LAKE HAVASU – The striped bass are now beginning to feed on large shallow topwater baits such as the Vixen in bone white, chartreuse shad, and shad shiner. These colors have been and continue to be the best producers on Havasu for striped bass.

Consider the elements when choosing your presentation of the baits. When selecting your lure think “Calm Waters = Quiet Baits” and ” Windy Waters = Loud Rattle Baits” The secret is to adapt to the conditions.

The Cotton Cordell Red Fin and Creek Chub Striper Strike are great for shallow water and have the ability to be mimic a wounded baitfish. This type of bait works well first thing in the morning.

If the wind picks up, use the louder baits such as the Storm Saltwater Chug Bait, the Zara Super Spook, or the Cotton Cordell Pencil Popper. Shallow water means hungry aggressive fish and the best time for this approach is before the sun rises through the first hour of the day.

The largemouth and smallmouth bass conditions are good to excellent right now. Smallmouth bass are bedding and aggressive and will strike at smaller plastic baits drop shotted wacky style or regular. Shorten the leader to about 5-6 inches and consider powder coating you drop shot lead in a color that is natural to the environment. Doing this causes the fish to hit the bait and not the drop shot lead as the bait first enters the bed. Bedded fish are very aggressive and attack instantly at the first thing that enters the nest, therefore if the lead looks like the bottom of the lake they generally notice the flashy lure and not the shiny lead. Four- and 5-inch Yamamoto grubs in pearl blue and pearl white, with the end of the tails dipped in Chartreuse dye, 4-inch Robo Worms in warmouth or June bug color with the chartreuse tail, or crawdads in white (dip the craws in chartreuse dye) and the Huddleston Craw in green/orange work well also.

The following reports were provided by Karen Coats, Sandpoint Marina:

* 4-8 -Joe Egan of San Diego CA got 5 stripers1-1.12 pounds using anchovies trolling coves.
* 4-9 -Rick Nelson of Prescott AZ got 2 cats 9.12 pounds using anchovies at Bluegill Island. Joe Egan of San Diego CA kept 5 of the 9 stripers he caught ranging from 1-2 pounds using anchovies trolling north.
* 4-10 -windy day-Joe Egan of San Diego caught 7 stripers 1-2 pounds using anchovies trolling coves north. Hunter Loggins of Glendora CA got a 7.1 cat using anchovies at B Dock. Danny Leathers of Glendora CA got a 6.8 pound cat using anchovies at B Dock.
* 4-11 -windy day-Joe Egan of San Diego CA released 6 of the 7 stripers he caught they were in the 1 to 1.8 pound range he was using anchovies and trolling north in the coves.
* 4-12 -Joe Egan of San Diego CA kept 2 of 8 stripers caught they were in the 1 to 2.8 pound range he was using anchovies trolling South in the coves.
* 4-13 -Jeff Esser of Lake Havasu City AZ got a 5.12 pound Cat using anchovies on the Jetty.
* 4-14 -Gary Coy of Hunnington Beach CA got 10 stripers and kept 1 that weighed 3.12 pounds he was at Blue Gill Island in the AM, in the PM he got 5 stripers total weight of 12.7 pounds he is using anchovies at Blue Gill Island. Joe and Shana Egan of San Diego CA got 2 stripers each they were 1 pounders, trolling anchovies north of Sandpoint

Angler report
Where: Lake Havasu Site Six
When: 03/14/08
Caught: Striper
Technique:Live shad and anchovies
Comments:Wife and I caught six and the guy next to us snagging shad caught a stringer full of 2 pounders
Name:Dave Torres

Where:Lake Havasu
When:03/12/08
Caught:Striper
Technique:Live shad with ¼-ounce split shot or with out weight. Also, white Rat-L-Traps worked real well.
Comments:Site Six was hot. Fished all night with consistent good size fish. Early morning, big boys came out. Everyone on dock was catching 3- to 5-pound fish with an occasional 8 or 10 pounder. Exciting!!
Name:Eddie Salazar

PARKER STRIP – Fishing should still be hot along the Strip with anglers doing well on smallmouth bass and largemouth bass using jerk baits and plastics, green or purple worms, and even beef hot dogs. There was also a report of an 8-pound striper on anchovies from a few weeks ago as well. Redears are grouping up in the grassy areas and should be moving to beds, if they haven’t already. Catfish are still a bit slow, but some places upriver are producing.

Important notice: Quagga mussels have been found in Lake Havasu so proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please move to the parking lot, DRAIN your live-wells and bilge where the water does not return to the lake. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, INSPECT your watercraft 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.

