Utah Walleye Fishing Reports

COMMENTS

Utah Walleye Fishing Reports Revised 08-20-08 Hypertext gives a description of the lake and facilities available. Check proclamtion for details on restrictions as some may not be listed here. Bear River Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Bullhead Catfish, Channel Catfish, Crappie, Cutthroat Trout, Green Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Walleye, Whitefish, Yellow Perch No recent reports. Deer Creek Reservoir Brown Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch (Aug 20) School is now in session, and the boat traffic should lighten up a bit. Anglers report decent success for the three main species of fish: trout, walleye and bass. Many anglers are trolling very slowly, jigging or simply bottom fishing with bait. The key zone for trout and walleye is in 20–40 feet of water. Smallmouth bass tend to be a little shallower. (Aug 13) Water level still down a bit but no problems reported for launching. Many recreational boaters on the weekend after about 9:00 a.m. due to the continued warm weather. Once school begins and the weather cools over the next few weeks, the reservoir should be less crowded and fishing will pick up. Most trout anglers report at least fair success from both boat and shoreline in the early and late hours of the day. Pop-gear and a worm work well for boaters. Shoreline anglers are mostly using powerbait with slow to fair success. Bass success remains "fair" to "good." (Jul 31) There were lots of recreational boaters on the weekend after about 9 a.m. due to the hot weather. Most trout anglers report at least fair success from both boat and shoreline in the early and late hours of the day. Pop-gear and a worm work well for boaters. Shoreline anglers are mostly using PowerBait with slow to fair success. Bass success remains "fair" to "good." Regulations Holmes Creek Reservoir Bluegill, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Walleye No recent reports. Regulations Jordan River Brown Trout, Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Sunfish, Walleye, White Bass No recent reports. Lake Powell Bluegill, Brown Trout, Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Smallmouth Bass, Striped Bass, Rainbow Trout, Walleye STOP QUAGGAG MUSCLE (Aug 20) By Wayne Gustaveson Lake Elevation: 3631 Water Temp: 78-83 F It's beginning! The southern lake is starting to boil after a 3 week quiet spell where fishing was very tough. The northern lake has had sustained striper boils over the same period. Now it appears the whole lake will provide excellent fishing. Dark moon in August bodes well for anglers who like topwater fishing. Yesterday there were sustained striper boils at the dam from 6 to 8 AM. Today we ran a circuit around Antelope Island to see how extensive the boiling stripers were. At 6 AM scattered stripers were seen chasing shad from Buoy 1 to the dam. A rattletrap cranked down would catch an occasional fish. But that wasn't fast enough so we raced uplake. At Buoy 3 we joined another boat fishing the first real boil of the day. Surface lures worked great with these tightly packed fish that were jumping high out of the water Just cast into or beyond the school for multiple hook ups. This school moved rapidly from Buoy 1 to Buoy 3 in one half hour. They went down and we preceded uplake. No striper schools were seen in Antelope Marina. Scattered fish started to pop near Buoy 9 but we could only catch an occasional fish on slowly cranked crankbaits. So we continued the circuit. At the confluence of Warm Creel and the main channel (Buoy 12) a huge boil blew up at 7:45 AM. We caught multiple fish on surface lures and crankbaits. One boil was right in the middle of the travel lane while another one was going on shore. We had a really great time with this bunch and placed multiple fish in the cooler. We expected all the fish to stay down after 8 AM but made a token run around Warm Creek hoping for one more school. That was a seemingly futile gesture so we headed the boat for Castle Rock Cut and home. With the Cut in sight we were detoured by the largest boil of the day. We finished filling the cooler and headed in at 9 AM. Boils are even better between Rock Creek and San Juan. The lake from San Juan to Bullfrog is starting to boil as well. Topwater striper fishing will be the big news on the lake from now until the end of September. Most boils in the lower lake are in the channel but there will be many boils in coves as well. Most boils will happen at dusk and dawn but daytime boils will become more common with time. Don't be surprised to catch bass in the boils with the stripers. As surface temperature drops bass will come shallow as well. September will be the best fishing