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Pictures and story from 2005 and 2006 - Still waiting for the cut to fill and provide passage from Wahweap to Warm Creek.

Rules for fishing year 2008 Contest

Largest Striper Contest Rules
Big Striper Contests for the year 2008

There will be 2 age groups and prizes for winners of each age group this year. Age Groups are 16 years of age and younger ( or Youth division ) and 17 years of age and older. The rules below apply for both age groups.
Disclaimer
This contest is not governed by the laws of any state or union. This contest is for the pure enjoyment of the participants and complaints can only be addressed to the “ Gang of 3 “ ( see body of rules. )
Contest date:
September 1^st 2007 through August 31^st 2008.

Prizes to be granted for the 5 largest Stripers caught at Lake Powell in the 17 and over group and 3 Prizes for the 16 and under group. These prizes will be for the years largest Striper.
There will also be Hats awarded to each monthly Winner proclaiming the Largest Striper caught for that month.
Each youth entry will receive a hat with their name on the hat regardless if the entry they make qualifies for the grand prizes awarded annually.
Prizes TBD and will be given out to winners after Sept 1^st 2007.
Prizes will be for:
17 years and older.

            1^st Largest Striper by Weight
                                    2^nd Largest Striper by Weight
                                    3^rd Largest Striper by Weight
                                    4th Largest Striper by Weight
                                    5th Largest Striper by Weight
Ages 16 years and under.
                                    1st Largest Striper by Weight
                                    2nd Largest Striper by Weight
                                    3rd Largest Striper by Weight

Eligibility:
Anyone fishing Lake Powel Utah or Arizona within the Glen Canyon Recreational Area.
Any resident of the Planet Earth.
Participants only have to send in the required data to enter. No official forms for entry are required.

Rules:
1. The largest Striper ( Fish ) by weight must be caught on fishing pole and line at Lake Powell.
2. No illegal baits. All State fishing regulations of lake apply.

Weigh in requirements:
Picture of fish.
Date caught. ( this will be important for monthly acknowledgements )
Weight of fish. ( preferably 2 scale verification )
Note: 50 lb. scales will hopefully be supplied at the active marina stores for those that do not have scales with them or need something to measure a very large fish.
1 witness not including yourself ( just the name of the person ) Note: A plea to the director of the tourney Dale Eichel and “ Gang of 3” for an exception to the rule will be required if the fish is caught by a lone fishermen or fisherwomen with no witnesses. Deliver the plea to DEichel@comcast.net
Name of person catching the fish and an email address or physical address.
Picture and details to be sent to DEichel@comcast.net with subject as fishing contest.

Special handling:
Disqualification of entry or Suspicion of fraud will be handled by the gang of 3. ( Jack H., Larry M. and Dale E. )
Disqualification could be caused by but not restricted to; lack of information, incorrect species, or gross exaggeration.
Fraud could include but is not restricted to, Picture of fish entry with background of the Gulf of Mexico, Altered photos of Marlin resembling Striper, or 6 in. fish with 40lb. claim.

Monthly winner hats

Monthly winner hats

Example of Trophies

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Mercury and Lake Powell Fish

Background Information on Mercury in fish direct from EPA website:

http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fishadvice/advice.html

Fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthy diet. Fish and shellfish contain high-quality protein and other essential nutrients, are low in saturated fat, and contain omega-3 fatty acids. A well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fish and shellfish can contribute to heart health and children's proper growth and development. So, women and young children in particular should include fish or shellfish in their diets due to the many nutritional benefits.

However, nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury. For most people, the risk from mercury by eating fish and shellfish is not a health concern. Yet, some fish and shellfish contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or young child's developing nervous system. The risks from mercury in fish and shellfish depend on the amount of fish and shellfish eaten and the levels of mercury in the fish and shellfish. Therefore, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are advising women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children to avoid some types of fish and eat fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.

By following these 3 recommendations for selecting and eating fish or shellfish, women and young children will receive the benefits of eating fish and shellfish and be confident that they have reduced their exposure to the harmful effects of mercury.

