March 29, 2006
By Wayne Gustaveson
Lake Elevation: 3588
Water Temp: 51-54 F
Weather remains unsettled this week delaying really good fishing until April. Those venturing to the lake are having good success despite the weather.  High fish population numbers, particularly for striped bass and smallmouth bass, ensure that fishing will be good during 2006. 

Anglers continue to line up along the barricade in front of Glen Canyon Dam waiting for the daily school of striped bass to swim by. Anglers with patience are rewarded with a good 2-hour period of steady catching sometime during the day. One day morning fishing is better while the next day afternoon catches are higher. With increased boating pressure the average catch per boat has fallen to about 10 fish.  While fishing at the barricade is   steadily productive, those that like to search may find a hotspot at various points along the west wall.  Search all the way to green Buoy 1 at Anchovy point and the main channel, which is another striper hot spot.  

Night fishing with anchovies under a green light was productive at the barricade from 7:30 to 9:30 PM. Fish ranged from 20-80 feet in depth.

If fishing close to other anglers is not your choice then run uplake and search the backs of canyons for stripers.  Troll or cast lipless vibrating or deep diving shad-imitating lures in any canyon from Warm Creek to Oak Canyon.  Find stripers holding where bottom depth is 30-45 feet.  Troll or cast repeatedly to hungry fish until they quit responding.  Striper schools are quite stationary in cold water so fishing anchovies where stripers were caught on lures is quite productive. Expect to find stripers holding between 25 and 40 feet in the back of the canyon in colored water. 

From Bullfrog upstream, stripers are still being caught trolling deep divers (Norman Deep Little N) and on jigging spoons when a school is seen on the graph. More stripers are caught in the southern lake but individual stripers caught up north are bigger and fatter uplake.  Chose your striper fishing location by quantity or quality.  If you can’t decide make two trips to north and south Lake Powell and decide for yourself. 

 

Bass are patiently waiting for the water to warm above 55 F.  Each time those temperatures have been reached this Spring, bass were immediately caught in warm coves. Use a thermometer to detect the temperature gradient from 51 in the main channel to 58 in the coves. Find warm water and fishing gets easy with your choice of lures. Spinnerbaits, plastic grubs, and suspending crank baits all work well for large and smallmouth bass in early Spring. 

 

Crappie can be caught in the back of canyons and around brushy coves.  Fish will be suspended. Use a tiny plastic grub on light line and troll that at 1 mph with the electric motor for consistent success.