List of Fish Species in Lake Mohave (Updated)

The Hoover Dam is a remarkable memento of American history, designated a National Historic Landmark and one of the country’s Seven Modern Civil Engineering Wonders. The dam was erected along the Colorado River from 1931 to 1935 by 20,000 dedicated construction staff who worked on the momentous project through treacherous conditions.

Though located in the desert, sections of the reservoir maintain relatively cool temperatures of 53 °F (11.7 °C) thanks to inflow from Lake Mead and shade cast by the steep sides of bordering canyons. Because of this, Lake Mohave supports a unique combination of warm and cold-water fishery.

Anglers in Lake Mohave are required to possess either an Arizona or Nevada fishing license. The major game fish on the lake is the striped bass, though great black bass and trout fishing exist as well. In addition to its angling value, the lake preserves imperiled species like the razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) and bonytail (Gila elegans). Four launch ramps are available— three in Arizona at Willow Beach, Catherine Landing, and Princess Cove, and one in Nevada at Cottonwood Cove.

Lake Mohave Fish Species

1) Striped bass (Morone saxatilis)

Striped bass were unintentionally introduced to Lake Mohave, with their first occurrence recorded in 1981. Only 10 years after their discovery, striped bass in the reservoir became the most popular sports fish, with over 100,000 individuals caught in 1990. They are suspected to have migrated downstream to the impoundment from Lake Mead. Though reservoir striped bass are typically stocked on a regular basis to maintain their numbers, the population in Lake Mohave is self-sustaining. This is due to the lake’s river-like conditions, which are productive for striped bass breeding.

Though the appearance of striped bass caused an explosion in Lake Mohave fisheries, they have also had adverse consequences on the reservoir’s natural ecosystem. Several pre-existing fish species faced diminishing numbers following the bass’ introduction, including the rainbow trout, threadfin shad, razorback sucker, and bonytail chub that striped bass feed on.

Striped bass populations in Lake Mohave have been partially controlled since 2006 by another non-native species, the quagga mussel, though the mechanism by which this is achieved is not entirely understood. Fishing regulations for striped bass in Lake Mohave are also lenient to further manage their invasion. The creel limit for striped bass is 20 fish for those over 20 inches (50.8 cm) long, while the unlimited harvest of those that are smaller is permitted. Spear and spear gun fishing for striped bass between Hoover Dam and Cottonwood Landing is also allowed. Lake Mohave holds the Arizona spear-fishing record with a 26-lb. 12.4-oz. (12.1 kg) catch in 2013, and the overall Nevada record with a 63-pounder (28.6 kg) from 2001.

2) Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)

Though almost always referred to as “bass”, largemouths are actually sunfish belonging to the Centrarchidae family. Largemouth bass are olive-colored, full-bodied fish equipped with gaping jaws that extend to or beyond the rear of the eye. Like most sunfish, their dorsal fin is separated and divided into two portions— an anterior portion with 11 spines and a posterior section with 12 to 14 soft rays. A single dark band runs along the largemouth’s sides from the gills to the base of the tail.

In Arizona, largemouth bass have a protracted spawning season that takes place between February and June when temperatures reach 60 – 62 °F (15.6 – 16.7 °C). Largemouth bass may begin reproducing as young as one year old! To prepare for courtship, males excavate nests at the bottom of waters less than 4 feet (1.2 m) deep, in which females deposit 4,000 eggs per pound of their body weight. Once the eggs hatch, young largemouth bass primarily eat copepods. When they reach lengths of 2.2 inches (5.6 cm), they transition to a diet of insects, then later incorporate fish as they grow. It is not until adulthood that largemouth bass display their generalist feeding habits, feasting on basically any creature that can fit in their mouths.

3) Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu)

Smallmouth bass, along with largemouths and other members of the Micropterus genus, are commonly dubbed the “black basses”. Though largemouth and smallmouth bass are remarkably similar, smallmouths can be distinguished by the vertical bars that mark their flanks, their joined dorsal fin, and, most notably, their small mouths. They grow up to 22 inches (55.9 cm) and live for up to 14 years.

