July 2008 Bass Fishing Tips for Lake Powell
July 31, 2008
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U.S. Angler's Choice will hold their first 'TOC' (Tournament of Champions) on Lake Powell on October 23-25, 2008. Powell is the home lake of Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits in Page, Arizona. So come on! We'd love to have you visit our town and lake for the TOC in October - or anytime! |
Okay, we've provided bass fishing tips in the May and June monthly parts of this series, and will continue to provide month-by-month fishing tips in August, September and October when the TOC happens. But for this month (July), we'd like to give you a few tips for what you, your family and traveling companions can do around town to take in some of the stunning scenery.
Rainbow Bridge. First, try to work in a little pre-fishing one day up around mile-marker (buoy) 49. When the hot bite cools, duck into the canyon there in order to see Rainbow Bridge. There is a floating boat dock to tie too, a floating facility - bathrooms and park service station - and it's just a few minutes walk to Rainbow Bridge. Not going to write too much. I'll just let the photos convince you it is worth the short time it takes for this once-in-a-lifetime natural experience.
Can you see the 'lizard' slithering up on the left side of the arch? It's pointy nose, head and upper torso? The legend of Rainbow Bridge is two mischievous Indian lads were playing with a lizard, its tail off came off (lizards do that to escape). The lizard grew to a giant size and chased the fearful boys. The Earth god sent down a rainbow for the boys to climb over to the other side and escape the lizard, but the boys could not climb on the rainbow. So the Earth god hardened the rainbow into rock for them. The giant lizard was caught part way up the rainbow, chasing after the boys, and turned to stone.
Dean and Elizabeth Smith, of Legend Boats in Arkansas, visit Rainbow Bridge.
Dean Smith and Legend Boats will award a prize boat at the TOC on Lake Powell in October.
We discovered this dinosaur track at Rainbow Bridge. A park service officer stated the dinosaur put its foot down here about 199,000,000 years ago. The dinosaur could not have passed under Rainbow Bridge, however, because the arch had not been formed yet. It was solid material then.
Corkscrew Canyon. One day, try to launch out of the Antelope Point launch ramp when you pre-fish. On the way to or from fishing, pull into the Corkscrew Canyon parking lot (it's right there), and go on the guided tour to Corkscrew Canyon. It doesn't take long, and there's nowhere else like it!
Dean and Elizabeth Smith of Legend Boats in the cathedral-like Corkscrew Canyon.
Corkscrew Canyon is sacred to the Navajo people who believe the spirits of the rain and of the wind live there. You can almost see them in these photos.
Find the Hopper Swarms. Okay, here is one quick tip for fishing Powell in July. Certain brush fields can be overrun with dense swarms of grasshoppers in July. Up to several dozen in every bush, by the thousands and tens of thousands, maybe more. For whatever reason, they are going to be thickest on the edges and outlying points of the brush beds, right in the classic vantage spots you'd expect bass to be positioned (it's no coincidence!). Possibly, these are the closest or easiest bushes to land in when the swarms lights down.
So what color chartreuse grub or chartreuse spinnerbait or chartreuse frog do you think should work?