FISHING
REPORT EDITOR:
Rory
Aikens, (602) 789-3214
Regional editors:
Pinetop Region - Richard
Dreyer, (928) 367-4281
Flagstaff Region - Chuck
Benedict, (928) 774-5045
Kingman Region - Andy
Clark, (928) 692-7700
Yuma Region - Brad
Jacobsen (928) 342-4051
Tucson Region - Don
Mitchell, (520) 388-4451
Mesa Region - Richard
Wiggins, (481) 324-3544
May
28,
2008
LAKE POWELL
Where: Lake Powell
When:05/03/08
Caught: Walleye (one week, 5 boats, 137 Walleye)
Technique: Jigging/grubs and crawler harnesses, no spinner, just beads
and a float.
Comments: Walleye seem to be in "post spawn" bite is very light. Catching
Smallmouth, Crappie, and Bluegill all day long. Additional info in
our newsletter at swwalleye.com or contact me and I will forward an
e-mail copy to you.
Name: Deb Prestage/ Southwest Walleye Anglers
By
Wayne Gustaveson, Utah Division of Wildlife. Just when we have fishing
patterns all figured out - they change. It is transition time once
again. Stripers are near spawning and bass are lost in the rapidly
rising water. Here are tips to keep up with the expected fish movements
this week.
Striped
bass males are extremely active lake wide. They are in large schools
both in the canyons and the main channel. Schooling nature means
there will be many areas without any fish and then a few spots with
an endless supply of fish to catch.
Here
are a few locations with raging schools. Wahweap Bay near Castle
Rock, Buoy 3, Buoy 9, Navajo Canyon (points past the first big island),
Padre Bay - Cookie jar, Last Chance at the back of the canyon and
half way in on the east Bluff with the first noticeable rock slide,
Jacks Arch, Rincon near floating potty, Lake Canyon, and many spots
in the northern lake.
Schools up north may be harder to find with murky runoff water clouding
their presence. There may actually be more stripers in the upper lake
as they run to current when spawning - but they may be harder to find.
With huge schools present in most canyons and bays the best method
of locating them is to graph the 30- to 60-foot depth contour. It is
fine to troll while looking. When a fish is hooked or a school seen
on the graph, mark the spot. The location will often be well out in
the bay without a good way to stay on target, unless GPS or floating
marker is used to pinpoint the spot. Once marked, that school location
may be good for many days. Schools I have graphed recently resemble
a tall thin vertical stack with spaces. A tall thin stack without spaces
may also be a tree.
Stripers in the main lake are eating plankton so they are more likely
to be caught on anchovy bait than reaction lures. One combination that
works well is to chum with anchovies and fish with a spoon or crankbait
to actually catch fish as they rise in response to chum.
The
striper spawn will occur when water warms sufficiently to trigger
females into activity. When that occurs, activity shifts to dark hours
and daylight fishing slows considerably. Afternoons may be the best
fishing time this week. Look for shoreline splashing activity in the
evening to find a spawning school that may include a trophy female.
Males will all be the 2-pound fish that have been caught so often this
spring.
Rapidly
rising water has flooded new ground that is far way from where bass
were residing. In gently sloping area bass are hard (not impossible)
to find. Fish much deeper water to catch the bigger bass. The trick
this time of year is to fish vertical habitat where bass can go up
and down instead of moving laterally to stay in the comfort zone
while water rises. The exception and best place to fish, is the slick
rock canyons. Here much of the habitat is vertical cliff with cracks
and ledges for cover.
Bass will be in the likely looking spots along walls and in cracks.
Some of the best canyons to fish now for bass include: Face, West,
Oak, Reflection, Hidden Passage, Escalante River, Iceberg, and Moki.
Again the canyons up-lake are still good but the main channel may be
muddy.
Fishing remains great - it just requires a slight adjustment to keep
up with the moods of the quarry.
LEES
FERRY - Report courtesy Lees Ferry Anglers. Today's Fly
Fishing: The sun is out, the temperature is rising, and the midges
are hatching. Fish have been seen rising in the back eddies. This
is not happening all over the river but I hear tell this is going
on at certain spots on the river when conditions are just right.
These fish are not all that big but sight casting is a blast, I
am sure you'll agree.
Fishing the riffles is best early in the day as the water is on the
rise. After the water peaks your best bet would be to use a deep nymph
rig and drift the channel.
