Fall Fishing Is Heating Up

As the weather cools, many game fish in Utah become more active and feed more aggressively, as if they know the cold days of winter are just ahead.

Fishing success is up on many of our waters right now. In particular, good reports are coming from Strawberry Reservoir and Lake Powell.

I fished Lake Powell last weekend and enjoyed great success. The weather was perfect, warm but not hot, and the fishing was very good for striped bass and smallmouth bass. I caught the striper shown at right.

This website has excellent information and tips for fishing Powell.

This newspaper article describes the good fishing at Strawberry. Below are excerpts.

But then, starting last Thursday, reports began coming in of a sudden improvement in the eating habits of the previously finicky fish. Several readers reported catching both rainbows and cutthroats that were willingly to chase lures, jerkbaits and Rapalas from the surface down to 15 feet.

As we move towards the ides of October (shorter days and longer nights) and after a few days of cooler weather, the trout are answering their wake-up alarm and are beginning their annual feeding frenzy in preparation for the leaner winter months. For the opportunistic angler, it's time to revisit Strawberry from now until it ices over. The cutthroats are healthy and growing, and there are more and more rainbows being caught all the time.

Don't give up on Strawberry and miss some of the best fishing of the year. Go prepared for changing weather, and plan on cold mornings and icy boat ramps. And, please, if you have difficulty finding fish, don't hesitate to e-mail me and I will help you break the code on some huge fall trout.