Smallmouth bass are one of the most abundant game species in Lake Mohave and are notoriously colossal. The smallmouth lake record is guarded by a massive 7.6-lb (3.4-kg) catch. Though both smallmouth and largemouth bass occupy shallow waters, smallmouths avoid the dense vegetation their relatives prefer, and the two fish are not likely to be hooked in the same area. Smallmouths instead opt for cover near sandbanks, submerged wood, and rocks. Smallmouths eagerly bite at lures that imitate their food, such as rubber worms, spinner baits, and crankbaits.

4) Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)

Bluegills are among the smaller sunfish in Lake Mohave, ranging from only 4 – 10 inches (10.2 – 25.4 cm) long. Bluegills are density-dependent fish, meaning that the average size of each fish in a population depends on the number of individuals. Bluegill crowding is a frequent phenomenon in land-locked water bodies, a result of the bluegill female’s potential to lay over 80,000 eggs per spawning season! When crowding occurs, resources needed for growth become scarce and smaller adults are produced.

Bluegills are important in Lake Mohave as both a sports and forage fish. For anglers, bluegills are delectable panfish, revered as one of the most delectable freshwater fish with extremely high-quality meat. For large fish in the reservoir like largemouth and striped bass, bluegills are a dietary staple.

5) Green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus)

Green sunfish are masters of colonizing new environments. While they prefer calm, modest water bodies, they tolerate a wide range of conditions that are uninhabitable for many other freshwater fish. These include siltation, cloudiness, limited oxygen, and high pH measurements. Green sunfish also have sizeable mouths that help them to make use of varied prey types, ensuring that they will acquire food wherever they go. Green sunfish consume insects, fish eggs, other fish, and small crustaceans.

Unlike bluegills, green sunfish are not usually taken as panfish, as they only attain the minuscule size of 5.9 inches (15 cm). In addition to their size, green sunfish also differ from bluegills in their colors— green sunfish have red-rimmed opercula (gill covers) and eye-catching heads with radial turquoise streaks. Though they probably won’t make it onto your dinner plate, green sunfish put up a thrilling fight and bite at almost any bait, a perfect target for novice fishers.

6) Black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus)

Black crappies are perhaps the most eye-catching sunfish in Lake Mohave. Their pale, slab-sided bodies are strikingly contrasted with a veil of irregular black specks. This pattern extends into the fan-like, nearly symmetrical dorsal and anal fins. Black crappies also have large, upward-pointing mouths perfect for gulping down threadfin shad.

Black crappies spend most of their time hidden in underwater refuges like aquatic plants, felled tree trunks, and other submerged structures. They approach the shore routinely for an early-morning breakfast, especially from March to July, for spawning. Like most sunfish, crappies breed in colonies with nests within 23.6 inches (60 cm) of each other. Environmental factors influence young crappie survival, so soon-to-be parents are meticulous about where they will raise their brood. They build nests on firm substrates free of silt, in areas less than 3 feet (0.9 m) deep. They prefer areas covered by vegetation that provides shelter from wind, waves, and predators. The warm temperatures of these shallow waters also speed up crappie growth and increase the likelihood of their survival.

7) Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Rainbow trout is the most meticulously managed game fish in Lake Mohave. The reservoir is famed for its mammoth trout, including the 16-lb 4-oz (7.4 kg) Nevada record-holding fish. Over 3 million rainbow trout were first added to the Colorado River before the formation of the Davis Dam, and superb trout opportunity persists to this day. A cold-water species, rainbow trout venture deep within the water column below the Hoover Dam to Eldorado Canyon. They are regularly stocked by the Willow Beach National Fish Hatchery.