Do not eat Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, or Tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury.
Eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.
- Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish.
- Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna. So, when choosing your two meals of fish and shellfish, you may eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of albacore tuna per week.
Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by family and friends in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. If no advice is available, eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) per week of fish you catch from local waters, but don't consume any other fish during that week.

Follow these same recommendations when feeding fish and shellfish to your young child, but serve smaller portions.

1. What is mercury and methylmercury?

Mercury occurs naturally in the environment and can also be released into the air through industrial pollution. Mercury falls from the air and can accumulate in streams and oceans and is turned into methylmercury in the water. It is this type of mercury that can be harmful to your unborn baby and young child. Fish absorb the methylmercury as they feed in these waters and so it builds up in them. It builds up more in some types of fish and shellfish than others, depending on what the fish eat, which is why the levels vary.

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2. I'm a woman who could have children but I'm not pregnant - so why should I be concerned about methylmercury?

If you regularly eat types of fish that are high in methylmercury, it can accumulate in your blood stream over time. Methylmercury is removed from the body naturally, but it may take over a year for the levels to drop significantly. Thus, it may be present in a woman even before she becomes pregnant. This is the reason why women who are trying to become pregnant should also avoid eating certain types of fish.

3. Is there methylmercury in all fish and shellfish?

Nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of methylmercury. However, larger fish that have lived longer have the highest levels of methylmercury because they've had more time to accumulate it. These large fish (swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish) pose the greatest risk. Other types of fish and shellfish may be eaten in the amounts recommended by FDA and EPA.

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4. I don't see the fish I eat in the advisory. What should I do?

If you want more information about the levels in the various types of fish you eat, see the FDA food safety web site or the EPA Fish Advisory website.

5. What about fish sticks and fast food sandwiches?

Fish sticks and "fast-food" sandwiches are commonly made from fish that are low in mercury.

6. The advice about canned tuna is in the advisory, but what's the advice about tuna steaks?

Because tuna steak generally contains higher levels of mercury than canned light tuna, when choosing your two meals of fish and shellfish, you may eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of tuna steak per week.

back to question list

7. What if I eat more than the recommended amount of fish and shellfish in a week?

One week's consumption of fish does not change the level of methylmercury in the body much at all. If you eat a lot of fish one week, you can cut back for the next week or two. Just make sure you average the recommended amount per week.

8. Where do I get information about the safety of fish caught recreationally by family or friends?

Before you go fishing, check your Fishing Regulations Booklet for information about recreationally caught fish. You can also contact your local health department for information about local advisories. You need to check local advisories because some kinds of fish and shellfish caught in your local waters may have higher or much lower than average levels of mercury. This depends on the levels of mercury in the water in which the fish are caught. Those fish with much lower levels may be eaten more frequently and in larger amounts.

LAKE POWELL - Current Status

Ten average-sized striped bass were sampled from Lake Powell (Navajo Canyon to Rock Creek). Mercury content was analyzed and found to average .27 ppm in the 10 fish combined. Some individuals were higher and some lower. The National average mercury level in striped bass and smallmouth bass is 0.27 ppm.

www.epa.gov/waterscience/fishadvice/tissue-slide.pdf

The standard for concern set by EPA is .30 ppm and greater. If fish flesh has more mercury than that a health advisory is required. Since some individual fish were found to have higher mercury levels (.57 was highest) a health advisory may be prudent. The average is lower than the advisory level so more testing will be conducted.

We did test the 38.5 pound trophy fish and found it to have a mercury concentration of 1.01 ppm. Older fish accumulate more mercury. It would be wise to use trophy fish for just that - trophies and not for consumption. Conversely, to be safe eat smaller stripers (<3 pounds) as often as desired.

I will collect many more striped bass and other fish species this November and submit those fish for further testing.

So, for now, to be wise the following guidelines are recommended: This is not a formal declaration or warning - just information until further testing is conducted.

Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, nursing mothers, and young children are advised to avoid some types of fish and to only eat fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury. The types of fish to avoid include Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel or Tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury. The most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are Shrimp, canned light Tuna, Salmon, Pollock and Catfish. Up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish can be eaten. Another commonly eaten fish, Albacore ("white") Tuna has more mercury than canned light Tuna. Up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of Albacore Tuna can be eaten per week.

All other healthy adults can eat fish 2-3 times each week without undue concern

Freshwater smallmouth bass and striped bass fall into the category with other fish species that are slightly below the EPA standard of concern in mercury concentration.

Fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthy diet. Fish and shellfish contain high quality protein and other essential nutrients, are low in saturated fat and contain omega-3 fatty acids. A well balanced diet that includes a variety of fish and shellfish can contribute to heart health and children's proper growth and development. Thus, women and young children in particular should include fish or shellfish in their diets due to the many nutritional benefits.

Research shows that most people's fish consumption does not cause a health concern. However, high levels of mercury in the bloodstream of unborn babies and young children may harm the developing nervous system. With this in mind, FDA and EPA designed an advisory that if followed should keep an individual's mercury consumption below levels that have been shown to cause harm. By following the advisory parents can be confident of reducing their unborn or young child's exposure to the harmful effects of mercury, while at the same time maintaining a healthy diet that includes the nutritional benefits of fish and shellfish.

BOTTOM LINE

We want you to continue to harvest and eat fish from Lake Powell. Don't eat fish every day but eating fish twice a week is a healthy habit. If you fall in the category of mothers and children of risk then be very cautious when planning your diet. Include some fish but do it in moderation. Healthy adults are able to eat much more fish than mothers and children.

Testimonial: There is probably no better real life example of someone that has eaten fish from Lake Powell for a lifetime than me and my family. We are healthy due in some small part because we have included fish in our diet at least twice a month and probably 4 times a month for the past 30 years. I have volunteered to be tested for mercury content and will let you know what we find out.

Gill Netting Results - Good Hope Bay

November 7-9, 2005

	My thanks to Dan Spitzer, Gary Foell and Chet Garling for their very welcome assistance at the Good Hope Bay netting site. Dan was there for the whole operation. When we set nets Monday afternoon there isn’t really much to do to help. Dan helped set nets and I am sure he felt like he was just in the way. I assured him there would be plenty for him to do when it came time to pull fish out of nets. As it turned out he was probably looking for a little less work on Tuesday afternoon. The next morning we headed out and pulled the first net by camp. It seemed that the first net had caught every fish in Blue Notch. We must have had 40-50 fish when 10 is a normal number. But this was only the beginning. Each net we pulled had more fish than the last. We pulled one net that had over 80 fish in the 100 foot net. We collected close to 600 fish on Tuesday morning. Georg Blommer holds one of the largest gizzard shad collected, an 18 inch monster.
	Thanks to Gary, Dan and Chet we were able to divide into two crews and while one group picked nets the others started the processing. Dan, Gary and I picked nets and Chet helped our DWR employees process fish. We have to weigh and measure each fish. On most we take stomachs, and scales. On some we take otoliths and tissue samples. All fresh game fish are then filleted. With the warm water (64 F) there were many that were not fresh enough to fillet. Even with 2 crews it was 3 pm before we could finish. I felt bad not even allowing the crew to stop for lunch. The biggest factor in increased fish abundance is the population establishment of gizzard shad. At each station we have an extra 100-200 fish that have not been in the total previously. But beyond that new species we continue to see a record number of young stripers – particularly at Good Hope Bay. There is no need to fear that we are harvesting too many stripers. In fact, we need to double our efforts in keeping this species in balance with prey abundance. Gary Foell displays one tub full of Good Hope Bay gizzard shad.
	Smallmouth bass are more abundant than ever and average length has increased over fish caught in 2004. Largemouth bass are coming on strong. Most of them are young which bodes well for bass fishing in the next few years. Walleye numbers are strong with good production of young fish. The most exciting news for me is the grand increase in crappie numbers at ALL stations. To sum it up briefly, the carrying capacity of Lake Powell has increased with more brush habitat, more productivity and many more fish of all species. Gill net catch of 3 of the 10 nets set in Good Hope Bay.
	As you have discovered, well-fed fish are not easy to catch despite their greater abundance. So the plan is to keep doing what we have started. We find fish, catch them, report our techniques and share our success with others so they can catch fish as well. This sharing of information makes all anglers a bit more successful and keeps the fisheries healthy. We are looking forward to wonderful fishing conditions for the next 5 years. Scales are taken from a smallmouth bass to determine its age.

