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New to the area/country and need to fish
#1
Hi guys.

I'm from New Zealand and have been in Nevada for a few months now. I want to start getting out and fishing a bit and seeing the outdoors here but I find that I have absolutely no idea where to go. I've wandered down to lake Mead just to see what it's like but it seemed quite crowded. I had a look at the boulder beach fishing jetty and might try that though, might park up with a beer or three and a chair for an evening.

All of my freshwater fishing has been for trout (spinning and fly), mostly in rivers and streams back home and I really have no idea what a bass looks like, but I figure that's half the fun here!

I can only fish from shore and I was wondering where could I get to in a normal road car where I could indulge in a little spin fishing and see a bit of the countryside?

Someplace with trees would be nice too, I miss trees.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated!!
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#2
There are many posts with a similar question to that. Trout season is over at the ponds. Floyd Lamb State Park is nice and they have lots of trees. They are now stock cat fish at the local city ponds. I use 8lb test for cats and trout and have been fine. Cat fish like hot dogs n marshmellows, chicken liver(I heard rooster liver is the best if you can get it), blood stink bait(chicken i think), corn, some times a salmon egg,maybe even power bait, I have heard of sardines and squid but havent witnessed it myself. They will eat almost anything. Their bite will be strong and they will run with it if they are in a school (like a freshly stocked pond) or their bite can be soft and nibble like and you have to catch them being sneaky. If they are schooling you and every one arround fishing if they are using the right gear and set up will catch them. If not they will bite slow and it always seems to me is when you least expect it.

I have found it fairly frustrating fishing from shore for stripers, especially ones that are big enough to eat. The time I caught any fish worth keeping there were lots of birds around and people were netting shad and using that for bait. When stripers do bite they tend to run with the bait and put up a nice fight. I also hear for bait fishing its best to use arround the 8-12 lb range but it shouldnt matter too much. 20 lb test for if you are using the large trout imitation plugs. For the heavier line i belive you would need a heavier pole. I use 8lb on the light basic ones.

Carps are an option if your itching to wrestle big fish that all in plenty especially by the shore and shallows. I heard they are breeding now. I have caught big monsters from shore easy using corn and also chumming a can or two. I also caught a little cat fish and couple little stripers. I used 8lb line with 6lb leaders with small as possible hook to fit just a couple pieces of corn on it. They some times can be picky and nibble and you have to catch them nibbling it and set the hook while watching your line.

For all of the fish I have caught I caught them all on a basic walmart pole and put new 8lb test on it. I rigg a slidding sinker of size to either a bead or a small round sinker so it slides and tie that to a swivel and clip in a leader tied to my hook.

This is my ramble. You asked about fishing in vegas and this is what I have come up with my fishing here so far. Any other questions or comments are welcome :] I feel some times peoples answers to other new comers questions are some times slightly vage, I say this being a new comer to the site.
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#3
wow. Decent trees & trout require a 3 hr. drive to Spring Valley State park, or southern Utah. There are giant trees & tiny trout on the back side of Mt. Charleston, but that is still a three hour tour by 4x4. Cold creek pond holds small trout in a small pond. It takes at least a year to get used to wide open spaces vs. trees. Some never do & become desert haters. Within 5 hrs of here you can do / see what ever you might want to do. Ocean with sunset (better than ocean with sunrise,) 5 National Parks -Sequioa, Grand Canyon, Kings something or other, one I forgot, and the best (and closest)Zion. Life is what you make it - mate. Good Luck!

Vince
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#4
Hi K Man! I also would like to recommend "Willow Beach" to you, there are actually trees there! <G> Lots of trout too, you don't need a boat, there's plenty of shoreline, and a real nice fishing pier. Also a store with food and bait, boat rental, all kinds of great stuff. You have to drive over Hoover Dam, then drive about 15 miles or so to get to the Willow Beach turnoff. Willow Beach is on the Colorado River. Lots of rainbow trout, I caught one there last year, while fishing for bass. 3 lbs and fantastic! You can see pics by doing a google search for Willow Beach. I think you would love it.
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#5
Well I wandered out to Lake Mead on Thursday and after giving up on the fishing jetty at boulder beach I think it was, I ended up walking to the water from some sort of overlook. Took about 15 minutes to scramble and wander down to the water, it was like walking through a geology exhibit! It's amazing how far the water has receded.

