Conditions Right Now
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Tackle + Bait Slots
Cat kit: 2/0 circle hooks + liver after dark. Walleye kit: bottom-bouncer + crawler harness at dusk.
Why Fish Here
Powell is the one Utah water where the daily limits are generous rather than protective. Stripers and walleye have no limit at all, you can keep 20 smallmouth and 25 channel catfish, and you are allowed to fillet fish at any time, which matters on a multi-day houseboat trip. The catch is getting your boat home. Powell has quagga mussels, so you must stop at the inspection station on the way out whenever it is open, pull your drain plugs on the ramp, and either take a decontamination or wait out a required dry time.
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.
- Why fish Lake Powell?
- Because no other Utah fishery lets you chase this many species with this little restriction. Striped bass and walleye have no limit, smallmouth run to 20 a day, and fish can be filleted on the water. Budget time for the mandatory quagga mussel inspection when you pull out.