August 25, 2009
Lake Elevation: 3638
Water Temp: 75 - 78 F                                                              This report will be updated after Labor Day when Wayne returns.

Both air and water temperature are cooling which will have the exact opposite effect on fishing. The heat of summer is over making it more comfortable for anglers as well as fish. Shad have grown larger than a piece of linguini and are now bite size. All these factors align to keep fishing success at it best.
 

Ronnie Doss - 12 pound striper-


Fall is topwater time on the big lake. Striper boils have already heated up and they will build and continue through September. Timing is the most critical factor as it seems there are willing striper schools and harried shad in almost every canyon. Daylight allows shad to join up after a night of individual random feeding. As shad schools form, stripers attack. Before the sun peaks over the horizon single bass and stripers whack shad in the center of lake. It looks like trout feeding in a high mountain lake. As the first sun rays hit the water shad join into schools and stripers form into bigger bunches to continue the assault. Surface feeding activity continues for an hour and on some days much longer. But, get on the water early for best success. The first hour of daylight is critical.

The very best spots may be Tapestry Wall, Halls buoy field, Slick Rock Canyon and Warm Creek but there are a hundred spots that are a close second.

On a calm afternoon surface feeding action starts up again after 4 PM but afternoon winds keep boils down. If wind happens make sure to be on the water early the next morning to take advantage of hungry stripers.

Stripers will feed anytime of day. Boils seen midday will be some of the biggest and longer lasting as both striper and shad school size is large. When they come together after a rest the result is perhaps an hour long feeding spree. Stay ready for this prize event.

Recent reports of boils have come from almost every canyon between Wahweap and Hite. More fish are being caught from Bullfrog upstream. Slightly bigger fish are being caught from Rainbow downstream. Fishing is good in all directions. Just go give it a try at first light.

When boils quit just hit the shoreline and toss rattletraps for bass or spoons for more stripers. It is time to start speed reeling. After a boil quits drop a spoon to the bottom in 50 feet of water and then reel it as fast as possible to 25 feet. Then drop it to the bottom again and repeat. More stripers will be caught this way than in boils during September.