I wasn't doing too well for a start I had some gear issues with my thrice damned E-Z Cast trigger on my reel and then the insert on the last eye of my new rod fell out so all my line got frayed to buggery every time I reeled it in. Bass Pro replaced it all with no hassle though so thats ok.

I ran into a guy down there who was hugely helpful, gave me all sorts of tips. I caught a catfish that would have been edible size and a tiny striped bass. Having never seen a catfish before I am very glad that guy was there to show me how to grab them. I would have just grabbed it by the lip, and he showed me the spiky bits on the fins as well. Very cool! It was good, i like to meet good people here.

It was a good few hours, I might try that chumming thing I think, just out of interest. It seems like it has to help! What do you use? Just sort of hack up some anchovies ? I have some of those preserved shad that i'm not going to keep using so could I lob them in there?

I really like the look of that willow beach area too. I'm assuming that would be fairly crowded during weekends? I can fish during the week for the next couple of months so i'd be better of wombling down there then eh? Also what do you fish with there, are there any baits that are illegal?

My wife has been to Zion and seems keen to go back there so I think I get to fish there as well at some point!

Thank you all very much for your input, I think I'm going to like it here.

Also I saw a couple of eagles, brilliant things! Bloody huge!

-Kieran
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#6
Hi Kieran! Did you go down to Willow Beach? They have lots of bait in the store there you can purchase. But, they don't open until 8:00 a.m. Baits we use there are anchovies, squid, shrimp, and if you are fishing for trout, which are plentiful around the fishing pier area, there are many different types of trout baits that can be used. Quite frankly, I haven't heard of anything that you can't use. <G> You can check the fishing report in the newspaper on Thursday, or find it online. Cool you saw some eagles. If you get there early, you can usually see a lot of turkey vultures hanging around, big horn sheep too! Lots of great wildlife in the area. Weekends can be busy, but not too bad really. Week days can be very quiet there, and fantastic!
NVFishin
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#7
I went out to Willow Beach Yesterday actually. I got there a bit late (traffic over the dam is crazy, way worse on the way back though). Didnt' actually catch anything, I was intendign to lure fish my way down the shore past the fishing jetty but apparently there is no way past the fish hatchery?

I went back for lunch and a beer after unsuccesful worm fishing off the jetty and beside it (saw a few cruisng round in the shallows though).

Ended up walking round the shore the other direction, there are some very very nice little coves if you're willing to scramble over some rocks and get a bit wet, very picturesque! Also no success. I could see them! they were just cruising past the lure, past the worm... very frustrating, some sizeable fish too.

I guess you don't get to be a decent sized fish in a place that busy without being a wee bit canny though.

I'm pretty sure I was using the wrong lure though, I was using an articulated rainbow trout type thing that seems to cruise about a foot below the surface, the fish I saw were deeper. Do the trout minnows work or should I be going with like a spinner or a spoon or something? (a link would be fantastic, I was just about ready to throw rocks at them)

The area is very nice though, nice gravel bottom so you can wander round in the water and not have to wory about mud. Taking the wife and some friends of hers out there this weekend too. One of them knows the fishing spots round somehwere called searchlight needles or something! rah. always good to know more.

But all in all a good spot, thanks for the reccomendation! (also I'm going to have to rent a kayak one day, that should be a lark)
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#8
[quote NVFishin]> You can check the fishing report in the newspaper on Thursday, or find it online.
NVFishin[/quote]

here is a link

http://www.ndow.org/fish/report/index.shtm
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#9
Hi again! So glad you liked Willow Beach. It's totally different than Lake Mead, although I like the lake too. Just different scenery.
How frustrating when you can see them, but they just won't bite!
We've had our best luck at WB with cut up anchovies, whole anchovies, and cut up squid. They have those in the shop there.
Make sure you keep your eyes out for Bighorn Sheep, while there.....I've seen them come right down close to the pier. It is very picturesque, as you said.
Thanks for your post, glad you had a nice day!
NVFishin
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#10
Those fish you saw cruising could have been carp. They wont hit many artificials. you can throw a bread ball at them on light line and a small hook. I would spend your time focusing on the deeper water with bait (like anchovies and squid), and maybe throw some crankbaits or topwater plugs on the shallow fish.
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#11
I managed to get the wife into fishing! We're heading to BassPro tonight to grab a rod/reel for her and a license. And probably going to head out to the lake to try things out after that.

I have a vague suspicion I'll be the one putting all the bait on the hooks though!!

