Fishing in Las Vegas

[Martin Salisbury]

It doesn't matter where in the world I go for a holiday I have to find some fishing.

 

I was wondering if anybody had any info on fishing in Las Vegas? It looks like striped bass in Lake Mead?

 

I have found a guide for the area and will probably book them but was wondering if anybody had more info.

 

I'm then going to San Francisco. Any more fishing info appreciated.

 

Martin

[Tim Kelly]

I was there at the beginning of June. You can hire boats from the marinas on Mead and there are a gazillion carp and a few stripers which live around all the docks. Amazing site when a kid tips in a bag of popcorn! Saw some big carp and stripers looking down from the hoover dam too. Unfortunately it was a bit windy when we were there so the wussy Yanks wouldn't let us hire a boat, or I could have told you a bit more about the actual fishing! Here's a pic of the carp at the marina docks to whet your appetite...

 

 

[Newt]

Martin - booking a guide for that lake is an excellent idea unless you have a few months to spend getting to know the area.

 

Some carping from shore is also a great idea. Nothing fancy needed since the fish are truly unfished for.

 

If you do plan on some carping, I'd suggest buying a rod from Cabelas and having it shipped to your hotel to await your arrival. Nice rod although nothing you'd rave about but also inexpensive enough that you can cheerefully leave it in the States if you wish and still feel you got your money's worth.

 

European Predator Spinning Rod is around $60 and available for fixed spool reels in 1.75 and 2.25 lb T/C. I used a 1.75 for large channel catfish on the Red River in Canada several years ago and it was fun with 25lb fish in current.

[Martin Salisbury]

Thanks Newt and Tim some good info there to whet the appetite. Didn't expect to see the carp there. I'm sure a simple set up with corn and bread would do the trick. i've got some 6 piece travel rods that should be ok. When i googled Vegas a few fishing shops came up so a trip to them before hand should see me getting enough gear together?

 

Newt would the bank fishing be easy access? Are there any rules that I would need to be abiding by. Having no idea what to expect anymore info (either on forum or by private email) even little bits would be appreciated.

 

I will be booking a guide asap (only booked the flights a few days ago!) and will be picking his brains by email also.

 

Martin

Edited July 11, 2007 by Martin Salisbury

[Newt]

All these are taken at Lake Mead. None are mine but all are real.

 

 

And if you want the whole story on this one,

http://www.catfished.com/mead.html

 

I'm in touch with CatfishEd fairly regularly. He is in CA but would probably be pretty familiar with Mead or with someone who was. I'll send him a link to this topic in case he wants to make a comment.

 

[Tim Kelly]

There's a Bass Pro In Vegas too. Tackle shop heaven!

[carpheaded]

Hi Martin,

 

I'm Catfish Ed that Newt spoke of, I go by carpheaded on here.

 

Unfortunately, although Lake Mead has an abundance of carp, there are very few places that you can fish them from the bank. Not that anyone would want to but you cannot fish anywhere near the marinas where most of the carp congregate. It would be way too easy and unsportsmanlike anyway. The picture of me holding a small carp at Mead that Newt posted was taken many years ago and I understand the lake level has dropped many hundreds of feet since then making shore access a bit of a hike. There may be some spots with easy access, I haven't been back to Mead since that Fish-In in March of 2002. The only contact that I'm aware of that actually targets carp is Frank & Narda Walters but they're on a new carping quest of some sort since their "catch a carp in all 50 states" quest has been completed. They are traveling most of the time and I'm not even sure if they still have the same email address: fwalters-at-intermind.net (replace the -at- with @) Possibly Newt has some more recent contact information for them.

 

You also might want to check with some of the larger match fishing organizations, they have (or used to have) a big week long match at Mead at the end of February right in the area where we had our fish-in.

 

When in San Francisco, try contacting Keith Thompson. He's an Ex Pat (I think thats what you call someone from Great Britain?) and very successful carp angler in the states as well as abroad. He's quite familiar with most carp waters near San Francisco. I'll PM his contact info to you.

 

I hope you have a great holiday and catch a lot of fish.

Edited July 11, 2007 by carpheaded

[Newt]

Ed - thanks for that update. Unfortunately I have never had any direct contact with Frank or Narda so your addy is better than any I have.

 

I had forgotten that Keith was out that way. Helluva carper so should be an excellent resource.

 

Martin - you might also want to post on the CAG forum http://www.carpanglersgroup.com/forum/index.php since they have members from all over the States and are a friendly bunch.

[JackPike]

Watch out for those rattlers and the ants I know them American ants have hell of a bite through experience

Edited July 11, 2007 by JackPike

[Newt]

Yup. Been bit by a snake and bit by ants. Prefer the snake I think.

 

The ants are usually called (based on the effects of their bite) fire ants in the West where they prounounce dipthongs and far ants in the South where we don't.