Runoff
is slowing down but the lake is still going up. The wall of incoming water
still measures 87,000 acre feet per day. That amount is double the spike
flood released earlier in the year. Flood waters have muddied the water
upstream from Bullfrog and picked all driftwood that has been resting on the
shoreline for the past decade. It is not a good idea to go upstream yet.
Wait two more weeks for water to clear, wood to settle and fish to regain
visibility. Its not a boat wake -Those are stripers!
The good news is a large shad spawn occurred in the upper lake. These small
fish are protected from intense predation by low visibility. As soon as the
small stripers can see shad there will be day-long boils in the upper lake.
In the lower lake the slurp boils are heating up. Tiny shad are being
discovered in more and more canyons. Now Rock Creek has come alive with 8-12
inch stripers slurping in larval shad less than an inch long. These micro
boils are going strong in Navajo Canyon, San Juan between Cha and Piute
Canyons, Last Chance and other canyons yet to be discovered.
There are many stripers that didn't get the shad memo. They remain in the
channels eating plankton. There has been a resurgence of steady catching at
the Dam, Navajo Canyon, Padre Bay, Last Chance, Lake Canyon, Halls Creek at
mouth and Moki Canyon mouth.
If stripers elude your best efforts, realize that they are making a
transition between the open clear water and shad water in the back of the
canyon. When regular spots don't produce, look toward the back of the canyon
to find migrating stripers. The search image is changing from plankton to
shad. Anchovies will work better in clear deep water while a small white jig
or small spoon may be better in the murky, shallower water.
Bass are still two weeks away from settling down into a summer pattern.
There are small bass shallow on shore but larger fish are randomly scattered
enjoying the new brush forest they have been given by rising water.
Walleye did not put on much of a show this spring. Now may be the time. It
is mid June but the water temperature is now at the point that walleye have
become very active and are showing up in greater numbers than any time this
spring. They seem to like the water in the 70's for stronger activity.
Catfish are providing a strong evening fishery and many bonus cats are being
caught by anchovy fishermen whose bait gets too close to the bottom.
Fishing is still great at this amazing fishery.
Cast in front of the leading fish - Don't throw into the middle of the school.