What's the best option for evening fishing? I was thinking maybe a top or near to the top water lure and maybe anchovies if that doesn't work? Something like a buzz bait seems to be recomended? (I got this off the internet, we don't really have this many options at home, it's crazy here!)

Also thinking of getting some of them plastic worm things they seem to be quite popular. But everything I see on the internet (myoutdoorTV.com is so cool btw) seems to say that you need to fish this sort of stuff near cover. I haven't seen that much cover in the couple of places I've been on lake Mead.

I'm guessing that the shore's so barren because the lake level has dropped so much so i'm not really going to find the overhangs and whatnot ?

Enjoying this though, it's good to try new things!
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#12
I had some time so you get a big post:

Get yourself a couple of these for a Striped Bass bite on the surface

[url "http://www.lurenet.com/productdetail.aspx?id=t1000"]http://www.lurenet.com/...detail.aspx?id=t1000[/url]

Buy online some of these in 3" size for dragging through the water. Get a shad color - nothing bright or fancy.
I'd start with about 4 baits.... check out this whole Optimum Site....

[url "http://optimumbaits.com/OB2/?p=164#more-164:"]http://optimumbaits.com/OB2/?p=164#more-164:[/url]

Bass will tear them up and so will Stripers

Then there is real bait - anchovies, squid, netting live shad. Most people use a barrel shaped sliding sinker, a bead and swivel with a leader to a baitholder hook. The guys on shore can help you as this is better learned hands on.

----------------

Welcome to Bass Fishing:

The good news is in this seasonal time the fishing is pretty good. The bad news is Lake Mead is one of the toughest lakes in the US to catch bass...So be patient...

I see you already got an outfit....If you're happy with it fine.... Otherwise.....Basic Rod might be a 7 ft.to 7'-6" Medium Action Rod with a 30 or 40 size Open Faced Spinning Reel. This will work great for stripers also

here is a reel example:

Pflueger® President®model 6730X

Not to endose the product, just note the 30 number in the model number. I like to match the weight of the rod to the reel so the rod's "balance point" is on one finger just in front of the reel seat mount.

Fill most of your reel with some braided line - Power Pro. SpiderWire etc in about 15lb.ltest weight. Splice up a long casting length's amount of 10lb. test Flourocarbon or hybrid line. P Line is available at Bass Pro, handles well on spinning gear and not too expensive. I'd buy the big spool as you will change that front line frequently. the braid lasts long time. If you are not used to fishing in the heat note that these temperatures will cause your Flourocarbon or monofilament to take a "set" on your spinning reel spool. I'll pull the line through my hand after the first gentle cast, when reeling for the first time to straighten it out. Always close the bail by hand, never with the reel handle.
--------------------
Terminal Tackle

Get some 6" Roboworms at Bass Pro Shop

a package each of brown/ purple, Arrons Magic color and clear shad color - straight tail or with segments (Zipper Worms)

[url "http://www.roboworm.com/zsframe.htm"]http://www.roboworm.com/zsframe.htm[/url]

Get 2 packs each 2/0 and 3/0 Gamakatsu straight shank worm hooks. Get an equivalent number of 3/16, 1/4 oz lead bullet worm weights. Get 2 feet of 50 lb. test monofilament. Use the darker colored worms in low light and lighter colors in brighter light.

Look up on "You Tube" how to Texas Rig a plastic worm and how to fish it, including how to hold your rod and detect a bite.. Those Roboworms are soft and will pull down the hook shank. The way to stop that is, after the worm is threaded on the hook, insert the 50lb. mono through the head of the plastic worm, going through the hook eye and out the opposite side if the worm. Trim the mono short so it just sticks out on both sides of the plastic. The stiff monofilament acts like a small "crossbar" keeping the plastic from sliding down and balling up on the hook point, which is when you loose the fish.

You are fishing from shore so plan on loosing a lot of this worm tackle cause you are fishing "uphill". Almost every hang-up will loose the hook, worm and sinker. That's why you want equivalent amounts of terminal tackle. Don't beat yourself up over loosing gear. There is a learning curve to this. Up side is you can catch a lot of bass on this simple rig by just dragging or hopping it gently through cover.

Get 5 - 1/2 oz. weight "Eakins Style" Football Head jigs, the line eye is 90 degrees to the hook shank....Brown, Blue/Black, Green Pumpkin. Buy some plastic trailers in matching or complimentary colors - 5" Kalins Grubs, Rage Craws, Flappin Hogs...whatever is your fancy that undulates in the water. Buy some fisherman's glue to stick them on the jigs. You can also use these trailer plastics on you basic Texas Rig.

