Suggestions for where to Kayak fish for crappie on Northern Lake Powell

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Dave Clifton

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I am new to Utah and would like to do a spring kayak fishing trip to target crappie preferably on the northern end of the lake. Ideally I'd like to park my 20' self contained camper near the water with a decent area to fish with in a mile or two to avoid having to paddle forever to find some slabs. if anyone could give advice on a general area it would be greatly appreciated.TIA!
 
I don't target crappie, but when I have caught them, they have been in the canyons between Bullfrog and Good Hope. Which won't be accessible to your method.

Lake access is tough if you don't have a boat. For what you are requesting (camping close to the water) you are limited to Stanton or Hite. Maybe Blue Notch.
 
Ryan said:
I don't target crappie, but when I have caught them, they have been in the canyons between Bullfrog and Good Hope. Which won't be accessible to your method.

Lake access is tough if you don't have a boat. For what you are requesting (camping close to the water) you are limited to Stanton or Hite. Maybe Blue Notch.
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Thanks for your comment!
 
I second Dungees suggestion. Unfortunately getting a camper near the water(within 100-200 yards), is extremely difficult at Farley Canyon at these water levels. We normally camp in the flat below the bathrooms, and drive over the hill to the water each day. At current water levels(and down to around 3605 ft) we launch our 17ft trailered Aluminum StarCraft at the end of the road(when someone's not camping in the middle of the turn-around). Fishing for crappie in Farley is a bit hit or miss, but White Canyon(the next canyon South), is far superior and a pretty easy trip in a kayak.
 
John P Funk said:
At current water levels(and down to around 3605 ft) we launch our 17ft trailered Aluminum StarCraft at the end of the road(when someone's not camping in the middle of the turn-around). Fishing for crappie in Farley is a bit hit or miss, but White Canyon(the next canyon South), is far superior and a pretty easy trip in a kayak.
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John what are the dimensions of your boat trailered? Do you have any issue getting past the rock?
 
Dungee Fishing said:
John what are the dimensions of your boat trailered? Do you have any issue getting past the rock?
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The only issue we’ve ever had while launching at Farley with sufficient water level, is someone camping in the “turnaround” below the “rock in the road”. Our boat trailer is slightly narrower than a pickup truck, and we’ve yet to lose any paint on the rock. I like to launch using my ‘96 Bronco for its short wheelbase, but I’ve launched with both a 3/4 ton and 1 ton Ford trucks(extended cabs). I’ll let you know when we plan to make a trip, and give a lesson to anyone interested. Last year the walleye were going nuts in Farley in mid-March, with the warmer temps this year they may start earlier, so it’s time to start planning.
 
You could camp at Hite and easily paddle across to North Wash for crappie if the water levels are high enough. When I was a little kid we lived at Bullfrog and would catch buckets full of crappie and bluegill from the dock while my dad checked fishermen. Bullfrog was the north end of the lake back then. It's hard to get my head around the fact that was 45 years ago
 
jt465 said:
You could camp at Hite and easily paddle across to North Wash for crappie if the water levels are high enough. When I was a little kid we lived at Bullfrog and would catch buckets full of crappie and bluegill from the dock while my dad checked fishermen. Bullfrog was the north end of the lake back then. It's hard to get my head around the fact that was 45 years ago
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OK I have to ask. Who is your dad that "Checked fishermen" ? Do I know him? Or did you leave Bullfrog before I started work in 1975?

Rising water each spring provided the brushy habitat needed for LMB and crappie to thrive. That changed in 1980 when the lake filled and started to fluctuate eliminating brushy habitat. My kids grew up catching crappie as well.
 
Charlie Thompson - we lived at Page for a couple of years then he went back to South Dakota to get his masters. When we came back he got the job at Bullfrog.
 
John P Funk said:
We always blamed the stripers for decimating the crappie population in the mid-eighties. Knowing what I know now about the striper life cycle, it seems that I owe them an apology. I think I'll catch a few and apologize in person.
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Thank You! Stripers got credit for that but really had nothing to do with crappie numbers falling. When I saw the crappie demise on the horizon I did my best to make up for it by adding a fish that just loved rock structure. In return the smallmouth bass population was established.
 
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