Fishing Report

LAKE HAVASU — The lake level is 446.10 feet. The average water temperature is between 63-68 degrees.

The striped bass are in their spawning cycle process as the water temperatures continue to rise. These fish have typically developed into prominent predators in the western lakes and will feed on a vast selection of artificial lures and natural baits.

Frequent “boils” or swarms, often consisting of twenty or more striped bass, may be observed on the Colorado River lakes and represent an excellent fishing opportunity especially with Pencil Poppers, Vixens, Sammy’s or other similar trout-looking surface lures. The best colors for this time of year are chartreuse shad, chrome/blue, bone white, crawdad tones and trout patterns.

The striped bass tend to gravitate upriver where there is a slight current and the water temperature range reaches 62-64 degree. About 20-25 small males guard the eggs deposited by the one female during this spawning ritual that takes place in the current or open-water areas with passing fresh water.

Remember to “chum” the area where setting anchor. This will help to attract the fish — the striped bass think that it is a wounded-bait ball feeding frenzy that is filling the waters surrounding the boat. Doing this will increase the odds of a successful catch and increase the odds of getting a “big toad” during this time period.

The stripers will wait for food to come to them once the smaller stripers have wounded and ambushed the shad and other prey above them.

The shad spawn is also approaching. These little bait fish have a big impact on the amount and quality of bass being caught.

The shad spawn will increase as the water temperature begins to exceed 65 degrees. Remember that the “snagging” of live shad is illegal at this time and the “snagging season” will reopen Oct. 1.

The largemouth and smallmouth bass are continuing the completion of their spawning cycle. However, the majority of these fish are overlapping and are in their post-spawn cycle — depending on their location in the lake.

These bass can be caught on small, salt-impregnated worms rigged drop-shot, wacky-style or rigged Carolina-style.

The smallmouth bass tend to prefer the smaller worm with a curly tail, such as the 4 1/2-inch Robo Bold Bluegill or Bed Bait II in chartreuse.

There have been reports of an early-morning (predawn), top-water bite for these fish. The top-water lures of choice for the smallmouth bass are Chuggers and small Zara Spooks in the colors of chartreuse shad and white and chartreuse.

Largemouth prefer smaller PoP-R — such as the Mega Bass in bass or shad color, and the R2S Bubble Pop 65 in white with red eyes or chartreuse shad.

This report was provided by Debbie Blanchard of Anglers Pro Shop — Lake Havasu City.

The complete fishing report can be found in Thursday print editions of Today's News-Herald.