Drag and hop these jigs on any 45 degree rocky bank where the rocks are sized from gravel to melon size. Also work on that conglomerate rock and mud or in weeds. Texas Rigged worms are weedless and work in weed beds or other nasty places. You might need to use a heavier worm weight in thick weeds.

Go here:

[url "http://www.baits.com/"]http://www.baits.com/[/url]

and buy 2 packages of 6" Senkos. Green Pumkin Laminate is a good start. You choose the other color... there are a lot of other plastics Gary wants to sell you, and they are all good but just start with a senko. Rig these with an offset Gamakatsu 3/0 or 4/0 hook. Read the information.

[url "http://www.insideline.net/index.html"]http://www.insideline.net/index.html[/url]

Buy a Lake Mead Fishing Map. I'd fish the shores from Boulder Harbor to 33 Hole anywhere you can park and hike to the water. Fishing at night can be excellent and with a headlight, blacklight setup and fluorescent line or just the ambient light from Las Vegas is very doable. The Boulder harbor entrance and first cove to the east has some good fishing holding structure. Any striper coming in to the harbor for a shad snack has to pass right by you. There are a couple deeper holes with a few patches of weedbeds in them off the first 2 coves at the east side of the harbor's mouth, worth the hike? Maybe...

Then I'd also fish around the Hemenway Wall, Las Vegas Wash, Crawdad Cove, and Callville Bay.
Kingman Wash and the rocky cove and wall going towards Hoover Dam (AZ side over Hoover Dam) is car accessible and a good spot when the stripers are there - You can free camp there also.

Around Here Very Frequently check your line for nicks. all the Quagga mussels will fray the first couple feet very quickly when dragging over rocks.

Think Rocks. The Rock around here is the structure. But without grass and wood, rock is also the cover. Any Sun/rock created shady spot or change in depth can be an ambush point and hold fish. Isolated ones are better.

For gossip and basic knowledge...Check this link:

[url "http://www.flwoutdoors.com/"]http://www.flwoutdoors.com/[/url]

or this link:

[url "http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmaster/index"]http://sports.espn.go.com/...ors/bassmaster/index[/url]

this site also has a wealth of info:

[url "http://www.acplugs.com/"]http://www.acplugs.com/[/url]

The Bass Resource Site might put some of this information into perspective for you, just remember most of the input relates to fishing east of the Mississippi River where they have creek and river bends, shallow lakes, lots of old timber and many varieties of vegetation. Mead has arroyos, cuts, humps, reefs, flats and basically one channel. Shallow here is 12 feet or where you can no longer see your lure or bait in the water column.....unless they are feeding shallow!

http://www.bassresource.com/

The Bassdozer Site is more specific to the West.

http://www.bassdozer.com/

Remember, you may go several weeks before catching a bass, Stripers are usually easier to catch, but often un-reachable from shore. The fish here are notorious for turning on when it is windy - I mean 20mph+ and white caps. You just have to go to a location where the wind is quartering or at your back. Prevailing winds come from the SW. That is a prime time to throw a surface plug! Think about 2 styles - those that tail sink like a "Sammy" or "Jumping Minnow" and those that rest level like a "Vixen". The hardest times are when it is slicked off water. Be patient, takes some time to learn the spots that are good or better for you.... And the topography will be changing as the water drops another 14 or 15 ft. Since this drop is below water and wave current influences, you won't be able to consistently judge what is underwater by looking at the shoreline geography, I think.

Right now "nautical twilight" is about 4:00 AM - not a bad time to be throwing a line cause then the threadfin shad are still shallow in coves and pocket edges.

Save up for a used boat. If you can afford one, everyone says this is the year to buy a boat at rock bottom prices. Next year they will be more. Sounds like a Real Estate broker huh? Who knows....Might be true...There are some bass clubs locally and a Striped Bass club. They might shorten your learning curve.

Good Fishing and good luck
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#13
I have been looking and waiting for an awesome post full of ideas to try from shore and maybe float tubing. Thanks for writing that up I am going to try that stuff out.
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#14
Wow man, can I go fishing with you :-)

Tons of good info thanks!
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#15
reellittlephish is a wealth of knowledge. Listen to everything he says, and you will do fine. What a good dude to spend the time writing that up; not just for newbies, but for seasoned fisherman alike. We could all learn something from him about how important attention to detail is.

Thank you for sharing the info that took years of trial and error to produce.
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