LAKE POWELL FISH REPORT

JANUARY 13, 2004

By Wayne Gustaveson


Lake Elevation: 3595

Water Temperature: 45-50 F

BULLFROG REPORT - Winter Fishing Primer - January 2004

Left BF marina at 8 AM and headed for Moki canyon. Four boats scattered out in the canyon graphing for stripers. Doug Miller and I graphed a few fish half way back in the first cut on the left. Doug had a rod rigged with a white ¼ ounce jig head and one-inch anchovy chunk. I was using a drop shot anchovy rig with 2 dropper hooks. I chummed the spot with 3 cut anchovies and we dropped our baits to the bottom. Doug hooked a nice fish which pulled hard and broke off near the boat. I didn’t get a touch. The school spooked and we moved up the canyon to see how the other boats were faring.

Near the upper end of Moki the other boats were doing well on anchovies where water depth was 35-50. All of the fish were hitting near the bottom. A few fish came on spoons but most were taking anchovy bait. The fishing slowed as we added our boat to the armada. The first lesson learned was that cold winter fish are very susceptible to boat noise. They are biting very sporadically and sudden noise puts them down. Use the electric motor when approaching a likely fishing spot.

We returned to the first spot. Doug hooked another fish quickly after chumming and dropping to the bottom. I am still without a bite on the drop shot rig. I changed to a similar white jig head that could be fished on the bottom not 6 inches up. Second lesson - the bait has to be touching bottom or returning to the bottom more often than it is suspended.

I examine Doug’s rig further and find that he is using an 8-pound test fluorocarbon leader while I have regular monofilament. I switched to fluorocarbon, did everything else just as I had been earlier and this time catch fish. Third lesson - Slow moving winter fish are visually examining the bait very closely. Anything that looks strange results in rejection. The bait must look like a free floating piece of chum that has settled to the bottom. Invisible line is necessary when the fish are this fussy or cold. A jig head was acceptable.

Finally, the bite is imperceptible. When I finally got the bite I was very gently lifting the bait one inch off the bottom and setting it back down. On one lift the bait was heavy. That was the bite. No other indication was given. I set the hook on a hunch and the fish was there. Good 4 pound fat striper.

Now that you know the pattern, fishing will be good for you in the back of Bullfrog Bay, Moki Canyon, Forgotten, Lake and Halls Creek. I wouldn’t hesitate to try for stripers in the back of any Lake Powell canyon where water depth was 40-70 feet. Use 8 pound fluorocarbon. Fish ON THE BOTTOM with a one inch chunk of anchovy where a few fish are graphed. Do not use the big motor near the fishing spot. Chum a few pieces of anchovy steadily. Set the hook on any unusual sensation. It doesn’t cost anymore to set the hook.