May 24, 2006
By Wayne Gustaveson
Lake Elevation: 3600
Water Temp: 71 -75 F
Fishing for stripers in southern Lake Powell has been great all Spring.  This past week the air temperature was hot and that warmed the lake water to the low 70’s.  It is hard to believe, but the rapid increase in water temperature made fishing BETTER.  Visitors coming for the Memorial Day Weekend will have the opportunity to catch as many stripers as the boat can hold.  Catches of 100 fish per boat are common.  

RODNEY CHUGG, Salt Lake City, holds some of the larger striped bass caught last Saturday.  Total stripers for 3 anglers  that day was 136 while fishing anchovy bait in the main channel.

 

 

WHERE:  The main channel from the Dam to Warm Creek holds an immeasurable number of striped bass drawn there by the cool water and deep current. Stripers can rest comfortably in cool water and quickly rise 10 feet to feed. Best fishing spots are main channel coves, shelves and rocky points or outcroppings that may shelter crayfish, which is the prime food source.  Check corners where the lake makes a 90 degree turn, mouths of canyons, coves and outcroppings anywhere from the dam to Warm Creek. Consistent spots include the Power Plant intake, Buoy 9, first cove upstream from Buoy 9, and points behind the double islands in Navajo.

If you don’t have a boat use the public fishing docks at Wahweap and Antelope Point for good success.  

 

 

 

 

 

WHEN: Virtually any place along the main channel is good during morning and evening twilight but some spots work all day long.  Mid morning is the only slack time and that coincides with lots of boat traffic cruising through the channel causing rough water. Fish early and come back later in the afternoon when boat traffic is less. Go into bays during mid morning and fish calmer water. 

 

 

 

HOW:  Use frozen anchovies on a bait hook with or without weight or on a ¼ ounce jig head.  Cut the bait into a 1 or 2 inch chunk and put on the hook, Use the remaining anchovy as chum by cutting into small pieces and broadcasting around the boat. That keeps fish close by as they continue to eat and search for food.

 

 

 

   

 

WHY:  Stripers are at a population peak.  Shad forge is scarce in the southern lake.  There is not enough forage to feed the vast numbers of 4-5 pound stripers.  Keep all stripers caught to help balance the populations.  Put fish on ice in a cooler instead of on a stringer in the water. Stripers DO NOT maintain good eating quality when allowed to get warm before cleaning.    

Fishing in the Northern lake and fishing for other species is good, but completely overshadowed by the feeding frenzy in the south. Bass, walleye, crappie and catfish are readily caught on lures and bait in the mouths of canyons and coves lakewide.  The only place that is not good is the very back of coves where rapidly rising lake water is flooding new ground which has not yet been occupied by fish. Use anchovies in Bullfrog Bay, at Moki Wall and Canyon, Lake Canyon, Hansen Creek, and Buoy 99A. Stripers caught uplake will be in better condition than those at Wahweap.

The San Juan Arm is excellent fishing for all species. Runoff has not muddied the water below Cha Canyon.

From Bullfrog/Halls it is best to go south to fish as the muddy runoff water extends all the way to Bullfrog.  Runoff will peak this week so expect cloudy water uplake until July.

All launch ramps are open and operating with the exception of Hite which is still closed. 

If coming to Lake Powell for Memorial Day, do not forget the fishing equipment.  You will be very pleased with the results.