Anglers at Lake Mohave can easily identify rainbow trout by the vibrant colors that make them one of the most breathtaking species in the reservoir. Rainbow trout have streamlined figures that fade dorsoventrally from brown-green to white. Their backs, heads, and fins sport countless freckle-like spots, and a gleaming, blush-colored lateral stripe that runs from head to tail. During spring mating, males develop a hooked mouth known as a kype.

8) Cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii)

Cutthroat trout were first released in Lake Mohave in 1961 to enhance cold-water fishing in the lake. These fish were of the Yellowstone variety (O. c. bouvierii), one of a whopping 14 subspecies of cutthroat that roam U.S. waters! Cutthroat trout are naturally anadromous, which means that they migrate from the ocean to streams to spawn. Landlocked cutthroats like those in Lake Mohave will also move to areas with stream-like characteristics to reproduce, digging saucer-shaped nests called redds in gravel. Cutthroats can reproduce only 2 – 3 times in their lifespan, after which they die.

Cutthroat trout are more yellow than rainbows, with two scarlet, slash-shaped streaks under their chins from which their name is derived. Cutthroat and rainbow trout readily hybridize to produce the cutbow trout— a phenotypically intermediate fish with white-tipped fins and the cutthroat’s characteristic “cuts”. Hybrids are unlikely to be found in Lake Mohave, however, as stocked rainbow trout are mostly sterile.

Lake Mohave holds the Colorado River record for cutthroat trout with a 9-lb 8-oz (4.3 kg) fish caught over 40 years ago! Anglers are free to challenge this record, though the combined creel limit for all trout on the lake is 5 fish per day.

9) Razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus)

Razorback suckers are native only to the Colorado River and its tributaries and are categorized by the IUCN Red List as critically endangered. Over time, an abysmal plummet in the Lake Mohave razorback population has occurred, with past numbers in the hundreds of thousands dropping to less than 3,000 fish in 2001. The initial decline in razorback numbers is attributed to dam construction, which has altered the flow of water and exposed razorbacks to increased predation. The addition of over 40 non-resident species in the Colorado River has further exasperated the problem, as larval razorbacks fall victim to ravenous catfish, striped bass, and sunfish.

To address the crisis facing the dwindling razorback population, the Native Fish Work Group was formed to take emergency action, starting with a proposal to release 10,000 razorback suckers in Lake Mohave. From this initial response, an effective conservation strategy was developed. Current razorback management procedures entail harvesting larval razorbacks from the reservoir, rearing them in a controlled environment until they are big enough to avoid predation, and releasing them back into the lake.

Though fishing for razorback suckers is still prohibited, their numbers have seen impressive recovery over time, and in 2021 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed that the species be reclassified from endangered to threatened. Lake Mohave currently houses the most substantial population of razorback suckers along the Colorado River and is the best place to view these rare fish.

10) Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

Channel catfish are the only catfish species that reside in Lake Mohave, having been added to the lake over 100 years ago near the end of the 19^th century! Contrary to the myth that catfish love polluted environments, these slimy, scaleless creatures predominantly inhabit clear waters with muddy bottoms. Catfish are nocturnal, and during the day they spend their time secluded in holes formed by submerged logs or the banks of the reservoir. This habitat preference has given birth to noodling— a popular, albeit risky, method of catching catfish. Noodlers use their arms as live bait to drag catfish out of their crevices, though the hobby can prove dangerous as catfish don sharp, retractible spines in their fins.

Channel catfish come alive during the night when the hunt for food begins. They are scavengers that will eat anything that supplies sustenance, whether it’s dead or alive. Some common channel catfish meals include insects, mollusks, other fish, and even snakes and small birds if they enter the water!

Though catfish make a scrumptious fillet, the Fish Consumption Advisories for Arizona Waters recommend limiting consumption of catfish from Lake Mohave to 2.5 ounces (70.9 g) per week.

11) Threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense)

While threadfin shad are of little importance to anglers as game fish, they are an irreplaceable animal responsible for maintaining the balance of almost all fish species in Lake Mohave. Threadfin shad are forage fish that were supplied to the impoundment in 1955 to provide food for the reservoir’s many piscivorous inhabitants, including largemouth bass, striped bass, green sunfish, black crappies, and catfish. Threadfin shad are so beloved by their predators that pressure exerted by striped bass has caused several concerning dips in threadfin numbers since the 1990s, though the population began recovering in the years preceding 2021.

Threadfin shad are streamlined, silver fish that seldom grow larger than 6 inches (15.24 cm). A single black dot sits behind the gill cover and a long filament trails from the back of the short dorsal fin. They can be spotted jumping out of the water near the lake’s shore in the early morning from April to June, a bizarre facet of their mating ritual. Threadfin shad are temperature-sensitive and experience widespread die-off in the winter.

12) Bonytail (Gila elegans)

Though most cyprinids in Lake Mohave are invasive, the bonytail (formerly known as the bonytail chub) is a protected species native to the Colorado River. Though most bonytails grow to only 14 inches (35.6 cm) long, they are capable of attaining lengths of nearly two feet (61 cm)! They are a rare sighting in Lake Mohave but are unmistakable if spotted due to their unique profile. The top of a bonytail’s small, short head is mildly concave, followed by a pronounced shoulder hump in adults. Their bodies are long with an extended, narrow tail peduncle, and blue-gray shading on their backs fades to pale underneath. The bonytail’s broad, orange-tinted fins, deeply forked tails, and streamlined bodies are designed to propel them through the fast-flowing river waters that they are accustomed to.

Bonytail numbers have been declining since the 1960s, and like the razorback sucker, the species is considered critically endangered. Numerous factors have made Lake Mohave unfavorable to bonytails, including flow disruption from the Hoover and Davis Dams, cold water releases into the reservoir, and the introduction of non-native fish that prey on or compete with them. The Willow Beach National Fish Hatchery raises and releases bonytails in Lake Mohave annually.

13) Red shiner (Cyprinella lutrensis)

Red shiners are U.S.-natives but are not local to Lake Mohave, and were introduced in the 1950s. Though small, red shiners have tremendous colonizing abilities and often create significant ecological changes to the habitats that they take over. They can tolerate almost any condition imaginable— acidic water, alkalinity, seasonal water flow, oxygen deficiency, salinity, and temperature extremes. Astoundingly, red shiners have been recorded in searing waters of 103.1 °F (39.5 °C), and in freezing places where the air temperature drops to -4 °F (-20 °C).

Red shiners have developed a complex role in Lake Mohave that has both benefits and drawbacks. They have bolstered forage fish persistence in Lake Mohave by serving as food alongside threadfin shad for the many sports species found throughout the lake. However, red shiners themselves are omnivores, usually eating insects, but also consuming algae, fish eggs, and newly-hatched fish. They have even been found to prey on razorback sucker larvae. Additionally, red shiners are capable of introducing the devastating Asian tapeworm (Bothriocephalus acheilognathi) to bonytails.

14) Common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

One of the most enormous fish to be found in Lake Mohave, common carp normally range from 8 – 38 inches (20.3 – 96.5 cm) long! Lake Mohave boasts the Arizona catch-and-release and spear-fishing records for carp, with the bigger of the two being a 48-inch (121.9 cm) monster caught in 2007. Though carp don’t provide very appetizing meat, they are one of the most difficult fish to reel in, leveraging their weight violently to thrash against anglers. Common carp are a great choice for experienced anglers looking for an exciting challenge.

Carp live in foliage present in stagnant or slow-moving waters. The water they reside in is often murky, as carp disturb mud on the lake floor while gulping down their food. Though they occupy a wide variety of depths, anglers can find carp near the shore in the morning and evening when they’re searching for their next meal. Sweetcorn, a rather unconventional bait, has been reported to have massive success in catching carp.