ALAMO LAKE – Well folks, in a nutshell fishing is pretty darn good out here. It’s hard not to catch bass. Any type of training wheels are working. Spinnerbaits, chatter baits, crank baits, even topwater. On plastics green/red flake, watermelon, black, or motor oil colored Robo Worms/lizards are working good. My uncle “Mac” came out from New Mexico and fished with me for a couple of days. His introduction to bass fishing was a 50 mph ride up the lake in 40-plus mph winds, straight into white caps. Once he got his color back, we were good to go.

Any time the winds are out of the north fishing is tough and this was no exception. We started in the back of coves and let the wind blow us out to points. We tossed brush hogs and U-tailed worms right up on the shoreline and boated about 15 bass that day. All were slot fish. I really wanted to throw some training wheels but high winds are not the time to teach someone how to use them. He did master the art of using a spinning reel, Texas rigging, and what different plastics do.

On day two we were able to get into the upper end of the lake and did okay throwing chartreuse spinnerbaits. On both days the bite seemed to shut off around two in the afternoon. For the first time this year I did not go out for the evening bite. After two days of fighting with a trolling motor in high winds I was pretty burnt out. I was told later there was a good topwater bite going right before dark. That kinda surprised me but after going out last night and seeing how much shad are schooled up in the back of coves, it makes perfect sense. Heddon torpedoes worked for Alex and his crew.

Crappie fishing is okay depending who you talk too. The locals are using minnows and bobbers and fishing right up in the brush. Most are averaging 10 to 15 crappies a day. Everything is in the brush, and is trying to spawn. If nothing else, tie something on and throw it into the brush. Odds are you going to catch something, might be a stick, BUT, it’s something.

I’ve had a few people say they have caught some catfish on crankbaits and plastic so that means there hungry. I’m sure some stink bait, shrimp, liver, or a hot dog in the back of a cove should boat a nice sized cat fish.

Make sure to bring sun block, bug spray, and a hat. The key here is to wear it. Although I made sure to keep my uncle dipped in sun block, I thought to my self,” I live here and it’s only in the ‘80s!” Well I’m still paying dearly for that mistake. Three days later my head quit peeling and my nose no longer feels like it’s going to fall off.

The lake level is at 1,125ish with releases of 25 cfs. Both ramps work great. We have minnows, worms, ice, fishing licenses, and fire wood here at the ranger station. Office hours are from 8 till 5 daily. If were not here right at 8 chill out, we will be here shortly. It just means were short staffed and getting the morning stuff done so the park looks nice for you. I need everyone to pass the word around that we will NOT have summer hours and will not keep the ranger station open late at night. So for those of you in Las Vegas that come for the night time crappie bite, get here before 5 if your wanting bait.

On a final note. After being a heavy smoker for the last 37 years I quit a couple of months ago. Even though I thought I was a nice guy several of you have pointed out that I have become grouchy, and down right irritable. Sorry about that. I will do my best to tone it back down to “just plain mean”. That’s all I got.

Angler report:

Where:Alamo Lake
When:04/05/08
Caught:10-pound catfish
Technique:hot dogs
Comments:water level was up… slow crappie fishing, but caught one catfish
Name:Brian
SPRING OUTLOOK:

ALAMO LAKE – The lake elevation continues to be good. Largemouth bass are present in all sizes and fishing is expected to be good to excellent throughout the spring. It looks like most of the bass are in the protected slot with a fair number over the slot. Exactly what is going on with the crappie is unknown. The bite has not developed as usual but we anticipate fishing to be fair to good throughout the spring. Channel catfish will be good to excellent this spring and throughout the summer. There are other fish present such as bluegill, redear sunfish and carp that are a lot of fun to catch. All types of bait should work. As the weather warms a shift from slowly working plastics in deeper water to crank baits, spinner baits, and top-water lures for bass. For channel catfish any of the prepared catfish baits as well as chicken livers, shrimp, and anything else you can think of should work.

Both of the boat ramps are useable at this time and the store at the lake is still closed so you need to bring everything with you. If you run short of anything you might be able to pick it up at the Wayside Inn or in Wenden. The certified scale that was located at the store is now located at the Alamo State Park Office and the park office also has live bait for the crappie fishermen.
LAKE HAVASU & TOPOCK GORGE — Largemouth bass, as well as smallmouth bass are expected to be good to excellent this spring. The size will range from 13 inches and up with an occasional fish greater than 5 pounds. Striped bass will continue to be excellent for small fish (12-18 inches) with occasional fish over 3 pounds. The lake is also full of smaller striper that will make it challenging to catch the larger fish. Channel catfish as well as bluegill and redear sunfish will be good to excellent. Flathead catfish fishing should be fair at the lower end of the lake (Bill Williams River Arm) through the spring. Sizes of flathead catfish can reach as high as 40 pounds. When fishing for them select the interior points in the coves and the areas where artificial structure has been placed.

