This morning I went to Cookie Jar hoping to see striper surface action. For the past two months the ride up to Padre Bay has consistently produced at least a few boils – but not today. The channel was bumpy but not enough to really put the fish down. We trolled and spooned in the bay but did not graph any significant shad or striper schools.

We then headed to the back of the canyon and graphed along the submerged creek channel where bottom depth was 30-50 feet. We saw a few individual suspended fish and small shad schools. Spooning on the bottom proved that these fish were yearling stripers. Fishing was not fast but good enough.

Then about 8 a.m. a boil of 3-pound adults blew up in the back of the canyon. We didn’t get there in time for any surface action but this time the spoons worked much better. We were able to get over the active school perhaps 3 different times in the next half hour and caught multiple fish each time.

This example is the fishing model this week. There will be a quick boil anytime, anywhere. You may even catch some topwater fish from the boil. But most of the heavy work will be going on at mid depth. The best technique will be to lowering a spoon, jig or swim bait below feeding fish and then reeling quickly up though the zone where fish are feeding. If I had to guess the depth it would be bottom depth of 45 feet with suspended fish at 25-35.

Stay in tune with the wildlife as they will help you find feeding stripers. Boils have been going on all summer. Many birds and critters are keying off feeding stripers to find food. I was amazed how quickly the sedentary great blue heron went to the boil this morning. We saw the bird catch a big gizzard shad that stripers had driven into the shallows. Herons, grebes, gulls, coyotes, ravens and shad all watch for stripers and react to the feeding opportunity. I guess you could add me to the list as well. Pay attention to your surroundings for subtle signs that stripers are near. Now that stripers are feeding in the ends of the canyon all types of wildlife can participate in the banquet.

Topwater fishing is still good for bass but plastics fished along the bottom catch a grundle of small bass with a few really good ones mixed in. Catfish are good near camp at night and sunfish are in the trees next to the boat. Use small live worms on small hooks for bluegill.

Note – According to a posting on the fishing bulletin board stripers are still boiling around Stateline and Wahweap marinas.

LEES FERRY – Report by: Ted Welling, Wednesday Sept. 17, 2009, courtesy Lees Ferry Anglers. http://www.leesferry.com/

Fly Fishing: Fishing was slower today. Fish moved out to deeper water. We are anchoring above the riffles and fishing from the boat. The gravel bars are fishing OK for one or two fish then you have to move on to another spot. Later on in the day the fishing did pick up, we feel the most productive way to get into fish is from your craft. The back eddies are still holding fish but, you are still fishing from the boat.

Same suspects, Zebra midges, scuds San Juan worms, brassies and the like.

Walk in: Word has it that this section is fishing well anglers are using the same bugs as up river. Dries –n- droppers, scuds, San Juan worms, and zebra midges. Anglers report fishing is productive from the boulder field all the way to the confluence. Fishing is more productive in the early morning and late afternoon.

Spin Fishing: I did a little spin fishing the past few days and did well.
I was using both a Panther Martin and a Vibrax Blue Fox and I can’t tell you what worked better. Both did the trick. It was not on fire or nothing but, I was pleased. So, if you have been thinking of fishing,,,,,,,, C’mon down, fishing is good at lees ferry. There are a couple other lures that are working well, stop by the shop and I will put you on the right track. Ted

LAKE MEAD –Lake Mead water level have remained fairly steady. The current level is around 1,093 feet above msl. The striper bite has been fair to good. Fishing under submersible lights at night yielded large numbers of fish.  The lights are more productive when used around the new moon, on dark nights.  The next new moon is this week, on Friday, Sept. 18.  Most stripers being caught are in the 1-pound range, with occasional fish up to two pounds.  Stripers are being caught 12 to 60 feet of water.  Catfish are biting well on anchovies.

Launching conditions at South Cove will continue to deteriorate as the water level continues to drop. The concrete ramp the National Park Service completed last year is one lane with cones marking the edges. Use caution not to go off the sides of the metal extensions at either side. National Park Service is working to keep the ramp open.  Temple Bar Launch Ramp is two lanes.  Launching conditions in general are better at Temple Bar than South Cove.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders.  Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

LAKE MOHAVE – The lake level is around 638 feet above msl.  Fishing for stripers and catfish seems to be fair. Stripers and catfish are being caught still fishing with anchovies. Submersible lights are very effective for stripers when used on dark nights.  The new moon was last week, on Friday, Sept. 18. Bass are located both in shallow and on fish habitat in 15-20 ft.

Biologists from both Arizona Game and Fish Department and Nevada Division of Wildlife with the help of volunteers, National Park Service and Bureau of Reclamation personnel have continued to install fish habitat in Carp Cove, Box Cove and now Shoshone.  Fish habitat consists of PVC structures, wood pallet structures, tamarisk bundles, and some Christmas trees. The largemouth, bluegill and catfish are really utilizing the new structures. Additional habitat will be added at several locations over the next two years. These structures are fish magnets.

There is a wheelchair accessible fishing pier just south of the main launch ramp at Katherine’s Landing. If you fish Mohave and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

WILLOW BEACH – Trout are stocked every Friday. Trout anglers fishing from shore were catching trout on and around the pier area. Those successful at landing trout were fishing with salmon-egg scented Power Bait, flies, and Power worms. Most fishermen were successful in the early morning and around noon, when the wind picked up. The striper bite should be good.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see. If you fish Willow beach and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

TOPOCK MARSH – The water level is up and the bite has been fair. Both bass and catfish are biting. Catfish are biting on anchovies and night crawlers.

You can access the marsh by boat at the North Dike, Catfish Paradise, and Five-Mile Landing. All three also provide plenty of area for shoreline fishing too. For more information on the marsh, contact the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge at (760) 326-3853 or go to http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/havasu/index.html.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

COLORADO RIVER BELOW DAVIS DAM – One angler reported catching good size trout and small stripers in the area of Veterans Bridge.  The striper bite has been pretty good.   Trout stocking resumes in October.

Water levels on the river fluctuate, so be careful. You can check the Bureau of Reclamation Web site for flow predictions http://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html before you go. If you fish the river below Davis Dam and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

This report will be updated after Labor Day when Wayne returns.

Both air and water temperature are cooling which will have the exact opposite effect on fishing. The heat of summer is over making it more comfortable for anglers as well as fish. Shad have grown larger than a piece of linguini and are now bite size. All these factors align to keep fishing success at it best.

Fall is topwater time on the big lake. Striper boils have already heated up and they will build and continue through September. Timing is the most critical factor as it seems there are willing striper schools and harried shad in almost every canyon. Daylight allows shad to join up after a night of individual random feeding. As shad schools form, stripers attack. Before the sun peaks over the horizon single bass and stripers whack shad in the center of lake. It looks like trout feeding in a high mountain lake. As the first sun rays hit the water shad join into schools and stripers form into bigger bunches to continue the assault. Surface feeding activity continues for an hour and on some days much longer. But, get on the water early for best success. The first hour of daylight is critical.

The very best spots may be Tapestry Wall, Halls buoy field, Slick Rock Canyon and Warm Creek but there are a hundred spots that are a close second.

On a calm afternoon surface feeding action starts up again after 4 PM but afternoon winds keep boils down. If wind happens make sure to be on the water early the next morning to take advantage of hungry stripers.
Stripers will feed anytime of day. Boils seen midday will be some of the biggest and longer lasting as both striper and shad school size is large. When they come together after a rest the result is perhaps an hour long feeding spree. Stay ready for this prize event.

Recent reports of boils have come from almost every canyon between Wahweap and Hite. More fish are being caught from Bullfrog upstream. Slightly bigger fish are being caught from Rainbow downstream. Fishing is good in all directions. Just go give it a try at first light.

When boils quit just hit the shoreline and toss rattletraps for bass or spoons for more stripers. It is time to start speed reeling. After a boil quits drop a spoon to the bottom in 50 feet of water and then reel it as fast as possible to 25 feet. Then drop it to the bottom again and repeat. More stripers will be caught this way than in boils during September.

LEES FERRY – Report by: Ted Welling, Aug. 30.
Fly Fishing: Another great day of fishing here at the ferry.

Some anglers are having outstanding results with heavy nymphing and landing some great looking larger fish in the 17 to 20 inch range.

I have changed the rating not because the number of fish landed has increased but the overall health and size of these trout.

The cicadas have come and gone for the season and it was a minimal hatch this year at best, may-be next year. We are still landing a few on dry flies here and there but, not like 3 weeks ago along the tree lined shore. If that is what you prefer there are lot of fish stacked in the back eddies. However, if there is any kind of wind blowing the back eddies are sure to be vacant.

On a more positive note, we have noticed the midge hatches have been more and more prolific every day. Well, if the weather is in check with no wind or rain.

All in all, if the conditions remain we will most likely see some amazing fall season fishing. At the start of September the flows will be a constant 10,000 cfs thru Oct. 31. We here at lees ferry anglers believe the fishing will be just awesome during this time. We will keep you posted. T

Walk in: Word has it that this section is fishing well anglers are using the same bugs as up river. Dries –n- droppers, scuds, San Juan worms, and zebra midges. Anglers report fishing is productive from the boulder field all the way to the confluence.

Spin Fishing: I did a little spin fishing the past few days and did well.
I was using both a panther martin and a vibrax blue fox and I can’t tell you what worked better. Both did the trick. It was not on fire or nothing but, I was pleased. So, if you have been thinking of fishing,,,,,,

C’mon down, fishing is good at lees ferry. Ted

LAKE MEAD –Lake Mead water level have remained fairly steady.  The current level is around 1,094 feet above msl.  The striper bite has been good. Fishing under submersible lights at night yielded large numbers of fish.  The lights are more productive when used around the new moon, on dark nights.  The next new moon is on Friday, Sept. 18.  Most stripers being caught are in the 1 lb range, with occasional fish up to two lbs.  Stripers are being caught 12’ – 60’ of water.  Catfish are biting well on anchovies.

Launching conditions at South Cove will continue to deteriorate as the water level continues to drop.  The concrete ramp the National Park Service completed last year is one lane with cones marking the edges. Use caution not to go off the sides of the metal extensions at either side. National Park Service is working to keep the ramp open.  Temple bar launch ramp is two lanes.  Launching conditions in general are better at temple bar than south cove.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders.  Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

LAKE MOHAVE – The lake level is around 641 feet above msl. Fishing for stripers seems to be fair.  Stripers are being caught while trolling or still fishing with anchovies. Submersible lights are very effective for stripers when used on dark nights.  The next new moon is on Friday, Sept. 18.  Bass are located both in shallow and on fish habitat in 15-20 ft.

Biologists from both Arizona Game and Fish Department and Nevada Division of Wildlife with the help of volunteers, National Park Service and Bureau of Reclamation personnel have continued to install fish habitat in Carp Cove, Box Cove and now Shoshone. Fish habitat consists of PVC structures, wood pallet structures, tamarisk bundles, and some Christmas trees. The largemouth, bluegill and catfish are really utilizing the new structures. Additional habitat will be added at several locations over the next two years.  These structures are fish magnets.

There is a wheelchair accessible fishing pier just south of the main launch ramp at Katherine’s Landing. If you fish Mohave and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

WILLOW BEACH – Trout are stocked every Friday.  Trout anglers fishing from shore were catching trout on and around the pier area.  Those successful at landing trout were fishing with salmon-egg scented Power Bait, flies, and Power worms.  Most fishermen were successful in the early morning and around noon, when the wind picked up.  The striper bite should be good.

The desert bighorn sheep are in the rut, so this is a great time to fish and possibly see some rams bumping heads (or at least hear them – it sounds like a rifle shot echoing in the canyons).

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see. If you fish Willow beach and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

TOPOCK MARSH – The water level is up and the bite has been fair.  Both bass and catfish are biting.  Catfish are biting on anchovies and night crawlers.

You can access the marsh by boat at the North Dike, Catfish Paradise, and Five-Mile Landing. All three also provide plenty of area for shoreline fishing too. For more information on the marsh, contact the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge at (760) 326-3853 or go to http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/havasu/index.html.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

COLORADO RIVER BELOW DAVIS DAM –One angler reported catching good size trout and small stripers in the area of Veterans Bridge.  The striper bite has been pretty good.

