Lake Mead Striped Bass going strong

On October 4-6, 2016 the Department’s Region III Fisheries Program out of Kingman surveyed a portion of Lake Mead.  Fall fish community surveys have been done at Lake Mead to monitor species richness, relative abundance, and population structural indices since 2004. With the help of the Nevada Department of Wildlife, Bureau of Reclamation, and National Park Service, up to 100 net sets and 40 electrofishing sites are sampled throughout Lake Mead. A total of 2,159 fish were sampled last fall using gill nets and 2,146 fish were sampled electrofishing.

Fish sampled are weighed and measured, and then returned to the water.  Gizzard Shad (Dorosoma cepedianum), at 62% were the most abundant species caught gillnetting followed by Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis), and Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) at 9% in October 2015.

This year’s effort has begun with the Department sampling the Gregg’s Basin/South Cove area.  Lake levels remain very low, with the inflow area starting around Sandy Point.  Survey crews reported striper fishing was very good in the inflow area with lots of shad/striper boils on the surface.

Total numbers for the survey are not in, as the other partner agencies will do their portions of the lake throughout the month of October.