LAKE HAVASU

Average water temperature 79- to 82-degrees.

The Striped Bass are beginning to boil more frequently in small groups; the best time for this type of fishing would be around 3pm-sunset. Try using a Vixen in Bone White or a Zara Spook in Lake Fork Shad, Bone or chrome. The Storm Chuggers in Chrome/Blue is a great top bait for striper and other species of bass. You will find that the smallmouth bass are really not relating to the shallow shore lines but they are suspended under and to the outside of the striped bass schools to clean up the injured shad that sink after their attack on the shad schools. You can catch them with small poppers such as the R2S bubble Popper in Chart shad or a XPS popper. These smallmouth school with the stripers and tend to hit the smaller top water baits in colors that resemble shad and crawdads which are showing to be brown and green, with orange right now.

Large and smallmouth bass can be caught through the day on a simple split shot rig with a 4-inch robo worms in the colors of Margarita Mutilator II and Orange Crush. Another method during the high daylight hours is the Carolina Rig. Use this technique with a long 2.5- to 3-foot leader with 6-8lb Fluorocarbon Line along the out side edges of the deeper weed lines and fish it slowly. You will catch quantities now with an occasional Quality bass. Fish the main lake south to steamboat cove.

The catfish are in abundance in the backs of the coves in about 4- to 12-feet deep, both in the North and South ends of the Lake. Use liver, Bowkers Catfish bait, and mackerel if this is what you’re trying to catch right now.

Pan fish/Bluegills are easily caught now with nightcrawlers and they tend to be in the same areas as the catfish, back in the shallows of the coves near habitats.

This Report was provided by Debbie Blanchard of Anglers Pro Shop, Lake Havasu City.

LAKE POWELL

Lake elevation: 3,629. Water temp: 78- 80-degrees.

The biggest change this week is a drop in surface water temperature. After more than a month of water warmer than 80-degrees, the lake has finally dipped down to 78-degrees in the morning. Nights are cooler and days shorter. While there will still be some warm days, water temperature will decline steadily from now on. Fall fishing excellence is just ahead.

The Labor Day storms left us uncertain as to changes in fish location and behavior. Few reports were given. It is assumed that fish just went deep and will now resume the patterns established last week.

Over the length of the lake, big strong striper boils happen once in a while. More often there are scattered feeding events marked by a few fish surfacing at random wide spread locations. Some times all is quiet, particularly during the mid day period.

Best fishing strategy for this week is to search for that big boil. If found, the rewards are tremendous with numerous strong, fat 2- to - pound stripers that can be caught as long as the fish feed on top - which may be over an hour. These huge boils occur during the first two hours of daylight and the last two hours of light at night.

Report courtesy of Wayne Gustaveson, Utah Division of Wildlife.

LEES FERRY

Today’s Fly Fishing: With the low flows we are back in and wading. Just about every bar and riffle is producing fish. I was out on Thursday and caught fish every place we stopped. We caught fish on dry flies in the scum lines, and did very well in the riffles nymphing. San Juan worms and flash midges were the flies of choice.

All in all, it was a very pleasant day to fish this river. The weather was nice and the fish were eager to eat. It was also nice to stop and wade for a change. The flows will remain at 12,000 cfs through October. You might want to take advantage of this.

Walk in: We have had only a few reports from this area in the past few days. Other than that, the last report was from the Aug. 19. As of Sept. 1, flows are at a constant 12,000 cfs, which should allow better access and wade-ability for those of you choosing to fish this part of this river. Flies of choice are San Juan worms, zebra midges, Rs2’s and wd-40, brassies and most any other midge larva.

Spin Fishing: Glo bugs bounced on bottom and jigs were the effective today. Stop by and check out the rig for bottom bouncing, it’s a kick.

Reports courtesy of Ted Welling, Lees Ferry Anglers.

LAKE MEAD

Water levels have held steady, the elevation is currently at around 1,105 feet above msl. Nighttime Striper fishing has been really good again. Anglers using artificial lights were catching as many 13- to 18-inch stripers as they wanted to clean. Catfishing under lights was also very productive using anchovies. Artificial lights tend to be most productive if fished with a new moon. Launching conditions at South Cove have remained nearly the same for the last two months. The new concrete ramp the National Park Service just completed is one lane with buoys marking the edges. Use caution not to go off the sides of the metal extensions at either side. National Park Service is working to keep the ramp open.

LAKE MOHAVE

The fishing for small stripers has been pretty good. Try using cut anchovies at night. If you have submersible lights try using them around the new moon. The lake level has remained pretty steady and is running at 641 feet above msl. The stripers seen in the fall were fat and full of shad, with schools of shad being chased by striped bass. No sign of shad this year so far. If you can find schools of shad, throw a small crankbait.

WILLOW BEACH

Trout are stocked every Friday. Fishing was a bit spotty for those fishing from the shoreline with about half the angler’s having success.

Most of the success has been coming from or around the new pier. Try using green Power Worms, or salmon eggs. Anglers report the fishing being best before 7:30 a.m.

The striper fishing has been picking up. Reports of Stripers 5-pounds and up are becoming more common.

TOPOCK MARSH

Limits of stripers are doable in the Topock Gorge, but anglers must keep on the move. Average sizes remain in the 1- to 2-pound range, but a few up to 5-pounds have also been taken. Deep holes have produced a few fatties. Two were lost at the boat. However, one, a 20-pounder caught by Golden Shores local Kenny Rasmussin, made it all the way in. Daytime stands for catfish are proving to be as fruitful as nighttime. Cats from 3- to 13.5-pounds have been caught on the ever-present anchovy.

At Topock Marsh, 13- to 16-inch largemouth bass are hitting night crawlers. No numbers have been reported but with the sweltering heat, anglers are only casting their lines in the cool of the morning. The catfish bite is energetic. Golden Shores resident Kaylee Woodruff and her father Terry caught several up to 3.5-pounds. Greg Blanchard, also of Golden Shores, picked up a 15-pounder at South Dyke on cut bait.

Report courtesy of Georgia with Capt. Doyle’s River Excursions/Fun Fishing Guide Service.

PARKER STRIP

Spinner baits, cranks baits, and Senkos, these are the hot bass baits right now. Anglers have been reporting a lot of small and large mouth bass in the two to three pound range. One-half Terminator spinner baits, Bandit 200 Series crank baits, and natural colored 5-inch Senkos are what you should be throwing if you’re after these fish. Live bait such as night crawlers have been working well also. Morning and evenings are the most productive times of the day. Look for shaded areas if fishing in the heat of the day, and remember to stay hydrated.

The catfish bite has appeared to slow down, possibly do to the recent storms. Nighttime is the best time to go after flathead and channel catfish. Live bait like goldfish, bluegill, and night crawlers work the best. Channel cats have been biting on anchovies and chicken liver.

Report courtesy of Anglers Central and http://www.fishparkeraz.com.