Midwater Trawl Sampling Results

Three graphs above depict the abundance of shad captured in a mid water trawl at 3 locations over the length of Lake Powell. In the 70's we see shad numbers when they were not threatened with predation. In the 80's we see an absence of shad due to intense predation by striped bass. Then in the 90's there were a few peaks allowing enough forage to keep fish healthy but not fat. Finally in the past 3 years we have seen shad abundance allowing stripers and smallmouth to get bigger and fatter. It is expected that shad numbers will be higher near the nutrient rich inflows in all years. It is a bonus when shad are produced in good numbers at midlake and downlake areas.

The recent peaks must be in response to low lake levels exposing sediment and releasing nutrients tied up there for decades. Shad produced this year indicate a peak in all lake areas but not an excess in the uplake areas as noted in 2003 and 2004.

Gizzard shad make up only a very small portion of total shad depicted. They are present but masked by high threadfin shad abundance. Their presence will be more important when threadfin shad return to the historical pattern of many years with no open water presence laced with an occasional peak year. That decline in threadfin abundance will perhaps occur as the lake refills and becomes less productive once more.

Ben's Dock - The rest of the story

	It was a pleasure to be able to attend the dock dedication in honor of Ben Morrison. This young man was the catalyst behind the establishment of the new Antelope Marina fish dock, aka "Bens Dock". The dedication ceremony was held September 2, 2005. Prior to the festivities Ben noticed for the first time that his name was placed with honor on the first stone leading to the dock. His parents had kept all the details of what was going to happen to themselves. All Ben knew was that he was "going fishing".
	Bill Morrison was a proud Dad with a happy son heading out on a new fishing spot. Ben was busting with energy and wanted to get the bait in the water. I took time to introduce myself and get a picture of the happy anglers before they could get to too far on to the dock
	Ben's way was blocked by a yellow ribbon. Mike Anderson, Antelope Marina Manager, conducted a short dedication ceremony. Mike explained how he was forced to prohibit this young man from fishing on the Gas Dock earlier in the week due to lakewide regulations prohibiting that act. Mike found a way to make sure that Ben would have a place to fish. Soon the fish dock was created. Ben cut the ribbon at the end of the ceremony.
	Bill was stoic as he felt so happy for his son. Mom went for the dark glasses. But it was perfectly all right to shed a tear or two in this situation.

	A soon as the talking was over with, Ben raced to a vacant corner of the dock, dropped to the ground and started cutting chum and bait. This kid knew that he was doing. My guess is Mike Anderson had not stopped all the furtive night fishing activity at the gas dock after all.
	Bens preference was to use a 1/4 ounce jig head on fluorocarbon line. He prefers the mid section and chums with the heads and tails. I was standing there hoping to offer some advice to a novice angler. Yeah right! He had the hook baited and ready to go. All I could do was stand back so I didn't get in his way.
	Ben didn't cast out. He choose instead to count a certain number of pulls from his reel so he would know exactly how far down his bait would be. If he got bit then he would know the exact depth the fish were running and he could return to that spot to catch another fish. He stopped at 30 and put the rod in the holder.
	Now a perfect ending to this story would be if young Ben could catch a fish while the crowd of folks was all gathered around watching him fish. What are the odds of that happening? The fairy tale climaxed in 90 seconds from the time he dropped the bait in the water. The rod jumped and Ben was on it like a hen on a june bug. He fought the 3 pound striper to the surface and looked for the net? No net - this was a dedication. I dropped the camera, got on my belly and lipped the fish for him.