Water levels on the river fluctuate, so be careful. You can check the Bureau of Reclamation Web site for flow predictions http://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html before you go. If you fish the river below Davis Dam and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

Early this week the entire northern and middle lake went quiet. True to form stripers in the south took up the slack. But today boils were back at Bullfrog and bigger and better. Many anglers took 40 or more stripers from hour-long, acre-wide boils in Slick Rock Canyon, Halls buoy field and Tapestry Wall.

The general boiling pattern prevails. Stripers hit the surface just as the first ray of sunlight peaks over the eastern horizon. Most of the action is centered near the main channel as shad have returned to open water. Shad size is larger now forcing stripers to work harder to drive them to surface and keep them corralled for feeding purposes. This makes stripers more aggressive, which equates to more fish caught if the lure hits reasonably near a fresh splash ring.

Get on the water early for best success. The first hour of daylight is critical. Single stripers splash constantly during the magic hour. Hit the ring – catch the fish. Usually a big school joins up and feeds for 15 minutes before breaking down into single splashes once more. Feeding sometimes ends one hour after it begins but some days feeding is extended for two hours or more.

Always as the sun gets higher in the sky, boils become more random and unpredictable. A huge boil could erupt at anytime, anyplace and last for an extended period. But these mid day boils are unpredictable. It is best to go on with the recreation plan for the day and just keep a rod ready in case of “emergencies”.

Afternoon boils are not as likely as the summer wind pattern tends to blow them away. On a rare calm afternoon it is a good bet to look for boils in the portion of the lake where boils were found in the morning.

Lure choice is wide ranging. It is more important to throw a long accurate cast than to have the right color lure. I prefer big floating stick baits that cast a mile and have stout hooks. There is less lure maintenance with this outfit. It is not necessary to change plastic lure bodies with the hard plastic bait. After a good morning of boils it is necessary to change bent hooks and replace broken split rings. If using light line it is only necessary to restock the tackle box to replace lost lures.

Striper size is increasing daily. They started the year at about 2.5 pounds and now are close to 4 pounds and 23 inches long. They are strong and thick bodied. The fillets are excellent and perhaps the best I have ever seen. This is a year to remember for striper fishing. The good news – It will only get better as water temperatures continue to cool.

LEES FERRY –From Lees Ferry Anglers Aug. 23, 2009. Report by: Ted Welling

Fly Fishing: Fishing is reported as good today. Fishing started out great this morning with a small lull around noon then, shortly after lunch picked right back up. We are fishing the riffles as the water rises. Then after the peak we are drifting the channel or the edges or even setting anchor and just fishing from the boat. If the wind stays down you have a good shot at the rising fish in the back eddies.

I have found some pretty good places to fish for the sippers and have landed some good fish in these areas. I like to fish the back eddies for the fish; you don’t have to worry yourself over controlling the drift because you are anchored. You just have to make sure you are not disturbing the food flow (the key to fishing for the sippers), get your craft in this lane and just watch the fish disappear.

Walk in: Word has it that this section is fishing well anglers are using the same as up river. Dries –n- droppers, scuds, San Juan worms, and zebra midges. Anglers report fishing is productive from the boulder field all the way to the confluence.

Spin Fishing: I did a little spin fishing the past few days and did well.
I was using both a Panther Martin and a Vibrex Blue Fox and I can’t tell you what worked better. Both did the trick. It was not on fire or nothing but, I was pleased. So, if you have been thinking of fishing,,,,,,,, C’mon down, fishing is good at Lees Ferry. Ted

If you have some news you would like to report about fishing lees ferry, the walk-in section or up river please e-mail your report to: anglers@leesferry.com Attn. Lees Ferry Fishing Report. We would be happy to have your input, and pass it along -Ted Welling, Lees Ferry Anglers & Cliff Dwellers Lodge

LAKE MEAD –Lake Mead water level have remained fairly steady.  The current level is around 1,094 feet above msl.  The striper bite has been great.  Fishing under submersible lights at night yielded large numbers of fish, but with a full moon this week, it might not be as productive.   Most stripers being caught are in the 1-pound range, with occasional fish up to two lbs.  Stripers are being caught 12’ – 60’ of water.  Catfish are biting well on anchovies.

Launching conditions at South Cove will continue to deteriorate as the water level continues to drop.  The concrete ramp the National Park Service completed last year is one lane with cones marking the edges. Use caution not to go off the sides of the metal extensions at either side. National Park Service is working to keep the ramp open.  Temple bar launch ramp is two lanes.  Launching conditions in general are better at temple bar than south cove.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders.  Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

LAKE MOHAVE – The lake level is around 641 feet above msl.  Fishing for stripers seems to be fair.  Stripers are being caught while trolling or still fishing with anchovies.  The full moon is Sept. 4, so submersible lights won’t be as effective. Bass are located both in shallow and on fish habitat in 15-20 ft.

Biologists from both Arizona Game and Fish Department and Nevada Division of Wildlife with the help of volunteers, National Park Service and Bureau of Reclamation personnel have continued to install fish habitat in Carp Cove, Box Cove and now Shoshone.  Fish habitat consists of PVC structures, wood pallet structures, Tamarisk bundles, and some Christmas trees. The largemouth, bluegill and catfish are really utilizing the new structures.  Additional habitat will be added at several locations over the next two years.  These structures are fish magnets.

There is a wheelchair accessible fishing pier just south of the main launch ramp at Katherine’s Landing. If you fish Mohave and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

WILLOW BEACH – Trout are stocked every Friday.  Trout anglers fishing from shore were catching trout on and around the pier area.  Those successful at landing trout were fishing with salmon-egg scented Power Bait, flies, and Power worms.  Most fishermen were successful in the early morning and around noon, when the wind picked up.

This is the tail-end of the desert bighorn sheep rut, but it is still possible to see these majestic desert denziens while fishing for stripers and trout.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see. If you fish Willow beach and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

TOPOCK MARSH – The water level is up and the bite has been fair.  Both bass and catfish are biting.  Catfish are biting on anchovies and night crawlers.

You can access the marsh by boat at the North Dike, Catfish Paradise, and Five-Mile Landing. All three also provide plenty of area for shoreline fishing too. For more information on the marsh, contact the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge at (760) 326-3853 or go to http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/havasu/index.html.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

COLORADO RIVER BELOW DAVIS DAM –One angler reported catching good size trout and small stripers in the area of veterans bridge.  The striper bite has been pretty good.

Water levels on the river fluctuate, so be careful. You can check the Bureau of Reclamation Web site for flow predictions http://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html before you go. If you fish the river below Davis Dam and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

Striped bass have established a very unusual feeding pattern in the main lake. Feeding is consistent and fish very catchable if able to understand what to look for.

Each morning at 6 a.m. (MST) feeding begins for school fish. (If seeking a trophy it is likely that this time coincides with cessation of feeding of the larger generation.) At 6 a.m. single and double splashes begin.

Striper splashes are fairly recognizable after some study. Look toward the rising sun and find 3 to 4 splashes in close proximity that are back lighted by the early sun. The splash often tosses a spray of water one to two feet in the air. Sometimes there is no splash, only a rolling motion of the back breaking water as the fish surfaces much like a dolphin. Carp jump too but they rise straight up and then crash back into the lake in a clumsy striper imitation.

When stripers are identified get there as quickly as possible and then cruise on fast idle or full thrust on the electric motor. Fish are feeding individually and scattered within a general area. Cruise and cast as a single fish comes up in range. If the lure hits within ten seconds and two feet of the splash ring a hookup is almost assured. This feeding behavior continues until 7 AM.

From 7-8 a.m. schools form and small boils are likely in the slick rock coves off the main channel. Cruise the canyons and coves again looking for a splash. When found stripers are very aggressive and will hit lures tossed into the school feeding zone. It is best to deliver the lure just beyond the feeding activity and retrieve quickly right into the boiling activity.

Small boils and singles continue until 9 or sometimes 10 a.m. In the afternoon the action begins again. At 4 p.m. schools that have been resting come up and feed in the largest and tightest boils of the day. Look along the edge of the main channel and in the slick rock coves for larger boils. This action continues for an hour or two and then striper schools break down to chase fleeing single shad that have splintered from the main bait ball. Last evening from 6 until dark the entire main channel from Padre Bay to Rock Creek was dotted with single striper splashes as far as the eye could see.

Hite striper fishing has shut down. Surface striper fishing from Good Hope Bay to Wahweap is steady and consistent. Long accurate casts are readily accepted by willing stripers weighing 3-5 pounds. This action will continue and only improve as shad numbers are still high. Stripers will grow another pound during strong fall feeding. Recommended line test should be 10 pounds or better to handle the rugged shock of a striper colliding and then rolling with a surface lure.

Angling for other fish species remains good to excellent but it is overshadowed by the exciting surface action provided by surface striper fishing. This is the most exciting fishing found in fresh water. It must be experienced to be believed. I challenge you to try it and see if that bold statement is true.

LEES FERRY – From Ted Welling at Lees Ferry Anglers & Cliff Dwellers Lodge .

Fly Fishing: Fishing has been pretty steady for the past few days, with a variety of ways to catch fish. Drifting with nymph rigs has been very effective. Cicadas still producing reasonable catches, although there buzz has died down a bit. Also, back eddies with rising fish have been plentiful up and down the river. Also fishing with a sink tip and a wooly buggar has been effective in the afternoon after the water peaks.

Walk in: Word has it that this section is fishing well, anglers are using the same as up river. Dries –n- droppers, scuds, San Juan worms, and zebra midges. Anglers report fishing is productive from the boulder field all the way to the confluence.

Spin Fishing: I did a little spin fishing the past few days and did well.
I was using both a panther martin and a vibrax blue fox and I can’t tell you what worked better. Both did the trick. It was not on fire or nothing but, I was pleased. So, if you have been thinking of fishing,,,,,,,, C’mon down, fishing is good at lees ferry.

BE SURE YOU CRIMP THE BARBS.

If you have some news you would like to report about fishing lees ferry, the walk-in section or up river please e-mail your report to: anglers@leesferry.com Attn. Lees Ferry Fishing Report. We would be happy to have your input, and pass it along -Ted Welling, Lees Ferry Anglers & Cliff Dwellers Lodge

Lees Ferry Fishing Synopsis and Forecast by Terry Gunn 6/29/09

Visit www.leesferry.com for daily fishing reports and updates.

Recent Fishing Conditions: Summer arrived with the mild temperatures and calm winds, a welcome relief from our crummy spring weather. The weather has warmed of late and the cicadas are starting to sing and the fish are just now starting to key in on them. It is too early to tell what “kind” of cicada year it will be…every year is different. I have seen the bite last only 2 weeks and other years last well into late August. Our cicadas are unusual in the fact that they hatch every year, most places they occur every 7 or 14 years. I have seen 4 hatches that were so intense that the fish would come up off the bottom in the middle of the river to eat a cicada that has landed on the water. Watch our daily reports for up to date reports on the cicada hatch.

The water flows will increase in volume for July and August. These two months usually provide the best and most consistent fishing of the entire year here at Lees Ferry and they are also the least crowded. In the higher water most all of our fishing is done from the boat, drifting with heavy nymph rigs or casting big cicada dry flies into the rocky shores. The largest fish of the year are usually caught in the summer months and it is during these 2 months that the trout experience tremendous growth rates due to the high water transporting large quantities of food around.

For those who were fortunate to be here during the 8,000 constant flows in early July, they likely experienced the best fishing of their lives. There were many days where more than 100 fish were hooked per rod, fishing was off the charts (we rated it a “9” only because no fish over 10-lbs were landed). You may remember from my previous reports my mention of our prolific spawn of 2007 and that the river was full of small fish that disappear from the time that they reach 3” and reappear when they are 12” long…well, they showed up in mass immediately following the 8,000 constant flow. They are everywhere! For the first time in many years we are catching fish of all sizes, from 10’’ to 20” which is typical of a very healthy river. The only downside is that our average fish size has dramatically decreased; the river is still chock-full of big fish but the challenge is getting your fly past the smaller and not so smart little fish.

