Two state records have come from Lake Mohave; a 63 pound striped bass was caught in 2001 and a 16 lb 4 oz rainbow trout was caught in 1971. Although not state records, Lake Mohave has also produced a 30-pound 8-ounce carp, an 11-pound largemouth bass, a 26-pound 4-ounce channel catfish, a 2-pound 12-ounce black crappie, a 1-pound 1-ounce bluegill sunfish and an 11-pound 6-ounce cutthroat trout.
The 67 mile long reservoir covers approximately 30,000 surface acres to a maximum depth of 120 feet. There are three marinas with launch ramps, two in Arizona (Willow Beach and Katherine’s Landing) and one in Nevada (Cottonwood Cove). There is also a launch ramp at Princess Cove on the Arizona side near Katharine’s landing. Camping is available at Cottonwood Cove and Katherine’s Landing. Shoreline camping is permitted. Campers should carry out their trash and provide for adequate sanitation.Both narrow and shallow compared to Lake Mead, Lake Mohave lies between the Black Mountains to the east in northwestern Arizona, and the Eldorado and Newberry Mountains to the west in southern Nevada. Most of the lake’s length lies within the steep, narrow walls of Black, Eldorado, Painted, and Pyramid canyons.
Anglers can find a variety of warm-water species, including largemouth and smallmouth bass, walleye, white bass, catfish, bluegills, perch and pike in lakes and reservoirs; as well as a variety of trout species in lakes, rivers and streams throughout the state.
New Mexico state warm water fish species include: black bass, temperate bass, catfish, panfish, pike, muskie, and walleye.
The major lakes in New Mexico with healthy populations of bass include Abiquiu Reservoir, Brantley Lake, Caballo Lake, Clayton Lake, Conchas Lake, El Vado Lake, Elephant Butte Lake, Navajo Lake, Red Bluff Reservoir, Santa Rosa Lake, Sumner Lake and Ute Lake.
Largemouth bass reign supreme as the most sought-after game fish in America and also the most aggressive. With voracious appetites and short tempers, black bass readily feed on small fish, crayfish, worms, lizards, insects, mice, small birds and frogs — anything they can get into their large mouths. Primarily considered residents of the Midwest and Southeast, bass also call the lakes of the southwestern U.S. home, and fishermen pursue them with great zeal. Bass are usually found in and around cover, typically hiding next to logs, docks, underwater ridges, submerged brush and rocks, or near abrupt drop-offs.
