We took advantage of the calm warm weather to take a trip uplake. It has been my experience this year that early morning fishing success is much better than results achieved after the day warms up at 10 AM or later. We launched at 7 AM because I am a pansy and don’t really like running in cold, no light conditions when air temperature is in the 40s. In June or July we would have been on the lake an hour before the sun came up. It takes me an hour to get to the back of Last Chance or Rock Creek. Both of these canyons have a dependable bunch of stripers so it is worth the trip.
Upon arrival we deployed trolling lures and started fishing. I used the ghost Lucky Craft XD while my partner used the same lure he has used all year, the Shad Rap (SR8) in black and silver. He just has no imagination or spirit of adventure. (And he has been out fishing me 5:1 every trip in 2015 with his Shad Rap). I like to use 2 different lures with slightly different color and running depth so we cover more bases in case stripers have changed their game plan.
We started trolling at a bottom depth of 55 feet but headed toward shore where a shallow point extended into the water. We had good success near this point last spring and have consistently found that stripers usually hold on the breaking edge of a reef or point where it falls into deeper water. We trolled for about 300 yards before graphing the first group of fish holding at 25 feet right where the rock structure ended and depth quickly increased to 45 feet. Our lures went right over the fish and a fat 3 pound striper selected the Shad Rap and ignored the Lucky Craft… again.
While my partner reeled that fish in I deployed the spoon but saw no followers on the graph. Then the spoon was cast further back toward the point and another fat 3-pound striper was hooked right on the bottom. The next spoon drop was inhaled by another fish. Imagine my surprise when the fish turned out to be a channel cat with a yellow body! That must be the winter catfish color.
We caught 8 stripers in the first hour of fishing using these troll and spoon techniques. In the second hour the catch dropped off to only 4 fish. Only in Lake Powell could anglers be disappointed in catching 12 stripers with a combined weight exceeding 30 pounds. But we missed some short hits and lost a few fish that were hooked but came off before they could be landed. These stripers were not aggressive and in a negative feeding mood. Later at the fish cleaning station we found all stomachs empty with the exception of one small crayfish. The fish were not feeding and we were “skilled” (lucky) to catch a few fish despite the somber mood.
This trolling, spooning and graphing technique will continually catch stripers until the water warms into the 60s. At that point stripers will think about spawning and switch to nocturnal feeding behavior. All of the fish caught were mature which will make fishing tough when spawning behavior limits feeding activity in May and June. All will be well in late June and July when boil season starts (if the shad have a good spawn).
When planning a spring trip expect stripers to be in the backs of canyons holding on the ends of long underwater points and over shallow humps surrounded by deeper water. When planning a spring trip you might want to purchase a Shad Rap SR8 which is the same size and color as a yearling gizzard shad.
Those that troll in the backs of canyons will catch many more stripers than those that head toward the dam and Moki Wall with anchovies. This will be one of those years when bait fishermen will be disappointed and trolling, casting and fly fishing will bring in the most stripers.
I have to go buy a large Shad Rap. See you on the lake.
We started trolling at a bottom depth of 55 feet but headed toward shore where a shallow point extended into the water. We had good success near this point last spring and have consistently found that stripers usually hold on the breaking edge of a reef or point where it falls into deeper water. We trolled for about 300 yards before graphing the first group of fish holding at 25 feet right where the rock structure ended and depth quickly increased to 45 feet. Our lures went right over the fish and a fat 3 pound striper selected the Shad Rap and ignored the Lucky Craft… again.
While my partner reeled that fish in I deployed the spoon but saw no followers on the graph. Then the spoon was cast further back toward the point and another fat 3-pound striper was hooked right on the bottom. The next spoon drop was inhaled by another fish. Imagine my surprise when the fish turned out to be a channel cat with a yellow body! That must be the winter catfish color.
We caught 8 stripers in the first hour of fishing using these troll and spoon techniques. In the second hour the catch dropped off to only 4 fish. Only in Lake Powell could anglers be disappointed in catching 12 stripers with a combined weight exceeding 30 pounds. But we missed some short hits and lost a few fish that were hooked but came off before they could be landed. These stripers were not aggressive and in a negative feeding mood. Later at the fish cleaning station we found all stomachs empty with the exception of one small crayfish. The fish were not feeding and we were “skilled” (lucky) to catch a few fish despite the somber mood.
This trolling, spooning and graphing technique will continually catch stripers until the water warms into the 60s. At that point stripers will think about spawning and switch to nocturnal feeding behavior. All of the fish caught were mature which will make fishing tough when spawning behavior limits feeding activity in May and June. All will be well in late June and July when boil season starts (if the shad have a good spawn).
When planning a spring trip expect stripers to be in the backs of canyons holding on the ends of long underwater points and over shallow humps surrounded by deeper water. When planning a spring trip you might want to purchase a Shad Rap SR8 which is the same size and color as a yearling gizzard shad.
Those that troll in the backs of canyons will catch many more stripers than those that head toward the dam and Moki Wall with anchovies. This will be one of those years when bait fishermen will be disappointed and trolling, casting and fly fishing will bring in the most stripers.
I have to go buy a large Shad Rap. See you on the lake.