]

just giving you a heads up... don't eat carp... very nasty...lol
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[endtrevor]

Looking forward to purchasing my first boat. Already have the itch, let me tell you. Do you have a link to a top water popper that you like? I don't have any experience with them.

I haven't had any success with Crank baits at Mead, but I really haven't given it a good shot. Next time I'm out I'll mix it in.

I have considered camping, but I'm only a 30 minute drive to Govt Wash, so I haven't yet. I may give it a shot when it cools down some.

Have you been to Govt Wash recently? I've only been going this month, but the ONLY folks I have seen in the area are either campers or anglers.

There were some folks on jetskis in the distance, but way, way out. Probably a half mile from the coves and hotspots that us anglers are at. Maybe the lack of traffic is due to the boat ramp closing?

I'd give it another shot, there's tons of fish out there now, relatively speaking.
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[endtrevor]

[quote lvfishingdude]just giving you a heads up... don't eat carp... very nasty...lol[/quote]

After some discussion with my girlfriend, I've actually had Carp quite a few times at Chinese joints, where they fry the whole thing. It's pretty good.

I've done a ton of research online, and most western folks don't seem to like it, which means I probably won't either. I'm going to go with a suggestion I found online: pulling chunks of meat off of it and deep frying.

I didn't let it "swim out" the muddy taste as others suggested, opting instead to kill it on the spot.

Anyhoo, I didn't eat it last night but definitely will tonight, so I'll report back on how they are beer-battered.
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[Greg84]

carp you eat in chinese restaurants are a different type, though I have seen this type sold at a couple chinese grocery stores in town for under a dollar a pound... There are billions of floating bones in the meat, fyi.

btw, where is pitchfork cove?
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[endtrevor]

Thanks for the note about the floating bones, I'll keep an eye out for them.

Pitchfork cove is near Crescent Island. The area is known for kids drinking/diving off the cliffs. I spent time at most of the little coves in the area.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/36%C2%...!1s0x0:0x0
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[endtrevor]

Does anyone have any recommendations/insight for further north, like near Echo Bay?

I haven't made the trip up there as I come from the south end of the park.
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[lvfishingdude]

Echo Bay is great but for you better go to Stewarts Point, you can launch from shore there.

all i can say is look at the carp at the dock at any marina and what they eat. I have seen people feed them cigarette butts and god knows whatever else.
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