month that Lake Powell has seen for many years. Catfish are still prowling the shoreline around camp and bluegill are in the brush but it will be very hard to pass up the boils for the more sedate forms of fishing. (Aug 13) By Wayne Gustaveson: Lake Elevation: 3632 Water Temp: 80-87 F The dreaded full moon effect is closing in fast. The weekend will feature bright nights which may have a negative effect on fishing success. To counteract the negative vibes go to those locations where forage populations are "bigger than an August moon". Of course that means Hite and the upper San Juan. Hite remains the best fishing destination this week. Bright moon will further compress dwindling boils to evening events only. Slurps begin about 2 PM but they are quick. It is very difficult to get the boat in position to cast while the fish are still on top. The last hour of light is prime time and that event alone will be worth the trip as many fish can be caught in a short time on surface lures. The stretch between Buoy 129 -131 has many surfacing schools. During the rest of the day stripers can still be caught in big numbers. Trolling a shallow running crankbait prompts a hookup every time a striper school is seen on the graph. There are many schools to be seen so this is quite a productive technique. Plastic swim baits, shad colored crankbaits and your favorite trolling bait all work very well. The Thinfin by Cordell worked great for one recently returning fishing party. I am sure spoons will work just as good. There are many stripers to catch in the 1.5 pound range that are fat and prime for table fare. Take plenty of ice to keep the fillets cool. Bass are picked up incidentally while trolling. Targeting bass would be very productive as well. The San Juan is good but takes second place to Hite. Boils are not common. Surfacing stripers have been reported at the confluence of the San Juan and main channel. These were larger fish that stayed up for a long time. Unfortunately they come up at random times making it hard to predict the event. With full moon, Jacks Arch Cove would be a good place to spend an evening. Piute Canyon is the hotspot for boils but competition with houseboats and skiers may detract. In late summer and fall the spot where river joins lake, Spencers Camp, is always a dependable fish catching spot on the San Juan. Over the rest of the lake, look for random boils at infrequent times. Two-fish-slurps happen often but fish are not easy to approach or catch. When boils do come up they often have staying power and catching many fish is possible. Finding the random boil is the hard part. Bass fishing continues to improve particularly in the above mentioned inflow areas. But smallmouth are caught on rock structure away from brush at 25 plus feet. Catfishing is excellent and big bluegill are ready for anyone that wants to toss a live worm into brushy cover. (Aug 6) By Wayne Gustaveson: Lake elevation: 3,632 ft., water temperature: 81–87° F. Fishing is improving all across the lake. Last week's report indicated dismal prospects for the main lake, and those predictions were confirmed. Now, we've turned the corner, and fishing success will build each week until it hits a grand peak in late September. he biggest news is shad are abundant, and predators are living large on the buffet circuit. The few fish being caught now are fat. Shad abundance is one of the main factors in past poor-fishing results. The other negative factors are warm surface temperatures and vast forests of submerged tree habitat that have fish goggle-eyed. Fishing prospects for the southern third of the lake remain tough; the most cooperative fish are catfish and bluegill. For nice-sized panfish, try fishing with live worms near brush in the backs of canyons. Catfish are in the sandy shallows near campsites. Use live worms, shrimp or chicken liver for the best chance to catch fish for supper. The midsection of the lake, from Rock Creek to Bullfrog (including the San Juan), boasts some decent striper boils early in the morning and late in the evening. Boils are hard to find as shad have moved out of the channel and are now in the coves. Cruise the shoreline at first light to find scattered single stripers surfacing. Scattered individual stripers will group up as the sun climbs and then school up to create some real boils. The action quits abruptly at 8 a.m. (MDT). The most productive habitat is slick-rock coves without brush. Stripers trap shad in rock coves and hold them there for a week or more at a time. Shad are more abundant in the backs of canyons, but brushy cover inhibits feeding. Boils are in the open coves instead of along brushy shorelines. The northern lake is the place to be. Nothing even comes close