The current health of the river is outstanding…better than it has been in years. Last year’s above normal runoff into Lake Powell delivered and stirred up countless tons of nutrients into the water and this nutrient rich water is passing through the dam and into the river. Algae is everywhere in the river and this provides food and habitat for the aquatic food base that the trout depend upon. Lake Powell has risen more than 30-ft this year and is still rising which is good news for us and all of the people in the southwest who depend on this water for household use and electrical generation. The rising lake and the nutrient load will guarantee this trend of healthy trout populations and good fishing will continue for the next several years.

The turning point and the beginning for the recovery of the Lees Ferry fishery occurred in 2005 when Lake Powell had the first above normal snow-pack and runoff year since 1997. Last year we had almost exactly the same conditions. The above normal winter snow pack and runoff into Lake Powell in 2007-08, stirred up a tremendous amount of nutrient laden sediment that had accumulated at the lake mouths of the Colorado River, San Juan River, and the Green River. Lake Powell elevation increased 43-ft. and the rivers flowing into the lake mixed the sediment and nutrients into the lake water. It usually takes several months before we see this mixing affect. The increased nutrient load in the lake and river is evident this spring by the dramatic increase in aquatic vegetation and aquatic organisms throughout the river.

For those of you that remember what the fishing was like in 1999 and 2000…you should be as excited as I am about the current conditions and what the increased nutrient load should do for the fishing at Lees Ferry.

Lots of stuff happening at the Ferry and it is all good!

Recent Fishing: With the water flows increasing we will be spending more time fishing from the boat than wading. Fishing techniques have been mixed between using a “heavy nymph rig” which is a 9 to 12-ft leader, strike indicator, split shot, and dual fly rig, a “double tiny” rig with a long leader and 2 bead-head midges on 7X, or a dry and dropper rig. I have been using 6 and 7X fluorocarbon tippet and feel that the lighter tippet results in a much higher success rate than say 5X. Anglers might argue that they break fish off on such light tippet but my argument is that in order to break a fish off, you first have to first get a fish to eat your fly and you are going to get more eaters with lighter tippet than heaver tippet.

When wading the riffles you need long dead drifts. There are 2 types of drifts; perfect dead drifts and all other drifts. Perfect dead drifts catch fish at Lees Ferry; all other drifts don’t catch fish here. You get a dead drift by mending the line, then throwing slack line on the water. If your line is straight from your rod tip to your indicator or you move your indicator during the drift, then your drift is not perfect and will not catch fish. The key to success is to stay over fish, get the flies down to the bottom, and get a long, perfect dead drift.

The high flow experiment, 4/08, was basically a non event as far as the fishery is concerned. It came and went with few visible changes to the river or the fishery. For more details and to see my complete comments go here: http://coloradoriverconservancy.org/.

The experimental steady flows that occurred in September and October 2008 (12,000 constant) were beneficial to the river and are scheduled again for 2009. In years past, the flows in September and October have been the lowest flows of the year and have reset the “green line” to the 5,000-cfs level from the 12,000-cfs level of the summer flows. This has effectively reduced the food supply in the river by a significant amount. Then the higher flows of November and December arrive; but because of the declining sun angle and the shade of the cliffs, photosynthesis and aquatic production in the river declines and the areas of the river that were desiccated by the low flows do not regenerate until the following spring. This did not happen this year because of the steady flows in September and October the green line stayed high. The current fluctuating flows (7,500-cfs to 13,000-cfs) are continuing to keep the green line higher than in years past. There have been prolific midge and black-fly hatches every day and it appears as though the scud population has a higher density than any time since 2004.

For details on Lake Powell conditions and snow-pack, go here: http://lakepowell.water-data.com/
LAKE MEAD –Lake Mead water level have remained fairly steady.  The current level is 1,094 feet above msl. The striper bite has been great.  Striper boils have been reported all over the lake. Both trolling and fishing under lights at night yielded large numbers of fish.  The lights are more productive when used around the new moon, on dark nights (full moon is Aug. 5).  Most stripers being caught are in the 1 lb range, with occasional fish up to two lbs.  Stripers are being caught 12’ – 60’ of water.  Catfish are also biting on anchovies.

Launching conditions at South Cove will continue to deteriorate as the water level continues to drop.  The concrete ramp the National Park Service completed last year is one lane with cones marking the edges. Use caution not to go off the sides of the metal extensions at either side. National Park Service is working to keep the ramp open.  Temple bar launch ramp is two lanes.  Launching conditions in general are better at temple bar than south cove.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders.  Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

LAKE MOHAVE – The lake level is around 641 feet above msl.  Fishing for stripers seems to be fair.  Stripers are being caught while trolling or still fishing with anchovies.  Submersible lights are very effective for stripers when used on dark nights. The full moon is Aug. 5.  Bass are located both in shallow and on fish habitat in 15-20 ft.

Biologists from both Arizona Game and Fish Department and Nevada Division of Wildlife with the help of volunteers, National Park Service and Bureau of Reclamation personnel have continued to install fish habitat in Carp Cove, Box Cove and now Shoshone.  Fish habitat consists of PVC structures, wood pallet structures, Tamarisk bundles, and some Christmas trees. The largemouth, bluegill and catfish are really utilizing the new structures.  Additional habitat will be added at several locations over the next two years.  These structures are fish magnets.

There is a wheelchair accessible fishing pier just south of the main launch ramp at Katherine’s Landing. If you fish Mohave and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

WILLOW BEACH – Trout are stocked every Friday.  Trout anglers fishing from shore were catching trout on and around the pier area.  About 50-percent of anglers were successful.  Those successful at landing trout were fishing with salmon-egg scented Power Bait, flies, and Power worms.  Most fishermen were successful in the early morning and around noon, when the wind picked up.

No stripers were reported being caught last Saturday, but the bite should be fair to good.

The desert bighorn sheep are in the rut, so this is a great time to fish and possibly see some rams bumping heads (or at least hear them – it sounds like a rifle shot echoing in the canyons). The Perseids meteor shower is also underway, providing another attraction at night. Some of the more pronounced meteors can light up Black Canyon on occasion.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see. If you fish Willow beach and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

TOPOCK MARSH – The water level is up and the bite has been fair.  Both bass and catfish are biting.  Catfish are biting on anchovies and night crawlers.

You can access the marsh by boat at the North Dike, Catfish Paradise, and Five-Mile Landing. All three also provide plenty of area for shoreline fishing too. For more information on the marsh, contact the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge at (760) 326-3853 or go to http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/havasu/index.html.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

COLORADO RIVER BELOW DAVIS DAM –No new reports.  The striper bite has been pretty good.

Water levels on the river fluctuate, so be careful. You can check the Bureau of Reclamation Web site for flow predictions http://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html before you go. If you fish the river below Davis Dam and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

Striper boils at Hite went from Hot to Not in one week’s time. Recently water cleared up enough for stripers to find abundant shad. Stripers boiled unmercifully for a week. Then something changed and stripers went from boiling all day, every day to boiling a little bit night and morning. This abrupt change is reminiscent of August 2008 when fishing at Hite was tough as nails. It could be that abundant shad negate the need for stripers to boil when feeding. They just open mouth and shad seemingly swim in without effort. For what ever reason, it seems boils at Hite are quiet for awhile.

Hite fishing reports indicate it is common to catch stripers while trolling or spooning at a bottom depth of 25 feet. Bonus walleye and bass are caught as well. But better balanced fishing results occur downstream.

At Good Hope Bay and locations downstream there are still some really fine striper boils early and late with random surface action during the day. Bass fishing is excellent for those willing to fish slowly with plastic grubs along the 25 foot bottom contour.

Best striper fishing is in the main channel from Good Hope to the mouth of the San Juan. Perhaps Bullfrog /Halls is the best starting point to access striper surface disturbances. The most consistent boils last week were at the mouth of Lake Canyon. But there are many locations where stripers boil on schedule each morning and evening. It is a delight to camp and swim on this lake of beautiful warm water and has the added bonus of boiling stripers near camp at the beginning and end of the day.

Only spotty boil reports are coming from the Escalante while the San Juan main channel from the mouth to Cha Bay has lots of  boil activity early and late.

Sporadic big boil reports continue in the southern lake. It seems that predictable, repeatable boiling action is not found each day, but there are boils just often enough to make it necessary to keep a rod rigged with a surface lure close at hand. When the event happens that rod will provide supper for a family with 4 good casts.

In the August heat keep stripers on ice and fillet as soon as possible. Stripers are best when eaten fresh. If you have been disappointed with the taste of stripers in the past, it is time to try them again. These fat fish are in perfect condition and taste much different from thin stripers caught on bait in other years. Eat them fresh after a short time in the cooler. Cut out the red meat, and grill the fillets with olive oil and lime juice for a perfect meal.

Catfish and sunfish are likely to be under the boat when camped on the lake. They are easy to catch on worms or table scraps.

LEES FERRY – From Ted Welling at Lees Ferry Anglers & Cliff Dwellers Lodge .

Fly Fishing: Fishing has been good for the past few days. I have been out quite a bit lately, I targeted the sippers in the back eddies and did very well. I landed some large fish too, surprising to land fish so large that are eating midges.

I took a friend out with me yesterday afternoon for a few hours, took turns at bat so to speak, and just had a hoot. Mike had two rods set up, a nymphing rig and a dry dropper set up. So we’re fishing the back eddies and I am at bat, he just can’t take it…. throws in the nymph rig and what do you know he hooks a whopper.

We decide to hit another spot, darn-it somebody was already there. We decide to just watch for a minute. I was asked to take a picture of the three friends so of course I did but, I also checked out how they were rigged up. I had noticed they were catching some fish. Now I suppose I could have asked but I didn’t want them to think we were planning to fish in on them. They were fishing wooly buggers with sink tips, I know they did well. I admit I did not do any wading so I can’t tell you how the riffles are fishing. I will try a little tomorrow and let you know.

Walk in: Word has it that the walk-in section is fishing well in fact Michael fished this section yesterday morning and from what I understand he had one of his better days. I really can’t tell what he was using as he ties his own bugs but, I do know he was nymphing.

The cicadas have played their course, you hear one lonely cicada here and there but, it’s over for the season. Kind of weak this season, may-be next year. Tight lines T

Spin Fishing: I did a little spin fishing the past few days and did well.
I was using both a panther martin and a vibrax blue fox and I can’t tell you what worked better. Both did the trick. It was not on fire or nothing but, I was pleased. So, if you have been thinking of fishing,,,,,,,, C’mon down, fishing is good at lees ferry. Ted

BE SURE YOU CRIMP THE BARBS.
• If you have some news you would like to report about fishing lees ferry, the walk-in section or up river please e-mail your report to: anglers@leesferry.com Attn. Lees Ferry Fishing Report

We would be happy to have your input, and pass it along.
-Ted Welling, Lees Ferry Anglers & Cliff Dwellers Lodge

Lees Ferry Fishing Synopsis and Forecast by Terry Gunn 6/29/09

Visit www.leesferry.com for daily fishing reports and updates.

Recent Fishing Conditions: Summer arrived with the mild temperatures and calm winds, a welcome relief from our crummy spring weather. The weather has warmed of late and the cicadas are starting to sing and the fish are just now starting to key in on them. It is too early to tell what “kind” of cicada year it will be…every year is different. I have seen the bite last only 2 weeks and other years last well into late August. Our cicadas are unusual in the fact that they hatch every year, most places they occur every 7 or 14 years. I have seen 4 hatches that were so intense that the fish would come up off the bottom in the middle of the river to eat a cicada that has landed on the water. Watch our daily reports for up to date reports on the cicada hatch.

The water flows will increase in volume for July and August. These two months usually provide the best and most consistent fishing of the entire year here at Lees Ferry and they are also the least crowded. In the higher water most all of our fishing is done from the boat, drifting with heavy nymph rigs or casting big cicada dry flies into the rocky shores. The largest fish of the year are usually caught in the summer months and it is during these 2 months that the trout experience tremendous growth rates due to the high water transporting large quantities of food around.

