Results of the tagged walleye contest:
UT and CO anglers caught the most tagged walleye (24), but anglers from NM, AZ, MN, CA, and ID were also represented. Most fish were caught between Bullfrog and Good Hope Bay. This is the prime walleye fishing location in Lake Powell.
We confirmed that the walleye fishing season in Lake Powell begins in Late April and shuts down in late June. The angling period coincides with walleye recovering from the spawning process which occurs in cold water during March. In April the water begins to warm and walleye feeding increases. The optimum feeding and angling catching period occurs during the month of May with water temperatures in the 60s as walleye feed all day and not just in the morning and evening. As the water warms in June, shad and other species spawn making forage more available. In warmer water with more forage, walleye switch to feeding at night when they have the competitive advantage with their superior vision in low light situations. As water continues to warm and forage abundance increases, walleye feed only at night making them very hard to catch for Lake Powell daytime anglers.
Most tagged walleye stayed close to their capture site during the spring and early summer. The vast majority of tagged fish were recaptured quite close to their tagging location.
The shortest duration in the water for a newly tagged fish was one day (Apr 25 - Apr 26, 2017). That fish was captured at the tagging site.
The longest duration before recapture was May 26, 2016 to June 7, 2017. This fish moved from Halls Creek to Hansen Creek in a year (~11 miles).
The furthest migration was from Lost Eden to Cedar Canyon (~18 miles) in one year and 5 days (June 1, 2016 to June 6, 2017). It is suspected that migration occurs in conjunction with the March spawning period. It is possible that some walleye (not all) move to spawn and then perhaps return to their preferred feeding spot to spend their time until the next spawning move.
There are still many tagged walleye swimming in Lake Powell. If you catch one please notify Wayne Gustaveson or Richard Hepworth and give us all the information: tag number, where caught, when, fishing tips, etc. We will continue to give out prizes until they run out. Utah DWR can always use the data from the tagged fish so please send it along.
Thanks for your participation and your interest in walleye fishing at Lake Powell.
UT and CO anglers caught the most tagged walleye (24), but anglers from NM, AZ, MN, CA, and ID were also represented. Most fish were caught between Bullfrog and Good Hope Bay. This is the prime walleye fishing location in Lake Powell.
We confirmed that the walleye fishing season in Lake Powell begins in Late April and shuts down in late June. The angling period coincides with walleye recovering from the spawning process which occurs in cold water during March. In April the water begins to warm and walleye feeding increases. The optimum feeding and angling catching period occurs during the month of May with water temperatures in the 60s as walleye feed all day and not just in the morning and evening. As the water warms in June, shad and other species spawn making forage more available. In warmer water with more forage, walleye switch to feeding at night when they have the competitive advantage with their superior vision in low light situations. As water continues to warm and forage abundance increases, walleye feed only at night making them very hard to catch for Lake Powell daytime anglers.
Most tagged walleye stayed close to their capture site during the spring and early summer. The vast majority of tagged fish were recaptured quite close to their tagging location.
The shortest duration in the water for a newly tagged fish was one day (Apr 25 - Apr 26, 2017). That fish was captured at the tagging site.
The longest duration before recapture was May 26, 2016 to June 7, 2017. This fish moved from Halls Creek to Hansen Creek in a year (~11 miles).
The furthest migration was from Lost Eden to Cedar Canyon (~18 miles) in one year and 5 days (June 1, 2016 to June 6, 2017). It is suspected that migration occurs in conjunction with the March spawning period. It is possible that some walleye (not all) move to spawn and then perhaps return to their preferred feeding spot to spend their time until the next spawning move.
There are still many tagged walleye swimming in Lake Powell. If you catch one please notify Wayne Gustaveson or Richard Hepworth and give us all the information: tag number, where caught, when, fishing tips, etc. We will continue to give out prizes until they run out. Utah DWR can always use the data from the tagged fish so please send it along.
Thanks for your participation and your interest in walleye fishing at Lake Powell.