to fishing success in the northern reaches of the lake. Boils may be found throughout the day. You'll have more success early and late, but boils can spring up anytime. Shad are still in the channel uplake, making stripers easier to find. Cruise the main channel from White Canyon all the way to buoy 110 for excellent fishing opportunities. That is 25 miles of potential striper boils! Bass fishing patterns play off shad behavior. Shad schools are often in the channel. That places bass on rock structures close to shad and "looking up" to eat. Bass waiting for a shad swim-by are susceptible to mid-range shad crankbaits or lipless vibrators. Dragging a rattletrap along the 20-foot breaking edge of structure will catch more bass than other methods. Instead of fishing the shoreline and brushy coves, cast crankbaits to the open channel for more consistent bass action. A slow retrieve is still the best way to consistently catch fish. (Jul 31) By Wayne Gustaveson Lake Elevation: 3633 Water Temp: 80-85 F Fishing in main Lake Powell is as tough as it gets right now. It is mid summer with surface water temperature at its peak. The lake has stabilized at 3633 which is maximum elevation for the year. Fish hiding cover is more numerous than it has been in over 5 years. The easy answer is fisherman just don't have what it takes this week to catch fish in the trees. Fish can't be bothered to respond to lures with tiny shad and sunfish forage so plentiful in their front room. The only way to catch a bass now is to put on a heavy plastic grub (one ounce lead head) and drag that along the bottom contour at 20-35 feet. Bass are sulking in the depths waiting for cooling and shad to grow larger. It is tedious fishing but a few quality bass will be taken with this method while other means will be unproductive. Stripers have all but quit boiling. There is an occasional swirl where a single striper chases two tiny shad. By the time the swirl is recognized the striper is gone. There is little fishing success and not much more fishing pressure. This is tough but I have to categorize fishing success at Lake Powell. I have never had to classify fishing as poor before except in the deadest of winter. So here goes: Fishing at Lake Powell is Red Hot! How can I say that? The lake is so darn big that there is always a place that excels. The spot this time is the inflow area around Hite and in the upper San Juan. Stripers are boiling mid day from Hite to the Horn. It is possible to catch 50-100 fish per day - all on topwater lures. That is awesome fishing in anyone's book. Average size is 15 inches and fish are strong and acrobatic. In the upper San Juan there are occasional decent sized striper boils. Bass fishing is super - again for the smaller fish. Bait fish are prevalent in the coves and bass are working them over. Plastic grubs, senkos, surface lures and crankbaits are all being readily accepted. Fish the Great Bend area and above for the best action. Stripers will provide infrequent big boils but the abundance of shad limits number of boils. Stripers that can catch shad individually do not have to work together as a group to eat. Therefore, boils do not always occur in high forage situations. So fishing is Hot - if in the right spot! (Jul 23) By Wayne Gustaveson: Lake Elevation: 3633 Water Temp: 80-85 F Lake Powell has topped out at 3633. It was great run while filling 45 feet and we are sorry to see it stop, BUT there are some good things that come with stability and falling water levels. When the lake declines a foot, camping and beach use will be so much better. It will be all right to go barefoot again without the threat of tumbleweed stickers. Beaches will feature much more sand for playing and parking boats. Fishing will improve for bass that have found a home in flooded green brush. Stability will allow a definitive pattern to develop and make anglers more successful when fishing around brush. It will help that shad have grown larger and are hiding in that brush alongside sunfish. Fishing with surface lures will be the rule instead of the exception. Shad imitating baits of all kinds will work each morning and evening. Smallmouth fishing around rocks, points and ledges will continue to be good. It will be easier to define spots where bass may be holding. Once a good spot is found it will be possible to return there and find the same fish holding there for a week or two. In the past, fishing spots were gone within a day when the lake rose over a foot. Bass fishing is going to be very good during August and September. There is no waiting for great striper fishing. Stability has allowed the water to clear up in the northern lake. Stripers have found shad and boils have commenced in grand fashion. From