As you wish!
[Bassrods Report]
October 14th, 2005
CBR and I had been planning a trip to Lake Powell for several months and now we were finally on our way.
6 AM and we’re speeding down I-15 heading for the Spanish Fork exit, Price and our ultimate destination…Bullfrog.
We travel light. Food, water, camera, fishing equipment and my Viper Cobra. Oh yeah…we did have a pop up tent and toilet paper just because.
As I launched the boat, CBR parked my truck and literally ran down the long, long ramp so we could get out of the harbor and find those Stripers. Was he anxious…nah! Neither one of us get very excited about fishing.
I love my Cobra…it was up on plane in seconds and I trimmed it out for a fast run, turning down lake toward the dam. I managed a quick peek at CBR…and he was grinning from ear to ear. I realized it just wasn’t the G-force that caused his reaction. My birddog gets the same expression on her face as she leans into the wind pretending to be the maidenhead on my boat. His was the expression of pure ecstasy and anticipation.
The water was like glass. Barely a ripple and the run to the Rincon took only minutes.
The water was up about 50 feet, gently washing the sandstone cliffs. It was good to see the rise in lake level from the last time I was there in April.
We stopped at the Rincon for some quick casts, and landed a few 11-inch Smallies, before we decided to head father south to the San Juan.
We spotted our first boil about ½ mile up the canyon. CBR was up and out of his seat casting into the boil before we were completely off plane. Bam…a hook up and he landed a 2 ½ pound Smallmouth. It was a Smallmouth boil not Stripers. A few quick casts and the boil was over, so we cranked up the outboard and headed deeper into the red rock canyons…looking for fish.
We drifted to a stop at the mouth of the Great Bend and noticed a large group of Cormorants working the bay, so we decided to join them. We were casting top water lures along the shoreline and the Smallmouth and Stripers responded by batting the lures clear out of the water like they were having their own fishy volleyball game. The Largemouth on the other hand, who don’t waste a lot of energy playing with their food, would just chomp the lures for an immediate hookup.
After about 3 hours and approximately 75 fish later, CBR was anxious to find a Striper boil, so we continued into the bend. Approximately 8 miles later, as the canyon opened up into a bay, we were in 10 to 15 feet of red muddy water. A quick retreat for clear and deeper water.
Half way through the Great Bend we found ourselves in the mist of a boil. We got four Stripers before the boil submerged and since it was getting dark, we beached the boat for the night.
Oct 15th, 2005
Still in the same area, we found ourselves catching massive quantities of Bass and Stripers. Our arms were aching and our thumbs were raw. Time to change locations.
At the mouth of the San Juan we headed into a small cove. Much to our surprise there was an OLN Triton bass boat working the opposite side of the cove. That’s okay, there’s plenty of room and fish for all, so we meander to the back of the cove.
We heard the Triton’s engine and soon it came idling back to where we were fishing. As the driver drifted closer, I recognized him. It was none other than Roland Martin in the flesh…alone in his new TV sponsored boat.
CBR’s eyeballs popped and his jaw dropped. No introductions were necessary as Roland inquired about the fishing. We were eager to expound upon our successes when we noticed a large houseboat entering the cove.
Gary Yamamoto was at the helm and scouring the shoreline for parking space. The only spot available was inside our cozy little cove where we were fishing. Roland asked if it was alright to park the houseboat there, not wanting to disturb us…and we were only to happy to have them drop their anchor right then and there. It doesn’t hurt the fishing…in some instances it gives us more structure to fish around. No problem.
After some casual conversation with Roland, we decided to look for bluer waters…and of course more fish. As we left that little piece of heaven…we ran smack into a huge fish boil…with multi species of fish slamming our lures. We fished until dark. CBR’s wrists will never be the same. ***snicker***snicker***.
Tossed out the sleeping bags and settled in for the night. A rude awakening a few hours later by several cold raindrops…then more rain. So we ducked under an overhang and spent the rest of the night, listening to the music of rain on the roof. What a light show, Lake Powell can deliver.
October 16th, 2005
We packed up and headed north toward Bullfrog as the sun rose higher in the sky. What a weekend. I don’t know if CBR will ever get the bugs out of his teeth…he never stopped grinning the whole time. Lake Powell has that effect.
Lures of choice: Zara Spook, Mojo drop shot with Yamamoto green pumpkin single and twin tails, and white crank baits.
Tip: To catch stripers look for the shad in the backs of coves with visible weed growth in about 10 feet of water. The shad are using these spots as refuge from the stripers but you will still catch a mixed bag of bass and stripers out of the shad boils.
Throw a top water lure to the center of coves and pop them consistantly with no pauses. If you don't get any hits cast towards the shad boils and enjoy the fast catching of the plentiful largemouth and smallmouth bass!
Here are some nice shots of Powell.
For more photos click the below link or visit
www.outdoorsgonewild.com and visit the galleries.
http://outdoorsgonewild.com/modules.php?..._album.php
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