A few miles downstream from the famous Hoover Dam, on the
Arizona side of the Lake Mead Recreation Area, you will find Willow Beach.
Mostly known for kayaking and boating on this part of the Colorado River, with
stunning views of the canyons and gorges this area has to offer. To the local
fisherman, this area is known for having some good fishing with some monsters in
the area.
In recent years, the onsite fish-hatchery underwent some renovations.
To encourage anglers to return to these waters, the bigger rainbow trout gets
stocked here. This may seem unfair to the other stocking locations, but there
is also sound reasoning behind this. The waters in this part of the Colorado
stays cool year-round, with mid-summer temperatures only reaching 65°F.
Not only does this mean that the trout can survive the
extreme summer heat, but it also supports bigger fish overall. Some of the
biggest land-locked striped bass I have seen, have been caught from these
cooler waters. Cooler waters can sustain bigger fish better by slowing
digestive processes and lowering energy expenditure. This creates a unique area
in these canyons compared to the surrounding desert areas.
As ideal as this sounds to find big fish in these waters,
the reality is the complete opposite. It was only on my third fishing session here
that I landed a fish from these waters. Yes, it is my personal best of that
species, but not as easy to find as previous catches. The cold water is also ideal
for underwater vegetation, and fish often move around just out of reach. The heart
of the river is a deep canyon, and its walls limit access. You are not going to
catch a ton of fish here, but the lucky few that do land a fish will
definitely have a good story to tell.
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