For those who were fortunate to be here during the 8,000 constant flows in early July, they likely experienced the best fishing of their lives. There were many days where more than 100 fish were hooked per rod, fishing was off the charts (we rated it a “9” only because no fish over 10-lbs were landed). You may remember from my previous reports my mention of our prolific spawn of 2007 and that the river was full of small fish that disappear from the time that they reach 3” and reappear when they are 12” long…well, they showed up in mass immediately following the 8,000 constant flow. They are everywhere! For the first time in many years we are catching fish of all sizes, from 10’’ to 20” which is typical of a very healthy river. The only downside is that our average fish size has dramatically decreased; the river is still chock-full of big fish but the challenge is getting your fly past the smaller and not so smart little fish.

The current health of the river is outstanding…better than it has been in years. Last year’s above normal runoff into Lake Powell delivered and stirred up countless tons of nutrients into the water and this nutrient rich water is passing through the dam and into the river. Algae is everywhere in the river and this provides food and habitat for the aquatic food base that the trout depend upon. Lake Powell has risen more than 30-ft this year and is still rising which is good news for us and all of the people in the southwest who depend on this water for household use and electrical generation. The rising lake and the nutrient load will guarantee this trend of healthy trout populations and good fishing will continue for the next several years.

The turning point and the beginning for the recovery of the Lees Ferry fishery occurred in 2005 when Lake Powell had the first above normal snow-pack and runoff year since 1997. Last year we had almost exactly the same conditions. The above normal winter snow pack and runoff into Lake Powell in 2007-08, stirred up a tremendous amount of nutrient laden sediment that had accumulated at the lake mouths of the Colorado River, San Juan River, and the Green River. Lake Powell elevation increased 43-ft. and the rivers flowing into the lake mixed the sediment and nutrients into the lake water. It usually takes several months before we see this mixing affect. The increased nutrient load in the lake and river is evident this spring by the dramatic increase in aquatic vegetation and aquatic organisms throughout the river.

For those of you that remember what the fishing was like in 1999 and 2000…you should be as excited as I am about the current conditions and what the increased nutrient load should do for the fishing at Lees Ferry.

Lots of stuff happening at the Ferry and it is all good!

Recent Fishing: With the water flows increasing we will be spending more time fishing from the boat than wading. Fishing techniques have been mixed between using a “heavy nymph rig” which is a 9 to 12-ft leader, strike indicator, split shot, and dual fly rig, a “double tiny” rig with a long leader and 2 bead-head midges on 7X, or a dry and dropper rig. I have been using 6 and 7X fluorocarbon tippet and feel that the lighter tippet results in a much higher success rate than say 5X. Anglers might argue that they break fish off on such light tippet but my argument is that in order to break a fish off, you first have to first get a fish to eat your fly and you are going to get more eaters with lighter tippet than heaver tippet.

When wading the riffles you need long dead drifts. There are 2 types of drifts; perfect dead drifts and all other drifts. Perfect dead drifts catch fish at Lees Ferry; all other drifts don’t catch fish here. You get a dead drift by mending the line, then throwing slack line on the water. If your line is straight from your rod tip to your indicator or you move your indicator during the drift, then your drift is not perfect and will not catch fish. The key to success is to stay over fish, get the flies down to the bottom, and get a long, perfect dead drift.

The high flow experiment, 4/08, was basically a non event as far as the fishery is concerned. It came and went with few visible changes to the river or the fishery. For more details and to see my complete comments go here: http://coloradoriverconservancy.org/.

The experimental steady flows that occurred in September and October 2008 (12,000 constant) were beneficial to the river and are scheduled again for 2009. In years past, the flows in September and October have been the lowest flows of the year and have reset the “green line” to the 5,000-cfs level from the 12,000-cfs level of the summer flows. This has effectively reduced the food supply in the river by a significant amount. Then the higher flows of November and December arrive; but because of the declining sun angle and the shade of the cliffs, photosynthesis and aquatic production in the river declines and the areas of the river that were desiccated by the low flows do not regenerate until the following spring. This did not happen this year because of the steady flows in September and October the green line stayed high. The current fluctuating flows (7,500-cfs to 13,000-cfs) are continuing to keep the green line higher than in years past. There have been prolific midge and black-fly hatches every day and it appears as though the scud population has a higher density than any time since 2004.

For details on Lake Powell conditions and snow-pack, go here: http://lakepowell.water-data.com/
LAKE MEAD –Lake Mead water level have remained fairly steady.  The current level is 1,094 feet above msl. The striper bite has been great.  Striper boils have been reported all over the lake. Both trolling and fishing under lights at night yielded large numbers of fish.  The lights are more productive when used around the new moon, on dark nights (full moon is Aug. 5).  Most stripers being caught are in the 1 lb range, with occasional fish up to two lbs.  Stripers are being caught 12’ – 60’ of water.  Catfish are also biting on anchovies.

Launching conditions at South Cove will continue to deteriorate as the water level continues to drop.  The concrete ramp the National Park Service completed last year is one lane with cones marking the edges. Use caution not to go off the sides of the metal extensions at either side. National Park Service is working to keep the ramp open.  Temple bar launch ramp is two lanes.  Launching conditions in general are better at temple bar than south cove.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders.  Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

LAKE MOHAVE – The lake level is around 641 feet above msl.  Fishing for stripers seems to be fair.  Stripers are being caught while trolling or still fishing with anchovies.  Submersible lights are very effective for stripers when used on dark nights. The full moon is Aug. 5.  Bass are located both in shallow and on fish habitat in 15-20 ft.

Biologists from both Arizona Game and Fish Department and Nevada Division of Wildlife with the help of volunteers, National Park Service and Bureau of Reclamation personnel have continued to install fish habitat in Carp Cove, Box Cove and now Shoshone.  Fish habitat consists of PVC structures, wood pallet structures, Tamarisk bundles, and some Christmas trees. The largemouth, bluegill and catfish are really utilizing the new structures.  Additional habitat will be added at several locations over the next two years.  These structures are fish magnets.

There is a wheelchair accessible fishing pier just south of the main launch ramp at Katherine’s Landing. If you fish Mohave and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

WILLOW BEACH – Trout are stocked every Friday.  Trout anglers fishing from shore were catching trout on and around the pier area.  About 50-percent of anglers were successful.  Those successful at landing trout were fishing with salmon-egg scented Power Bait, flies, and Power worms.  Most fishermen were successful in the early morning and around noon, when the wind picked up.

No stripers were reported being caught last Saturday, but the bite should be fair to good.

The desert bighorn sheep are in the rut, so this is a great time to fish and possibly see some rams bumping heads (or at least hear them – it sounds like a rifle shot echoing in the canyons). The Perseids meteor shower is also underway, providing another attraction at night. Some of the more pronounced meteors can light up Black Canyon on occasion.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see. If you fish Willow beach and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

TOPOCK MARSH – The water level is up and the bite has been fair.  Both bass and catfish are biting.  Catfish are biting on anchovies and night crawlers.

You can access the marsh by boat at the North Dike, Catfish Paradise, and Five-Mile Landing. All three also provide plenty of area for shoreline fishing too. For more information on the marsh, contact the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge at (760) 326-3853 or go to http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/havasu/index.html.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

COLORADO RIVER BELOW DAVIS DAM –No new reports.  The striper bite has been pretty good.

Water levels on the river fluctuate, so be careful. You can check the Bureau of Reclamation Web site for flow predictions http://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html before you go. If you fish the river below Davis Dam and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

Lake Powell has topped out at an elevation of 3,642 feet above sea level. Lake level will now slowly decline through the rest of the year. That will make beaches larger and more accessible, strand driftwood, and make boating and camping easier. The inflow areas will increase in water clarity. Through all this stripers will continue to boil.

Striper boils in the main channel have peaked. There is a definite schedule. Single fish or small groups come to the surface shortly after first light. These fish are the easiest to catch because they have just begun to feed. But they are widely scattered.

As the sun hits the water singles form into bigger pods. Boils get larger but they are up and down quickly. The best catch rate comes when these pods resurface and the boaters are in range and ready to cast as they come up.
About 2-3 hours after dawn there is a flurry of large size boils. If lucky enough to find one of these large late boils the catch can be huge. After that the lake goes quiet for a time.

The process is repeated in the evening. Stripers begin to boil at 5 p.m. (MST) and continue until dark. Calm evenings provide the biggest and best boils. But on most nights this week, wind starts to blow at 5:10 PM and boils are wiped away. When wind happens the only choices are to stay home or search for calm water. In the lower lake Navajo Canyon provides a calm area where boils can happen when open main channel areas are churning with white caps.

Boils are better near Bullfrog than at Wahweap.  Expect upper lake and San Juan boils to be better than both in the near future.

With time expect boiling stripers to move out of the channel. Boils are easy to see now while cruising the main lake travel lanes. Soon the main channel will go quiet and boils will start working further back in the canyons. Shad will eventually leave the open water and seek the safety of brush pockets and turbid water in the backs of canyons and coves. When that happens, stripers will follow shad into side canyons and coves.

Another option on a windy evening is to troll the 25 foot depth contour with deep diving lures. Walleye, bass and stripers are lurking around the submerged tree tops and more than willing to hit a shad lure as it swims by. Bass are still hitting top water lures at first light in the morning. Those same flooded tree tops are perfect habitat for bass, bluegill, walleye and sunfish.

Catfish are ever present in the evening and can be caught from the beach by camp or off the back of the houseboat. Use leftovers from dinner, hotdog rounds or anchovies and chicken liver for catfish bait.

LEES FERRY – Fly Fishing: The cicadas are singing, we are doing well fishing with like patterns. It is not ON FIRE but we are having a good time with it.

The water is coming up quick in the morning and then another spike at about noon. You can fish the riffles early and when the water comes up for the noon push you can drift with a longer leader and a chunk of lead and do well also. If that doesn’t suit you, the back eddies are full of sipping fish. A small dry and a dropper will do the trick here. Just be sure you are not disrupting the flow of the food when setting you craft in these areas.

So, you can pretty much pick your poison so to speak, wade, drift the channel, or drift the banks where you hear the cicadas singing, or fish the back eddies for the sippers.

Fly patterns, cicadas, scuds, zebra midges, San Juan worms, laser midge and the like. Tight lines…. We hope you can get away and enjoy some good fishing soon. The phone lines are
open. 1-800-962-9755 T

Walk in: The trick to this section is weight and drift. Get the right amount of shot and a good dead drift and you’re in the money. We did see a good amount of anglers in this section and most reported doing very well.
Reports are that it is fishing well from the boulder field all the way to the confluence. We are using the same patterns as up river.
T

Spin Fishing: Fishing with glo bugs and San Juan worms on the bottom seems to be the trick. Also, the famed panther martin has been working overtime out there. Just cast it toward the shore with a slow retrieve.

BE SURE YOU CRIMP THE BARBS.

Lees Ferry Fishing Synopsis and Forecast by Terry Gunn 6/29/09. Visit www.leesferry.comfor daily fishing reports and updates.

Recent Fishing Conditions: Summer arrived with mild temperatures and calm winds, a welcome relief from our crummy spring weather. The weather has warmed of late and the cicadas are starting to sing and the fish are just now starting to key in on them. It is too early to tell what “kind” of cicada year it will be…every year is different. I have seen the bite last only 2 weeks and other years last well into late August. Our cicadas are unusual in the fact that they hatch every year, most places they occur every 7 or 14 years. I have seen 4 hatches that were so intense that the fish would come up off the bottom in the middle of the river to eat a cicada that has landed on the water. Watch our daily reports for up to date reports on the cicada hatch.

The water flows will increase in volume for July and August. These two months usually provide the best and most consistent fishing of the entire year here at Lees Ferry and they are also the least crowded. In the higher water most all of our fishing is done from the boat, drifting with heavy nymph rigs or casting big cicada dry flies into the rocky shores. The largest fish of the year are usually caught in the summer months and it is during these 2 months that the trout experience tremendous growth rates due to the high water transporting large quantities of food around.

For those who were fortunate to be here during the 8,000 constant flow in early June, they likely experienced the best fishing of their lives. There were many days where more than 100 fish were hooked per rod, fishing was off the charts (we rated it a “9” only because no fish over 10-lbs were landed). You may remember from my previous reports my mention of our prolific spawn of 2007 and that the river was full of small fish that disappear from the time that they reach 3” and reappear when they are 12” long…well, they showed up in mass immediately following the 8,000 constant flow. They are everywhere! For the first time in many years we are catching fish of all sizes, from 10’’ to 20” which is typical of a very healthy river. The only downside is that our average fish size has dramatically decreased; the river is still chock-full of big fish but the challenge is getting your fly past the smaller and not so smart little fish.