I
have also had reports that fish are taking dry flies here and there,
the dry dropper set-up. There are spots on the river you may have fished
in the past that may be vacant now. You may want to check with us here
in the shop for the latest information, and the most productive areas
to flick a fly. The flies of choice are micro San Juan worms in (worm
brown ) scuds, ginger and burnt orange
Walk
in: Having received a fresh report I can tell that the confluence is
fishing pretty good, even at higher water. The flies of choice are
scuds, and zebra midges.
Spin
Fishing: Spin fishing is still great! Stop in and pick up some egg
patterns and ask us about the recommended rig and best areas to fish.
We do have maps available in the fly shop as well.
LAKE MEAD - Lake Mead water levels continue to drop
as the elevation is currently at 1,108 feet above msl. Water temperatures
are running between 65 and 70 depending where you are on the lake.
Backs of coves are warming up nicely and largemouth bass are starting
to move in for the spawn. Striper fishing continues to be good. Anglers
using artificial lights were catching as many 13 to 18-inch stripers
as they wanted to clean.
Catfishing
under lights was also very productive using anchovies. Launching
conditions at South Cove have continued to deteriorate with the dropping
water. Both the dirt ramp and the new concrete the National Park
Service just completed are one lane ramps with buoys marking the
edges. Use caution not to go off the sides of the metal extensions
at either side. According to the Bureau of Reclamation, water levels
are projected to dip as low as 1,105 feet above msl later this summer
before rebounding slightly by October.
Important
notice: With the recent discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead,
Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to
help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your
livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine.
Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels,
but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may
be young mussels that can be hard to see.
LAKE
MOHAVE - The fishing is picking up a little on the upper
end of the lake. The stripers seen in the fall were fat and full
of shad, with schools of shad being chased by striped bass. If
the shad are making a comeback, we may see more mid-size stripers
in the basin. If you can find schools of shad, throw a small crankbait.
Biologists
from both Arizona Game and Fish Department and Nevada Division of
Wildlife have continued to install fish habitat in both Carp cove
and Box cove. The largemouth and bluegill are really utilizing the
new structures. Additional habitat will be added at several locations
over the next two years. These structures are fish magnets.
There
is a wheelchair accessible fishing pier just south of the main launch
ramp at Katherine's Landing. If you fish Mohave and are having luck,
please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so
I can share your successes with others.
Important
notice: With the recent discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead,
Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical
to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry
your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your
engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible
mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These
may be young mussels that can be hard to see.
WILLOW
BEACH - Trout are stocked every Friday. The fishing for
trout has been good from shore immediately following the stocking.
Try using a Jake, Panther Martin, or other spinner's or spoons. If
that doesn't work you can always use Power Bait. The striper bite
is picking up around the Monkey Hole area.
Important
notice: With the recent discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead,
Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical
to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry
your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your
engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible
mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These
may be young mussels that can be hard to see. If you fish Willow beach
and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so
I can share your successes with others.
TOPOCK
MARSH - Water level is up, but still be careful while
launching. The catfish are biting on night crawlers and anchovies.
Bass bite is still not bad. Crappies have shut down. Try night crawlers
or anchovies for catfish.
Game
and Fish biologists surveyed the Marsh starting on the week of Jan.
15. The largemouth bass population was observed to be very healthy,
as well as channel catfish. Crappie were also present, but in smaller
numbers.
You
can access the marsh by boat at North Dike, Catfish Paradise, and Five-Mile
Landing. All three also provide plenty of area for shoreline fishing
too. For more information on the marsh, contact the Havasu National
Wildlife Refuge at (760) 326-3853 or go to http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/havasu/index.html.
Important
notice: With the recent discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead,
Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical
to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry
your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your
engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible
mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These
may be young mussels that can be hard to see.
COLORADO
RIVER BELOW DAVIS DAM - The striper bite is picking up.
Trout were last stocked on March 24-25. This was the last trout
stocking until next winter.
Water
levels on the river fluctuate, so be careful. You can check the Bureau
of Reclamation Web site for flow predictions http://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html before
you go. If you fish the river below Davis Dam and are having luck,
please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so
I can share your successes with others.
Important
notice: With the recent discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead,
Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical
to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry
your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your
engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible
mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These
may be young mussels that can be hard to see.
For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department's
web pages at azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.
OTHER
WAYS TO GET THE FISHING REPORT:
Internet Home Page www.azgfd.com
Recorded Public Call-In Line (602) 789-3701
