Summer or Fall Trip Better?

Status
Not open for further replies.
T

Tacoma Guy

Member
Hi everyone,

This is my first post. I haven't been to Powell since I was a kid, but I'm interested in heading up to Powell during one of my 4 day extended weekends. I'd like to get my sons (12& 10) on some fish particularly Stripers. I have some time in late June-early July or Early-mid October. Which time would be my best bet for going after stripers? We will be on boat we can fish either North or South end and I'm planning on camping on shore.

Thanks for any advice! Whenever we go I will be sure to post a report.
 
If i had a choice i would go both... but i also try and go about 7 times throughout the year because it is such an amazing place to fish. When I'm not there, I just dream of being there. So to answer your question, I would say, anytime you can make it is the best time.
 
September and October are the nicest times of the year, the heat is not as intense (and if you're from WA, you'll be plenty warm), the water is still warm, the summer tourists have moved on. There are still people coming, but it's not nearly as intense. We rent our house out as a vacation rental, summer is packed, spring and fall less so. We prefer to not see anyone, except perhaps a fishing boat headed to the back of the canyon, when we are on the lake :)
That's not fishing, that's just timing for enjoying the lake.
 
July is nice for slurps -- but it's also hot as hell!!

Early / Mid October can be fantastic. As mentioned above, the crowds are way down, and fishing is just starting to get good, and the water is still warm enough to swim, if you choose. You will be able to find fish. Late October / early November are the best for fishing (in my opinion). You just have to watch the weather. This time of year the surface temps are cooling back towards 60. This means that the larger stripers are now actively coming to the surface attacking schools of shad. This is BOIL season. These are not your "aggressive slurps" like what you see in July. These are all-out boils. This is chaos. Both in the boat, and out.

If fishing was your primary objective for the trip, I would use that time in mid-October.
 
You can catch stripers on both occasions mentioned. Camping is better in the cooler fall weather. So I agree with the opinions expressed. However, You are more likely to get into striper boils in the summer. That is an experience that should not be missed.

So come in the fall for the long trip but try to find a way to sneak down during boil season so you can say you have done that too! rinconbig.jpg
 
Ok thanks everybody for the info. Looks like I talked everyone including my Mrs. into going (her request was we get a hotel instead of camp since it's Summer). We will be up there for a long weekend before 4th of July.

Wayne, I didn't realize the boils happen in the Summer too. Just so I'm clear on Striper behavior, the boils will be early and late in the day? Also, is it primarily smaller fish at the top because of the warmer water, and bigger fish deep then? Is the South end of the lake still good for Stripers in the Summer or is the North end much better generally?
 
Ha ha, everyone said go in the fall, so you decided to go in the summer 🤣

One thing to think about is that summer days are long, but the boils will be early morning and evening, with lots of broiling hot time in between. Staying in a Hotel is not really conducive to getting out at the crack of dawn or staying out till dark to look for boils.....
 
Tacoma Guy said:
Ok thanks everybody for the info. Looks like I talked everyone including my Mrs. into going (her request was we get a hotel instead of camp since it's Summer). We will be up there for a long weekend before 4th of July.

Wayne, I didn't realize the boils happen in the Summer too. Just so I'm clear on Striper behavior, the boils will be early and late in the day? Also, is it primarily smaller fish at the top because of the warmer water, and bigger fish deep then? Is the South end of the lake still good for Stripers in the Summer or is the North end much better generally?
Click to expand...


Boils are most likely early and late but they can be all day long and mid day as well.

Boiling fish in the summer are immature (so that includes 3 pounders) Larger fish are in the same area and can be caught by going deeper as soon as the school goes down. Also bigger fish can boil quickly in the summer if shad are abundant. They come up, feed quickly for 2 minutes on top in hot water and then dive back down to cool off. Then they can come up again in 10 minutes or a half hour.

There is no question that the northern lake is better for boils. The reason: We just finished our sampling for larval shad over the length of the lake. The farthest north sample had 2000 shad per tow; midlake had 500-1000 per tow, southern lake had 100 per tow. Stripers boil because there are shad, Without shad there are no boils.
 
The last two years we’ve been lucky enough to find boils throughout the day everyday. Morning and evening seem to have stronger ones but in the north if you can’t find one it’s usually something you’re not doing. Yes, it’s hotter than crap, but we’ve found that when you’re casting into boils the heat is the last thing on your mind. Our biggest issue had been finding the most comfortable way to sleep at nights. Last year we finally came up with a great solution. We have two bunk style cots that we built some supports for so you can sleep on them in the boat on the water and it has been very nice. Unless you have a motor home with an AC it’s probably the best option (sleeping on the boat). Tents don’t work ha. The other issues with the heat are easy to deal with, but if you can’t sleep that was the worst. All throughout the day just jump in a cool off as well. Another thing weve done that we really like is wade fishing during the day. Pick some shoreline and with some water shoes stay in a couple feet of water and bass fish, cast towards deeper water, catch some bass and be in the water and cool. Definitely some changes in prep needed, but summer boil trips are amazing!

We have targeted mid-later July and it has been money. This year we are planning on the 18th-24th. Come to the far north (anybody) with us, we are usually pretty alone up there with the boils all to ourselves. Let’s save some Shad!

With that being said, go on both trips! Ha
 
Ok thanks. BTW saw one of your videos on YouTube. Those boils look like a great time!

The challenge for me in this trip will be us staying at a hotel in Page. That means we'll have quite a drive up to the Northern side on the boat. I'm in a Ranger that can get there in a reasonable amount of time, but nowhere near first light. I will probably have to do the anchovy technique in Navajo Canyon, Padre Bay, or Last Chance. Maybe we will get lucky and find a slurp? Also family wants to visit Rainbow Bridge and Defiance Ruins.

We will make the drive to North side and camp in October when weather is better. Good luck to you in July and keep up those videos.
 
If your going to Defiance House ruins this trip, they are about 10 miles North of Bullfrog marina, about a 85 mile one way trip from Page/Wahweap. Sq
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top