Rising water on Lake Powell: up 20 ft since last month

A month of water level

Each point on the chart is one day's reading. The dashed line is the usual level for the season.

20 ft in a month moves the water's edge a long way on flat banks.

For reference, the range we have on record runs from 3,516.6 to 3,635.8 ft.

Lake Powell spreads over about 161,000 acres and roughly 1,900 miles of shoreline at full pool. It runs around 580 ft at its deepest. Striped bass, smallmouth bass and largemouth bass are what most anglers on Lake Powell are after. On a lake with that much shoreline, a few feet of water changes the shape of every cove and point.

How rising water moves the fish

Rising water floods fresh cover: grass, bushes and the backs of coves. Baitfish move in to feed on what the water picks up, and bass and crappie follow them shallow.

Muddy inflows after rain can turn the upper arms brown. If the creeks look like chocolate milk, run toward clearer water near the main lake and the dam.

What's biting

Expect striped bass on Lake Powell to be a solid pick. Stripers and white bass chase shad hard as the water cools, often busting bait at the surface. Watch for birds and surface feeding.

Then there are smallmouth bass, hit or miss. Smallmouth handle cool water well; the 50s often bring some of the biggest fish of the year onto rocky points.

Largemouth bass on Lake Powell are in their comfort zone. In the 50s bass still feed, but in shorter bursts, often on sunny afternoons when the shallows warm a little. They chase baitfish into creeks and coves.

Where to start

Our pick to start on Lake Powell is a point drop-off in 8 to 16 ft of water, marked on the map. The bottom falls away fast off this point; fish rest deep and move up the slope to feed. It is a good place for striped bass and smallmouth bass; try swimbait or live shad where bait is. The best window there is 6:15 am to 8:30 am. Down at that depth the water is about 54°F, against 55°F on top.

DamDeepest water N 5 miles

100200300400500Depth, ft Free spot todayPlace to stay

See this spot in 3-D

Where the season stands

The calendar matters as much as the thermometer. Late fall at this latitude is a season of short, strong feeding windows. Fish fatten up for winter, and they key on schools of baitfish that keep moving as the water cools. On Lake Powell at 58°F, striped bass and largemouth bass fit that pattern best.

Tactics for this week

• Set your depth for 58°F water: The surface is 58°F (a few days ago). Work the middle of the range early, then follow the fish shallower as the sun warms the water.
• Tie on the right bait: At this spot, try swimbait or live shad where bait is. Striped bass: watch for birds and surface feeding.
• Work the edge, not the middle: Cover water with a moving bait first, then slow down with a jig or plastic where you get a bite. Position the boat in deep water and cast up onto the shallow side, so your bait falls down the slope the way fish face.
• Use the wind, carefully: With light wind the water is flat and fish spook easily; make long casts and go lighter on line. A light chop is a good thing: it breaks up the light and makes fish bolder.

Know the water

Lake Powell spreads over about 161,000 acres and roughly 1,900 miles of shoreline at full pool. The deepest water sits around 580 ft. Anglers come to Lake Powell for striped bass, smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Knowing which fish are comfortable at today's temperature narrows a big lake down to a few good spots.

The week ahead

For the calmest weather, Wednesday is the pick of the next few days: sunny, barely a breeze and a high near 62°F.

The bite ratings peak on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 5 of the next 7 days rate good or better. On Tuesday the strongest window runs 6:15 am to 8:30 am, and on Wednesday 6:30 am to 8:45 am.