Don’t discount fun that Lakes Mead, Mohave offer

The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation released its 2015 list of America’s Top 100 Family Fishing and Boating Spots on Tuesday. Surprisingly, not one of Nevada’s recreational waterways made the list. Noticeably absent were Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, not to mention Utah’s Lake Powell.

While it is true that the Southwest has been in a drought pattern for many years, and that Lakes Mead and Powell have battled with very low water levels, both continue to offer excellent fishing and boating opportunities. Mohave’s water level varies throughout the year but remains fairly constant and provides year-round fishing and boating, though the water in the upper half remains fairly cold all year.

So what is a “family gishing and boating spot”? According to the RBFF it is a destination that meets five criteria.

First, the spot is located within an hour of a large community so it is easily accessible. Second, the location includes a public waterway that offers anglers the chance to catch common fish species such as bass, crappie, bluegill or trout, and may be stocked with fish. Third, the spot is “part of a state or city park with amenities such as parking, bathrooms, picnic tables, playgrounds, fishing piers and/or boat ramps,” the RBFF said.

Fourth on the list of criteria is a destination that offers visitors “plenty of places to cast a line, like a fishing pier” and perhaps a boat ramp so you can reach other areas on that particular water. Lastly, the spot has to be “recommended by other anglers!” Anglers from across the U.S. who cast their vote and named the specific locations on the Top 100 list.

Looking at this list, it is safe to say that Mead and Mohave meet most, if not all of the criteria though they don’t offer playgrounds.

The one challenge that is difficult to overcome for many is the lack of shoreline access at both reservoirs. It is there, but limited by rugged terrain and the few access roads that are available and open to public access. However, a boat does give visitors the freedom to access virtually the entire reservoir, and opens up a vast array of fishing, camping and on-the-water recreational opportunities.

For those who don’t own one, boats are available for rent at Callville Bay Resort, Las Vegas Boat Harbor Marina, Lake Mead Marina and Temple Bar Marina on Lake Mead. At Lake Mohave, boats can be rented at Cottonwood Cove Resort and Lake Mohave Resort at Katherine Landing. While it is true that boat rentals can be a little pricey, you can bring the cost down by “boat pooling.” In other words, share the cost with a friend or two.

All but 15 of the Top 100 Family Fishing and Boating Spots on the RBFF list are located east of the Rocky Mountains, and all but one of the top ten. That one is California’s Clear Lake State Park northwest of Sacramento. It came in at No. 6.

Five of the top 10 spots are in Florida, three are in Pennsylvania, and one is in Texas. This would lead me to believe that most of the voters who participated in creation of this list are residents of the eastern half of the country, which would explain why the results seem to be skewed in that direction.

That said, there are three boating and fishing destinations from the Top 100 list that are located in Arizona and just a few hours from the Las Vegas area. Those include Lake Havasu, Lake Pleasant State Park near Phoenix, and Woods Canyon Lake in Payson, Ariz. These waters are ranked Nos. 83, 97 and 63, respectively. They are listed here in order of their proximity to Las Vegas.

For those of you who may be thinking of taking a boating or fishing vacation, and are willing to do some traveling, the remaining destinations on the Top 100 list are as follows. OK, I won’t do that to you, but here are the top 10 spots on that list: 1. Everglades National Park, Fla. 2. Bahia Honda State Park, Fla. 3. Blue Springs State Park, Fla. 4. Kissimmee State Park, Fla. 5. Keystone State Park, Pa. 6. Clear Lake State Park, Calif. 7. Skyway Fishing Pier State Park, Fla. 8. Galveston Island State Park, Texas 9. Presque Isle State Park, Pa. 10. Lackawanna State Park, Pa. The complete list of top family fishing and boating destinations can be found online at takemefishing.org. Freelance writer Doug Nielsen is a conservation educator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. His “In the Outdoors” column, published Thursday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NDOW. Any opinions he states in his column are his own. He can be reached at intheoutdoorslv@gmail.com.