UTERStriped bass fishing in Nevada freshwater
In Nevada freshwater, striped bass peak April–June and August–October and are around year-round, spawning in May–June, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. August: Lake Mead striper boils.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Striped bass in Nevada freshwater, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchArriving
- AprilPeak
- MaySpawning
- JuneSpawning
- JulyAround
- AugustPeakLake Mead striper boils.
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberPeak
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish striped bass near Pyramid Lake, Lake Mead, Lake Mohave
Pyramid Lake's giant Lahontan cutthroat, Lake Mead and Mohave's stripers and bass on the Colorado, Lake Tahoe's macks, and high-desert reservoirs.
What to use for striped bass
- Live eelsHooked through the lips on a 5/0 to 7/0 circle hook and sight-cast to a cobia or dropped to a cobia on a ray — the eel is the cobia bait.
- Menhaden (pogies)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom.
- HerringCut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run.
- BloodwormsA piece threaded on a #2 to 2/0 hook on a hi-lo or fish-finder rig — the striper, spot, croaker and white perch bait of the Chesapeake and the surf.
- Sand eelsFree-lined or on a light jig head for stripers, fluke and bluefish; strips teased on a fluke rig.
- Minnows (fatheads, shiners)Hooked lightly through the lips or behind the dorsal on a #6 to #2 hook under a slip bobber for crappie, perch and walleye; a big golden shiner on a 2/0 to 4/0 for largemouth, pike and stripers.
- Leader10–20 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#2–3/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 42–80°F water, best at 50–68°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch striped bass in Nevada freshwater?
Peak season is April–June and August–October, with fish spawning in May–June (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Striped bass are here year-round. August: Lake Mead striper boils.
Where do striped bass hold in Nevada freshwater?
Look on bridge, dock / pilings, river, reservoir, lake — around Pyramid Lake, Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, Lake Tahoe, Truckee River, Wild Horse Reservoir.
What is the best bait for striped bass in Nevada freshwater?
Live bait: live eels, menhaden (pogies), herring, bloodworms. Live eels: Hooked through the lips on a 5/0 to 7/0 circle hook and sight-cast to a cobia or dropped to a cobia on a ray — the eel is the cobia bait. Tackle: leader 10–20 lb fluorocarbon, hook #2–3/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
What are the rules for striped bass in Nevada freshwater?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) and change — read the current rule at https://www.eregulations.com/nevada/fishing/ before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://www.ndow.org/apply-buy/fishing/.
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