Muddy River

 

The Muddy River; evidently aptly named for being muddy, but the river part is stretching that concept to the extreme. This is a very shallow and narrow river, almost comparable to the water irrigation channels used in farming. The river starts in the mountains and flows through the Moapa Valley and makes its way to Lake Mead. This section in the valley is known for having the endangered Moapa Dace. The river is not known for fishing, so why then fish there?

To answer this question, you first need to understand how I got here. In my ever-growing search to gain more species for my life-list, new posts or catches always grab my attention. One such catch was posted for a Flathead Catfish caught where the Muddy and the Virgin rivers meet at Lake Mead. This happens in an area known as Overton Beach. With the dramatic drop in water level, Overton Beach has been a ghost town for many years now. Because of this, the road here is closed, meaning this area is only accessible by boat.

My urge to fish here to try and catch a flathead was still strong. After looking at some aerial maps, I noticed that the Muddy River runs past the abandoned settlement of Saint George. Remembering some YouTube videos about the short hike to Saint George, I thought it should be an easily accessible spot. Thinking of course that any fish at the river’s “delta should also be in the river. And that is how I reasoned myself into fishing the Muddy River.

Getting to this spot was slightly more difficult than imagined. The footpath clearly visible from Saint George to the river was not as prominent in real life. It felt more like a cattle path heading under trees. It did, however, bring me right to the chocolate-colored waters. I caught several channel catfish but was hoping for more diversity. In the end, a fun day exploring what seemed to be a catfish haven. But I did only explore a small 70-yard section of the river. For all I know, there might be some good fishing that I missed out on. Only further exploration will tell.