Upper Colorado River

Arizona Game and Fish Department's Fishing Report

FISHING REPORT EDITOR:
Rory Aikens, (602) 789-3214

July 28, 2010

LAKE POWELL-Courtesy Wayneswords.com, July 21.  Lake elevation: 3,638.  Water temp: 82-89 F.  Lake elevation has stabilized and water temperature is at its peak for the summer. It was 84 degrees this morning at sunrise. These factors allow sport fish to settle into a pattern without responding to water level changes. Occasional monsoon cloud bursts are taken in stride without lasting impact.

The water is warmer than most fish prefer, sending most deeper during the heat of the day. Young shad take advantage of this and hang out at the surface hoping for separation from lake predators. Striped bass hang out at cooler depth strata but "look up" for a chance at an easy meal from the tiny bait fish. Stripers rise quickly as a group surround shad, eat quickly and then go back to cooler water. Sometimes the whole process takes a few seconds. At other times a bigger shad school makes it worth working up a sweat to eat more fish and the boil may continue for a few minutes.

Catching fish focused entirely on eating three-quarter inch long larval shad is challenging, especially when predators have to dive quickly for personal comfort. Here are some tricks to even the playing field a bit until shad have time to grow large enough to be bigger targets.

When a boil is observed try to determine direction of travel so the boat can be in position to cast when fish resurface. The most vulnerable time for slurping stripers is the first time they break surface in attack. Almost any lure cast to a fish as it breaks surface will be eaten.

More likely the boat will be in casting range when the school is headed for deep water. Follow the diving fish with a small diving lure like a Lucky Craft pointer or rattletrap. The most versatile lure is one that will descend quickly to the fish holding depth. Spoons and swim baits can be fished on top, at mid depth and in the deeper cool zone. Vary speed of retrieve until it is apparent that fish want it fast or slow. That speed preference seems to change throughout the day.

Catching slurpers is challenging. This activity is found lake wide and seeing slurps morning and evening is assured. Boiling fish are found more often uplake when cooler water is closer to the surface because of the recent heavy runoff. Best boils and highest catches are coming from Good Hope bay to Hite.

Don't forget bass with all the surface striper chasing going on. Casting a plastic grub in smoke or watermelon color at fist light in the morning is almost a sure thing. Again the northern lake is best.

Ten-inch smallmouth are ever present over the length of the lake. Little bass and sunfish provide great sport for kids learning how to fish. Take some time out form water sports to teach a youngster the joy of fishing. He or she will be forever grateful. Small hooks and live worms are all that is needed. The same goes for catfish. Fish cats in the evening at supper time and bass in the early morning or under the shade of the houseboat. Can it be that easy? Try it and see.

LEES FERRY -- Courtesy Lees Ferry Anglers.

Fly Fishing: Fishing is really good, and these fish are looking VERY healthy. The cicadas are starting to get extremely thick upriver, yet still somehow the fish aren’t quite keying on them exclusively. There are certain spots though where the bite is definitely getting hot but it’s just not spread to the whole river.

The past few days the fish counts have been very large. There are a few tricks to this bite but, if you know how to fish the cicada hatch you are sure to have a great time.

I would also like to mention that drifting with a longer leader and a heavy nymphing rig has been extremely productive. And again, certain areas are better than others so move around a bit. And remember you will need extra shot to get it down in the zone.

This year the hatch is much thicker than we have ever seen, and is sure to improve over the next few weeks. So, if you were thinking of fishing the ferry NOW is the time. Tight lines T

Walk in: This area has been fishing very well.

Report by: Chris Smith

It seems that the fish in the walk-in are finally starting to get settled into the high flows. In the mornings you can still get out to the gravel bar and the fishing off the far side of that has been great. They are hitting the Juan Worm like it’s candy and me and many other’s are using double Juan rigs (tan and brown seem to be the hot colors). Of course as the flows come up below the bar is the ticket as all the food gets washed out of there. Once again just be careful as the flows come up and pick the shallower spots to get back (right below the top of the boulder field is usually a good bet). Finally the walkin is getting a bit more crowds too which is nice to see (and there’s still plenty of room to fish and grab a good spot), too few people have been enjoying the excellent fishing. A lot of bigger fish seemed to have moved in as well and I’m consistently catching 15”-17” fish.

Tight Lines,
Chris

Spin Fishing: Was reported as great this weekend, the lure of choice is still the Panther Martin in gold and black.

