Fishing Near Las Vegas: Where to Catch Bass, Trout and Catfish

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Las Vegas is not the first place most people think of for fishing, but the valley has stocked city ponds within minutes of the Strip, and within an hour or two you can fish Lake Mead, Lake Mohave and the Colorado River for striped bass, black bass, catfish and trout. This guide, updated for 2026, covers the best spots, the license rules that trip visitors up, and when to go.

Nevada Fishing License: What You Need

Get the license sorted before you go, because the rules around Las Vegas depend on where you stand.

• Who needs one: everyone 12 years and older. Children under 12 can fish without a license, but an adult who helps them fish needs one.
• Options for visitors: the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) sells annual licenses as well as single-day and consecutive-day permits for residents and nonresidents, plus youth and specialty licenses. Prices change, so check the current fees on the NDOW fishing license page (opens in a new tab), where you can also buy online.
• Lake Mead, Lake Mohave and the Colorado River: these waters are shared with Arizona under a reciprocal agreement. Fishing from the Nevada shore, a Nevada license is enough. Fishing from a boat or from the Arizona shore, Nevada license holders also need Nevada's Colorado River special use stamp. Read the details in the current NDOW fishing regulations (opens in a new tab) before you go.
• Arizona-only waters: spots such as Topock Gorge are outside Nevada's reciprocal waters and require an Arizona Game and Fish (opens in a new tab) license.

Limits also vary by water. The Clark County community ponds have their own lower daily limit, and some Lake Mead and Lake Mohave limits were revised for 2026, so read the current regulations for each place you plan to fish.

Urban Fishing Ponds in Las Vegas

NDOW and the local parks departments manage several community fishing ponds in the Las Vegas Valley. They are the easiest way to wet a line on a short visit: no boat, easy parking, restrooms and shade, and fish stocked for anglers. At the community ponds, the daily limit is lower than on the big lakes, and using fish or fish parts as bait is not allowed. Trout are stocked in the cooler months, typically fall through early spring, while catfish, bluegill and bass carry the fishing in the warmer months.

Sunset Park Pond

A roughly 14-acre pond in Clark County's Sunset Park in the southeast part of the valley, not far from Harry Reid International Airport. It is stocked seasonally with catchable rainbow trout and channel catfish and also holds bluegill, redear sunfish, black crappie and largemouth bass. The whole shoreline is open to fishing, except that part of the southwest shore may close during model boat events. Access is free.

Lorenzi Park Pond

A smaller pond of about 3 acres and up to 10 feet deep in a city park just west of downtown. Rainbow trout and channel catfish are stocked seasonally, and bluegill and largemouth bass were added after a renovation. You can fish around the entire pond, and there is no park entrance fee. Warm-season algae can make fishing tougher in summer; early morning and evening are best.

Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs

This park in the northwest valley has four ponds, but only the largest, uppermost pond (often called Tule Springs Lake, about 5 acres and up to 15 feet deep) is stocked. Expect rainbow trout and channel catfish in season, plus bluegill, sunfish, crappie and largemouth bass. The pond was temporarily closed to fishing in 2024 for cleaning and water testing, so confirm on the NDOW Floyd Lamb Park page (opens in a new tab) or with the city that it is open before you drive out.

Other Nearby Ponds

The Boulder City Pond at Veterans' Memorial Park, on the way to Lake Mead, and Cold Creek Pond, northwest of the city, are also on NDOW's list of Clark County community ponds. Both are stocked; check the latest NDOW fishing report for conditions.

Lake Mead

Lake Mead, formed by Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, is about 110 miles long and covers roughly 150,000 acres when full. It sits within Lake Mead National Recreation Area, which charges an entrance fee, and it is about a 40-minute drive from the Strip to the Boulder Basin side.

• Striped bass are the main attraction. NDOW notes they are caught year-round, with the most productive months from May through December and the best bite early and late in the day. Anchovy bait, shad-colored jigs, spoons and swimbaits are standard.
• Largemouth and smallmouth bass are best from late spring through early fall, early and late in the day, around rocky points, coves and brush.
• Channel catfish bite from spring through September; crappie and bluegill round things out.
• Trout: Lake Mead is no longer a trout lake. Trout stocking ended when the Lake Mead Hatchery closed (the last plant was in 2011). Go to Lake Mohave or the river for trout.

