Lake Lowell?

[Jimbojump]

When do the bass start feeding shallow at Lowell? Has anyone tried bank pounding there yet? I'm new to the area and need some advice...
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[windriver]

Don't have an answer for you but welcome to BFT.

Windriver
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[SmartWeed]

At this time Lake Lowell is only open to fishing along the two dams. The rest of the lake opens to fishing and boating on April 15. The lake is now at 77% of capacity and filling. I don't believe it will be full before it opens. I'm not sure why they started filling it later than usual this year with all our snow pack.

Water temps are usually around 50 degrees this time of year, and as cold as its been this spring I don't expect it to be any warmer for a while.
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[StacyR]

Not quite correct. Lake Lowell is closed to power boats. You can fish from non-powered craft at any time. So if you have a float tube, small boat, or kayak with oars, have at it.
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[SmartWeed]

You'd better check the Deer Flat regulations:

[font "Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][/font]

[font "Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]Can I fish from a boat? The lake is open to motorized boating between April 15 and September 30. Boat-launching facilities are available at the [url "http://www.fws.gov/deerflat/map.html"]Lower Dam Recreation Area[/url], [url "http://www.fws.gov/deerflat/map.html"]Access No. 1[/url], [url "http://www.fws.gov/deerflat/map.html"]Access No. 7[/url], and the east and west ends of the [url "http://www.fws.gov/deerflat/map.html"]Upper Dam[/url]. Launching facilities are subject to closure due to low [url "http://pacific.fws.gov/script/exit.cfm?link=http://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/ramps/lowell/lowell.html"]water levels[/url]. During the non-boating season, October 1 through April 14, human-powered boats may be used, but only in [url "http://www.fws.gov/deerflat/map.html"]Fishing Areas A and B[/url], 200 yards in front of the Upper and Lower Dams.[/font]

As you can see you can only use boats in front of the two dams. The same places that fishing is allowed from the shore. And don't go out further than 200 yards. They'll be waiting for you.
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[Jimbojump]

MMMkay? What about fishing from the bank?
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[idahoron]

They caught me on Lowell last year. I put in on the south west corner. When they came to check me they said I was too far away from the dam. I took out my GPS and proved I was inside the limit. If you do use a tube or toon take a GPS to keep on the right side of the law. Also make sure you have you life jacket and a whistle. Ron
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[StacyR]

Good to know. Thanks for pointing it out.
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[IdahoJeep]

SmartWeed,

Any thoughts on how the fishing (catching actually) might be on this first weekend? Never been on Lake Lowell and recently moved to the area and live about a mile from the lake now. Would like to put my boat in the water this weekend somewhere and the nice thing about Lake Lowell is its in my back yard and I don't have to spend $80 in diesel to get my boat there.... but then we want to bend some poles too...
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[SmartWeed]

This Saturday will be a crowded time at the lower dam ramp, due to a bass tournament. I have no idea where you live, so don't know if that would be the ramp you would head for, but I'd recommend the upper dam ramps or Akies (the one at Access #1 on the south shore). The water should be in the high 40s and fishing will probably be tough. Some guys in the tournament will find the fish and do OK. Many years I've caught them very shallow at this time, but with our spring I don't think the fish will have moved much yet. The lake is 2' from full and filling fast. Last year I didn't catch a fish on April 15, pulled my boat out and headed to the Snake, where I caught my biggest smallmouth of the year at 5 1/4 pounds. However the river was at 3.2' at the Murphy gauge then, and is 7.2 feet this morning. Four feet higher than last year. We've got lots of water around and fishing should be good this summer, but it's going to be a hit or miss spring.

Incidentally, the lake is just across the road from my house, and the high water is moving the deer from the brush. We had 7 munching on our lawn last night. Drive carefully in the evenings. We see lots of dead deer on Lakeshore Drive every year.
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[IdahoJeep]

Yeah I figured there would be quite a few people on the lake due to the tournament.. Still might go out for a while on Saturday and Sunday. Doesn't seem like any other lake is fishing all that great yet anyway.

I live off Iowa - between Midway and Lake Ave. so I am really close to the Upper dam ramp which sounds like the better one to be close to? []
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[forgiven]

I'm at Lake & Homedale Rd.

We should go fishing!
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