Fish Reports

Seasonal rains are expecting to raise water levels and create some murky water conditions. Aquatic vegetation continues to thicken in the upper part of the reservoir. The best fishing still is in the early mornings for trout and after sundown as it cools off. Bass are biting throughout the morning.

The water level remains low but expected rainstorms should provide additional water. That, in turn, will increase the turbidity of the water which can make fishing difficult.

Action for 1-pound stripers is steady below the dam and from there to the Big Bend area. Some anglers have caught striped bass in the 5-pound range while fishing on the bottom with anchovies near Big Bend. Catfish also are bending rods. Boat fishing near the dam has been a successful option for stripers. Trout fishing will be slow for a couple months until temperatures

Fishing is hit or miss, especially with the unpredictable nature of the monsoonal weather patterns. The Willow Beach Hatchery plants rainbow trout every Friday. That means anglers can find stripers close by. Swimbaits in trout and shad patterns, along with poppers ion their varieties, are go-to lures for topwater action. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are hiding in coves around Cottonwood Basin. Anglers are catching catfish

Despite sightings of small sunfish along the shoreline, action for the bigger fish has been slow. The unstable weather pattern and hot temperatures have combined to keep many people away from the parks. The next catfish plant is planned for some time in mid to late August depending on water temperatures. Some anglers are trying their luck for carp while fishing is slow and have

Sunset and sunrise fishing has been good for striped bass and catfish. Most anglers are using anchovies with a few white topwater lures thrown in. Black bass fishing is good from Government Wash to Echo Bay. Anglers area using frogs and dark colored plastics. Black bass are hiding under the vegetation in coves at the north end of Boulder Basin.