LAKE POWELL – Report Courtesy Wayne Gustaveson, Utah Division of Wildlife: Lake Elevation: 3,631.  Water temp: 78-83 F

It’s beginning! The southern lake is starting to boil after a three-week quiet spell where fishing was tough. The northern lake has had sustained striper boils over the same period. Now it appears the whole lake will provide excellent fishing. Dark moon in August bodes well for anglers who like topwater fishing.

Yesterday there were sustained striper boils at the dam from 6 to 8 a.m. Today we ran a circuit around Antelope Island to see how extensive the boiling stripers were. At 6 AM scattered stripers were seen chasing shad from Buoy 1 to the dam. A rattletrap cranked down would catch an occasional fish. But that wasn’t fast enough so we raced uplake.

At Buoy 3 we joined another boat fishing the first real boil of the day. Surface lures worked great with these tightly packed fish that were jumping high out of the water  Just cast into or beyond the school for multiple hook ups. This school moved rapidly from Buoy 1 to Buoy 3 in one half hour. They went down and we preceded uplake.

No striper schools were seen in Antelope Marina. Scattered fish started to pop near Buoy 9 but we could only catch an occasional fish on slowly cranked crankbaits. So we continued the circuit.

At the confluence of Warm Creel and the main channel (Buoy 12) a huge boil blew up at 7:45 AM. We caught multiple fish on surface lures and crankbaits. One boil was right in the middle of the travel lane while another one was going on shore. We had a really great time with this bunch and placed multiple fish in the cooler.

We expected all the fish to stay down after 8 AM but made a token run around Warm Creek hoping for one more school. That was a seemingly futile gesture so we headed the boat for Castle Rock Cut and home. With the Cut in sight we were detoured by the largest boil of the day. We finished filling the cooler and headed in at 9 AM.

Boils are even better between Rock Creek and San Juan. The lake from San Juan to Bullfrog is starting to boil as well. Topwater striper fishing will be the big news on the lake from now until the end of September. Most boils in the lower lake are in the channel but there will be many boils in coves as well. Most boils will happen at dusk and dawn but daytime boils will become more common with time.

Don’t be surprised to catch bass in the boils with the stripers. As surface temperature drops bass will come shallow as well. September will be the best fishing month that Lake Powell has seen for many years.

Catfish are still prowling the shoreline around camp and bluegill are in the brush but it will be very hard to pass up the boils for the more sedate forms of fishing.

LEES FERRY – From Lees Ferry Anglers, Report by: Ted Welling

Today’s Fish rating. Upriver: 6.5.  Walk-in: 5.5

Today’s Weather: Today was partly cloudy 99 degrees

Today’s Crowd Rating: Upriver: 1.0 NO CROWDS!  Walk In: 1.0

Today’s Fly Fishing:  The midges were as thick as peanut butter on Saturday, up your nose in your eyes and ears. You learn real fast to keep your mouth closed while underway that’s for sure. Today the flows were down and the fish didn’t seem to be as happy as they were on Saturday, or maybe they were at church. I didn’t see nearly as many fish today or midges for that matter, and the fishing was slower. I did a lot of spin fishing as well as fly. I have to tell you those marabou jigs were the weapon of choice, seems the slower you retrieve them the better they work.

All the fly-fishing I did was on the drift. I did set anchor a few times so I didn’t have to try to keep my eyes on two things at the same time, I spooked myself a few times, that’s the real reason I decided to stay anchored but, the fish got hip to me pretty darn quick. I did use a small dry fly as my indicator and it was about a 50/50 draw on takes between the dry and the dropper. I did fish some pretty weird areas, places I had never dreamed the fish would hang out and surprised myself. Drifting while nymphing is NOT recommended if you are alone like I was. You really need to bring your buddy along so he can row for you and control the drift, otherwise you are going loose a few hairs. You spend more time jumping back and forth to the ignition and the steering wheel than you do fishing. Or you can hire a guide and let them do all the work. And they defiantly know where to find the fish. C’mon up and eat some midges, the fishing is still really good.

