LAKE HAVASU

Submitted photo. Shaun Bailey of Lake Havasu City shows off two of the five fish he weighed in at the Won Bass Team event on Lake Havasu Nov. 22. The fish on the left is a somewhat rare Hybrid bass (largemouth/smallmouth cross breed), weighing 5.23-pounds, good for second biggest bass caught that day. Bailey won $1,750 for his first place finish in the tournament. The next Won Bass Team tournament will be held Jan. 31, 2009 on Lake Havasu.

Lake level: 447.01, water temperature 59- to 65-degrees.

The striper bite is moderate to good right now. With the water dropping in temperature they are beginning to move south and can be caught in coves with deep water that beginning at Grass Island and south to Standard Wash.

Up River bite is very slow right now but the quality of the fish are better. In other words: quality not quantity.

Snagged live shad are working well right now as well as cut chunk anchovies and mackerel. Spooning is also working when targeting suspended striper schools at depths of 35- to 40-feet, also target wind blown banks or points where schooled up balls of shad are congregating.

Large and smallmouth bass bite is slow due to the water temperature. At this time of the year these fish feed every three to four days. Numbers of quality fish have been sighted up river in the main current and backwaters, but they are resistant to even the subtlest presentation of baits.

The bite will increase if the weather conditions are windy however. Reports of using jerk baits such as the pointer 78 or 100s and large hard swim baits during these periods are producing some nice quality bass, so hope for windy or breezy conditions.

Report courtesy of Debbie Blanchard, Anglers Pro Shop.

LAKE POWELL

No new reports

The yearly summary is very bright. Shad made a tremendous comeback in 2008. They fed the rising generation of game fish left over after the old generation passed out of the picture in shad-poor 2007. Young stripers grew rapidly, doubling in weight from 1.5 to 3 pounds from spring to fall. Some trophy stripers remain and continue to pack on pounds but the bulk of the population weighs in at 3-4 pounds and is primed to produce a bumper crop of stripers in 2009.

Striped bass hatched in 2009 will survive on plankton early in the year and may eat some shad in summer and fall if shad are abundant. The main predatory impact of the new striped bass overpopulation will not be felt until 2010. Striped bass fishing in 2009 will be great for large numbers of 4-pound fish. If shad are scarce, bait fishing will be excellent. If shad are abundant in 2009, then stripers will grow to 6-pounds before the predation induced forage crash occurs in 2010.

Bass, particularly largemouth, were treated to a forest of habitat as the lake rose 45 feet in 2008. Brush that had grown around the lake edge was flooded providing dense cover for largemouth, crappie and bluegill. Copious shad were added to the fish forest resulting in lush habitat and feeding conditions seldom seen in this lake.

Smallmouth hung out on the rocks at the edge of the habitat forest feeding on shad at a leisurely rate and loving it. These conditions were optimum for all sport fish. Bluegill, crappie, walleye, and catfish all excelled. The perfect mix of food and cover was to the liking of all participants, perhaps with one exception.

The only one left out in this ideal aquatic situation was the angler. When fish are well fed and housed they have no reason to respond to baits and lures with more than a token attempt. Stripers lost interest in anchovy bait in early summer. With live shad or dead bait on the menu there was little reason to choose bait. Cover made it hard (not impossible) to coax bass out of the sheltered lair to feed when they could consume sunfish and shad without leaving home.

It is refreshing to have a complacent fish year like this occasionally to allow the sport fish a chance grow larger at their leisure. The standard at Powell is large numbers of small fish with low to no forage, which makes hungry fish easy to catch. Results in 2008 were completely different with fat fish being difficult to catch. Those pleasant conditions (for fish) remain in place today and it may remain that way through winter.

Patience is the key. This season is all but over. Normal conditions will return. Fishing success will improve in 2009. The end result will be excellent fishing for bigger better fish.

Report courtesy of Wayne Gustaveson, Utah Division of Wildlife.

