Lake Powell Fish Report – July 18, 2012
Lake Elevation: 3631
Water Temperature 80-83 F
By: Wayne Gustaveson
www.wayneswords.com
The weekly fishing trip revealed some distressing news. Trolling for juvenile stripers along the brushy shoreline failed to work for the first time this year. It may have been just one slow day or a sign of fish movement out of the shallow zone. It will take another trip or two to make a positive determination.
The good news was finding early morning and late evening boils from these same juvenile fish. Feeding location has changed from the brushy shoreline in bays to shaded pockets along steep cliff walls. In the southern lake scattered boils are found during the first two hours of daylight and last hour of light in Navajo Canyon and the high walls of Gooseneck Point separating Padre Bay and Last Chance. This general pattern should work over the length of the lake. As the sun gets higher in the sky boils are confined only to shady areas. Cruising along the shade line in Navajo Canyon is a good way to find active stripers in early morning or late evening. Schools may range from 5 fish up to 100 stripers. Bigger schools provide more hookups while small groups make it harder to hook fish.
When a school is seen the most effective technique is to throw long casts with a small spoon right at the splash ring. Let the bait sink about 5 feet then work it back toward the surface and then let it fall again. Work the bait in a series of vertical drops while reeling it back to the boat. Kastmaster spoons are very effective for these fish feeding on top in very deep water. It is still a very good idea to use light leader to get more hookups when targeting juvenile stripers.
From Bullfrog to Hite fishing remains much better. Striper size is larger as adult fish are caught regularly. A few boils are seen but frequency is diminishing uplake in the hot weather. Kastmaster tactics should be employed for random surface action.
The go-to technique is to troll deeper diving lures that get down to 15 feet and deeper. Down riggers would be the preferred way to present you favorite lure at the preferred depth stripers desire. That depth is getting deeper as surface warming expands the warm surface layer.
Bait fishing is still only fair during the day but heating up dramatically at night.
The best technique for catching stripers now is to use a fish light after dark and cast anchovy bait on the outskirts of the attracted fish schools swarming the light. It’s a neat visual experience to see shad surround the light and predators cutting a quick swath through the bait ball.
Bass and walleye fishing is slowing with the heat as well. Smallmouth are still readily available along the shoreline with the bigger fish holding at 25-35 feet where the water is cooler. Catfish are easy to catch on table scraps at dusk along the sandy beach areas.
Lake Elevation: 3631
Water Temperature 80-83 F
By: Wayne Gustaveson
Wayne's Words
Home to the Lake Powell fishing, boating, and outdoor recreation community.
The good news was finding early morning and late evening boils from these same juvenile fish. Feeding location has changed from the brushy shoreline in bays to shaded pockets along steep cliff walls. In the southern lake scattered boils are found during the first two hours of daylight and last hour of light in Navajo Canyon and the high walls of Gooseneck Point separating Padre Bay and Last Chance. This general pattern should work over the length of the lake. As the sun gets higher in the sky boils are confined only to shady areas. Cruising along the shade line in Navajo Canyon is a good way to find active stripers in early morning or late evening. Schools may range from 5 fish up to 100 stripers. Bigger schools provide more hookups while small groups make it harder to hook fish.
From Bullfrog to Hite fishing remains much better. Striper size is larger as adult fish are caught regularly. A few boils are seen but frequency is diminishing uplake in the hot weather. Kastmaster tactics should be employed for random surface action.
The go-to technique is to troll deeper diving lures that get down to 15 feet and deeper. Down riggers would be the preferred way to present you favorite lure at the preferred depth stripers desire. That depth is getting deeper as surface warming expands the warm surface layer.
Bait fishing is still only fair during the day but heating up dramatically at night.
Bass and walleye fishing is slowing with the heat as well. Smallmouth are still readily available along the shoreline with the bigger fish holding at 25-35 feet where the water is cooler. Catfish are easy to catch on table scraps at dusk along the sandy beach areas.