May 6, 2015 - May is Best Month for Fishing Success
Written by Wayne Gustaveson
Tuesday, 05 May 2015 14:36 -
Lake Powell Fish Report – May 6, 2015 Lake Elevation: 3589.8 Water Temperature 62- 70 By: Wayne Gustaveson http://www.wayneswords.com
Fish reports from the first weekend in May are rolling in and all agree that last weekend was the
very best fishing of the year and perhaps the best seen in a very long time. All species of fish
were caught along the length and breadth of the lake. Smallmouth bass were the leader by a
country mile followed about equally by largemouth bass, crappie, and walleye. Stripers came in
last but there were a few clues to help find them in the coming days.
Smallmouth bass were actively spawning in the mid to northern lake. They are very aggressive
when the first eggs are laid but then become more docile with each passing day. Weather is
now blustery with scatter showers and cooler weather. But water temperature remains above
62 degrees so bass will continue to guard nests and be easily caught. Smallmouth techniques
were evenly divided between square bill crankbaits cranked near shore and plastics fished
along the bottom from shore to 25 feet deep. It seems crankbaits and spinner baits were best
early and late while plastics were better mid day.
Largemouth bass are randomly caught while pounding the shoreline looking for smallmouth. It
seems largemouth are done spawning but they are actively chasing sunfish and crayfish in
submerged tumbleweed shelters in the backs of coves. Largemouth are caught frequently but
compared to smallmouth they are outnumbered 10 to 1.
Crappie are actively spawning and have been found on nests in open water far from brush. The
falling lake level with clear water makes them easy to see but they look back and see the boat
so they are not always easy to catch. Small fish imitating lures are best. Try 1/16th ounce
weights on 4-6 pound test when specifically targeting crappie.
Walleye are showing up more often now. The magic depth is 15-20 feet. The best lures are
plastic tubes and grubs that move slowly along the bottom. A piece of live worm is a good
enticement and draws response from crappie bass and bluegill as well. Blue gill occupy
tumbleweed piles in 10 feet of water and less. Walleye hang at the 15 foot area and move in
shallow occasionally to invite a bluegill to lunch.
Stripers are still difficult to find. The problem is romance related. They are up all night and tend
to go to sleep first thing in the morning. I went out early today and found stripers much easier to
catch at first light than at mid day. The vulnerable stripers are in open water where bottom depth
is near 25 feet. These 1 and 2 year old fish are eating plankton and can be caught with small
trolled lures. Our best lure today was a ghost colored Lucky Craft Bevy Shad 75. It runs about
8 feet deep and is small enough to excite the plankton-eating fish.
The larger mature males and females are separated from the small fish. They hold in larger
schools in deeper water. Big schools were found at the mouth of 50-mile Canyon in the
Escalante arm and in Bullfrog Bay near Buoy 94. The 50-mile fish got away because they could
be seen but not caught. The Bullfrog fish were harvested in abundance with anchovy bait after
extensive chumming and precise positioning over the stationary school.
1/4
May 6, 2015 - May is Best Month for Fishing Success
Written by Wayne Gustaveson
Tuesday, 05 May 2015 14:36 -
If big striper schools are seen in deeper water, mark the spot and chum to wake them up. Once
caught on bait they can be kept active with small spoons and jigs. I caught schooled stripers
today on Kastmasters and shad shaped worms. Once active they just need something to eat.
Get it to them as quickly as possible before the boat drifts away from the school.
After the blustery week is over expect fishing to improve again as water warms. Fishing does
not have to be as good as it was last week to be incredibly exciting.
Lake Powell Fish Report – May 6, 2015 Lake Elevation: 3589.8
Water Temperature 62 - 70 F
By: Wayne Gustaveson http://www.wayneswords.com
2/4
May 6, 2015 - May is Best Month for Fishing Success
Written by Wayne Gustaveson
Tuesday, 05 May 2015 14:36 -
Fish
very
were
country
last
but
best
reports
caught
there
mile
fishing
from
followed
along
were
of
the
the
athe
few
first
about
length
year
clues
weekend
equally
and
and
to
perhaps
help
breadth
in
by
May
find
largemouth
the
of
are
them
the
best
rolling
in
lake.
