LAKE POWELL – Report Courtesy Wayne Gustaveson, Utah Division of Wildlife. September 10, 2008  Lake elevation: 3,628  Water temp: 77-80 F.

The theme for this report is “good fishing.” That takes on different connotations in Lake Powell when compared with most other fisheries. Anglers at Powell usually catch large numbers of fish while those fishing other waters are content with fewer fish. Both fishing experiences are fun but expectations are different.

The immense size of the lake provides space for innumerable predator fish that are often forage limited. Hungry fish are easy to catch. Infrequently the lake balance swings away from being predator heavy and forage fish are more abundant. Flourishing forage is normal in most waters but when that happens at Powell, an adjustment in fishing attitude is required.

Stripers drive the Lake Powell fishery. They eat early and often, which makes them easy to find while they are roaming and searching for food. This year feeding is easy in the northern lake. Stripers are fat. Meals are provided in a short order without great effort. Roaming and searching for food is limited.
To be successful in these conditions feeding habits must be understood and exploited. Stripers feed for the first and last two hours of daylight. They are nocturnal and will feed in dark periods as well. The prized surface feeding events (boils) occur consistently during the dawn and dusk period and randomly during the day. Wind blows away the boil and stripers just feed at depth instead of the surface. The strategy is to be in position to find a boil when the sun comes up.
Recently the southern lake is “better” for boils. There are less shad, making stripers search harder and boil more often. Cruise the lake from Wahweap to Rainbow for a chance to see a morning boil. The mouth of the San Juan may be the most consistent boil spot now but the channel from San Juan to Bullfrog is also productive.
The northern portions of the lake (Hite and San Juan) are still forage-heavy with less surface action. Fishing is great for bass along the rocky shore and in the brushy coves. If fishing the northern lake, target bass and take advantage of a striper school when they pop to the top or cross the screen of the graph. The best technique is the jigging spoon placed immediately in the fast moving school. Catch them quick because they move on in a short time.

What has been described here is Lake Powell fishing success being much like most other fisheries. It should be enjoyed knowing that fish are having an easy time right now. But these conditions will not last long. Shad will be consumed in huge numbers. The shad spawn next spring will be small due to the high numbers of shad competing with each other for food. The end result will be a normal Lake Powell high success year in 2009 with big fish being common. That will be a peak year to be remembered. Plan now to fish the lake in 2009.

For this week we have to be satisfied with only catching 10-30 fish per day, unless bass fishing and then the numbers go up. I know this is “slow” fishing by Lake Powell standards, but today’s sacrifice will lead to a brighter tomorrow.

LEES FERRY – From Lees Ferry Anglers, by: Ted Welling
Today’s Fly Fishing: We heard from a few anglers today and the reports were positive. The fish are settling into these new flows and are happy and healthy. There are a lot of hatches as soon as the sun hits the water. I don’t remember seeing so many plumes of midge hatches. I went up to the dam late yesterday afternoon. Not to fish, but to show a friend the channel. On the way back to the dock we both were laughing at one another about all the midges we were eating. It was unbelievable the swarms of midges we were seeing and the amount of midges that were in our hair and eyelashes, eyebrows and ears and yes up the nose too. It’s a good thing that they don’t taste too bad. That being said, I would recommend a good pair of polarized glasses and a bandanna for your face, the two things I forgot to bring along yesterday. I will cut this short and say one last thing, the fishing is really picking up with these flows and the hatches are as thick as peanut butter, you turn off the engine and you can hear them buzzing all around your head. Fishing is bound to stay this way for a while or at least as long as this beautiful weather lasts. Tight lines    T
Walk in: A new report received from this section today. San Juans, and orange scuds are the ticket. The fish are holding just off the banks. A 2’ to 5’ dropper is very effective.
Spin Fishing: Glo bugs bounced on bottom and jigs were the effective today. Stop by and check out the rig for bottom bouncing; it’s a kick.

LAKE MEAD – Lake Mead water levels have held steady, 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 won’t be as effective this week with the full moon.

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.  The lake level has remained pretty steady and is running at 641 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, try trolling 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 www.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 anglers having success.    Most of the success has been coming from or around the new pier. Try using green Power Worms, or salmon eggs.  Anglers report the fishing being best before 7:30 a.m.    The striper fishing has been picking up.  Reports of stipers 5-plus-pounds are common.

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 www.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 www.azgfd.gov  or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

COLORADO RIVER BELOW DAVIS DAM –The striper bite has picked up a little.  One angler reported catching a 40-inch striper.  Trout were last stocked on March 24-25.  Trout stocking will resume around the end of 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 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 www.azgfd.gov  or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.