I just got back.

[Havalina]

I just spent the last 4 days at bullfrog and halls creek. The stripers are fat they are getting budda bellies. There is nothing but bait balls everywhere. I fished from dawn until dusk and the bite did not start until 15:30. I would would go for 8 hours and not get a singe bite and would then catch 10-12 in the next two hours. I was using downriggers and stayed between 40-50 ft. This was the first time since coming down to lake powell, that I actually caught more walleye than stripers. With all the bait this year, I really hope that we get to see some 10-12 pounders in the next couple of years

These pics are at the back of halls creek and bullfrog looks the same. There is bait everywhere.

 

[bobco]

tell me about the walleyes? did you catch many? I suspect they are in striper mode out feeding on the shad in open water, thanks

 

[Havalina]

I probably caught about 25 or so walleye, and probably 10-15 smallies. I even caught a few channel cats. The average size walleye was about 20 in. I only caught about 15 stripers, but their size made up for the lack of numbers. I came home with two gallon size freezer bag of walleye fillets and two of stripers. Everything that I caught was trolling open water. I was just trolling between 40-50 ft. deep. I would try to keep one right below the baitballs and then one in the upper third of the bait balls. I was also using uv lures, and the darker colors worked best this go around. I would vary my speed between 2-3 mph. Nothing seemed to make a difference, until 15:30 and then it was on.

I am seriously trying to work on slabbing for stripers, but every time I found a school on the bottom wind permitting, I would try. That was a big nothing. If you look at the bait balls, only the ones with fish below it would be productive. I think that I saw more baitballs without fish, than with fish. It was a grab bag at what would hit. I actually had a few doubles, and I think all of them were mixed species. I actually only fish for stripers, the walleye are a consolation fish. I like eating them, but they fight, like a halibut. Just dead weight.

 

[bobco]

I probably caught about 25 or so walleye, and probably 10-15 smallies. I even caught a few channel cats. The average size walleye was about 20 in. I only caught about 15 stripers, but their size made up for the lack of numbers. I came home with two gallon size freezer bag of walleye fillets and two of stripers. Everything that I caught was trolling open water. I was just trolling between 40-50 ft. deep. I would try to keep one right below the baitballs and then one in the upper third of the bait balls. I was also using uv lures, and the darker colors worked best this go around. I would vary my speed between 2-3 mph. Nothing seemed to make a difference, until 15:30 and then it was on.

I am seriously trying to work on slabbing for stripers, but every time I found a school on the bottom wind permitting, I would try. That was a big nothing. If you look at the bait balls, only the ones with fish below it would be productive. I think that I saw more baitballs without fish, than with fish. It was a grab bag at what would hit. I actually had a few doubles, and I think all of them were mixed species. I actually only fish for stripers, the walleye are a consolation fish. I like eating them, but they fight, like a halibut. Just dead weight.

thanks, see allot of trolling striper fisherman with walleyes, probably a good way to go with all the shad to eat. thanks for the report

 

[PBH]

you ever find any walleye up in Trachyte a couple weeks ago?
We ended up with two. We usually pick up a lot more trolling for stripers....but not this trip. It was tough. Those predators have it way to easy right now...

 

[bobco]

Nope, caught a ton of catfish in the walleye spots, did find a crappie hole that played well! Saw allot of what looked like eyes but would not play, full bellies.

 

[Capt. Ron]

What were you trolling with?

 

[PBH]

Nope, caught a ton of catfish in the walleye spots, did find a crappie hole that played well! Saw allot of what looked like eyes but would not play, full bellies.

Richard caught a catfish trolling a big crankbait. He wouldn't let me take a picture of him with it. The catfish was about 1/4" long! I've never seen anything like that! (impaled by the hook through the side of the body)

We never found any crappie. Like you said, everything has full bellies. When they do get hungry, they just open their mouths.

 

[bobco]

What were you trolling with?

Casting reelbait flasher jigs with half of crawler, deadly.

 

[Brent R]

Thanks for the report. I tend to agree based upon my last trip there. We are going to see some big boys and girls in the next few years with all the bait in the water.

 

[Havalina]

The repala thunderstick.

 

[wayne gustaveson]

Yes fish are not moving. Just resting near a shad pod. When they get hungry they take a short trip, eat a few shad and then rest some more. It makes sense that these fat, lazy fish would eat a worm, or piece of anchovy or a piece of striper meat that was dropped to the bottom right where they are enjoying their leisurely life style.

Recently the reports have been good catches one day followed by a few off days before fish get active again. We found that in the San Juan (Piute canyon). After setting the gill nets Monday night we went fishing for an hour at sunset. Large and smallmouth bass were all over topwater baits. Then we trolled LC Bevy Shad crankbaits back to camp and crushed the stripers catching 15 fantastically fat fish in 20 minutes.

The next night we waited for that magic sunset hour again. Went to the same place with the same lures caught 4 little smallmouth on topwater lures and then trolled up one striper at dark. What a difference a day makes?

 

[linnell]

Never trust a shad bite

 

[bw56]

Wayne, I was wondering if you had ever seen this fishing pattern before? So many shad?

 

[wayne gustaveson]

Wayne, I was wondering if you had ever seen this fishing pattern before? So many shad?

No. Maybe back in 1980 but certainly not in the recent past. It is a great problem to have. We finished our gill net sampling on Friday and confirmed that the health and robustness of all sport fish is the best ever tested.