July 2007

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wayne gustaveson

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July 25, 2007
By Wayne Gustaveson
Lake Elevation: 3608
Water Temp: 81-85 F
Small striper boils have lessened. Surface activity is seen briefly during the first three hours of daylight each calm morning. These quick pops are usually up and down before the boat gets in range. The best technique is to cast a ¾ ounce silver or blue spoon into the splash rings left by the departing stripers. The spoon goes down quickly and may attract a hit from single fish as it looks for one more shad. In open water there is no need to let the spoon go down more than 10-15 feet as juvenile stripers are staying near the top. If bottom depth is less than 25 then letting the spoon fall to the bottom is wise. When it settles reel it back to the surface quickly and try again. Always be alert for the next splash and get there quickly to keep pace with the fast moving pod of stripers.

Thor's Striper Crusaders - a few anchovies and a lot of fun

The real action this week is with bait. Stripers are still holding in the same spots they have frequented all summer waiting for food. They come up briefly to feed on crayfish and sunfish on the warm shallow flat, then drop off the nearest edge to cooler water. Once cooled and rejuvenated, they come shallow again to search for food. These schools are easy pickins' for a handful of chum and a baited jig head. Graph a school, anchor the boat or tie to shore, chum, then cast a third of an anchovy and let it rest just off the bottom. After the first bite stripers come shallower with each caught fish. When in full bite the entire school swims at 10-20 feet. An unweighted anchovy bait on a circle hook is now the ticket. Smaller healthier stripers will usually be at the top of the school. Don't let the bait go too deep after the first few fish are caught. Remember there is no limit on stripers. Catch all you can. Keep all you catch. There is still a population overbalance in favor of the predators. We can help make this a fair fight by keeping all stripers.

Catfish are often overlooked but this is the peak of the season for catching cats. Chum for stripers, or clean fish in deeper water off shore, then fish for catfish at night close to shore preferably near camp. Choose a spot with easy access and a place for a comfortable chair. The back of a houseboat is perfect. Select a sandy spot without a lot of brush. The smooth bottom allows pleasant fishing after dark without a lot of snagged baits to spoil the fun. If bottom depth is less than 15 feet I use weightless bait and circle hook allowing it to slowly descend and rest on bottom. A lantern or green fishing light offers more classic catfishing ambiance but is not necessary. Cats are very good night feeders. They will find the bait. Some of the best offerings are night crawlers, chicken liver, shrimp, hot dogs or other items left over from dinner. Catfishing is a fun family event on a warm peaceful night at the lake. Keep the cats for a great meal or let them go to bite again. It's your choice.
July 18, 2007
By Wayne Gustaveson
Lake Elevation: 3609
Water Temp: 81-85 F
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Dark moon and afternoon monsoon winds have turned up the heat causing the lake to "boil" in the early mornings. From dawn to 8 AM look for surface disturbances as stripers chase shad to the top and against the canyon walls. Shad are still small following a late hatch of threadfin, so stripers are not making a lot of commotion as they feed on tiny shad near the surface. Scan carefully to see 5-20 stripers churning the surface in a room-sized area. The good news is that enough bigger shad are mixed in so stripers will hit a full-sized Super Spook or other big topwater bait. Cast the big bait long and far to the quickly moving school before it gets out of range. A top water bait pulled through the surface feeding school will get hit repeatedly by the 14-20 inch schooling stripers. Follow the diving school to the bottom with a spoon to prolong catching while waiting for stripers to resurface.
Full sized 'Jumpin Minnow'

I am changing over to braided line with the top water reaction bait tied directly to the braided line. Boiling fish are not fussy and will hit surface lures while on the surface despite the visible line. Braided line is very strong so fish and lures are not lost to breakage in the intensity of a boil. Fish not caught up in a boil will avoid lures on visible line. Have two rods ready with different line to be able to use both techniques when necessary.

The very best place to be is at Hite where it is still possible to launch a fishing boat on the primitive "ramp". Wood and debris is less of a factor now with the lake declining. Motor downstream at planing speed in the early morning while scanning for fish. Stop near the boil without running through or disturbing the feeding fish. Boils are quick. Probably only two fish can be caught from each. But many boils are happening so on a good calm morning 30 fish can readily be taken from 15 different stops. Sometimes it is possible to keep up with retreating schools with a trolling motor, but a school across the bay is best approached with a quick burst from the big motor.

About 2-3 hours after daylight, boils cease and fish head to the bottom. Near Hite trolling will work on resting stripers. In the main lake its time to dig out the anchovy bait and fish from 40-60 feet in the general area where fish were seen boiling in the morning. Chumming with finely cut anchovies is a great way to get the school started. Keep the boat over the chum for best results. If no stripers hit bait after 15 minutes try a different location.
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Bass feed with the stripers on top in the morning. Then the go down to 20-25 feet to beat the heat. Fishing plastic bait dropped straight down to the 20 foot contour along the edge of reefs and points is still very effective for bass.

Lake Powell has many mouths to feed and forage is at a premium. Fishing is quite good for hungry fish even in the 80 degree water of midsummer. This fishery is truly amazing.

'Slurping boil'
July 11, 2007
By Wayne Gustaveson
Lake Elevation: 3610
Water Temp: 81-85 F
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Lake Powell is now declining. That is not all bad when creature comforts are considered. Most of the troublesome drift wood will become stranded on shore within a few weeks. Weed covered beaches will open up into ever increasing clear sandy areas. Hot weather will be mitigated by afternoon clouds as monsoon flows begin.

