Waynes trip north???
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I have put the walleye in the northern lake on a chair in a corner with their noses against the wall. We spent a lot of time fishing for them without a big reward. We averaged from 3- 20 fish per boat over a 10 hour fishing day in the HOT sun. We tagged 50 walleye which made it a good effort but I expected to have 10 times that many.
We did learn that bluegill are getting bigger in average size and in number of fish caught. There were places where we could bottom bounce and have a lot of vibration on the rod tip from bluegill stealing a piece of worm. I was very impressed with the numbers of large BG caught in many different locations. We scored in Forgotten, Knowles, Red Canyon bay, Blue Notch and Scorup. A tiny jig tipped with a piece of worm is the best way to catch BG and sunfish. Bluegill are eating mussels which may be why there are more and larger fish. The floating restroom cove at Good Hope was the best spot. Lots of fish.
We spent our time fishing for the previously mentioned fish so we did not target bass and stripers but we did catch a few along with a couple of catfish. Anglers we talked to focusing on smallmouth had the best luck.
I fished the day with Adam Eakle so we will have a future video on KSL Outdoors about catching the Lake Powell Slam.
We did learn that bluegill are getting bigger in average size and in number of fish caught. There were places where we could bottom bounce and have a lot of vibration on the rod tip from bluegill stealing a piece of worm. I was very impressed with the numbers of large BG caught in many different locations. We scored in Forgotten, Knowles, Red Canyon bay, Blue Notch and Scorup. A tiny jig tipped with a piece of worm is the best way to catch BG and sunfish. Bluegill are eating mussels which may be why there are more and larger fish. The floating restroom cove at Good Hope was the best spot. Lots of fish.
We spent our time fishing for the previously mentioned fish so we did not target bass and stripers but we did catch a few along with a couple of catfish. Anglers we talked to focusing on smallmouth had the best luck.
I fished the day with Adam Eakle so we will have a future video on KSL Outdoors about catching the Lake Powell Slam.
We caught no tagged fish on this trip but did have one caught earlier this month. It had moved only about a mile from the tag location in Red Canyon.
The first answer is yes. That extra forage will help the bass population this year.
The second answer is more long term. Will mussels finally siphon out enough nutrients and plankton so that threadfin shad will decline in numbers? The open water population of shad and stripers is in the prime target here. If threadfin crash, will gizzard shad be enough to support stripers? What will happen to the stripers without shad? If the striper population declines what will the sport fish population look like?
In a new forage system who will rule the water? Abundant bluegill may be the forage that allows bass, walleye and catfish to maintain a fishery in a lake without open water predators and forage.
Lots of questions to look at. So far, shad and stripers are maintaining. We keep monitoring them each year to understand when changes occur. So far all is well. Now we have to understand what will happen in 2018 after the lake cleared up in epic proportions this spring. We are still here and still working on maintaining the Lake Powell fishery even when faced with the devastation of quagga mussels.
Coho975
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Sounds an awful lot like our trip. We fished GHB for walleye from 5/2-5/7. BB with harnesses and slow death rigs in all kinds of colors. We fished main lake points on both sides of the bay from the bathrooms to the mud line which was right at the horn when we were there. Very tough fishing. Last year at this time tons of walleye and never went north of Knowles. Water clarity at 25-30 FOW down there this year. Didn't catch any walleye in the clear water, though we spent very little time fishing it. Temps in the bay were hitting 67-68 in the afternoon. Thinking about another trip next weekend, hoping the fishing improves.
PBH
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Literally. You'll probably see it 40+ feet down!
I'm just glad some of you are optimistic about the mussels. Me? I'm just trying to figure out when the right time will be to put a "for sale" sign in the boat!
The best walleye catch came from Farleys Canyon with 3 anglers bringing in 20 walleye.
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Lost Anchor
Active Member
We fished Red Canyon this weekend and caught 26 walleyes in two and half days. Friday was a lot better (13 Walleyes) then Saturday (6 all day.). Sunday morning in four hours boated the rest. We BB the flats and the walleyes where bitting the middle of the worm, so we shortened it up and started catching more Walleyes. A lot of them where off points that held Blue Gills, also out in the flats in 20-30’ of water. About half of Walleyes had three inch Blue Gills in their stomachs. Also banged the banks and caught 6 other species of fish.
catchnabuzz
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Got back yesterday. Camped at Blue Notch and fished main channel points and small islands with extending flats. Gave 70 walleyes a ride home. We lost alot! These fish hit extremely light. Bottom bouncing at 1.2mph. On Tuesday they were very shallow. We got 20 eyes in 5 fow or less, Wendsday 12’ was the tcket. Anything north of Castle Butte is too dirty to fish and the best water color was 3’ visibility. We caught about 20 big fat stripers also. Some had spawned, some full of green eggs. Bluegill were ridiculous and hard on night crawlers, caught over 100.saw 74 degree water in the afternoon
SLAYERFISH
Active Member
Did u keep any gills? They eat well-
catchnabuzz
Well-Known Member
No. As it was we cleaned fish til midnight everyday. Didn’t have the energy to do 50 gills a day! Lol chucked them all back
I am quite sure our success was limited by the bite on that particular day being less than normal and our lack of understanding about where to fish. If we had gone back the next day and refined our techniques and locations more, then our catch would have improved. Fishing is about understanding patterns, depths, habitat, attitude of fish, etc.
The reports listed here show that time of day, depth of fish caught, changes as the day progresses. As you experience those changes and react to them by subtly adjusting the worm length, the speed of the boat, the depth fished, the location, then you will be much more successful.
I spend most of my time chasing stripers so I understand their moods better and quickly react to behavior that I have witnessed before. When I adjust, then I catch more fish.
Read the reports. Focus on the changes listed and how the fish responded. Keep that in mind as you fish for walleye or other species in any lake locations. Finding success is about understanding fish behavior and patterns and not necessarily about the specific location.
The drawback closer to Bullfrog is crystal clear water making walleye and other species harder to approach and catch.
Thank you for that information.
Did you launch from Blue Notch by chance?
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