Lake Powell's Heat, Low Levels, and Lively Fishing

Cloudless skies rule the day at Lake Powell, Utah, with the mercury climbing into the mid-90s by early afternoon and breezes from the southwest caressing the canyons. Water levels remain noticeably low—well under 60% capacity, as reported by Coyote Gulch—with inflows still dragging behind normal for the year. The drought and sluggish monsoon have left the lake thirsty, and the back bays show it, so fish activity lives and dies by the hour.

Sunrise crept in at about 6:55 a.m., and sunset will light up the slickrock one last time at 7:56 p.m., according to Time and Date. We're just sliding into September, and as fall edges closer, anglers cherish early mornings and the fading twilight. There's no true tide here in this vast reservoir, but those pre-dawn and dusk windows are when the big ones feed best, especially in this heat.

Labor Day weekend saw heavy boat traffic, with over 1,400 craft inspected for invasive species just at Lake Powell, according to Utah Department of Natural Resources. So, some areas may be churned up, but the fishing’s still lively once the crowds thin.

Striped bass bite remains solid, especially along the walls near Bullfrog Basin and the channel edges around Wahweap. Shad schools are still on the move—watch for boils on the surface. Recent reports put stripers in the 2–4 pound range, with some anglers boating upward of 15 fish per morning if you’re in the right spot. Downrigging’s hot, but the real magic comes from tossing white or chartreuse soft swimbaits and running Kastmaster spoons through the schools at 30–60 feet deep. Trolling with J-7 chart Rapalas also hooked plenty; chrome/green Flatfish lures can get big strikes from bottom-huggers.

Smallmouth bass and largemouth are active along rocky structure, especially early and late. Plastics—drop-shot rigs with 3" watermelon worms or green-pumpkin tubes—work best along brushy ledges and submerged boulders. Crankbaits in shad patterns pick up bonus bites in the coves when bass chase after baitfish. Catfish (channel and the odd blue) are showing up in the warmer shallows at dusk; stinkbait and fresh cut shad do the trick for whiskerfish.

Crappie are in the mix near submerged timber, but numbers thin in late summer. Panfish hunters found some luck near Halls Crossing using small curly tail grubs and jigs tipped with crawler. Carp are visible in the shallows—fun for bowfishing if you're up for it.

For hotspots, head to:

- **Bullfrog Bay and the points around Stanton Creek**: Classic striper territory, with deep water nearby and plenty of structure.
- **Warm Creek Bay and the mouth of Navajo Canyon**: Bass and walleye haunt the drop-offs, and boils attract stripers at first light.
- **Wahweap Marina and Lone Rock Beach**: Good access for shore anglers and night catfishing.

Bonus tip: Dip tanks at Stateline Launch and Bullfrog Marina are open for decontamination—use them, especially if you’re trailing your craft between waters. It keeps Powell pristine.

Bring plenty of shade and water—this heat is no joke, and the humidity hovers near 37%. The UV index is low this afternoon, but it still burns fast on these red-rock edges. Always pack extra ice.

That’s all for today’s fishing report. Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure, your source for the latest on Lake Powell. Don’t forget to subscribe, and tell your buddies about us.

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