I was sweating bullets for fear I would let the fish get away. But all was aligned in perfect harmony and the fish came right in. We took some pictures and Ben could hardly contain himself wanting to get back to his rod so he could rebait and get his line back in the water.

That is where I left him - over at the far corner of the dock stripping out more line as his bait descended toward the next striper.

“Ben’s Fishing Dock”

Bill Morrison

We have not met, but I am an occasional Wordling and a frequent reader of WW. I wanted to share a story with you.

My wife and two children and I keep a boat at Antelope Marina. Our son Ben, (age 9), has a brain injury which causes significant left side weakness. He has made tremendous progress through physical and occupational therapy, but he simply can’t do much with his left arm and hand. One of the things Ben can do and enjoys more than anything in the world is fishing. When we are at the lake, Ben tends to fish night and day. On those occasions when we don’t leave the slip, he will either fish from the back of the boat or from the dock. Earlier this year we discovered that the nighttime fishing from the Antelope fuel dock was quite good. The combination of lights and plenty of anchovy chum often did the trick.

Unfortunately, the Park Service informed Antelope management that fishing from the fuel dock would not be allowed and so we had to stop. Soon afterwards, Antelope informed us they were going to build a fishing dock, mostly due to our situation. We were thrilled and amazed at their concern for the satisfaction of one 9 year old customer.

Last week we received a phone call from an Antelope employee telling us that they were planning a ribbon cutting ceremony for “Ben’s Fishing Dock” and that they were having those words inscribed on several of the concrete tiles which make up the platform of the dock. When it sunk in and I called my wife to tell her, we both cried. Unfortunately, she was in the checkout line of a local market and was quite embarrassed. The ceremony is this Friday (9-2-2005) at 6:30 PM and Ben knows nothing about it.

We understand that you can’t ‘name’ anything in a National Recreation Area and there will probably come a time when NPS will force Antelope to remove these tiles. However, to our family this is a remarkable act of kindness and compassion.

When you see my postings in support of what is happening at Antelope, you will understand. The people we deal with and the service they give to their customers is outstanding.

Thank you for the fantastic web-site and all of the great information. We really rely on it to plan our weekend getaways.

Lights Installed on Wahweap Public Fish Dock

Striped bass do most of their feeding at night. To take advantage of this quirk of behavior, many anglers use a light to attract plankton and bait fish. Where lots of fish congregate striped bass will soon follow.

Lake Powell has a ton of big stripers this year making lazy summer nights a perfect time to fish and expect big results.

Utah Wildlife, Arizona Game and Fish, and Aramark have made night fishing easier for those that don’t have a boat or light. Now all you need is your rod, some bait and the desire to catch a big striper. The public fishing dock at Wahweap Marina accessed from Page AZ, is the place to go.

Two Hydroglow night fishing deck lights now hang from the dock and are turned on each night to attract plankton and shad. The green glow lights up the fishing well at the center of the dock. Shad will come to the light within an hour or so after sunset. Stripers will follow.

The best striper catching technique is to use a small chunk of anchovy on a small jig head. Lower the bait slowly to the bottom and the reel up a few turns. Sometimes fish will hit as the bait descends but more often stripers will be deeper than shad and the light. Feed them while they are looking up to the light.

Sometimes stripers will really strike the bait with authority, but most often the bite will be barely discernible. Occasionally move the bait up and down gently just to feel for the extra weight of a striper mouthing the bait. Set the hook and enjoy the ride.

The green fish lights will be turned on from dusk until dawn for your night fishing enjoyment. Please take good care of the dock. Make sure it is cleaner when you depart than when you arrived. Do not dispose of bait sacks in the water. Do not clean fish on the dock. Take them to the fish cleaning station which is only a short distance away.

The fishing dock and cleaning station facilities at Wahweap are as good as found anywhere in the country. Come give them a try and take good care of them so they continue to provide enjoyment of the Lake Powell fishing experience.

Trophy Striper Necropsy - 38.5 pounds

Due to the graphic nature of these photos parental discretion is advised.

