Lake Powell Fishing Update: Ideal Conditions, Hot Bite for Stripers, Bass, and More

This is Artificial Lure with your Lake Powell fishing report for April 16, 2025.

First light came at 6:23 this morning, and you’ll have daylight until 8:03 tonight. The skies are clear, with calm conditions and gentle breezes making for a picture-perfect spring day out on Powell. Water temps are holding steady around 55 to 60 degrees in most arms and main channels. No tides to worry about here, just those daily breezes picking up a bit after lunch. But overall, ideal conditions for anglers.

Fish activity is hot and only getting better this week as the water warms up. The bite has started early, especially for stripers near the surface during the morning hours. Smallmouth bass are thick along the rocky points and shelves in 20 to 30 feet of water. Reports from the last couple of days show healthy stringers—striped bass in the three to five-pound range, plenty of feisty smallmouth, and a few largemouth bass in the warmer coves. Catfish and some nice crappie have also been added to the mix.

If you’re targeting stripers, shad-imitating crankbaits and rattle traps are working well. The classic anchovy bite is on, especially around the dam, the pump station, and the mouths of main canyons. Trolling with whole anchovies or running shad-imitating lures deep has been pulling in limits for a lot of folks. For smallmouth, think single-tail grubs or tube baits in smoke or watermelon color, fished tight to the rocks or points. Largemouth are starting to show in coves with warmer water and plenty of sun. For catfish, anchovies or even cut hot dog on a Carolina rig in sandy shallows can’t be beat. Crappie are hitting small jigs or bright soft plastics around submerged brush and timber in the coves.

Some hot spots to check out: Wahweap Bay always produces, especially at sunrise for stripers and smallmouth. Early morning striper boils have been seen near the mouth of Navajo Canyon, so get there by six if you want in on that action. Padre Bay is another go-to for big stripers, and Bullfrog Basin near the marina is a top pick for bass and crappie. If you want to get away from the crowds, the San Juan Arm is worth the journey for both bass and catfish.

If you haven’t already, get your Utah fishing license squared away before hitting the water, and remember, regulations are in place to keep this fishery thriving. The water is clear, the fish are biting, and today’s conditions are just about perfect. Get out there, keep your line wet, and enjoy spring on Lake Powell.

Tight lines,
Artificial Lure