Fishing Report

LAKE HAVASU — The lake level is 448.31 feet. The average surface water temperature is 73 degrees.

The Western Outdoor News Striper Derby will be held this Saturday and Sunday with more than 250 teams competing.

Striper fishing is good during early morning hours near drop-offs by shallow reefs and flats where stripers move shallow to feed on crawfish and spawning shad. Try top-water lures such as Chug Bugs, Pencil Poppers, Striper Strikes and shallow-running Pointer 128s in chartreuse shad.

Later in the day, anchovies still-fished in 35-55 feet of water are producing quality fish weighing more than 3 pounds. Remember to chum heavily. Whipple Bay, Grass Island and south at the Bill Williams buoy line have all been productive areas.

Largemouth bass can be consistently caught all day long. Early morning top-water bites are coming on small baits such as the 3- and 4-inch R2S Bubble Poppers and Walkers in the colors of chartreuse shad or laser rainbow. These fish tend to hold to the tule lines at the back of sheltered coves and under docks and boats in the marinas.

The best baits to use for this presentation are 4- or 5-inch Senkos or wacky-rigged Flick Shake worms. These are soft plastic stick baits impregnated with salt and fish-attracting scents. The best colors include cola, pumpkin and watermelon white laminate. Try slinging or skipping the bait across the water using an open-faced spinning reel and fish them under the docks, boats and at the edges of tules.

This report was provided by John Galbraith of Anglers Pro Shop — Lake Havasu City.

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