Lake Powell Fish Report – June 1, 2016
Lake Elevation: 3603
Water Temperature: 67-72 F
By: Wayne Gustaveson http://www.wayneswords.com
Lake Powell conditions are changing each day with rising water and temperature. The lake came up another 4 feet since the last report. Many weed beds that were high and dry are now getting wet once more. Individual weeds, driftwood and debris are now floating which makes trolling more challenging. It is great to see barren flats being covered by water and the brush line getting closer to going under each day.
Fishing success is changing as well. Catching is still really good particularly for stripers and smallmouth bass. Bass are easy to find on isolated rockslides in the main canyons and bays. Look for a small but dense rock mass along the sheer canyon walls for quick results. Rockslides that stretch for hundreds of yards take a lot more searching to find the bass honey hole. Small rockslides make for easy fishing success. Main channel alcoves with a shallow rock pile surrounded by deep water also have an abundant bass crop,
These areas have mostly small but eager bass that can delight youngsters that have not caught a lot of fish. Use a simple single tail plastic grub on a 3/16th ounce jig head. Grub color is not that important as all colors from chartreuse to pumpkin to smoke seemed to work fine. It is more about finding the shallow rock formation than having the right color lure. Fishing is FAST for feisty bass.
Larger bass are down deeper in the 20-foot zone. Use drop shot rigs or heavier lead head jigs to get down to fishing depth quickly. Bass are hitting top water lures early and late. Pounding the shoreline with squarebill cranks, shaky head rigs and spinner baits are also effective.
Stripers are still hanging out along the canyon walls but they are on the move. It is just as likely to find a willing school in the back of the canyon as it is in the main channel. Bait fishing is still the easiest way to find and catch. Recent reports have come from the back of Rock Creek, West Canyon and Gunsight in the southern lake.
Midlake hotspots were found in the Escalante, Iceberg , Lake Canyon and Bullfrog areas. The north lake is still muddy with catchable fish in the backs of canyons where water is stained but not straight mud. In summary, it is possible to find a willing school of stripers just about anywhere. Chum a spot and see if they will come. If not, move to the next likely spot and try again. Try 4 or 5 different spots to find the one holding fish that day.
Walleye are the bonus fish all over the lake. They can be caught while fishing for bass on rockslides or stripers along canyon walls. Target them along any shoreline where stained water appears along the 20-30 foot deep shoreline. Troll a bottom bouncer with night crawler or a 15-foot running lure that hits bottom occasionally. When one walleye is found spend more time fishing in that area to find others from the same congregation.
Catfish, bluegill, green sunfish, largemouth and crappie are all active now but found in isolated locations. Catch one of these fish and then repeat using the same lure in the same spot to catch more. Bass and crappie are searching for weed beds. Many stranded tumbleweed coves are now going under water. Look for bass and crappie in the weeds and under floating debris pushed into a cove by a breeze.
In short fishing remains quite good but conditions change daily and fishing spots change with lake level.
Jeff Knorr family found stripers willing to hit bait in the back of Rock Creek this week.
Lake Elevation: 3603
Water Temperature: 67-72 F
By: Wayne Gustaveson http://www.wayneswords.com
Lake Powell conditions are changing each day with rising water and temperature. The lake came up another 4 feet since the last report. Many weed beds that were high and dry are now getting wet once more. Individual weeds, driftwood and debris are now floating which makes trolling more challenging. It is great to see barren flats being covered by water and the brush line getting closer to going under each day.
Fishing success is changing as well. Catching is still really good particularly for stripers and smallmouth bass. Bass are easy to find on isolated rockslides in the main canyons and bays. Look for a small but dense rock mass along the sheer canyon walls for quick results. Rockslides that stretch for hundreds of yards take a lot more searching to find the bass honey hole. Small rockslides make for easy fishing success. Main channel alcoves with a shallow rock pile surrounded by deep water also have an abundant bass crop,
These areas have mostly small but eager bass that can delight youngsters that have not caught a lot of fish. Use a simple single tail plastic grub on a 3/16th ounce jig head. Grub color is not that important as all colors from chartreuse to pumpkin to smoke seemed to work fine. It is more about finding the shallow rock formation than having the right color lure. Fishing is FAST for feisty bass.
Larger bass are down deeper in the 20-foot zone. Use drop shot rigs or heavier lead head jigs to get down to fishing depth quickly. Bass are hitting top water lures early and late. Pounding the shoreline with squarebill cranks, shaky head rigs and spinner baits are also effective.
Stripers are still hanging out along the canyon walls but they are on the move. It is just as likely to find a willing school in the back of the canyon as it is in the main channel. Bait fishing is still the easiest way to find and catch. Recent reports have come from the back of Rock Creek, West Canyon and Gunsight in the southern lake.
Midlake hotspots were found in the Escalante, Iceberg , Lake Canyon and Bullfrog areas. The north lake is still muddy with catchable fish in the backs of canyons where water is stained but not straight mud. In summary, it is possible to find a willing school of stripers just about anywhere. Chum a spot and see if they will come. If not, move to the next likely spot and try again. Try 4 or 5 different spots to find the one holding fish that day.
Walleye are the bonus fish all over the lake. They can be caught while fishing for bass on rockslides or stripers along canyon walls. Target them along any shoreline where stained water appears along the 20-30 foot deep shoreline. Troll a bottom bouncer with night crawler or a 15-foot running lure that hits bottom occasionally. When one walleye is found spend more time fishing in that area to find others from the same congregation.
Catfish, bluegill, green sunfish, largemouth and crappie are all active now but found in isolated locations. Catch one of these fish and then repeat using the same lure in the same spot to catch more. Bass and crappie are searching for weed beds. Many stranded tumbleweed coves are now going under water. Look for bass and crappie in the weeds and under floating debris pushed into a cove by a breeze.
In short fishing remains quite good but conditions change daily and fishing spots change with lake level.
Jeff Knorr family found stripers willing to hit bait in the back of Rock Creek this week.