Outside
Well-Known Member
I had the pleasure of venturing to Lake Powell for my sixth trip ever and a first for both beach camping and only fishing for Stripers with fly rod. Arrived Thursday 8:00 pm to Halls to hot smoky wind. Everything to the south was socked in with smoke and only a small sliver of sky visible on the northern horizon. Luckily the northern breezes kept the smoke just to the south and created a little afternoon cloud cover and extend dusk a few hours with the red glow of the sun over the weekend. We spotted a few surface striper schools from the ramp and quickly set up camp at the first bay to entrance to Halls that we had to ourselves the whole time. A great sheltered beach and a perfect view to the napalm fires/explosions that would send a coating of glowing lava down the rock at the entrance to Halls each night. Never seen anything like it, a different level of lake fireworks. We harassed a few schools and picked up 5 before nightfall.
Sunrise Friday revealed numerous individual risers near shore chasing the large schools of two inch long shad in submerged tamarisk. Soon large groups developed and seemed to be chasing at the surface more than slurping. We stayed in Halls bay till mid morning when they slowed down. The schools stayed on top briefly and were very skittish so casting to the leaders 20 feet in front the school or the edge produced best. Small flies worked best. Light colored and flashy flies like a white or silver crazy Charlie or silver and gold tinsel kreelex were most consistent. My friend on a baitcaster setup used white jerkbaits, larger shad plastics and small spoons to connect with the larger fish of the trip. Though unfortunately on average for the trip resulted in only a third of the hookups compared to the flyrod. A couple times they would switch to preferring lures over flies briefly. Friday mid-day was choppy so we went to Moki and found schools in every other bay on the south shore. Mid afternoon the surface calmed with the best fishing of the trip with aggressive takes from nearly every school north of Moki. Very fun watching the cruising fish break away and chase down the fly, often several racing to it. The water was stained above Bullfrog and turning greenish by Moki with sticks and the occasional smaller logs with good visibility. South of Bullfrog mostly clear water around 79 degrees though Halls bay was staining quickly over the weekend.
Saturday started well with willing fish around Halls but they quickly became skittish and surfaced briefly. Fishing became very challenging with multiple refusals every school if they didn't spook before you got a shot. We did find success in the backs of canyons casting to very aggressive singles. Not a bad day by any means, just got half the fish to the boat that day.
Sunday we stayed for a half day and the action picked right back up. Nearly nonstop schools south of Halls with a lot of doubles. A few groups we worked over for a mile moving in a straight line. We even had the channel to ourselves the first few hrs with no boat traffic. A truly epic fishing trip that will be a highlight of the year for sure. Around 80-90 stripers for the weekend with the majority being healthy strong fish 2-3 lbs and quite a few 5 pounders that were all skinny, and about as many smaller fish. Compared to last year at this time near Dangling rope the schools were much smaller, very spooky and stayed on top briefly, but overall still great fishing. Thanks WW!!
Sunrise Friday revealed numerous individual risers near shore chasing the large schools of two inch long shad in submerged tamarisk. Soon large groups developed and seemed to be chasing at the surface more than slurping. We stayed in Halls bay till mid morning when they slowed down. The schools stayed on top briefly and were very skittish so casting to the leaders 20 feet in front the school or the edge produced best. Small flies worked best. Light colored and flashy flies like a white or silver crazy Charlie or silver and gold tinsel kreelex were most consistent. My friend on a baitcaster setup used white jerkbaits, larger shad plastics and small spoons to connect with the larger fish of the trip. Though unfortunately on average for the trip resulted in only a third of the hookups compared to the flyrod. A couple times they would switch to preferring lures over flies briefly. Friday mid-day was choppy so we went to Moki and found schools in every other bay on the south shore. Mid afternoon the surface calmed with the best fishing of the trip with aggressive takes from nearly every school north of Moki. Very fun watching the cruising fish break away and chase down the fly, often several racing to it. The water was stained above Bullfrog and turning greenish by Moki with sticks and the occasional smaller logs with good visibility. South of Bullfrog mostly clear water around 79 degrees though Halls bay was staining quickly over the weekend.
Saturday started well with willing fish around Halls but they quickly became skittish and surfaced briefly. Fishing became very challenging with multiple refusals every school if they didn't spook before you got a shot. We did find success in the backs of canyons casting to very aggressive singles. Not a bad day by any means, just got half the fish to the boat that day.
Sunday we stayed for a half day and the action picked right back up. Nearly nonstop schools south of Halls with a lot of doubles. A few groups we worked over for a mile moving in a straight line. We even had the channel to ourselves the first few hrs with no boat traffic. A truly epic fishing trip that will be a highlight of the year for sure. Around 80-90 stripers for the weekend with the majority being healthy strong fish 2-3 lbs and quite a few 5 pounders that were all skinny, and about as many smaller fish. Compared to last year at this time near Dangling rope the schools were much smaller, very spooky and stayed on top briefly, but overall still great fishing. Thanks WW!!
