Lake Powell Fish Report - October 26, 2011
Lake Elevation: 3650
Water Temperature 65-69 F
By: Wayne Gustaveson
Fall Fishing in Full Swing
The bad times are over. The whole lake from Wahweap to Hite is now producing an amazing array of fish to those willing to come during the “off season”. The key ingredients to the change in fishing fortune are cooling temperatures and dark skies at night. The key players are largemouth and smallmouth bass with late, but significant contributions from stripers, walleye and crappie. The better news is that this surge in fishing success will now continue through the month of November.
Bass are the main players. Each spring the best bass fishing activity occurs at water temperatures near 65 degrees. The same thing happens in the fall. It looks like the water temperature will be in that range for the next 2 weeks. Bass can be found in and along the brush line in the main lake and in the coves and canyons. While fishing the brush may be challenging there are many ways to catch fish instead of limbs.
The best method t his past week was to use a drop shot rig with a Yamamoto shad shaped worm hooked about 8-10 inches above the weight. Use a wide gap 3/0 hook and rig it so the hook is mostly in the plastic with only a slight hook point on the outside of the bait (Tex-posed). Fish almost vertically by lowering the rig below the boat in between bushes seen just under the surface. Fish in 15-25 feet of water. Let the bait tremble in one location for a time while waiting for hungry bass to go beyond inspection to tasting. The hook set with drop shot is a long sweep instead of a quick jerk or just start reeling when the sensation of a hooked fish occurs. Now the wait for a bite is not long with many bass 2-pounds or less waiting in line to get fed.
Always keep a top water bait and a rattletrap close at hand. Throw these baits near any surface disturbance to entice bass or stripers feeding near the surface on shad. These little blowups will be seen often and many fish can be caught throughout the day on top.
Striped bass are still fussy but trolling and casting rattletraps and top water baits to the brush line has started to work with much better regularity since the cold front blew in. Stripers are strong, healthy and fearless. They will provide shocking hook sets as they grab your bait and head for the nearest tree. It’s still a good idea to use heavier line in the brush when fishing for these super strong stripers.
Crappie are now biting in the very thickest brush thickets. Catching will improve as the water temperature drops to near 60 degrees. Use tiny hair and plastic jigs fished vertically in the thick brush to prevent snagging as long as possible. But bring along a good supply of crappie jigs as terminal tackle will invariably be lost.
Walleye, bluegill and catfish will occasionally be caught while fishing for other species. It is probably best to fish for bass and stripers and be grateful for a bonus walleye if one happens to drop by.
If feels great to be able to report good fishing again. That makes it easier for me to conclude my regular reports as we begin our fall sampling. There will be sporadic reports posted on wayneswords.com throughout the coming months but regular fish reports will not happen again until next March. Enjoy the great fall and winter fishing. I will see you again in the spring.
Wayne Gustaveson
