3 day northend fishing trip

Status
Not open for further replies.
birdsnest

birdsnest

Keeper of San Juan Secrets
Would like to go to Bullfrog this spring to fish for three days. I've only been to Bullfrog twice and both times flew in for work so couldn't fish. Really don't know much about the area and would like some kind of information. Will probably be in a 21' pontoon that will cruise at 15 mph and we will be camping. I lived in Page for years and fished the southend hard both camping and houseboating so know about fuel,ice, drinks and all that. Looking more for places to go fish and camp. Have heard of so many places up there but don't know where they are such as striper city, moqui wall etc,etc. Would like to be directed to some of them. We will be pulling the boat from about 50 miles north of Kanab on 89. I understand Hanksville is a normal stopping place for those coming from this direction. Have never been to Hanksville, is that the best place to fuel and ice up or is waiting to get to the lake better? Should get to the lake midday. will probably be mid to late April. Always wanted to do this trip and ain't getting any younger.
 
I am not sure about ice, but fuel is usually the same price (or often less expensive) at Ticaboo/Offshore or even the lake than it is in Hanksville. The better fishing for SMB/LMB and walleye is usually in/around GHB, but that is going to be a LONG ride at 15 MPH.

Moqui is the first canyon North of bullfrog. That will be your closest place to hit stripers. South toward Lake or the mouth of Annies would be the other close area where the schools hang out.
 
Making notes! My buddy has the pontoon, maybe I'd better arrange with my son in law to have our boat available for that trip, a 21' glastron with a 350. Cruises about 35 mph. Very interested in lmb and smb.
 
It's difficult to swing a dead cat and not have it land in a good place to fish on the north end. Spring or fall there's plenty of places close to BF including Halls, Hansen, Moqui, Iceburg and Knowles. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day we always get out from the crowds as far as possible including Rincon and Escalante in the middle lake area and of course Good Hope up to Hite is the best fishing on the lake imho. Hanksville has the clear ice which lasts much longer but I'm starting to find it in a few more places lately. Mid April can be tricky fishing depending on the water temps and what the fish are doing. And tis the season for big wind storms. You shouldn't have any trouble finding protected beaches to camp on. Good luck
 
jt465 said:
It's difficult to swing a dead cat and not have it land in a good place to fish on the north end. Spring or fall there's plenty of places close to BF including Halls, Hansen, Moqui, Iceburg and Knowles. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day we always get out from the crowds as far as possible including Rincon and Escalante in the middle lake area and of course Good Hope up to Hite is the best fishing on the lake imho. Hanksville has the clear ice which lasts much longer but I'm starting to find it in a few more places lately. Mid April can be tricky fishing depending on the water temps and what the fish are doing. And tis the season for big wind storms. You shouldn't have any trouble finding protected beaches to camp on. Good luck
Click to expand...
We always try to get to SJ from the southend to get away from everyone so I'm on board with that. Just don't know the actual names of places up north. It would be cool to head to the Rincon from the north but have been in that area so am inclined to head further north once in the boat. Good Hope and Hite would probably be the direction We'd head. What an adventure that would be for a southender. Thanks for mentioning Knowles, Hansen, Moqui and Iceburg cause that's where we will explore. I will look it up on map and hopefully ask more specific questions.. Where is the place called the Battleship? It looks like a must see. I love to fish but when with good company, just seeing what is presented is awesome and enough to make my day. Only a short time separates me from this bucket list fulfillment. Thank you for responding Breaking out the Stan Jones.
 
With only 3 days to fish, I would concentrate on Bullfrog and Halls, many a tournament have been won in those bays and there is a ton of water in each. Moqui and Lost Eden are close by and would be good option.
 
birdsnest said:
We always try to get to SJ from the southend to get away from everyone so I'm on board with that. Just don't know the actual names of places up north. It would be cool to head to the Rincon from the north but have been in that area so am inclined to head further north once in the boat. Good Hope and Hite would probably be the direction We'd head. What an adventure that would be for a southender. Thanks for mentioning Knowles, Hansen, Moqui and Iceburg cause that's where we will explore. I will look it up on map and hopefully ask more specific questions.. Where is the place called the Battleship? It looks like a must see. I love to fish but when with good company, just seeing what is presented is awesome and enough to make my day. Only a short time separates me from this bucket list fulfillment. Thank you for responding Breaking out the Stan Jones.
Click to expand...
Going north in April you'll want to look for the mudline and keep an eye out for floating debris. It depends on what kind of runoff we will get this spring. Battleship rock is in White Canyon just a couple of miles down lake from Hite
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1006.JPG
    IMG_1006.JPG
    60.2 KB · Views: 44
Hit a submerged log coming out of the back of Navajo. Talk about a sick feeling in the gut. Only thing scarier would be hitting something while on the river above Lee's ferry. Didn't realize how spoiled I was with clear water until heading out on a friends boat at the mouth of Cape Fear into the ocean. The water was like chocolate milk and I was a ball of nerves watching the depth finder constantly. I love Powell but it can get dicey there too. Zahn Bay is a great place to take out a prop, learned that one the hard way but that was green algae, not mud.
 
birdsnest said:
Hit a submerged log coming out of the back of Navajo. Talk about a sick feeling in the gut. Only thing scarier would be hitting something while on the river above Lee's ferry. Didn't realize how spoiled I was with clear water until heading out on a friends boat at the mouth of Cape Fear into the ocean. The water was like chocolate milk and I was a ball of nerves watching the depth finder constantly. I love Powell but it can get dicey there too. Zahn Bay is a great place to take out a prop, learned that one the hard way but that was green algae, not mud.
Click to expand...
Another thing is that Zahn Bay is so far out that I don't think there is any cell service that gets out that far. A few years ago I was anchored outside Great Bend and a ranger stopped by asking if we had seen a certain boat in the area. We mentioned we had not seen the guy and he mentioned that he was missing in the Zahn Bay area, and the Ranger was on a recovery mission, but they didn't expect to find him alive. Zahn Bay is beautiful, but navigating in shallower water there is tough. Lots of trees and whales.
 
Bill Sampson said:
Another thing is that Zahn Bay is so far out that I don't think there is any cell service that gets out that far. A few years ago I was anchored outside Great Bend and a ranger stopped by asking if we had seen a certain boat in the area. We mentioned we had not seen the guy and he mentioned that he was missing in the Zahn Bay area, and the Ranger was on a recovery mission, but they didn't expect to find him alive. Zahn Bay is beautiful, but navigating in shallower water there is tough. Lots of trees and whales.
Click to expand...
And great lmb fishing.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top