LAKE HAVASU – The striper bite will remain good to excellent as they are in full spawn right and the water temperature is consistently rising each day. Look for the topwater bait action to pick up and the quality of fish to increase as the next couple weeks approach. Several hundred Western Outdoor News contestants will be hitting the lake this next couple of weeks as the Striper Derby date is set for May 17 and 18 and these fish will be feeling the pressure of anglers that are searching and refining theirs skills and presentations to capture the ultimate “Large Lunker” that will wins them lots of cash and prizes.
Consider fishing the above the water with top water baits in the early pre-dawn hours up in shallow waters on reefs and rocky shoreline. If you get a hit on your bait and the fish doesn’t really commit to engulfing it then it is time to change presentations to catch the top water fish from below the surface. Repeat fishing the area that is holding fish with a bottom presentation such as the Carolina rig using anchovies and or mackerel. Chum the area to get the fish to approach and commit to the spot you are fishing. The stripers will move deeper as the day progresses to the drops off the old creek channel, this is where their spawning is taking place. Always look for some type of current or water movement as these fish like to congregate in these spots.

The topwater bait of choice would be a bone Vixen or Sammy as this type of bait when retrieved mimics a wounded and vulnerable shad. Zara Spooks and chuggers are working for the early morning hours equally as well.

The large and smallmouth bass fishing is good right now, the larger bass are holding over sparse weed beds and artificial habitats and they are hitting swim baits that resemble Red Ears (Bluegills) as they are retrieved above and through the weeds and habitat. There is a top water bite in the early predawn hours and you will still some of these fish on beds as they are continuing to have their second spawning stage in some areas of the lake. The bed fish can easily be caught on a drop shot rig with a 4 inch Robo curly tailed worm in the color of Bed Bait II, and a Berkley Power Worm. Shorten the leader to get the bait as close to bottom where the fish is more likely to attack it as he guards his nest from intruding predators. Spinnerbaits are working well when the wind picks up and there have been reports of a Blade Bite happening up river near Blankenship Bend.

Sandpoint Fish Report for May 27, 2008 from Karen Coats:

5-23 - Friday we had 2 inches of rain, but it did not stop Chop Bellue of Ramona CA from fishing at Satellite Cove and come up with a 6-pound cat he was using anchovies.

5-24 Gary Lamprecht of Peoria AZ got a 2-pound striper and son Ryan got a 1-pound smallmouth bass they were using anchovies and were in Satellite Cove

5-27 This morning Roberto Arrambade of Litchfield Park, AZ using night crawlers got a nice 8.13-pound cat over at Benson Bay.

Ryan Lampricht of Peoria AZ got a 4-pound striper off the jetty using anchovies.

Where: Lake Havasu
When:05/14/08
Caught: Large Mouth Bass, Huge Bluegill
Technique: Night crawlers.
Comments: I caught four largemouth bass in just under an hour all over four pounds and one that went at least six. Caught several bluegills well into the two pound range, huge monsters. All from the bank at Site Six. All fish were released to spawn another day. Also caught and released several very nice Smallmouth bass the week before trolling along the flats between Crazy Horse Campgrounds and the lighthouse at Site Six. Excellent fishing right now.
Name: Dennis Pinkerton

PARKER STRIP – COLORADO RIVER (PARKER STRIP AREA) – Courtesy June’s Bait Shop in Parker: Water temps along the strip have been averaging in the upper fifties to low sixties, and it’s only getting hotter!

Stripers are biting near the Parker Dam. A customer brought into June’s Bait Shop an 18-pound striper caught off of a Rapala crankbait on the 7th of April, and more are being caught using anchovies and cut bait.
Smallmouth, and largemouth bass activity has also picked up. It’s important to keep in mind that many of the bass being caught this year are females full off eggs.

PLEASE release these fish. The future of our fishing depends on it.
Four-inch purple Berkley Power Worms are working well for both large, and smallmouth bass. Also watermelon Senko’s used with a 4/0 wide gap worm hook work well. Remember to fish slow. Largemouth can be found close to the tulles.
Catfish are biting! Live bait works best for the big flatheads. Goldfish or bluegill can produce fish in the 50-pound range! So be ready for a night time fight.
Bluegill and redear are being caught in coves, and along rocky areas using meal worms, or night crawlers.

C.R.I.T. Waters. Lower Colorado River:
Smallmouth, largemouth, catfish, you name it… and it’s biting on the lower Colorado river. Crankbaits will catch smallmouth at all hours, along with Power Worms.
Catfish will eat live bait before anything else… stop by June’s Bait Shop for goldfish, and hook into a monster.

Lower Lake Havasu: Havasu Springs fishing dock still producing small, to medium sized striper. Shad activity has been slowing down, but cut bait will still catch fish. Smallmouth, and largemouth bass activity starting to increase. Brown and purple plastics work well; target coves with the warmest water.

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 – Day time temperatures are getting high. This is the leading edge of the good night time fishing for bass, crappie and catfish.

Angler report:
Where :Alamo lake
When: 05/17/08
Caught: large mouth
Technique: spinnerbaits thrown in the brush on main lake points
Name: josh

Where: Alamo Lake
When: 04/12/08
Caught: Largemouth Bass 8.9lbs
Technique: Senko
Comments: The bass are all over the lake and this monster was located at the under heavy brush at the Cholla entrance of the lake on boat dock ramp. Several fishermen told me that had no luck the whole day but where I was fishing on shore I caught over 8 fish in less than two hours. The shad schools of fish are really thick and follow the shad, you will find the bass.
Name: Danneal Castillo