How is rising water going to affect Lake Powell fishing this summer?
Most species in the lake rely on brushy cover for survival of young in large numbers. Over the past few years brush has not been covered resulting in low survival of young-of-year of most species. Without small fish to eat, adults slow down in growth even though they consume most of the young fish available. If they would wait until a young shad or bluegill was larger than a half inch they would get more energy out of each fish consumed.
Now with rising water young fish will survive better by hiding in brush. Adult fish will not be able to eat all the young until they have grown larger making the foraging process more positive for growth. The big winners will be largemouth bass and crappie, 2 of the most popular LP fish. They will survive in larger numbers than normal without brush which will make their numbers increase for the generation produced this year ( living over next 5 years). This filling is overdue and needed particularly for crappie which are low in number. This is the future forecast.
Fishing this summer already has the benefit of lots of cover under water which has not happened recently. LMBass will thrive and be caught in larger than normal numbers this fall and into next year. Crappie will begin showing up in good numbers in 2018 and beyond.
Stripers will BOIL because of the many shad produced. they wont all be eaten when small by slurping fish. Many will hide in the weeds and then form schools in July and August that will produce some of the best boils seen recently. This is exciting fishing.
Walleye are in good numbers and become easier to catch as the water covers the tamarisk trees. Walleye move to the tree tops to ambush fish swimming by. They are easy to catch with a trolled lure that just ticks the tree tops. All anglers can easily catch walleye in these conditions instead of the detailed fishing required without a brush thicket. So more brush is a good thing.
What techniques should anglers consider when fishing Powell during the summer months?
Every morning at first light and evening at last light make a run in main bays and canyons looking for striper surface activity. Use surface lures and long casts to find and catch them.
Midday park on brush points and drop senkos or shad shaped worms on drop shot to catch bass down 15-30 feet. Large bass will boil with stripers. The best time to catch bass is right after the striper boil subsides. Continue to cast to the shoreline brush to get some big fish.
Walleye in the tree tops using a lure that dives to within a foot or two of the tops of trees in each grove.
Bluegill are becoming more abundant and much bigger then in the past. Fish live worms and small hooks over brush to catch large fish like the ones that made Pelican Lake, UT famous.
3. What species bite the best during the dog days of summer at Lake Powell.
Striped Bass boils! July. August and September will be the premiere months to catch these exciting 2-4 pound fish in big numbers in each boil.
Most species in the lake rely on brushy cover for survival of young in large numbers. Over the past few years brush has not been covered resulting in low survival of young-of-year of most species. Without small fish to eat, adults slow down in growth even though they consume most of the young fish available. If they would wait until a young shad or bluegill was larger than a half inch they would get more energy out of each fish consumed.
Now with rising water young fish will survive better by hiding in brush. Adult fish will not be able to eat all the young until they have grown larger making the foraging process more positive for growth. The big winners will be largemouth bass and crappie, 2 of the most popular LP fish. They will survive in larger numbers than normal without brush which will make their numbers increase for the generation produced this year ( living over next 5 years). This filling is overdue and needed particularly for crappie which are low in number. This is the future forecast.
Fishing this summer already has the benefit of lots of cover under water which has not happened recently. LMBass will thrive and be caught in larger than normal numbers this fall and into next year. Crappie will begin showing up in good numbers in 2018 and beyond.
Stripers will BOIL because of the many shad produced. they wont all be eaten when small by slurping fish. Many will hide in the weeds and then form schools in July and August that will produce some of the best boils seen recently. This is exciting fishing.
Walleye are in good numbers and become easier to catch as the water covers the tamarisk trees. Walleye move to the tree tops to ambush fish swimming by. They are easy to catch with a trolled lure that just ticks the tree tops. All anglers can easily catch walleye in these conditions instead of the detailed fishing required without a brush thicket. So more brush is a good thing.
What techniques should anglers consider when fishing Powell during the summer months?
Every morning at first light and evening at last light make a run in main bays and canyons looking for striper surface activity. Use surface lures and long casts to find and catch them.
Midday park on brush points and drop senkos or shad shaped worms on drop shot to catch bass down 15-30 feet. Large bass will boil with stripers. The best time to catch bass is right after the striper boil subsides. Continue to cast to the shoreline brush to get some big fish.
Walleye in the tree tops using a lure that dives to within a foot or two of the tops of trees in each grove.
Bluegill are becoming more abundant and much bigger then in the past. Fish live worms and small hooks over brush to catch large fish like the ones that made Pelican Lake, UT famous.
3. What species bite the best during the dog days of summer at Lake Powell.
Striped Bass boils! July. August and September will be the premiere months to catch these exciting 2-4 pound fish in big numbers in each boil.