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 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 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.

Rory;

The striper fishing is still excellent at Lake Mead and I thought I’d share these photos with you..

On Saturday night, in about 5 1/2 hours of angling, the Unmacht family from Glendale and I caught 190 stripers and one catfish, the largest weighing 4 lbs 9 oz. while fishing out of South Cove on Lake Mead.
Jim Unmacht caught the big guy.

This was in preparation of the annual Stripe-R-Rama tournament, which this year is being held on June 27.

I’ve been lucky enough to be part of the winning team in that tournament the last two years in a row.

Last year we won with a 40-fish limit that weighed 72 lbs.

The top 40 in the Unmacht photo weigh 78 lbs 14 oz!

I will be fishing this year with my third partner in three years my brother Gary!

The other photos are of Jake & John Cave. Jake won one of the two two trips we offer to our hunter education classes for not having any disciplinary issues during the two weekend class. Jake was our number three of our four honor graduates, but won the trip when the top honor graduate selected him in a blind drawing at the end of class.

This kind of angling is worth mssing a little sleep over!

Don Martin

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 visithttp://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 atmchmiel@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 tohttp://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/.