	Fish scales were taken but have not been read yet. I thawed the big fish and started by filleting some of the meat. The missing chunk here was sent to a laboratory in Colorado where it will be tested for mercury and other heavy metals. If mercury is bioaccumulating in fish by size then this top level predator will be the greatest test of that theory.
	As I opened the stomach cavity it was immediately obvious that the fish was a female that had recently spawned. The ovary was limp and empty except for the ovarian tissue that immediately begins growing eggs for next year.
	The biggest surprise was the immense size of the stomach. The entire stomach cavity was filled with the distended organ that can shrink to a few inches long when empty or expand to the size of the last food item. This was the biggest stomach I have ever witnessed. It was a full 15 inches from throat to terminal end.
	The stomach was opened and a partially digested 14 inch (one-pound) catfish was revealed. The air bladder and pectoral spines were the characters leading to a positive identification of the channel catfish. Big stripers like 1-pound fish for a meal. It makes sense that catfish would be there since they occupy deep water and would have a hard time escaping from a huge striper. I have also found carp remains in other trophy stripers.

Commercial Fishing

When contemplating how to manage a population that was over abundant many thoughts crossed my mind. Commercial fishing was one them. Trawling and purse seining would be the most effective methods to limit bycatch and target stripers. The nature of the topography of the lake bottom makes it difficult - not impossible- to do both. Equipment damage while hanging a trawl on a pinnacle rock can be substantial. So that is a difficult sell to a commercial fisherman.

If he really wanted to make a dent in the population a commercial fisherman would want to use gill nets where a specific population could be targeted at a specific location. Problem is that gill nets are not selective and the other species caught and killed would be substantial.

Take a look at Lake Powell at low water. Factor in the busy nature of the lake with recreational visitors. Conflict between PWC's, skiers and swimmers are high now. Where does the commercial fisherman fit in that maze?

We limit the commercial fisheries to only certain seasons. True but the best times to net fish coincide with the best sport fishing seasons. Again conflict!

Why give preference to a commercial fisherman (which would have to be done to get a fisherman to make the investment) over sport anglers.

So I chose to go the other way. Lets give the preference to sport fishermen and let them maximize harvest. We removed the limit totally. If you want to catch 300 striped bass on rod and reel in a day, you can. It is possible, I have done it.

A few fishermen can have no impact on a population this large. So we need to put more people to work. If a Lake Powell visitor who normally did not fish was made aware that he could catch a 5-pound striped bass with very little effort, many would do it!

Hence the WEB PAGE and a solid attempt to reach the million anglers needed to impact striped bass. I really am managing this fishery by telling a visitor that he can catch stripers just by going to Antelope launch ramp at 6 AM in the morning with a surface lure in hand.

I prefer to use 1 million anglers to solve the problem of over population instead of giving that task to 2-3 commercial fisherman, if you could find them.

My plan has worked great for all of this century but I am getting really nervous about the lower lake right now. We need more harvest on the 12-inch fish and we need to catch the big fish that are waiting for food in the deep water of the main channel. Adults are separated from shad right now and starting to lose weight.

Any volunteers?

Caring for Stripers in Hot Weather

Big stripers have gone deep to avoid the warm surface water. Fish over 5 pounds can't live long in water over 80 degrees. That works to the advantage of all who like to catch big fish. They are very easy to catch on bait in cool water at 40-60 feet.

So now that you have a fish what do you do with it. The common thing for most trout anglers is to grab the stringer and throw the fish back in the water. At Lake Powell in July the water temperature is 80-85 degrees. If stripers can't live in warm water they certainly wont keep well either. Stripers maintain good eating quality for about 10 minutes in these temperatures.

To solve the problem bring along a fish cooler with 10 pounds of ice. Put the fresh caught fish on ice immediately. Then it will maintain good eating quality for a day. I recommend filleting as soon as possible.

Stripers are excellent table fare if properly cared for. Enjoy the catching and then extend the pleasure as the fish are taken home in good shape to eat.