The current health of the river is outstanding…better than it has been in years. Last year’s above normal runoff into Lake Powell delivered and stirred up countless tons of nutrients into the water and this nutrient rich water is passing through the dam and into the river. Algae is everywhere in the river and this provides food and habitat for the aquatic food base that the trout depend upon. Lake Powell has risen more than 30-ft this year and is still rising which is good news for us and all of the people in the southwest who depend on this water for household use and electrical generation. The rising lake and the nutrient load will guarantee this trend of healthy trout populations and good fishing will continue for the next several years.

The turning point and the beginning for the recovery of the Lees Ferry fishery occurred in 2005 when Lake Powell had the first above normal snow-pack and runoff year since 1997. Last year we had almost exactly the same conditions. The above normal winter snow pack and runoff into Lake Powell in 2007-08, stirred up a tremendous amount of nutrient laden sediment that had accumulated at the lake mouths of the Colorado River, San Juan River, and the Green River. Lake Powell elevation increased 43-ft. and the rivers flowing into the lake mixed the sediment and nutrients into the lake water. It usually takes several months before we see this mixing affect. The increased nutrient load in the lake and river is evident this spring by the dramatic increase in aquatic vegetation and aquatic organisms throughout the river.

For those of you that remember what the fishing was like in 1999 and 2000…you should be as excited as I am about the current conditions and what the increased nutrient load should do for the fishing at Lees Ferry.
Lots of stuff happening at the Ferry and it is all good!

For details on Lake Powell conditions and snow-pack, go here: http://lakepowell.water-data.com/
For a real time graphic view of water releases and ramp rates go here: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/az/nwis/uv?09380000
Updated 7/13/09

LAKE MEAD –Lake Mead water level have remained fairly steady.  The current level is 1,095 feet above msl.  The striper bite has been great.  Both trolling and fishing under lights at night yielded large numbers of fish.  The lights are more productive when used around the new moon, on dark nights.  The next new moon is on Wednesday the 22nd.  Most stripers being caught are in the 1 lb range, with occasional fish up to two lbs.  Stripers are being caught 12’ – 60’ of water.
Launching conditions at South Cove will continue to deteriorate as the water level continues to drop.  The concrete ramp the National Park Service completed last year is one lane with cones marking the edges. Use caution not to go off the sides of the metal extensions at either side. National Park Service is working to keep the ramp open.  Temple bar launch ramp is two lanes.  Launching conditions in general are better at temple bar than south cove.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders.  Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.
For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

LAKE MOHAVE –  The lake level is around 640 feet above msl.  Fishing for stripers seems to be pretty good in the southern portion of the lake. Submersible lights are very effective for stripers when used on dark nights, but keep in mind there was a full moon July 7th.  The next new moon will be on July 22nd.  Bass are located both in shallow and on fish habitat in 15-20 ft.

Biologists from both Arizona Game and Fish Department and Nevada Division of Wildlife with the help of volunteers, National Park Service and Bureau of Reclamation personnel have continued to install fish habitat in Carp Cove, Box Cove and now Shoshone.  Fish habitat consists of PVC structures, wood pallet structures, Tamarisk bundles, and some Christmas trees. The largemouth, bluegill and catfish are really utilizing the new structures.  Additional habitat will be added at several locations over the next two years.  These structures are fish magnets.

There is a wheelchair accessible fishing pier just south of the main launch ramp at Katherine’s Landing. If you fish Mohave and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.
For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov  or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

WILLOW BEACH – Trout are stocked every Friday.  Trout fishing was a bit slow on Saturday, even though trout could be seen schooling around the fishing pier.  Anglers reported the fish following their lures but not biting.
This past week several striper catches were reported to the store.  Stripers ranged in size from 5 lbs to 25 lbs.  Most were caught with either an AC minnow ort AC plug.

The desert bighorn sheep are in the rut, so this is a great time to fish and possibly see some rams bumping heads (or at least hear them – it sounds like a rifle shot echoing in the canyons).
Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see. If you fish Willow beach and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov  or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

TOPOCK MARSH – The water level is up and the bite has been pretty good.  Both bass and catfish are biting well.  Catfish are biting on anchovies and night crawlers.
You can access the marsh by boat at the North Dike, Catfish Paradise, and Five-Mile Landing. All three also provide plenty of area for shoreline fishing too. For more information on the marsh, contact the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge at (760) 326-3853 or go to http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/havasu/index.html.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.
For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov  or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

COLORADO RIVER BELOW DAVIS DAM –The striper bite has been pretty good.   I have not heard about the rest.

Water levels on the river fluctuate, so be careful. You can check the Bureau of Reclamation Web site for flow predictions http://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html before you go. If you fish the river below Davis Dam and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.
For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web pages at www.azgfd.gov  or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

COLORADO RIVER BELOW DAVIS DAM –The striper bite has been pretty good.   I have not heard about the rest.

Water levels on the river fluctuate, so be careful. You can check the Bureau of Reclamation Web site for flow predictions http://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.htmlbefore you go. If you fish the river below Davis Dam and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.govso I can share your successes with others.
Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.
For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web pages at www.azgfd.govor visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

LAKE POWELL – Note: There are now mandatory boat inspections at Lake Powell to ensure you are not Moving A Mussel or other invasive species. Mostly, the inspection stations are open dawn to dusk, but you cannot launch without one.

Best bet is to make sure your boat is quagga free to begin with. Clean, drain and dry your boat following each outing, and be sure to wait at least five days before launching your boat on any other lake (if you are a day user).

June 24, 2009, By Wayne Gustaveson. Lake Elevation: 3638. Water Temp: 72- 75F
One method of judging how fishing changes from week to week is to try the same methods in the same spots each week. Last week I chased striper boils from Wahweap to Padre Bay and caught one fish from every third boil. This week I caught one fish in every other boil and two fish in some. Since the frequency of sighting boils also increased, my determination is that fishing for stripers in boils is getting better.

Tight ‘Slurp’ of stripers feeding on larval shad.

Here is a closer look at techniques. The best lures are those that cast great distances with accuracy. We had good success with large rattletraps because many schools were headed down as the boat got in range. ‘Traps’ dive and could be effectively presented to fleeing fish.

The best lure for me was the full size Jumpin’ Minnow. It is heavier and therefore casts further than anything but a heavy spoon. Fish are feeding on top so the surface lure was just right. You should fish with your best “confidence” lure. If a lure has been good for you in the past it will be good now.

Still it is imperative that the lure is cast in front and beyond the lead fish. As the lure hits water quickly work it into the racing striper school. Stripers are looking toward the surface. They swim fast enough to beat their school mate to the next shad. A larger ‘fish’ (lure) will be eaten if it is in just the right spot. Casting into or behind a moving school is fruitless. Perfect placement results in a hook up with a 20-25 inch striper. Anything less is ignored.

Boat handling is key. Fish in boils are vulnerable for 5-30 seconds. Move quickly into range trying to parallel direction of fish travel. I shut off the motor when in range and grab the rod while the boat is slowing to a stop. Sometimes the school will stay on top long enough to put one cast into the school. More likely the school will sound and then resurface. The most effective cast is to the resurfacing school. Hopefully, fish come up in range and the first cast goes beyond the lead fish. Spend some time watching the school and make one good cast instead of three errant ones. I only stay with a pod of stripers long enough to see them resurface three times. After that they are wary and I move to find a fresh school.

Boils cover the length of Lake Powell and are continuous from daylight to dark when the water is calm. Wind may put them down for an hour but they come right back up as soon as the lake calms. Boils are strong from Wahweap to San Juan and Escalante. Reports are less from Rincon to Good Hope but I suspect that is lack of reports and not lack of striper boils. My crew reports strong boils in Good Hope this morning. Water is clearing and fishing out of Hite is effective once more.

If the craziness of chasing fish does not appeal then look for a striper boil near shore. Go to that spot and cast a surface walking bait or popper into the submerged trees and have fun with bass on topwater lures.

LEES FERRY – Lees Ferry Fishing Synopsis and Forecast by Terry Gunn 6/29/09. Visit www.leesferry.com for daily fishing reports and updates.

Recent Fishing Conditions: Summer arrived with mild temperatures and calm winds, a welcome relief from our crummy spring weather. The weather has warmed of late and the cicadas are starting to sing and the fish are just now starting to key in on them. It is too early to tell what “kind” of cicada year it will be…every year is different. I have seen the bite last only 2 weeks and other years last well into late August. Our cicadas are unusual in the fact that they hatch every year, most places they occur every 7 or 14 years. I have seen 4 hatches that were so intense that the fish would come up off the bottom in the middle of the river to eat a cicada that has landed on the water. Watch our daily reports for up to date reports on the cicada hatch.

The water flows will increase in volume for July and August. These two months usually provide the best and most consistent fishing of the entire year here at Lees Ferry and they are also the least crowded. In the higher water most all of our fishing is done from the boat, drifting with heavy nymph rigs or casting big cicada dry flies into the rocky shores. The largest fish of the year are usually caught in the summer months and it is during these 2 months that the trout experience tremendous growth rates due to the high water transporting large quantities of food around.

For those who were fortunate to be here during the 8,000 constant flow in early June, they likely experienced the best fishing of their lives. There were many days where more than 100 fish were hooked per rod, fishing was off the charts (we rated it a “9” only because no fish over 10-lbs were landed). You may remember from my previous reports my mention of our prolific spawn of 2007 and that the river was full of small fish that disappear from the time that they reach 3” and reappear when they are 12” long…well, they showed up in mass immediately following the 8,000 constant flow. They are everywhere! For the first time in many years we are catching fish of all sizes, from 10’’ to 20” which is typical of a very healthy river. The only downside is that our average fish size has dramatically decreased; the river is still chock-full of big fish but the challenge is getting your fly past the smaller and not so smart little fish.

The current health of the river is outstanding…better than it has been in years. Last year’s above normal runoff into Lake Powell delivered and stirred up countless tons of nutrients into the water and this nutrient rich water is passing through the dam and into the river. Algae is everywhere in the river and this provides food and habitat for the aquatic food base that the trout depend upon. Lake Powell has risen more than 30-ft this year and is still rising which is good news for us and all of the people in the southwest who depend on this water for household use and electrical generation. The rising lake and the nutrient load will guarantee this trend of healthy trout populations and good fishing will continue for the next several years.

The turning point and the beginning for the recovery of the Lees Ferry fishery occurred in 2005 when Lake Powell had the first above normal snow-pack and runoff year since 1997. Last year we had almost exactly the same conditions. The above normal winter snow pack and runoff into Lake Powell in 2007-08, stirred up a tremendous amount of nutrient laden sediment that had accumulated at the lake mouths of the Colorado River, San Juan River, and the Green River. Lake Powell elevation increased 43-ft. and the rivers flowing into the lake mixed the sediment and nutrients into the lake water. It usually takes several months before we see this mixing affect. The increased nutrient load in the lake and river is evident this spring by the dramatic increase in aquatic vegetation and aquatic organisms throughout the river.

For those of you that remember what the fishing was like in 1999 and 2000…you should be as excited as I am about the current conditions and what the increased nutrient load should do for the fishing at Lees Ferry.

Lots of stuff happening at the Ferry and it is all good!

Recent Fishing: With the water flows increasing we will be spending more time fishing from the boat than wading. Fishing techniques have been mixed between using a “heavy nymph rig” which is a 9 to 12-ft leader, strike indicator, split shot, and dual fly rig, a “double tiny” rig with a long leader and 2 bead-head midges on 7X, or a dry and dropper rig. I have been using 6 and 7X fluorocarbon tippet and feel that the lighter tippet results in a much higher success rate than say 5X. Anglers might argue that they break fish off on such light tippet but my argument is that in order to break a fish off, you first have to first get a fish to eat your fly and you are going to get more eaters with lighter tippet than heaver tippet.