Boulder Basin and the Overton Arm are the areas NDOW highlights. Developed access and campgrounds are at Boulder Beach, Callville Bay and Echo Bay. Lower water levels in recent years have moved or closed some launch ramps, so check the Lake Mead National Recreation Area (opens in a new tab) site for current access. Summer air temperatures can top 110 °F and afternoon wind can make the lake rough, so start early.

Lake Mohave and Willow Beach

Below Hoover Dam, the Colorado River forms Lake Mohave, a long, narrow reservoir with colder water than Lake Mead in its upper reaches. It is the closest place to Las Vegas for rainbow trout, especially near Willow Beach on the Arizona side, about an hour from the city. The lake also holds striped bass, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and bluegill. Cottonwood Cove on the Nevada side, reached via Searchlight, is a popular access point for bass. Remember the reciprocal rules above if you fish from a boat or the Arizona shore.

Colorado River at Laughlin and Big Bend

About 90 minutes south of Las Vegas, the Colorado River below Davis Dam runs clear and cool year-round past Laughlin. Anglers catch striped bass (sometimes very large ones) and rainbow trout here, often on anchovies, light-colored swimbaits, jigs, spinners and nightcrawlers.

Big Bend of the Colorado State Recreation Area, a Nevada state park about 8 miles south of Laughlin, gives easy shore and boat access to the river, with a campground, picnic areas and a boat launch. Details and fees are on the Nevada State Parks page (opens in a new tab).

Topock Gorge (Arizona)

If you want a longer trip away from the crowds, Topock Gorge on the Colorado River within Havasu National Wildlife Refuge offers dramatic scenery and fishing for striped bass, largemouth and smallmouth bass, catfish and sunfish. It is roughly two and a half hours from Las Vegas and is best reached by boat or kayak. It lies outside Nevada's reciprocal waters, so you need an Arizona license.

Fly Fishing Near Las Vegas

The best fly fishing close to Las Vegas is for trout on the cold tailwaters of the Colorado River, below Hoover Dam at Willow Beach and below Davis Dam around Laughlin. Small streamers, nymphs and egg patterns are good places to start. Striped bass also take large streamers when they chase shad near the surface on Lake Mead and Lake Mohave. The city ponds can be fun with small flies for bluegill and stocked trout in winter, but expect company on weekends.

Best Time to Fish Around Las Vegas

• Fall through early spring: the best time for visitors. Trout are stocked at the community ponds, temperatures are comfortable and the lakes are less crowded.
• Late spring: excellent for largemouth and smallmouth bass on Lake Mead and Lake Mohave.
• Summer: fish at first light and in the evening, or at night. Midday heat is dangerous; carry plenty of water and sun protection.
• Striped bass: available all year, with the most consistent fishing from late spring into winter.

For bass tactics, see our pages on largemouth bass fishing and channel catfish fishing.

Tips for Visiting Anglers

• Pack light tackle: a 6 1/2 to 7 foot medium spinning outfit with 6 to 10 lb line covers the ponds and most shore fishing. Bring a few spinners, small spoons, a jar of trout dough bait, nightcrawlers and a pack of soft plastics.
• Rent a boat or book a guide for Lake Mead or Lake Mohave if you want stripers or bass; marinas on both lakes rent boats.
• Watch the wind. Afternoon wind on the big lakes can go from calm to dangerous quickly.
• Check the NDOW fishing report before you go; it lists recent stockings and what is biting.

FAQ

Do I need a fishing license to fish the ponds in Las Vegas?

Yes. Everyone 12 and older needs a Nevada fishing license at the community ponds, just as on the lakes. Visitors can buy short-term permits online from NDOW.

Is Lake Mead good for fishing?

Yes, especially for striped bass, which are caught year-round, and for largemouth and smallmouth bass from spring into fall. It is no longer stocked with trout.

Where can I catch trout near Las Vegas?

In the cooler months, at the stocked community ponds such as Sunset Park, Lorenzi Park and Floyd Lamb Park. Year-round, try Lake Mohave near Willow Beach and the Colorado River below Davis Dam at Laughlin.

Can I fish near Las Vegas without a boat?

Yes. The city ponds are built for shore fishing, and Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, Willow Beach and Big Bend of the Colorado all have shoreline access. A boat helps most for striped bass on the big lakes.

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