Rising Lake Pictures

Lake Powell rose 53 feet during Spring 2005

Lowest lake level was 3555. It will top out near 3608

	During April 2005 the corner of Wahweap Creek and the main channel, also known as Anchovy Point or Buoy 1 was a wakeless area. These protruding rock fingers become hazardous to navigation when the water level leaves them just under the surface. Treacherous rocks and tight turns in a heavily traveled area called for the extra restrictions on speed. This view looks across the rock points and straight up channel toward Antelope Canyon.
	The view from the first overlook on Lakeshore Drive gives more perspective of the turns and reefs on the corner. White wakeless buoys are visible in line with the reef on the left center. The top two photos were taken in April with water level near the low point of 3555.
	By June the lake had risen over 45 feet. The rock points had been mostly covered. Some the points were now rock reefs. The wakeless buoys were removed in June as visibility increased and the channel widened.
	By July 2005, the view straight up the channel is remarkably different.

STATELINE RAMP

	Stateline Ramp at Wahweap has shown a dramatic facelift since the ramp dried up in 2004. A large flat was excavated during January 2005 to give the ramp extension the needed slope.
	Concrete was added and the low lake at 3555 was lapping at the edge of the ramp. Notice the dirt banks still framing the ramp at this low water level in April 2005.
	The lake came up over 6 feet over the Memorial Day Weekend. The dirt banks were half covered at that time.
	In June 2005 the dirt banks are covered.

Now on July 1, 2005 there is no sign of the excavation as it is long buried under rising lake waters.

HOW TO AGE FISH BY READING SCALES

As fish grow, a circular ring is made on the scale as it gets bigger. In the winter almost no growth occurs so the growth rings get closer together. When the water warms in the spring, fish start to eat and growth rings widen. The wide spot on the scale equates to a one year growth ring. These rings can be counted to estimate the age of the fish.

For example, the photo shows a scale taken from a fish born this year. There are many concentric rings all equally spaced. When magnified, the scale measured 60 mm and corresponded to a fish that was 200 mm (8 inches). The measurement of the growth ring can determine the length of a fish during its first winter.

A scale from a one year old fish shows a wide space (annulus) followed by regular growth rings after normal growth continues in warm weather. During the second summer most fish exhibit the greatest growth and the distance between annuli is greatest. This picture shows a one year old fish that is 13 inches long.

Older fish have annuli that get progressively closer together. A four-year-old fish taken this year was 19 inches long. Scale aging is only accurate when growth occurs. If shad are not present and no growth happens the annuli may be right next to each other or in some cases no annulus is laid down.

These photos show the best "text book" scales. Often scales are very difficult to read and considerable experience is required to determine age. The Lake Powell striped bass population this year was comprised of fish 9 inches and less which were in their first year. Fish 10-15 inch were one year old. Fish larger than 15 inches ranged in age from 2-6 years. When forage is not good growth is slow. This year shad were present in good numbers and some two-year old stripers took advantage of that to attain a size as large as some 6 year old fish that have lived through many season of poor forage.

A Bit About Reading Graphs

Winter fishing is all about using a graph to locate deep schools of stripers and shad. This report will be dedicated to helping all understand what to look for. The fish finder used here is a very inexpensive Eagle Trifinder that cost just over $200 at Wal-Mart. It is a low end graph but perfectly acceptable to find fish and let you catch them.

The normal graph screen shows a top line representing the surface and a bottom line enhanced with a gray line. On this particular graph the gray line is a cross hatch of diagonal lines. Only information between these two reference lines may actually represent fish.

Graph 2 is essentially a blank screen with one noticeable difference. There is a thickening of the bottom line or a bump on the bottom. On days when fishing is slow it may be that fish are laying on the bottom without enough separation to allow the graph to discriminate between fish and bottom. Just remember that a hump may be dormant fish or it could be exactly as it appears... a hump of soil or rock on the bottom.

Graph 3 shows schooled fish with enough separation that a positive identification may be made. We know these are fish but not necessarily which species.

Graph 4 shows a school of dormant fish laying on the bottom but now one extra fish (single squiggly line) is separated from the school. It could be a striper swimming near shad or it may be that all these fish are a single species and one is far enough away from the others that a single fish now shows up. If fish are close together their shapes all join together to print as one mass.