When wading the riffles you need long dead drifts. There are 2 types of drifts; perfect dead drifts and all other drifts. Perfect dead drifts catch fish at Lees Ferry; all other drifts don’t catch fish here. You get a dead drift by mending the line, then throwing slack line on the water. If your line is straight from your rod tip to your indicator or you move your indicator during the drift, then your drift is not perfect and will not catch fish. The key to success is to stay over fish, get the flies down to the bottom, and get a long, perfect dead drift.

The high flow experiment, 4/08, was basically a non event as far as the fishery is concerned. It came and went with few visible changes to the river or the fishery. For more details and to see my complete comments go here: http://coloradoriverconservancy.org/

The experimental steady flows that occurred in September and October 2008 (12,000 constant) were beneficial to the river and are scheduled again for 2009. In years past, the flows in September and October have been the lowest flows of the year and have reset the “green line” to the 5,000-cfs level from the 12,000-cfs level of the summer flows. This has effectively reduced the food supply in the river by a significant amount. Then the higher flows of November and December arrive; but because of the declining sun angle and the shade of the cliffs, photosynthesis and aquatic production in the river declines and the areas of the river that were desiccated by the low flows do not regenerate until the following spring. This did not happen this year because of the steady flows in September and October the green line stayed high. The current fluctuating flows (7,500-cfs to 13,000-cfs) are continuing to keep the green line higher than in years past. There have been prolific midge and black-fly hatches every day and it appears as though the scud population has a higher density than any time since 2004.

For details on Lake Powell conditions and snow-pack, go here: http://lakepowell.water-data.com/

For a real time graphic view of water releases and ramp rates go here: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/az/nwis/uv?09380000

LAKE MEAD –Lake Mead water continue to drop slowly, falling about 1 foot over the last three weeks.  The current level is 1,095 feet above msl.  The striper bite has been great.  Both trolling and fishing under lights at night yielded large numbers of fish.  The lights are more productive when used around the new moon, on dark nights.  The next new moon is on Wednesday the 22nd.  Most stripers being caught are in the 1 lb range, with occasional fish up to two lbs.  Stripers are being caught 12’ – 60’ of water.

Launching conditions at South Cove will continue to deteriorate as the water level continues to drop.  The concrete ramp the National Park Service completed last year is one lane with cones marking the edges. Use caution not to go off the sides of the metal extensions at either side. National Park Service is working to keep the ramp open.  Temple bar launch ramp is two lanes.  Launching conditions in general are better at temple bar than south cove.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders.  Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

LAKE MOHAVE – The lake level is around 640 feet above msl.  Fishing for stripers seems to be pretty good in the southern portion of the lake. Submersible lights are very effective for stripers when used on dark nights, but keep in mind there is a full moon July 7th.  The next new moon will be on July 22nd.  Bass are located both in shallow and on fish habitat in 15-20 ft.

Biologists from both Arizona Game and Fish Department and Nevada Division of Wildlife with the help of volunteers, National Park Service and Bureau of Reclamation personnel have continued to install fish habitat in Carp Cove, Box Cove and now Shoshone.  Fish habitat consists of PVC structures, wood pallet structures, Tamarisk bundles, and some Christmas trees. The largemouth, bluegill and catfish are really utilizing the new structures.  Additional habitat will be added at several locations over the next two years.  These structures are fish magnets.

There is a wheelchair accessible fishing pier just south of the main launch ramp at Katherine’s Landing. If you fish Mohave and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

WILLOW BEACH – Trout are stocked every Friday.  The trout fishing has been pretty sporadic.  About 30 percent of shoreline anglers are having success.  The majority of these  anglers were after trout and were fishing with Power Bait, night crawlers, spinners, Super Duper lures, Power Worms, and marshmallows.  No stripers were reported from shoreline anglers on Friday.

Boat anglers had a little more success with about 67-percent of anglers contacted having caught fish.  One angler reported catching 2 stripers, approximately 10 and 12lbs each on an AC plug.

The desert bighorn sheep are in the rut, so this is a great time to fish and possibly see some rams bumping heads (or at least hear them – it sounds like a rifle shot echoing in the canyons).

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see. If you fish Willow beach and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

TOPOCK MARSH – The water level is up and the bite has been pretty good.  Both bass and catfish are biting well.  Catfish are biting on anchovies and night crawlers.

You can access the marsh by boat at the North Dike, Catfish Paradise, and Five-Mile Landing. All three also provide plenty of area for shoreline fishing too. For more information on the marsh, contact the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge at (760) 326-3853 or go to http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/havasu/index.html.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

COLORADO RIVER BELOW DAVIS DAM –The striper bite has been pretty good.   I have not heard about the rest.

Water levels on the river fluctuate, so be careful. You can check the Bureau of Reclamation Web site for flow predictions http://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html before you go. If you fish the river below Davis Dam and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

Best bet is to make sure your boat is quagga free to begin with. Clean, drain and dry your boat following each outing, and be sure to wait at least five days before launching your boat on any other lake (if you are a day user).

June 24, 2009, By Wayne Gustaveson. Lake Elevation: 3638. Water Temp: 72- 75F
One method of judging how fishing changes from week to week is to try the same methods in the same spots each week. Last week I chased striper boils from Wahweap to Padre Bay and caught one fish from every third boil. This week I caught one fish in every other boil and two fish in some. Since the frequency of sighting boils also increased, my determination is that fishing for stripers in boils is getting better.

Tight ‘Slurp’ of stripers feeding on larval shad.

Here is a closer look at techniques. The best lures are those that cast great distances with accuracy. We had good success with large rattletraps because many schools were headed down as the boat got in range. ‘Traps’ dive and could be effectively presented to fleeing fish.

The best lure for me was the full size Jumpin’ Minnow. It is heavier and therefore casts further than anything but a heavy spoon. Fish are feeding on top so the surface lure was just right. You should fish with your best “confidence” lure. If a lure has been good for you in the past it will be good now.

Still it is imperative that the lure is cast in front and beyond the lead fish. As the lure hits water quickly work it into the racing striper school. Stripers are looking toward the surface. They swim fast enough to beat their school mate to the next shad. A larger ‘fish’ (lure) will be eaten if it is in just the right spot. Casting into or behind a moving school is fruitless. Perfect placement results in a hook up with a 20-25 inch striper. Anything less is ignored.

Boat handling is key. Fish in boils are vulnerable for 5-30 seconds. Move quickly into range trying to parallel direction of fish travel. I shut off the motor when in range and grab the rod while the boat is slowing to a stop. Sometimes the school will stay on top long enough to put one cast into the school. More likely the school will sound and then resurface. The most effective cast is to the resurfacing school. Hopefully, fish come up in range and the first cast goes beyond the lead fish. Spend some time watching the school and make one good cast instead of three errant ones. I only stay with a pod of stripers long enough to see them resurface three times. After that they are wary and I move to find a fresh school.

Boils cover the length of Lake Powell and are continuous from daylight to dark when the water is calm. Wind may put them down for an hour but they come right back up as soon as the lake calms. Boils are strong from Wahweap to San Juan and Escalante. Reports are less from Rincon to Good Hope but I suspect that is lack of reports and not lack of striper boils. My crew reports strong boils in Good Hope this morning. Water is clearing and fishing out of Hite is effective once more.

If the craziness of chasing fish does not appeal then look for a striper boil near shore. Go to that spot and cast a surface walking bait or popper into the submerged trees and have fun with bass on topwater lures.
LEES FERRY – Lees Ferry Fishing Synopsis and Forecast by Terry Gunn 6/29/09. Visit www.leesferry.com for daily fishing reports and updates.

Recent Fishing Conditions: Summer arrived with mild temperatures and calm winds, a welcome relief from our crummy spring weather. The weather has warmed of late and the cicadas are starting to sing and the fish are just now starting to key in on them. It is too early to tell what “kind” of cicada year it will be…every year is different. I have seen the bite last only 2 weeks and other years last well into late August. Our cicadas are unusual in the fact that they hatch every year, most places they occur every 7 or 14 years. I have seen 4 hatches that were so intense that the fish would come up off the bottom in the middle of the river to eat a cicada that has landed on the water. Watch our daily reports for up to date reports on the cicada hatch.

The water flows will increase in volume for July and August. These two months usually provide the best and most consistent fishing of the entire year here at Lees Ferry and they are also the least crowded. In the higher water most all of our fishing is done from the boat, drifting with heavy nymph rigs or casting big cicada dry flies into the rocky shores. The largest fish of the year are usually caught in the summer months and it is during these 2 months that the trout experience tremendous growth rates due to the high water transporting large quantities of food around.

For those who were fortunate to be here during the 8,000 constant flow in early June, they likely experienced the best fishing of their lives. There were many days where more than 100 fish were hooked per rod, fishing was off the charts (we rated it a “9” only because no fish over 10-lbs were landed). You may remember from my previous reports my mention of our prolific spawn of 2007 and that the river was full of small fish that disappear from the time that they reach 3” and reappear when they are 12” long…well, they showed up in mass immediately following the 8,000 constant flow. They are everywhere! For the first time in many years we are catching fish of all sizes, from 10’’ to 20” which is typical of a very healthy river. The only downside is that our average fish size has dramatically decreased; the river is still chock-full of big fish but the challenge is getting your fly past the smaller and not so smart little fish.

The current health of the river is outstanding…better than it has been in years. Last year’s above normal runoff into Lake Powell delivered and stirred up countless tons of nutrients into the water and this nutrient rich water is passing through the dam and into the river. Algae is everywhere in the river and this provides food and habitat for the aquatic food base that the trout depend upon. Lake Powell has risen more than 30-ft this year and is still rising which is good news for us and all of the people in the southwest who depend on this water for household use and electrical generation. The rising lake and the nutrient load will guarantee this trend of healthy trout populations and good fishing will continue for the next several years.

The turning point and the beginning for the recovery of the Lees Ferry fishery occurred in 2005 when Lake Powell had the first above normal snow-pack and runoff year since 1997. Last year we had almost exactly the same conditions. The above normal winter snow pack and runoff into Lake Powell in 2007-08, stirred up a tremendous amount of nutrient laden sediment that had accumulated at the lake mouths of the Colorado River, San Juan River, and the Green River. Lake Powell elevation increased 43-ft. and the rivers flowing into the lake mixed the sediment and nutrients into the lake water. It usually takes several months before we see this mixing affect. The increased nutrient load in the lake and river is evident this spring by the dramatic increase in aquatic vegetation and aquatic organisms throughout the river.

For those of you that remember what the fishing was like in 1999 and 2000…you should be as excited as I am about the current conditions and what the increased nutrient load should do for the fishing at Lees Ferry.

Lots of stuff happening at the Ferry and it is all good!

Recent Fishing: With the water flows increasing we will be spending more time fishing from the boat than wading. Fishing techniques have been mixed between using a “heavy nymph rig” which is a 9 to 12-ft leader, strike indicator, split shot, and dual fly rig, a “double tiny” rig with a long leader and 2 bead-head midges on 7X, or a dry and dropper rig. I have been using 6 and 7X fluorocarbon tippet and feel that the lighter tippet results in a much higher success rate than say 5X. Anglers might argue that they break fish off on such light tippet but my argument is that in order to break a fish off, you first have to first get a fish to eat your fly and you are going to get more eaters with lighter tippet than heaver tippet.

When wading the riffles you need long dead drifts. There are 2 types of drifts; perfect dead drifts and all other drifts. Perfect dead drifts catch fish at Lees Ferry; all other drifts don’t catch fish here. You get a dead drift by mending the line, then throwing slack line on the water. If your line is straight from your rod tip to your indicator or you move your indicator during the drift, then your drift is not perfect and will not catch fish. The key to success is to stay over fish, get the flies down to the bottom, and get a long, perfect dead drift.

The high flow experiment, 4/08, was basically a non event as far as the fishery is concerned. It came and went with few visible changes to the river or the fishery. For more details and to see my complete comments go here: http://coloradoriverconservancy.org/

The experimental steady flows that occurred in September and October 2008 (12,000 constant) were beneficial to the river and are scheduled again for 2009. In years past, the flows in September and October have been the lowest flows of the year and have reset the “green line” to the 5,000-cfs level from the 12,000-cfs level of the summer flows. This has effectively reduced the food supply in the river by a significant amount. Then the higher flows of November and December arrive; but because of the declining sun angle and the shade of the cliffs, photosynthesis and aquatic production in the river declines and the areas of the river that were desiccated by the low flows do not regenerate until the following spring. This did not happen this year because of the steady flows in September and October the green line stayed high. The current fluctuating flows (7,500-cfs to 13,000-cfs) are continuing to keep the green line higher than in years past. There have been prolific midge and black-fly hatches every day and it appears as though the scud population has a higher density than any time since 2004.