LEES FERRY

Fly Fishing: With the flows back to normal (fluctuating) the fishing is getting better day-by-day. The fluctuation of the water has really seemed to turn the fishing around in the past few days. We are out of the boat and wading once again. There is a lot of food being stirred up in the system right now and these trout are taking advantage of this.

Trout have moved back into the riffles and are on the feed, we feel it has to do with the fluctuation of water. The majority of the fish brought to net have been larger lately. Guess the big guy’s are kicking the little guys out of the cafeteria. This report comes from a very reliable source, and he reported fish spawning already. I don’t know where on the river this was witnessed, but I have to believe this. These trout are eating the San Juan worm like no tomorrow. Midges and scuds are working well too.

Walk in: This area was reported to be fishing very good today, as well as up-river. With these flows we are able to fish the pocket water above the big rock area. Care must be taken in this area because of the water levels. You can get yourself into a lot of trouble if you don’t pay close attention to what is going on around you.

The big rock area is productive as well. In the early morning hours this will fish well, and then slow as the flow peaks. Not to worry, because it will pick right back up later in the afternoon so, don’t give up on this spot. Have a snack and a nap and get back out there in the later part of the day.

Spin Fishing: Glo bugs bounced off the bottom. Also, black and olive jigs were effective.

LAKE MEAD

With water levels have been rising a little, fishing has slowed.

Launching conditions at South Cove have remained nearly the same for the last three months. The new concrete ramp the National Park Service just completed is two lanes with cones 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 lake level is down and is running at 633 feet above msl. Lots of bass and bluegill located on fish habitat in 10-15 feet. As the aquatic vegetation has died off, the fish have consolidated around submerged trees and brush.

Biologists from both Arizona Game and Fish Department and Nevada Division of Wildlife have continued to install fish habitat in both Carp Cove and Box Cove. The largemouth, bluegill and catfish are really utilizing the new structures. Additional habitat will be added at several locations over the next two years. These structures are fish magnets.

WILLOW BEACH

Trout are stocked every Friday. Fishing has been pretty good for trout. 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 fair.

TOPOCK MARSH

The chat in the Topock Marsh is that a few largemouth bass are being caught in between a lukewarm crappie bite. The Old Western Trader is selling plenty of minnows, but anglers working the crappie are either not catching or not telling.

Water temperature in the Topock Gorge is 65-degrees and striped bass should be putting on the feedbag for winter. The line-sides are being taken, but the number of fish on the stringer remains down from previous years. Artificial lures are not producing strikes. It seems the fish only prefer protein based bait–mostly the ubiquitous anchovy.

Striper action may be uncertain, but over the last four weeks the catfish bite has been voracious. Channel cats ranging from 3- to 10-pounds have been – and continue to be – picked up. Look for deep pockets with plenty of structure. In order not to get hung up, fish to the side of the hole.

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

PARKER STRIP

Water temperatures along the Parker Strip have been averaging in the mid sixties and with the colder nights, and shorter days, much of the vegetation is beginning to die off. I have found that fish, especially bass, tend to become more selective in the food choose to eat during this time of the year. Bass can still be found around remaining grass beds, and near docks with deep water near. Mornings and evenings will produce the best results if bass fishing as during the day the fish are holding very close to structure and cover, making presentation very important.

Catfish are being caught at night, both flathead, and channel cats, using live bait such as bluegill or goldfish. Some are even being caught using cut bait as catfish tend to stock up in preparation for the colder months to come. Several Flat heads have recently been caught along the Strip in the 30-pound range. Stripers are also being caught now as the colder nights fuel their furry. Live bait, cut bait, artificial bait, it's your choice.

Water levels below the HeadGate Dam have been very low lately. Bass, along with other fish are holding to the deeper water.

Bass fisherman, try fishing the tullies with brown and purple jigs with pork frog trailers.

Stripers are being caught near the Palo Verde Diversion Dam.

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