Bullfrog upstream and in the San Juan expect to find boils every morning and evening, weather permitting. Wind will often blow the boils away but they return in larger magnitude as soon as the wind stops. These are real boils now in the northern lake. That means shad are larger and stripers have to work harder to capture their prey. School behavior is more aggressive. Casting precision is not quite as important. Long casts are still required. A full size surface lure landing in the middle of the melee will no longer spook the entire school. A big lure will be readily accepted and fought over if the first fish misses. Schools will not be quite as boat shy but it will still require knowing how close the boat can be to feeding fish without putting them down. Boils are still small and scattered in the southern lake. Hopefully, these boils will get bigger and stronger with darker nights now that the moon is waning. This week expect to see small groups of stripers surfacing quickly and moving rapidly. These will more likely be "ghost boils" (can see but not catch) and not the real thing. A recent report of trolling with shad raps and hot-n-tots in the back of Navajo Canyon produced walleye, bass and crappie. The depth was 20 feet and water was murky. It seems like a spring time pattern may be paying off in the back of the canyons. It may be worth a try. Regulations Provo River Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow Trout, Walleye (Aug 20) Fly anglers are reporting good success. Hare's ear, sow bugs, and other small surface flies and bottom-bouncing nymphs are producing fair to good success in pools and feeding zones. (Aug 13) Fly anglers are reporting good success. Hare's ear, sow bugs, and other small surface flies and bottom-bouncing nymphs are producing fair to good success in pools and feeding zones. (Jul 31) Fly anglers are reporting good success. Hare's ear, sow bugs, and other small surface flies and bottom-bouncing nymphs are producing fair to good success in pools and feeding zones. Regulations Starvation Reservoir Brown Trout, Crayfish, Smouthmouth Bass, Walleye (Aug 14) Anglers have been reporting mostly good fishing for walleye, bass and yellow perch. A few rainbows and browns have also been reported. Try fishing off the walls and points for bass and walleye, and near the moss beds for yellow perch. You'll find the best fishing during the cooler hours. (Aug 7) Anglers have been reporting mostly good fishing for walleye, bass and yellow perch. A few rainbows and browns have also been reported. (Jul 23) Anglers have been reporting mostly good fishing for walleye, bass and yellow perch. A few rainbows and browns have also been reported. Regulations Utah Lake Bluegill, Bullhead Catfish, Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Smouthmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass FISH CONSUMPTION ADVISORY (Aug 20) Conditions are similar to those in last week's report. Anglers report fair success for white bass using action lures and good success for channel cats using stink baits or worms. Walleye fishing is slow. (Aug 13) Fair success for white bass using action lures, good success for channel cats by using stink baits or worms. Walleye fishing is slow. (Jul 31) Anglers still report fair success for white bass, fair success for largemouth bass (look for edges of vegetation along inlets or along the vegetative shorelines in the lake) and good success for channel cats. Walleye fishing is slow. (Jul 28) Chris of Lehi fished Lincoln Beach in a group of 5 and caught 5 white bass and 5 channel cats using worms. "Action was fair, and fairly consistent. Not bad fishing for white bass with a bobber and 2-3 feet of line, and good for catfish on the bottom out 20-30 feet from shore." Regulations Willard Bay Bullhead Catfish, Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Perch, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Wipers (hybrid), Yellow Perch (Aug 14) Dedicated Hunter Spencer Staples reports a few anglers had success catching catfish between 10–14 inches using nightcrawlers. Another group of anglers had success catching crappie and bluegill using jigs and nightcrawlers. (Jul 31) Anglers are still reporting good fishing for wipers. Regulations Yuba Reservoir Channel Catfish, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Walleye, Yellow Perch (Aug 20) Anglers report slow success for all species. Please keep the walleye you catch. (Aug 13) Anglers report slow success all species. Please keep the walleye you catch. (Jul 31) Anglers report fair success for perch, slow to fair success for walleye. Anglers are also catching an occasional northern pike by using larger lures. Please keep the walleye you catch. Regulations