For details on Lake Powell conditions and snow-pack, go here: http://lakepowell.water-data.com/

For a real time graphic view of water releases and ramp rates go here: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/az/nwis/uv?09380000

LAKE MEAD –Lake Mead water continue to drop slowly, falling about 1 foot over the last three weeks.  The current level is 1,095 feet above msl.  The striper bite has been great.  Both trolling and fishing under lights at night yielded large numbers of fish.  The lights are more productive when used around the new moon, on dark nights.  The last new moon was on Monday the 22nd.  Two pound stripers are not uncommon.

Launching conditions at South Cove will continue to deteriorate as the water level continues to drop.  The concrete ramp the National Park Service completed last year is one lane with cones marking the edges. Use caution not to go off the sides of the metal extensions at either side. National Park Service is working to keep the ramp open.  Temple bar launch ramp is two lanes.  Launching conditions in general are better at temple bar than south cove.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders.  Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

LAKE MOHAVE –  The lake level is around 641 feet above msl.  Fishing for stripers seems to be pretty good in the southern portion of the lake. Submersible lights are very effective for stripers when used on dark nights, but keep in mind there is a full moon July 8.  Bass are located both in shallow and on fish habitat in 15-20 ft.

Biologists from both Arizona Game and Fish Department and Nevada Division of Wildlife with the help of volunteers, National Park Service and Bureau of Reclamation personnel have continued to install fish habitat in Carp Cove, Box Cove and now Shoshone.  Fish habitat consists of PVC structures, wood pallet structures, Tamarisk bundles, and some Christmas trees. The largemouth, bluegill and catfish are really utilizing the new structures.  Additional habitat will be added at several locations over the next two years.  These structures are fish magnets.

There is a wheelchair accessible fishing pier just south of the main launch ramp at Katherine’s Landing. If you fish Mohave and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov  or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

WILLOW BEACH – Trout are stocked every Friday.  The trout fishing has been pretty sporadic.  About 30 percent of shoreline anglers are having success.  The majority of these  anglers were after trout and were fishing with Power Bait, night crawlers, spinners, Super Duper lures, Power Worms, and marshmallows.  No stripers were reported from shoreline anglers on Friday.

Boat anglers had a little more success with about 67-percent of anglers contacted having caught fish.  One angler reported catching 2 stripers, approximately 10 and 12lbs each on an AC plug.

The desert bighorn sheep are in the rut, so this is a great time to fish and possible see some rams bumping heads (or at least hear them – it sounds like a rifle shot echoing in the canyons).

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see. If you fish Willow beach and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov  or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

TOPOCK MARSH – The water level is up and the bite has been pretty good.  Both bass and catfish are biting well.  Catfish are biting on anchovies and night crawlers.

You can access the marsh by boat at the North Dike, Catfish Paradise, and Five-Mile Landing. All three also provide plenty of area for shoreline fishing too. For more information on the marsh, contact the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge at (760) 326-3853 or go to http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/havasu/index.html.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov  or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

COLORADO RIVER BELOW DAVIS DAM –The striper bite has been pretty good.   I have not heard about the rest.

Water levels on the river fluctuate, so be careful. You can check the Bureau of Reclamation Web site for flow predictions http://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html before you go. If you fish the river below Davis Dam and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web pages at www.azgfd.gov  or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

Best bet is to make sure your boat is quagga free to begin with. Clean, drain and dry your boat following each outing, and be sure to wait at least five days before launching your boat on any other lake (if you are a day user).

June 10, 2009, By Wayne Gustaveson
Lake Elevation: 3633
Water Temp: 70- 74F

Did it rain at your house? This week has been more like a nice week in April than June in the desert. Normally air temperature is nearing the century mark here, but we will take the 70s for now and enjoy the heat when it comes. Fishing conditions have not changed much since last report. Water still runs in at a rate of 80,000 acre feet per day. Lake level still increases by 3-6 inches. Surface temperature is holding near 70 degrees. Bass are still biting and stripers randomly boil

Best fishing is for smallmouth along the main channel and main canyon areas. Steep slick rock and cliff face areas seem to hold more agreeable fish than other spots. Look for a bit of broken rock, a ledge or terrace that provides just a tiny bit of cover in the vast expanse of clean slick rock. Find a bush in a crack or fracture of the slick rock and a largemouth may lurk there as well. Bass are looking for crayfish and are willing to hit plastic near bottom in the 20-30 foot range. Our tendency is to fish the shoreline from a boat holding about a cast or two off shore.

The better thing to do now is put the boat in the same location but drop the lure straight to the bottom instead of casting toward shore. Once the lure contacts bottom let it drift slowly along the 25 foot contour. Gently ease the bait along the bottom to encounter bass and walleye.

Early in the morning shad are spawning farther back in the canyons and coves on the surface around brush and driftwood. Shallow-running crankbaits and top water lures work well at fist light before the sun hits the water. The extended spring weather means that a variety of species are working on vulnerable shad. It is possible to catch bass, stripers, walleye, catfish and sunfish near the site of any spawning shad school.

Shad spawning activity subsides by 8 AM and game fish move to their daily holding pattern. Bass go deep, stripers cruise the shoreline along that same 25 foot contour.

Trolling the 25 foot flats is effective but not fast fishing. Rat-L-Trap baits are effective for both bass and stripers. Shallow running crankbaits, like glass Shad Raps and Lucky Craft bevy shad also work well. It seems to me that shorter baits (3 inches) are more effective than longer ones (Thundersticks). Look out for tree tops that grab trolling lures but get close enough to brush to attract fish interest. A lure that runs right over the brushy tree tops is a great choice.

While doing all this, keep an eye out for random striper boils. I get new reports every day of random boils occurring mid morning over the expanse of the lake. Boils are becoming more visible and staying up longer. Unfortunately, they are not yet predictable or repeatable occurrences. But top water time is getting closer. Expect stripers to become catchable in boils as the lake stabilizes and water temperature warms. Shad will grow faster in warmer waters and hasten the boil response. Until then enjoy bass fishing and trolling in the cool springtime luxury of Lake Powell.

LEES FERRY – June 14, 2009 by Lees Ferry Anglers Report by: Elizabeth Welling
Fly Fishing: Today the water was low and slow to rise but finally did around 11am. The Dry Dropper with Zebra midge produced well all morning. A second rise came on about 2pm, which was slower than this mornings rise, but still consistent. San Juan worms produced well with the rising water. The eddies, were the place to find fat rising fish the riffles and seams produced a good amount of healthy fish as well.
Walk in: We have had a few good reports from this section. Anglers were fishing from the boulder field all the way to the confluence over the weekend. From what we have heard having great success with San Juan worms and midge patterns. Hope to see you soon… tight lines E. The trick to this section is weight and drift. Get the right amount of shot and a good dead drift and you’re in the money. We did see a good amount of anglers in this section and most reported doing very well.
Spin Fishing: Fishing with glo bugs and San Juan worms on the bottom seems to be the trick.
BE SURE YOU CRIMP THE BARBS.
Angler report

I just wanted to mention that I had one of the most unbelievable fishing experiences of my life.  It was my first trip to Lee’s Ferry, and I thought that I was not going to have a successful trip on the Colorado due to a bad experience on a kayak on Sunday (50 mile per hour winds in the canyon), but I ended up making peace with those clear cold waters before the trip was over!

I fished the walk-in area with spinning gear and caught 15 of those beauties in about an hour and a half.  I put my waders on, walked in up to just above my knee, found a nice little hole, and cast after cast I was either reeling one in, or missing one!

I used a Black and Gold Panther Martin with a gold blade and red treble (GO STEELERS!  Sorry Cardinal Fans!).  It was a simple fishing trip, didn’t need much gear, just crimped the barbs, and didn’t even need to use my pliers at all!  Attached are a few pictures of the rainbows!

I look forward to getting back up to the Ferry in the coming months for sure.  I am “hooked!”

B.G. Davison
Scottsdale, AZ

LAKE MEAD –Lake Mead water continue to drop slowly, falling about 1 foot over the last three weeks.  The current level is 1,095 feet above msl.  The striper bite has been great. Both trolling and fishing under lights at night yielded large numbers of fish.  The lights are more productive when used around the new moon, on dark nights.  The last new moon was on Monday the 22nd. There is a waxing quarter moon this weekend.  Two-pound stripers are not uncommon.

Launching conditions at South Cove will continue to deteriorate as the water level continues to drop.  The concrete ramp the National Park Service completed last year is one lane with cones marking the edges. Use caution not to go off the sides of the metal extensions at either side. National Park Service is working to keep the ramp open.  Temple bar launch ramp is two lanes.  Launching conditions in general are better at temple bar than south cove.

Robert Funk: 10-4 Rory! I have fished Mead for about 10 years now and I have to say this last trip produced the largest ammount of nice quality sized stripers that we have ever encountered. These are the “good old days” right now as far as I’m concerened. We stayed in the campground at Temple Bar for the week and much of the time we were the only ones there. Gas was about $3.25 a gallon at the dock. Fishing was best when the water got choppy from the wind. Smooth glassy water = slow fishing.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders.  Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

LAKE MOHAVE –  The lake level is around 641 feet above msl.  Fishing for stripers seems to be pretty good in the southern portion of the lake. Submersible lights are very effective for stripers when used on dark nights.  The last new moon was on Monday the 22nd.    The new fish cleaning station at Katherines landing  is operational.   Bass are located both in shallow and on fish habitat in 15-20 ft.

Biologists from both Arizona Game and Fish Department and Nevada Division of Wildlife with the help of volunteers, National Park Service and Bureau of Reclamation personnel have continued to install fish habitat in Carp Cove, Box Cove and now Shoshone.  Fish habitat consists of PVC structures, wood pallet structures, Tamarisk bundles, and some Christmas trees. The largemouth, bluegill and catfish are really utilizing the new structures.  Additional habitat will be added at several locations over the next two years.  These structures are fish magnets.

There is a wheelchair accessible fishing pier just south of the main launch ramp at Katherine’s Landing. If you fish Mohave and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.govso I can share your successes with others.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

WILLOW BEACH – Trout are stocked every Friday.  The trout fishing has been pretty sporadic.  It appears that those fishing right after the plant (between 7:30-8:00 a.m.) are able to bring in some fish, but later in the day, the fish are harder to catch.  Those that brought in trout today were present at the fish plant and they caught the fish early in the morning near the picnic area and near the kayak launch site.  The average size of the fish was 12 inches and the fish were caught on Power Bait, spinners, jigs, and Super Duper lures.  Those fishing for striper and channel catfish from the shoreline using anchovy, LA Slider lures, and stink bait were not successful.
Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see. If you fish Willow beach and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.govso I can share your successes with others.
For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

TOPOCK MARSH – The water level is up and the bite has been pretty good.  Both bass and catfish are biting well.  Catfish are biting on anchovies and night crawlers.

You can access the marsh by boat at the North Dike, Catfish Paradise, and Five-Mile Landing. All three also provide plenty of area for shoreline fishing too. For more information on the marsh, contact the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge at (760) 326-3853 or go to http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/havasu/index.html.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

COLORADO RIVER BELOW DAVIS DAM – The striper bite has been pretty good.   I have not heard about the rest.

Water levels on the river fluctuate, so be careful. You can check the Bureau of Reclamation Web site for flow predictions http://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.htmlbefore you go. If you fish the river below Davis Dam and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.govso I can share your successes with others.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

Best bet is to make sure your boat is quagga free to begin with. Clean, drain and dry your boat following each outing, and be sure to wait at least five days before launching your boat on any other lake (if you are a day user).

