Conditions Right Now
Your Loadout
Tackle + Bait Slots
Cat kit: 2/0 circle hooks + liver after dark. Walleye kit: bottom-bouncer + crawler harness at dusk.
How To Fish It
Best rigs: Anchovy chunk on 1/0 hook for stripers; drop shot & ned rig for smallies; spoons under boils
Bait and lures: Anchovies, topwater walkers, grubs, crankbaits
Best time: Dawn & dusk boils in summer; night catfishing off the houseboat. Season: April-October
Local tip: When gulls dive on shad, cast anything into the boil. No limit on stripers. Spring crappie in flooded brush of the backs of canyons.
Species Playbook
Striped Bass
Rig: Anchovy on 1/0 hook off the back of the boat; spoons when schooled
Bait: Frozen anchovies, topwater lures during summer 'boils'
When: Boils erupt mornings & evenings June-Sept
No limit at Powell - keep what you catch. When birds dive, GO.
Smallmouth Bass
Rig: Ned rig, drop shot, tube jig on rocky structure
Bait: 3 in green-pumpkin plastics, crawfish crankbaits, topwater early
When: Morning & evening in summer; all day spring/fall
Count to the bottom, drag it slow over rocks. Fights way above its weight class.
Largemouth Bass
Rig: Texas-rigged worm near weeds; wacky rig Senko
Bait: Senkos, jigs, frogs over pads, topwater at dawn
When: Dawn topwater, evenings; pre-spawn (April-May) is prime
Look for submerged brush, tules, and shade lines.
Walleye
Rig: Bottom-bouncer + worm harness; jig + minnow/plastic
Bait: Nightcrawler harnesses, curly-tail grubs, jerkbaits at night
When: Low light - dawn, dusk, after dark; spring spawn run
Fish slow along rocky points and dike edges. Best eating in Utah.
Black Crappie
Rig: 1/16 oz marabou jig 2-6 ft under a bobber near structure
Bait: White/pink jigs, minnows under a slip bobber
When: Dusk into dark; spring spawn near brush
Twitch it, pause it - the bite is a soft 'tick.' Powell's spring crappie bite is elite.
Channel Catfish
Rig: Carolina/sliding-sinker rig on bottom, circle hook
Bait: Nightcrawlers, chicken liver, hot dogs, stink bait, carp meat
When: Evening into night; hot summer nights are best
Utah Lake is a catfish factory - 30-fish nights happen.
Getting There + Nearby
Nearby adventures: Coyote Gulch (Hike, 23 mi) · Peek-a-Boo & Spooky Gulch (Hike, 27 mi) · Zebra Slot Canyon (Hike, 38 mi) · Natural Bridges Campground (Camping, 40 mi)
Quick Answers
- What fish are in Lake Powell?
- Striped Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Black Crappie, Channel Catfish.
- What is the best bait at Lake Powell?
- Anchovies, topwater walkers, grubs, crankbaits
- When is the best time to fish Lake Powell?
- Dawn & dusk boils in summer; night catfishing off the houseboat. Season: April-October.