Anglers are also using large glo bugs, and bouncing them off the bottom.
The jig has been a fun one too, seems the black ones are working best when the cast is toward the shore. T

If you have some news you would like to report about fishing lees ferry, the walk-in section or up river please e-mail your report to: anglers@leesferry.com Attn. Lees Ferry Fishing Report

LAKE MEAD - The current water level is around 1,088 feet above msl. Dropping lake levels have slowed this week.  Striper fishing has been mixed but anglers have been having success at night under lights. Several reports of larger striped bass over the normal 2-pounds have been coming in.  This size is still the predominate size along with the half to one-pounders, but fish in the 5-7 pound range are showing up.  Cut anchovies are still the bait of choice.  Check the moon phases before you go.  Dark nights work best when fishing under light.  Fish in 50 plus feet of water to find the larger fish.   If you can locate the shad, the stripers are not far behind.  Trolling usually works best in areas were shad are found and best done in the early mornings and evenings. 

Launching conditions at South Cove will remain fair. The concrete ramp the National Park Service completed last year is two lanes with cones marking the edges. Use caution not to go off the sides of the metal extensions at either side. National Park Service is working to keep the ramp open.  Temple Bar Launch Ramp is two lanes.  Launching conditions in general are better at Temple Bar than South Cove.

Important notice: With the 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 lake level is around 642 feet above msl.  No new reports from Mohave.  The bass bite has been fair.  One angler reported catching many bass including a 5lb largemouth and a 3 lb smallmouth. 

Trolling with anchovies in 30-50ft has been producing some stripers, while catfish are on the bottom.  While the number of stripers in Mohave has been decreasing, the quality of the fish caught has increased. The night time bite has begun to pick up.  Submersible lights fished during the new moon is an effective way to catch stripers.  Cut anchovies usually work the best.  The last new moon was 7/11/10.

Biologists from both Arizona Game and Fish Department and Nevada Division of Wildlife with the help of volunteers, National Park Service and Bureau of Reclamation personnel have continued to install fish habitat in Carp Cove, Box Cove and Shoshone.  Fish habitat consists of PVC structures, wood pallet structures, tamarisk bundles, and some Christmas trees. The largemouth, smallmouth, bluegill and catfish 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 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 fishing has been good on Fridays.  Trout are stocked every Friday with 3,000 13” rainbow trout.  Most anglers are having success with power bait, salmon peach was the one most effective.  While access has been more difficult than normal during the ongoing construction, parking around the fishing pier has remained good.

Some indications that the large stripers are beginning to move into the Willow beach area.  The striper fishing usually is at its best when the air temp reaches 115 or better.  This week is forecast to be in that range, so get out with your big trout imitation lures and try for the big ones!

Important notice: With the 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 – The catfish are biting and can be caught on spam, chicken gizzards, and anchovies.  Sizes have been running between 2 and 11 lbs. 

Game and Fish Biologists surveyed Topock the first week in February.  Bass, crappie and catfish populations continue to do well.   

You can access the marsh by boat at the 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 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 – While angler use has been low, the ones who are fishing are doing fairly well. We all know the catfish are on the bite. Although not as rotund as the nine pound one taken in the marsh, average sizes are hitting the 3-pound mark. Even though limits of striped bass are not the norm these days with largemouth and smallmouth bass catches added to the mix, success is high. Sizes of the few stripers taken over the past couple of weeks have been between ½- and 4-pounds. Largemouth size has been a pound and under, while the smallmouth are averaging 1- to 2-pounds. Night crawlers, anchovy and curly tails continue to be the bait de jour. A 10-pound carp was caught and released– unsurprisingly.

Rainbow trout are stocked by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service monthly during the winter.  The last scheduled stocking was March 16th. Stocking will resume in October.  The fish are stocked in two locations; Davis Camp and near The Riverside. Trout fishing at the stocking sites is great immediately following the stockings, then the fish move out and you need to find them.   Rainbow trout are located throughout the river below Davis dam, but anglers typically report catching trout on the Arizona side across from the Riverside, off the shore of Davis Camp and in the big bend area. This year we have received multiple reports of larger holdover trout being caught.  Remember to fish for trout, you need a trout stamp on Class A and Lifetime fishing licenses.
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.

OTHER WAYS TO GET THE FISHING REPORT:
Internet Home Page www.azgfd.com