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Show Lake Powell Fishing Described 'Fantastic' "Fantastic!" That's how fall fishermen describe the action at Lake Powell, where striped bass reign supreme In October, Stripers up to 30 pounds prowl the lake in vast schools, often surfacing to feed on schools of shad. Experienced fishermen launch at dawn maneuvering their powerful bass boats into the still waters of deep sandstone canyons in search of their elusive prey. Binoculars in hand, they scan the skies for circling seagulls and ravens which feed on crippled shad, victims of the stripers feeding franzies. In 1974, the Division of Wildlife Resources of the Utah Department of Natural Resources and Energy made an initial stocking of 94,000 into Lake Powell. The fish have responded as well as expected. Fisheries biologists noted the first successful spawning run up the Colorado River in 1979. The fishing gets better every year. Fish up to 25 pounds are caught regularly, and the current state record striper weighs just over 31 pounds. Wayne Gustaveson, , Wildlife Resources fisheries biologist at the Wahweap Marina near Page, Arizona, has monitored the progress of stripers at Lake Powell for eight years. Mixing business with pleasure, he's become a seasoned striper fishermen as well. "There have been some surprises this fall," says Gustaveson. "This is the first year striped bass fishing has been good all over the lake, from above Hite to Wahweap, over 150 miles. They're not feeding out in the main channel as they have in past years, they're In the side canyons and bays, moving in large schools and feeding on the shad." Threadfin shad were introduced into Lake Powell to provide the food base for striped bass. Finding the fish is the toughest part of striper fishing, according to Gustaveson. He offers several tips for fishermen, like watching for other boats gathered in likely looking areas, or scanning for ravens or seagulls circling over the water. The most obvious sign of activity is the "boiling water" when the fish feed on the surface. Until recently most stripers were caught by trolling deep-diving plugs along the cliff faces or by casting top-water plugs into schools of surface- feeding fish. Changes in the fishes' habits have caused fishermen to try some new tricks. Fish have been on the bottom this fall, In water 40 to 80 feet deep. Gustaveson says, "Large lead'headed feather jigs in white are good shad imitations. We've been catching some nice fish by jigging them in long sweeps 3 to 10 feet off the bottom." Trolling can be effective too, especially when the fish move out into the main channel. But by far the most exciting striped bass fishing occurs when the fish are feeding on the surface. Says Gustaveson, "When they're working the surface, almost any plug that floats head-up and leaves a V-shaped wake will take fish." The strike of a striper is fast and hard, and when a big fish hits all you can do is hang on! October is a beautiful time of year at Lake Powell. The morning air is nippy, but afternoon temperatures often reach well into the 70's. Access to Lake Powell is by Bullfrog or Hite marinas south of Hanksville, Utah, or by Wahweap Marina near Page, Arizona. Halls Crossing Marina is on the south side of the lake. |