Sometimes lines appear that are not fish. Repeating lines rising (dotted lines) in the water column may be air bubbles or interference. With time and experience it will become clear which traces to ignore and which lines are fish. Never use the fish target feature on the graph. These false, spurious lines will always be displayed as fish target when no fish is present. You really are smarter than the graph. Always look at the raw data.

After much looking a school of fish will finally be displayed. These scattered fish are small, probably shad. We know that because the scattered fish merge into a larger mass and individual characteristics are lost. The scattered fish form a school and the school then dives to the bottom. Now that the shad school has been located it is time to fish for stripers. Mark this spot with a float so a reference point is available as the boat drifts on the surface. Keep returning to this spot to find predators that are looking for a shad meal.

Stripers and shad are both moving and found most often in 35-50 feet of water. Stripers are actively chasing shad so reaction baits like spoons are the best technique. Drop the spoon immediately when a school is displayed on the graph. It is possible to catch one or more fish from a striper school before the school moves on. Then continue to graph until another school is seen and then repeat the process. I call this fish hunting and late November is the best time to do it.

The next picture is of a graph showing a plume of bubbles coming off the bottom. This phenomenon is wide spread on Lake Powell particularly this time of year. So don't confuse bubbles with fish. Each graph will show bubbles in a different manner but the characteristics of a bubble plume will display the same each time and should be readily recognizable with time. Get to know the non-fish things that appear on the graph so they wont be confused with fish.

	Castle Rock Cut is closer than it has been in the last 3 years to flooding and providing a shorter, softer and safer passage for boats heading up lake. On June 20, 2007 the water level was 3611.27 Here the water laps at the edge of the final barrier preventing water connection between the two bays. On the Wahweap side there is a rocky ridge 2 feet high that prevents water from advancing across the cut. The shallowest cut follows the line of tamarisk trees forward and then to the right. The exposed white rock ridge on right in picture is higher than the actual barrier where water will first pass. June 20, 2007
	Looking across the old dredged channel into Wahweap Bay we see that little brush growth has occurred in the middle of the land bridge. Tamarisk will not be hazard to navigation mid channel once the channel floods once more. June 20, 2007
	Looking into Warm Creek we see more tamarisk near the water edge where moisture has allowed brush to grow in previous years. There is no ridge preventing water from flooding the cut from the Warm Creek side. Trees are small and will be of little consequence to navigation when the water fills enough to float a boat in the cut.. The cut will fill from Warm Creek first leaving just the last ridge near the Wahweap side for the final obstacle. This channel will be full when the water spills from Warm Creek into Wahweap. June 20, 2007
	The cut on the Wahweap end shows the flat cut leading to the higher obstacle seen in the first picture. Although the cut is so close to filling in feet, it is at least a year away from providing relief for travelers heading uplake through the dreaded Maytag Straits. June 20, 2007

	A mussel washing decontamination station was placed at Wahweap behind the service station at the top of the main launch ramp. It has two wash platforms on either side of the pump station trailer that sits between the wash platforms. Two boats can be washed at once. The platform catches runoff water which is then treated and reused. A similar one-bay Bullfrog Station is on the main road between the ramp and service station
	A boat is pulled onto the platform by the tow vehicle which remains attached during the washing process.
	A low pressure scalding water bath in used on the interior, bilges, live wells and any other questionable areas inside the boat. The trailer angle iron is then washed and water drains out of the tubing. The hot water kills any mussels hiding in the trailer infrastructure.
	The motor and cooling system is flushed with scalding water
	High pressure scalding water is then used to wash the exterior of the boat.
	The undercarriage is washed with an extension fitting that allows the water to spray straight up without injuring the attendant controlling the pressure washer. Both wash station are now open to the general public. Cost averages about $20 - $50 depending on actual wash time. Boaters who wait to get their boat washed at the lake will have to bear this expense. If the boat is properly washed and sufficient drying time elapses before going to Lake Powell, then a decontamination wash is not required.