The warmer weather causes the bite to increase making crankbaits and topwater lures a good choice. Also, spinner baits, jigs, cut fish, live shad, etc. should work depending on the species you are looking for.

Take precautions to make sure your boat and equipment is clean before leaving the water to make sure you don’t spread quagga mussels to other water by accident.

COLORADO RIVER (PARKER STRIP AREA) — It is expected to be good to excellent for smallmouth bass with fish over two pounds this spring. In addition, redear sunfish should also be good to excellent in the pound plus sizes. Channel and flathead catfish fishing will be fair to good in this section of the Colorado River as the weather warms up.

Take precautions to make sure your boat and equipment is clean before leaving the water to make sure you don’t spread quagga mussels to other water by accident.

COLORADO RIVER (BETWEEN PALO VERDE DIVERSION DAM AND WALTER’S CAMP) — This area should be fair for both smallmouth bass (in the channel) up river from the I-10 Bridge and largemouth bass (in the backwaters) throughout the entire area. Channel and flathead catfish are always fair to good in this section of the Colorado River. Most of the flathead catfish will be in the 2 to 5 pound size range with an occasional fish over 40 pounds. The time for fishing for both species of catfish will be late spring and throughout the summer. Generally speaking, when fishing for catfish the hotter the weather the better the fishing.

This section of the Colorado River all the way down to Yuma is where invasive species known as Giant Salvinia is located as well as quagga mussels. If using a boat make, sure the boat, live wells, engines, and trailer is clean before leaving the area. The last thing that we want to have happen is the movement of invasive species to other waters.

COLORADO RIVER (BETWEEN WALTER’S CAMP AND PICACHO STATE PARK) — This section of the Colorado River is relatively remote and can only be accessed by boat from either end. Fishing is expected to be good to excellent for flathead catfish with sizes over 40 pounds. The best time will be late spring and on into the summer (the hotter the better). The various backwaters will be good for largemouth bass and other sunfish (bluegill & redear). Other species available in the main river are smallmouth bass, channel catfish, and striped bass.

This section of the Colorado River all the way down to Yuma is where invasive species known as Giant Salvinia is located as well as quagga mussels. If using a boat make, sure the boat, live wells, engines, and trailer is clean before leaving the area. The last thing that we want to have happen is the movement of invasive species to other waters.

COLORADO RIVER (BETWEEN PICACHO STATE PARK AND IMPERIAL DAM) –
This area is expected to be good to excellent for largemouth bass, channel catfish, and flathead catfish. Bass and channel catfish in excess of 5 pounds are present along with flathead catfish as large as 40 pounds. Other sunfish such as bluegill and redear are also present in the various backwaters as well as an occasional striped bass will be caught in the backwaters and main river channel.

This section of the Colorado River all the way down to Yuma is where invasive species known as Giant Salvinia is located as well as quagga mussels. If using a boat make, sure the boat, live wells, engines, and trailer is clean before leaving the area. The last thing that we want to have happen is the movement of invasive species to other waters.

COLORADO RIVER (BETWEEN LAGUNA AND MORELOS DAMS) — This area will be good for largemouth bass and flathead catfish. Bass in excess of 5 pounds is common and flathead catfish over 20 pounds is a good bet. In this area accessibility to the river is dependent on the amount of water being released. Usually shallow draft boats are a must. The lower end has had some dredging work done and the larger boat will be able to get on the river in that area.

This section of the Colorado River all the way down to Yuma is where invasive species known as Giant Salvinia is located as well as quagga mussels. If using a boat make, sure the boat, live wells, engines, and trailer is clean before leaving the area. The last thing that we want to have happen is the movement of invasive species to other waters.

With the increase in border issues and illegal activity on the lower end of this area I would away from that area (Pilot Knob to Morelos Dam).
REGIONAL HOT SPOTS:

Alamo Lake will be the hot spot for Largemouth bass and channel catfish. Since there appears to be more fish in the lake at the present time I recommend keeping as many of the smaller bass as you can legally possess in order to try and reduce the population a little. Next choice would be Lake Havasu for striped bass, Parker Strip for smallmouth bass and redear sunfish, and the Colorado River below Walter’s Camp for flathead catfish.

If you need any additional information or additional don’t hesitate to contact the Yuma Regional office at (928) 341-4051 and I will be happy to accommodate you.