Arizona Lake Fishing

Lake Powell has risen 45 feet this year providing an optimal habitat for all it’s aquatic life. Food is abundant, shelter is easily found and the angler is left a little frustrated. This season the fish are fat and happy and are less likely to strike a bait when their stomachs are full.

If you’re lucky to find a striper boil, you will probably leave for the day with you full catch in hand. However, most of us aren’t quite as lucky. But not all is lost and Lake Powell is still one of the best freshwater fishing lakes in Arizona.

Lake Powell fishing tips

• Trolling is working great for anglers down around the inflows where abundant shad are hanging out.
• You can also get out to the Hite or San Juan and use a diving lure down to about 20 feet.
• Early morning use surface lures around shad schools. During the day try drop shots at about 25 feet.
• If you’re shad looking lure is not working, try a bright colored lure like a fire tiger crankbait. This might trigger the striper into striking out of frustration.

We can expect 2009 fishing season to be excellent as the fish continue to eat to their fill and live relatively safe in all the new shelter created by the rising waters.

Fishing at Clear Creek Reservoir is fair to good.

The warm water fish like bass, sunfish and catfish are biting.

If you prefer to go for the trout use worms, Power bait and salmon eggs.

For the bass, anglers are reporting hits on spinners, z-rays and crankbaits.

Fly anglers use wooly buggers and peacock ladies.

Roosevelt Lake is 94% full with an elevation of 2100 feet.

Night anglers are catching a bunch of largemouth bass, some reported up to 40 fish. One angler caught 20 and all were in the slot. Even though the bite is slow, the action is not. The water temp is at 84 degrees in the morning and water clarity is around 8-10 feet.

For best results: Use the drop shot method with plastics. The Texas and Carolina rigs are working well. If you are seeing boils which are more common in the mornings, try crankbaits and topwater lures.

Water elevation is 1,758 ft, which is 50 percent

Large mouth bass can be caught with plastics and crankbaits.

Try hitting the rocks with cranks to get fish to bite.

Jigs are also working for the largemouth.

For top water action, it’s a little slow right now but is decent right at dawn until about 9 a.m. Go deeper with drop shot and plastics after 9 a.m.

Also try spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jigs, and black/silver Hula Grubs.

Best spot:Jojoba Boat Ramp in 5 to 8 feet of water. Also the west end of the lake in the mornings and then on the east side in the evenings.

Flathead catfish are being caught at the upper end by Ship Rock at night with a full moon. Next full moon, October 25.

Water elevation remains at 2,099 feet, which is 42-percent full.

Large mouth bass are biting during late morning. Try crankbaits and jerkbait.

Crappies are also biting on 1/16 oz. jigs with a split shot attached at about 3 feet above jig.

Best spot:Tonto end of lake.

Rat-L-Trap – A brand of lipless crankbait.

crankbait – Any of a wide number of hard plastic or wooden lures that dive when retrieved (cranked with a reel) through the water. Crank or cranks are slang terms for these baits.

Carolina rig or Carolina rigged – A special rig in which an exposed or hidden hook is used with a soft plastic lure placed 2 to 3 feet behind an egg or barrel sinker and swivel. Used primarily for deep fishing with heavier weights than a Texas rig. This rig is most commonly used with a plastic worm or lizard, but can be used with floating crankbaits and other lures.

A variation on this theme is using a lighter, spinning outfit with a split shot placed on the line 12 to 30 inches above the hook, with a small worm or lizard (4 to 6 inches) rigged Texas style. This style can be used in shallow or deep water, and is especially good for use in the clear, Western reservoirs, or when it is appropriate to down-size, such as in winter.

Bomber Long “A” – A brand name of crankbait.

Shad Rap – A brand name crankbait.