Fishing? That will be about the same as it has been. Air temperatures have been in the 100's and catch of stripers is also in triple digits if the holding spot for the resting school is discovered. Striped bass are holding in deep, cool water where energy can be conserved while waiting for a feeding opportunity. An anchovy chum shower wakes the school and draws them off the bottom and toward the surface as each fish tries to get to the next drifting morsel before his school mate.

A good fish finder is very helpful in locating these resting schools. Graph the edge of the main channel or canyon. Start shallow and then look on the drop off as the boat heads to deep water. Zigzag from shallow to deep water looking for the distinct school signature signifying many resting fish hovering just off the bottom. It may take 10-15 minutes to find a likely looking school but time spent graphing may be rewarded with instant hookups and long lasting fishing fun.

When the school is detected try anchoring so the boat is right over the school. The easiest way to do this is to mark the school with a float. Then turn the boat into the wind, move forward the same distance as bottom depth on the graph and drop anchor. Make sure the anchor catches on bottom, then drift back letting out line until the boat is very near the float. It may take 2-3 tries to get it just right. The good thing about stationary summer striper schools is lack of movement. They will wait where last seen while the boat gets in position.
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Next chum about 5-6 anchovies cut in quarter inch slices. Broadcast chum pieces all around the boat. The last action required is to place a one-inch chunk of bait on a hook or jig head. Toss the bait in the water and get ready for action. Make sure the first fish or two is played at depth for an extended period. Try to get the second fish on before the first one is landed. Once the school is invigorated in this manner they seem to stay in the same spot as long as a trickle of chum continues to fall. Toss in a few pieces each time the hook is rebaited for best results. Make sure to catch the first fish that bites. Missing the first fish or two sometimes allows the school to follow the fleeing fish and the entire school disappears. If that happens start the search grid over and repeat the process.

Bass fishing is still steady each morning and evening. Smallmouth have moved to the ends of quick drops such as reefs and terminal points. The magic depth is 20 feet. Slick rock basins and steep cliffs hold bass in these warm water conditions. Free-floating plastic bait on a split shot or Carolina rig is an effective presentation. A sliding sinker rig is just as good. The key ingredient is to move the bait slowly and rest often. Fish in summer act like winter fish and take their time looking at the bait before tasting it.

FISHING TIP:
Drop shot rig is featured (left). The weight maintains bottom contact while the plastic bait suspends (swims) horizontally above the bottom The bait goes up and down slightly as the rod tip gently moves. Fish this slowly for bass. Keep line tight enough to feel the bite but not too tight to restrict bait movement.
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A free-running sliding sinker in front of an off set worm hookworks in similar fashion. The bait can move independently from the weight. The bait swims a bit just off bottom. Again fish this slowly. "Think crayfish" darting when disturbed and then resting motionless on the bottom.
NOTE: before I get any comments - Yes the sliding sinker should be put on the line so the pointy end is toward the rod tip - not the bait. Hey! it looked good in the garage!
July 4, 2007
By Wayne Gustaveson
Lake Elevation: 3611
Water Temp: 79-84 F
Happy Independence Day - God Bless America
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Fishing is best very early in the morning and again late in the evening with night fishing being perhaps the best opportunity. Fishing strategy during the day requires a bag of anchovy bait, some shade and a cooler full of ice to keep the fish fresh and the fillets cool. At night a green light and anchovies will do the trick.

Jarrett "Bones" Lanyon with his first ever striper.

Striper schools are in the main river channels, main canyons, and where the canyon intersects with the main channel. Look for a prominent point, deep drop off near a shallow flat or similar travel lane where stripers can stay deep and cool but near the feeding zone provided by a brushy flat. Chumming will cause an immediate reaction from the resting school if they are nearby. Chum and fish for 15 minutes. If no fish respond then move to the next likely location and repeat the process. It should take no more than 4 or 5 tries to locate a school. Once located, these schooling stripers will hit for as long as bait is put in the water.

Some good starting points include Glen Canyon Dam, both points past the double islands in Navajo Canyon, main channel edges between Rock Creek and Dungeon Canyon, flats near the Rincon, and Moki Canyon mouth and Wall.

There will be some boils in the extreme ends of the lake where the San Juan and Colorado Rivers enter Lake Powell. Look in very muddy water or under debris fields to find shad hiding and stripers seeking. The surface action is very early and very late in the day. But 50-100 stripers can be caught quickly on topwater lures during prime time.

Bass fishing is still good but bass are deep. Dangle a green or smoked plastic grub on a drop shot or Carolina rig in 20-30 feet of water. Fish the bait very slowly with frequent rest stops to tempt curious bass. Keep the bait near the 20 foot depth contour to consistently catch fish.
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Chuck Fulton's grandson plays a striper just like he saw gramps do it!

Boat camps will attract some fish. Bluegill and catfish are curious and will shade-up under houseboats. They provide great fun for kids and adults alike. Just put a little piece of live worm on a small hook (size 12) placed under a bobber for bluegill. Kids can catch their first fish quickly and easily. Have a bucket of water ready to allow the neophyte angler an opportunity to watch and touch the first fish after the catch. When the young angler is done with the fish it can be released or eaten.

Summer is family time at this grand lake. Swim and ski during the day but allot a bit of time to fish each morning and evening. Adding fishing to the agenda will enhance the enjoyment of the trip.​
 
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