Lake Powell Fish Report – September 16, 2015
Lake Elevation: 3607
Water Temperature 76-79 F
By: Wayne Gustaveson http://www.wayneswords.com
Windy, wet weather along with the transition to the Fall season has changed fishing patterns slightly. Excellent fishing success is still achieved each day by pursuing striped bass in the early morning and then switching targets to smallmouth which can be caught in big numbers all day long. A few walleye are now being caught while trolling and casting for other species.
Striped bass boils are past their peak. The massive 100+ fish boils encountered two weeks ago have been replaced by a few individual splashes marking the spot where striper schools are holding. Striper school location is still consistent with the ‘good spots’ still producing large numbers of fish for anglers using the right techniques. The pattern is to travel quickly at first light until a few surfacing stripers are seen. Cast surface lures to catch a few juvenile fish. After that it is time to go to work by trolling deep and spooning.
The good spots are Padre Bay, Last Chance, Rock Creek, Dangling Rope Bay, Oak Canyon, mouth of San Juan, main channel from San Juan to Escalante, and the upper lake from Bullfrog to Trachyte. You will be able to find stripers and bass almost anywhere in the lake during September as water temperature declines toward the magic 60-65 degree mark which will be the peak for fall fishing.
Adult stripers are now holding at about 40 feet. Downrigger trolling at 40 feet is producing huge catches of 3-5 pound stripers. Troll where the small fish were seen surfacing for best results or locate the schools on the graph to make sure you are in the right spot.
My favorite technique is to troll while graphing. Mark the spot where a school of stripers is seen holding on the bottom. Reel in the trolling lures and return to the marker. Drop spoons into the school and start catching fish at a rate that may be faster than possible for boiling fish. The best thing about boils is being able to see the fish hit the surface lures. The same excitement can be generated with spoons while watching the graph. It is possible to see the lure descending into the school, and to see stripers chase after the spoon as it is speed reeled out of the school with fish in pursuit.
Striper spooning technique in the fall is to drop the spoon to the bottom and jig it up and down a few times in the school to get them started feeding. If they are reluctant to hit the spoon, reel the spoon quickly for 15 feet and then stop it. This pause excites trailing stripers who will then hit the lure as it starts to move quickly away once more. Spooning is the best striper fishing technique right now.
Smallmouth bass fishing is fantastic. They are holding on primary points where a land mass extends out into the bay. Cast to the shallow point and gradually work the plastic bait or lure down into deeper water until a bass find it. Most lures will work but the best recent success has come on the standard single or double tail plastic grubs fish along the bottom at 15-25 feet. White may be the best color when shad are in the area but bass will not pass up a crayfish so green pumpkin color is also very productive.
Late September and early October are the best times to fish at Lake Powell. The crowds have gone home, water and air temperature are delightful and fish are more than willing to bite. The golden time for fishing and relaxing is here. Do not miss the opportunity to be at Lake Powell at its peak.
Lake Elevation: 3607
Water Temperature 76-79 F
By: Wayne Gustaveson http://www.wayneswords.com
Striped bass boils are past their peak. The massive 100+ fish boils encountered two weeks ago have been replaced by a few individual splashes marking the spot where striper schools are holding. Striper school location is still consistent with the ‘good spots’ still producing large numbers of fish for anglers using the right techniques. The pattern is to travel quickly at first light until a few surfacing stripers are seen. Cast surface lures to catch a few juvenile fish. After that it is time to go to work by trolling deep and spooning.
The good spots are Padre Bay, Last Chance, Rock Creek, Dangling Rope Bay, Oak Canyon, mouth of San Juan, main channel from San Juan to Escalante, and the upper lake from Bullfrog to Trachyte. You will be able to find stripers and bass almost anywhere in the lake during September as water temperature declines toward the magic 60-65 degree mark which will be the peak for fall fishing.
My favorite technique is to troll while graphing. Mark the spot where a school of stripers is seen holding on the bottom. Reel in the trolling lures and return to the marker. Drop spoons into the school and start catching fish at a rate that may be faster than possible for boiling fish. The best thing about boils is being able to see the fish hit the surface lures. The same excitement can be generated with spoons while watching the graph. It is possible to see the lure descending into the school, and to see stripers chase after the spoon as it is speed reeled out of the school with fish in pursuit.
Striper spooning technique in the fall is to drop the spoon to the bottom and jig it up and down a few times in the school to get them started feeding. If they are reluctant to hit the spoon, reel the spoon quickly for 15 feet and then stop it. This pause excites trailing stripers who will then hit the lure as it starts to move quickly away once more. Spooning is the best striper fishing technique right now.
Late September and early October are the best times to fish at Lake Powell. The crowds have gone home, water and air temperature are delightful and fish are more than willing to bite. The golden time for fishing and relaxing is here. Do not miss the opportunity to be at Lake Powell at its peak.