Mar 31, 2018 - Last Chance Bay

[CHRIS MCBETH]

My wife and I headed up to the very back of Last Chance Bay on Saturday (Mar 31) and it was beautiful!

There are three lessons learned, before we get to the fishing reports:

1. Gas gauges are inaccurate. We ran out of gas not 500 meters from Wahweap on our way home with a "1/4" tank left! (and got a tow from a good samaritan!)
2. The milky green water at the back of Last Chance is hazardous! There are rocky outcroppings not 24" under water, invisible to the naked eye, but shallow enough to damage your skeg and your $1600 stainless steel props! Trust me on that...
3. Somewhere in Page Arizona lives a mischevious pilot who buzzed us not 20 feet off the water, scaring us both pretty good... not sure what their intention was but it sure got our adrenaline flowing! That said, definitely a first LOL

Now, on to the fishing reports:

We made it from Wahweap to the back of Last Chance in 39 minutes, record time I suspect! (and probably why we ran out of gas on the way home LOL).

Once we got up there around 10:00 AZ time, the water was 57-58 degrees, air temp was about 70. We stayed until 3:30, when it had warmed up to near 80, and water temps in the low 60's.

We trolled using crank baits.

One lure was very large (Bomber Fat Free Shad 3") Caught a single large Striper. Fish was about 4 pounds and approx 24" in length (longer than our 24" net is wide).
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00688R54M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And one lure was a bit smaller: (This one caught 5 fish, the big one above only caught 1 big fish)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IDEMLU6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

We trolled for about 4.5 hours and only caught 6 Striped Bass. Along the way we graphed a number of schools and tried spoons with no luck but I’m a novice and still learning.

Overall, a fun trip, worth it despite the small numbers, and the scenery, weather, water, sky, and of course the company, were top notch.

And the highlight of the trip:

Meeting Wayne Gustaveson in the flesh, who was gracious enough to provide 2 signed copies of his book "My Lake, My Life"!

Thanks Wayne! (I finished you book this morning!)

 

[birdsnest]

My wife and I headed up to the very back of Last Chance Bay on Saturday (Mar 31) and it was beautiful!

There are three lessons learned, before we get to the fishing reports:

1. Gas gauges are inaccurate. We ran out of gas not 500 meters from Wahweap on our way home with a "1/4" tank left! (and got a tow from a good samaritan!)
2. The milky green water at the back of Last Chance is hazardous! There are rocky outcroppings not 24" under water, invisible to the naked eye, but shallow enough to damage your skeg and your $1600 stainless steel props! Trust me on that...
3. Somewhere in Page Arizona lives a mischevious pilot who buzzed us not 20 feet off the water, scaring us both pretty good... not sure what their intention was but it sure got our adrenaline flowing! That said, definitely a first LOL

Now, on to the fishing reports:

We made it from Wahweap to the back of Last Chance in 39 minutes, record time I suspect! (and probably why we ran out of gas on the way home LOL).

Once we got up there around 10:00 AZ time, the water was 57-58 degrees, air temp was about 70. We stayed until 3:30, when it had warmed up to near 80, and water temps in the low 60's.

We trolled using crank baits.

One lure was very large (Bomber Fat Free Shad 3") Caught a single large Striper. Fish was about 4 pounds and approx 24" in length (longer than our 24" net is wide).
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00688R54M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And one lure was a bit smaller: (This one caught 5 fish, the big one above only caught 1 big fish)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IDEMLU6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

We trolled for about 4.5 hours and only caught 6 Striped BassView attachment 1937. Along the way we graphed a number of schools and tried spoons with no luck but I’m a novice and still learning.

Overall, a fun trip, worth it despite the small numbers, and the scenery, weather, water, sky, and of course the company, were top notch.

And the highlight of the trip:

Meeting Wayne Gustaveson in the flesh, who was gracious enough to provide 2 signed copies of his book "My Lake, My Life"!

Thanks Wayne! (I finished you book this morning!)

It's a great read isn't it. If you had read it before Last Chance, I'm sure you would have caught more fish!!

 

[Mrs. BigDogGuy]

Hey we were camping near the end of Last Chance the night of the 31st.

 

[CHRIS MCBETH]

It's a great read isn't it. If you had read it before Last Chance, I'm sure you would have caught more fish!!

The book is a good read. I enjoyed it very much.

Undoubtedly we would have caught more if I’d read it first.

Primary lessons learned:

1. When we had a fish on, Instead of quickly reeling the second line in, we should have paused, then reeled it in at trolling speed while the caught fish attracts the rest of the school to follow!
2. After we caught trolling, and caught secondary fish attracted by the activity, we should have reversed course and gone over the same area repeatedly.
3. When we graphed schools, we should have dropped our spoons to the bottom, and briskly reeled them up through the fish to stimulate a bite, rather than just cast out, letting it sink, and reeling it in somewhat horizontally.
4. We might have been trolling too slowly... I had the outdrive partially raised to angle the prop up a bit, which keeps the prop wash from spooking deeper fish, and slows the trolling speed to 3.3 to 3.4 mph. According to Wayne this can give the fish too much time to think. Trolling a little faster might have delivered better results!

Wayne, did I miss any other important lessons?

 

[wayne gustaveson]

Very Impressive! You are dedicated and willing to learn new ideas and concepts. Your Lake Powell catching trips will get better with each one.

 

[birdsnest]

The book is a good read. I enjoyed it very much.

Undoubtedly we would have caught more if I’d read it first.

Primary lessons learned:

1. When we had a fish on, Instead of quickly reeling the second line in, we should have paused, then reeled it in at trolling speed while the caught fish attracts the rest of the school to follow!
2. After we caught trolling, and caught secondary fish attracted by the activity, we should have reversed course and gone over the same area repeatedly.
3. When we graphed schools, we should have dropped our spoons to the bottom, and briskly reeled them up through the fish to stimulate a bite, rather than just cast out, letting it sink, and reeling it in somewhat horizontally.
4. We might have been trolling too slowly... I had the outdrive partially raised to angle the prop up a bit, which keeps the prop wash from spooking deeper fish, and slows the trolling speed to 3.3 to 3.4 mph. According to Wayne this can give the fish too much time to think. Trolling a little faster might have delivered better results!

Wayne, did I miss any other important lessons?

Chris, your enthusiasm is contagious. I am not a very good striper fisherman. That being said 3 of us in a boat in warmcreek caught 110 in 2 hours. I have always felt like I am in the magic spot at the magic moment. Whether it is at the dam, the intakes or any spot where I have literally cast, catch, cast,catch,cast catch, until it interferes with hydrating. You appear to be one of those cats who funnels the information into a fish caching bucket. Kudos to you. I am not kissing your butt cause I will out fish you when it comes to smallies and lmb but as a relative newcomer to Powell, Hats Off to you. You make me see the good in being an efficient striper fisherman. The problem is so many smallies and lmb, so little time. Peace to you and yours.