seen
bass,
the
in
Smallmouth
coming
and
in
a
very
allbill
days.
agree
long
and
bass
that
time.
walleye.
were
last
All
the
weekend
species
Stripers
leader
of
came
was
by
fish
the
in
when
now
62
degrees
blustery
the
first
so
bass
with
eggs
bass
were
scatter
are
will
actively
laid
continue
showers
but
then
spawning
to
and
guard
become
cooler
in
nests
the
more
weather.
mid
and
docile
to
be
northern
But
easily
with
water
each
lake.
temperature
passing
They
back
are
day.
remains
very
Weather
aggressive
above
isa
Smallmouth
and
spinner
plastics
baits
techniques
fished
were
best
along
early
were
the
bottom
and
evenly
late
from
divided
while
shore
plastics
between
to
25
were
square
feet
better
deep.
mid
It
crankbaits
seems
day. crankbaits
cranked
near
and
shore
Largemouth
seems
submerged
compared
largemouth
to
tumbleweed
smallmouth
are
are
randomly
done
shelters
they
spawning
are
caught
in
outnumbered
the
but
while
backs
they
pounding
of
are
10
coves.
actively
1.
the
Largemouth
crappie,
shoreline
chasing
sunfish
are
looking
caught
and
for
frequently
smallmouth.
crayfish
in
but
It
weights
Crappie
falling
so
they
lake
are
on
are
level
4-6
not
actively
pound
always
with
spawning
clear
test
easy
when
water
to
and
catch.
specifically
makes
have
Small
them
been
fish
targeting
easy
found
imitating
to
on
crappie.
see
nests
lures
but
they
in
caught.
are
open
best.
look
water
Try
1/16th
far
and
from
see
ounce
brush.
the
boat
The
3/4
May 6, 2015 - May is Best Month for Fishing Success
Written by Wayne Gustaveson
Tuesday, 05 May 2015 14:36 -
Walleye
plastic
enticement
tumbleweed
shallow
tubes
occasionally
are
and
showing
piles
and
draws
grubs
in
to
up
response
invite
feet
that
more
of
move
afemales
often
water
bluegill
from
slowly
now.
crappie,
to
less.
along
The
lunch. Walleye
bass
magic
the
bottom.
and
depth
hang
bluegill
isimprove
at
15-20
piece
the
as
well.
15
of
feet.
live
foot
Bluegill
The
worm
area
best
and
occupy
is
lures
a
move
good
are
in are
Stripers
to
catch
is
trolled
8
feet
near
go
to
at
deep
lures.
25
sleep
are
first
feet.
and
still
light
Our
first
These
difficult
isthan
best
thing
small
1
at
lure
to
in
and
enough
mid
find.
the
today
2schools
day.
morning.
year
The
to
was
The
excite
old
problem
a
vulnerable
fish
IBuoy
ghost
went
the
are
is
plankton-eating
colored
romance
out
eating
stripers
early
Lucky
plankton
today
related.
are
Craft
fish.
in
and
and
open
They
Bevy
got
found
can
water
are
Shad
be
stripers
up
caught
where
all
75.
night
much
It
with
bottom
runs
and
easier
small
about
depth
tend
to
The
schools
Escalante
extensive
seen
be
seen
kept
larger
in
deeper
active
in
but
chumming
arm
deeper
mature
not
with
and
water,
caught.
water.
males
small
in10
and
Bullfrog
mark
The
spoons
Big
and
precise
the
Bullfrog
Bay
spot
and
positioning
near
and
were
jigs.
fish
are
chum
were
separated
found
over
94.
to
harvested
at
The
wake
the
the
from
stationary
50-mile
mouth
them
the
in A
abundance
up.
small
of
fish
school. If
50-mile
Once
fish.
away
caught
with
They
Canyon
big
because
anchovy
striper
on
hold
in
bait
in
the
schools
they
bait
larger
they
after
could
can
the
I
just
caught
school.
need
schooled
something
After
the
stripers
to
blustery
eat.
today
Feed
week
on
them
is
Kastmasters
over
as
quickly
expect
and
as
fishing
possible
shad
to
shaped
before
worms.
again
the
boat
as
Once
drifts
water
active
away
warms.
they
from
Fishing does not have to be as good as it was last week to be incredibly exciting.
4/4