Walk in: No new reports. This reports remains from the Aug. 19.  As promised, I did go down to the walk in area this morning to fish around 8 a.m. Fishing was good; I was only there for couple of hours. I did manage to land four trout. I did not rig with a dry dropper I used a ginger scud and a light brown or tan San Juan worm. Lost the San Juan worm first cast. I also used a flash midge; two of the four fish took the midge. Nothing took the scud. This area is fishing well but, only in the morning hours. Then, again in the late afternoon it fishes OK but, remember the water will be pretty high, and moving very fast!!! Fish on.   T

Spin Fishing: The crème lures down deep did very well for a group on the water today. They had an exceptional day!

Fishing Synopsis and Forecast by Terry Gunn 7/26/08
Recent Fishing: The Cicadas began singing in June and by early July the trout were starting to key on this winged meal. The hatch was normal by historical standards but not the “bumper crop” of last year. The numbers of cicadas are such that the fish are feeding on them near the rocky shores but not in the middle of the river like last summer. It is always a treat to catch Lees Ferry trout on big dry flies; July and August is the time to do it. The cicadas appear to be declining as their life cycle is short but there will be some flying around for the rest of the summer and the fish will continue keying on them even as the cicadas die off. The cicada fishing is always best on cloudy or overcast days.
Drifting from the boat with heavy nymph rigs has been very productive! The high flows of summer restrict the areas that are productive to wade but open up vast areas that are productive to the drifting angler. We have been having terrific success with scuds and San Juan worms, attached to 10 to 15-ft leaders, with heavy shot and a strike indicator. The key to success is to stay over fish, get the flies down to the bottom, and get a long, perfect dead drift.

If you can take the heat; the summer is a very productive time to fish the Ferry and provides the most consistent and least crowded fishing of the entire year.

I recently heard the spawn this year was 10X normal. I have never seen so many fry and small trout in the river.

LAKE MEAD – Lake Mead water levels have held steady as the elevation is currently at around 1,105 feet above msl.  Nighttime striper fishing has been really good again.  Anglers using artificial lights were catching as many 13- to 18-inch stripers as they wanted to clean.

Catfishing under lights was also very productive using anchovies.  Artificial lights tend to be most productive if fished with a new moon. Aug. 30 is the next new moon so trolling crankbaits during the day may slow a little, and submersed lights should become more effective.  Launching conditions at South Cove have remained nearly the same for the last two months. The new concrete ramp the National Park Service just completed is one lane with buoys 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.

Important notice: With the recent 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 fishing for small stripers has been pretty good.  Try using cut anchovies at night.  If you have submersible lights try using them around the new moon.  The lake level has remained pretty steady and is running at 640 feet above msl. The stripers seen in the fall were fat and full of shad, with schools of shad being chased by striped bass.  No sign of shad this year so far.  If you can find schools of shad, throw a small crankbait.

Biologists from both Arizona Game and Fish Department and Nevada Division of Wildlife have continued to install fish habitat in both Carp Cove and Box Cove.  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 recent 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/.

WILLOW BEACH - Trout are stocked every Friday.  Fishing was a bit spotty for those fishing from the shoreline with about half the angler’s having success.    Most of the success has been coming from or around the new pier.  Try using a Power Bait, green Power Worms, or salmon eggs.  Anglers report the fishing being best before 07:30.  The striper fishing has been picking up.  As the water in the basin of Lake Mohave warms, the bigger fish move into the colder water in the Willow beach area.

Important notice: With the recent 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 azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

TOPOCK MARSH –Water level is up, but still be careful while launching.  The fishing has been pretty slow.  A few bass are being caught, but overall slow.

Game and Fish biologists surveyed the Marsh starting on the week of Jan. 15.  The largemouth bass population was observed to be very healthy, as well as channel catfish.  Crappie were also present, but in smaller numbers.

You can access the marsh by boat at 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 recent 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/.

COLORADO RIVER BELOW DAVIS DAM –The striper bite has been slow.  Trout were last stocked on March 24-25.  This was the last trout stocking until next winter.

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 recent 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/.