June 2, 2009, By Wayne Gustaveson. Lake Elevation: 3,630. Water Temp: 70- 75F
Inflow has dropped from 110,000 acre feet per day to a paltry 85,000 acre feet. The large inflow brought the lake up another 5 feet in the past week. Rapidly changing shoreline features confuse both fish and anglers but there is more. The layer of dead brush that succumbed when it was covered last year has been completely covered once more. Green brush that was only partially submerged last year is now wet again. Largemouth bass have moved into the welcome green tamarisk and willow boughs. Flooded cover is probably as good right now as it has ever been in the life of Lake Powell. Bass love it, fishermen just have to deal with it.

Smallmouth fishing is steady on main channel and main canyon rocks and points. Main lake areas are better fishing than the backs of canyons where new brush has been covered. Target small rock slides on slick rock shorelines for a predictable catch of bass.

Walleye are still being caught trolling and casting in the northern half of the lake. Some walleye are caught in the southern lake but numbers are much higher in the north. Walleye havce reverted to feeding mostly during low light periods at the ends of the day. During daylight hours fish muddy water and shade pockets on the main channel for best results.

Striped bass are at best – unpredictable. The spawn is almost complete. Schools are forming and searching for food. When anglers and schools come together results are immediate with many stripers caught in a short time. One day a large boil will be seen in a random location only to be absent the next. A school of fish will be enticed with bait along a deep canyon wall in the middle of the day but will be somewhere else the next.

The best striper fishing strategy is to move from one good spot to the next trying to intersect a moving school. Try bait on steep canyon walls. If no fish are found move often and try again. Then troll in shallow water. Keep rotating techniques and locations hoping to locate an agreeable school. Some days no stripers are caught but then 20-40 stripers can be placed in the cooler in short order. Always have a top water lure tied on and placed in an accessible spot ready for action when the big boils pops up right in front of the boat.

If I had to choose a spot for the best fishing trip possible it would be the lake midsection from the mouth of the San Juan to Escalante. Smallmouth abound in the breaks and cracks lining the steep main channel rocks. Walleye favor the rocky points. Striped bass are schooled at the mouth of the San Juan near Jacks Arch. They boil occasionally but are accessible to trollers working the brushy shoreline edges.

Catfish are getting more active now as temperature is consistently in the 70s. Fishing is more challenging now than it was in the spring. Improvement will come as lake level stabilizes, surface water warms to the summer temperatures and fish begin to feed consistently on the surface.

LEES FERRY – Fishing Report Courtesy Lees Ferry Anglers: Report by: Ted Welling, Fly Fishing: Today’s fishing was reported as good.

With the new flow pattern for the month the water is coming up rather slowly. Fishing has been reported being better in the morning hours and slowing down just a little after noon.

Mid May brought some rather warm weather and with that the midges were just as thick as could be. In every back eddy you could see fish sipping midges from the surface. Top water fishing was incredible.

The end of May we had some rains here in the desert and cooler weather and some wind and the back eddy areas became vacant. I have had my eye on these areas for the past week or so and have seen nothing. I bet as soon as the sun shines and the breezes stop these areas will come to life once again. When this happens I will be sure to let you know.

Midges are the fly of choice as of late, zebras, lasers, and brassies, in short, a lot of small stuff will do the trick. T

Walk in: Had a report just this morning that the walk-in section is fishing very well. From the boulder field all the way down to the confluence. The largest fish was 17 inches and very healthy, he had also reported that these fish are feisty even the smaller fish have a good fight in them.

Everyone I talk to comments on how beautiful these fish look and what great shape they are in. Hope to see you soon!

San juan worms, and zebra midges were the flies of choice. T

Spin Fishing: Fishing with glo bugs and San Juan worms on the bottom seems to be the trick.

BE SURE YOU CRIMP THE BARBS.

• If you have some news you would like to report about fishing lees ferry, the walk-in section or up river please e-mail your report to: anglers@leesferry.com Attn. Lees Ferry Fishing Report
Angler report

I just wanted to mention that I had one of the most unbelievable fishing experiences of my life.  It was my first trip to Lee’s Ferry, and I thought that I was not going to have a successful trip on the Colorado due to a bad experience on a kayak on Sunday (50 mile per hour winds in the canyon), but I ended up making peace with those clear cold waters before the trip was over!

I fished the walk-in area with spinning gear and caught 15 of those beauties in about an hour and a half.  I put my waders on, walked in up to just above my knee, found a nice little hole, and cast after cast I was either reeling one in, or missing one!

I used a Black and Gold Panther Martin with a gold blade and red treble (GO STEELERS!  Sorry Cardinal Fans!).  It was a simple fishing trip, didn’t need much gear, just crimped the barbs, and didn’t even need to use my pliers at all!  Attached are a few pictures of the rainbows!

I look forward to getting back up to the Ferry in the coming months for sure.  I am “hooked!”

B.G. Davison
Scottsdale, AZ

LAKE MEAD –Lake Mead water levels are dropping at about one foot per week.  The current level is 1,096 feet above msl.  The striper bite has been great.  Both trolling and fishing under lights at night yielded large numbers of fish.  The lights are more productive when used around the new moon, on dark nights.  The next new moon is on Monday the 22nd.  Two pound stripers are not uncommon.

Launching conditions at South Cove will continue to deteriorate as the water level continues to drop.  The concrete ramp the National Park Service completed last year is one lane with cones marking the edges. Use caution not to go off the sides of the metal extensions at either side. National Park Service is working to keep the ramp open.  Temple bar launch ramp is two lanes.  Launching conditions in general are better at temple bar than south cove.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders.  Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.
For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

LAKE MOHAVE –  The lake level is around 643 feet above msl.  Fishing for stripers seems to be pretty good in the southern portion of the lake. Submersible lights are very effective for stripers when used on dark nights.  The next new moon is on Monday the 22nd.    The new fish cleaning station at Katherines landing  is operational.   Bass are located on fish habitat in 15-20 ft.  As the water warms look for the fish to become more active.

Biologists from both Arizona Game and Fish Department and Nevada Division of Wildlife with the help of volunteers, National Park Service and Bureau of Reclamation personnel have continued to install fish habitat in Carp Cove, Box Cove and now Shoshone.  Fish habitat consists of PVC structures, wood pallet structures, Tamarisk bundles, and some Christmas trees. The largemouth, bluegill and catfish are really utilizing the new structures.  Additional habitat will be added at several locations over the next two years.  These structures are fish magnets.

There is a wheelchair accessible fishing pier just south of the main launch ramp at Katherine’s Landing. If you fish Mohave and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov  or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

WILLOW BEACH – Trout are stocked every Friday.  Fishing has been pretty poor.  Not much word on the striper bite.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see. If you fish Willow beach and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov  or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

TOPOCK MARSH – The water level is up and the bite has been pretty good.  Both bass and catfish are biting well.  Catfish are biting on anchovies and night crawlers.

You can access the marsh by boat at the North Dike, Catfish Paradise, and Five-Mile Landing. All three also provide plenty of area for shoreline fishing too. For more information on the marsh, contact the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge at (760) 326-3853 or go to http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/havasu/index.html.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s web pages at www.azgfd.gov  or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

COLORADO RIVER BELOW DAVIS DAM –The striper bite has been pretty good.   I have not heard about the rest.

Water levels on the river fluctuate, so be careful. You can check the Bureau of Reclamation Web site for flow predictions http://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html before you go. If you fish the river below Davis Dam and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web pages at www.azgfd.gov  or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

Lake Powell tributaries are now depositing 90,000 acre feet per day in the lake. That volume of water brings mud, cold temperature, and driftwood. Fishing in the muddy water is difficult at best. For this week fish clear water. The mudline is well downstream from Good Hope Bay in the main stem and at Neskahi and Piute bay on the San Juan.

Lake Powell has risen 4 feet in a week. The shoreline is rapidly changing. Expect to reposition the boat every day if camped on shore. Do not leave vehicles close to the waters edge when camping for an extended period.

To avoid false starts do not fish shallow flats that were dry desert soil the previous day. Fish are not there yet. Instead look for a ravine with steep sides and brush where fish can move vertically with rising water and changing temperatures.

Cautions aside, the good news is that fish can still be caught. Bass fishing is excellent for 1-2 pound smallmouth bass. An occasionally largemouth or crappie is still caught in the brush. Best bushes are those just recently covered by water as they were home to bass before the lake rose so fast.

With the backs of canyons changing daily, a better strategy is to fish main channel cliffs, cracks and cuts. The deep water ends of rocky points allow one to find bass by gradually working deeper along the point until fish are caught. Once the active fish depth zone is known, concentrate efforts on that specific depth for best success.

Striped bass are being caught more often but still only in modest numbers. Some anglers are finding stripers in the traditional main channel spots including the dam, power plant intake, Navajo Canyon and Moki Wall. It is necessary to fish much deeper than in past years. Stripers are holding at 50-80 feet in the main channel, so let the bait go deep and chum often to attract attention and get fish to rise in the water column.

More consistent action is found trolling in 25 feet of water. That pattern has been in place all spring and continues to produce the majority of the striper harvest. Some good trolling locations include backs of major canyons where bottom depth is 15-25 feet. Try Warm Creek, Navajo, Gunsight, Last Chance, Rock Creek, Jacks Arch, Escalante, Lake Canyon, Bullfrog, Halls Creek, and Red Canyon. Troll over the shallow water between the Halls Ferry Ramp and houseboat buoy field. Again catching 10 stripers a day is good and 20 or more is perfection.

One very bright spot is the potential walleye catch this week. Rising water causes bank sloughing and muddy coves. Warm temperatures energize walleye to their peak feeding response of the year. Cast night crawlers to coves or troll muddy main channel shoreline with Wally Diver lures to target hungry walleye.

Catfish have come alive now with warm water. The can be caught with ease along main channel beaches in the evening with hotdogs, chicken liver or anchovies.
Bluegill are larger than normal. These forgotten fish will provide excellent fishing and table fare for those willing to use live worms in the brush.

LEES FERRY – Fishing Report Courtesy Lees Ferry Anglers: Report by: Ted Welling

Fly Fishing: It was another great day of fishing here at the ferry. Fish were in a good mood and ready to play, loads of fish in the back eddies sipping midges. Just about anywhere you saw foam and a few ducks you could bet there were fish just under the surface. It almost looks like a light rain is falling in that particular spot. The trick is to locate yourself so you can cast to them without spooking them.

The drift is another tricky task, you can see them but, sometimes it is hard to get your fly to do what is needed to hook these fish.

The riffles are fishing well too, some better than others but, that will change from day to day.

There is an incredible amount of moss growing on the river bottom, it is a bit of a pain but that will bode well for the trout’s food base. I have been here quite a few years now and I cannot remember seeing it this green.
We are using laser midges, zebra midges, San Juan worms, the dry and dropper rig. Or even a double midge rig. It was just one of those perfect days here today. Hope you can make it here soon. Tight lines, T

Walk in: This area is fishing as well. You don’t need be in the water waist deep; knee deep will do fine. Out in the water just enough to keep your line out and off the rocks. You will see a kind of line in the water where it turns from light to a darker color, that’s where you want to flick your fly and send it down stream with a good dead drift.

Flies of choice are the San Juan worm, brassies, zebra midges, the laser midge, midge x and the like. T
Spin Fishing: Fishing with glo bugs and San Juan worms on the bottom seems to be the trick.

BE SURE YOU CRIMP THE BARBS.

If you have some news you would like to report about fishing lees ferry, the walk-in section or up river please e-mail your report to: anglers@leesferry.com Attn. Lees Ferry Fishing Report. We would be happy to have your input, and pass it along.
-Ted Welling, Lees Ferry Anglers & Cliff Dwellers Lodge

LAKE MEAD –Lake Mead water levels are dropping at about one foot per week. The current level is 1,098 feet above msl. The striper bite has been great.  Both trolling and fishing under lights at night yielded large numbers of fish.  The lights are more productive when used around the new moon, on dark nights.  The last new moon was on Sunday May 24, so look for the fishing be really good at night.  Two pound stripers are not uncommon.

Launching conditions at South Cove will continue to deteriorate as the water level continues to drop.  The concrete ramp the National Park Service completed last year is one lane with cones marking the edges. Use caution not to go off the sides of the metal extensions at either side. National Park Service is working to keep the ramp open.  Temple Bar launch ramp is two lanes.  Launching conditions in general are better at temple bar than south cove.

Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all