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There’s no doubt that the water level at Lake Powell has dropped precipitously in recent years. The majority of the boat ramps are now unusable, and officials are scrambling to keep docks and other facilities functioning in the ever-changing situation.
Of course, the biggest issues at Powell transcend recreational access. The availability of water and the ability of the dam to produce hydropower will have major implications in the coming years for millions of people living in the western United States. Calling the situation dire is hardly an exaggeration.
But in the midst of this dilemma comes some good news: The fishing is still incredible.
While the photos you’ll often see in the news feature barren wastelands that were previously underwater, it’s important to note that Powell’s main channel is hundreds of feet deep and the resident fish are thriving. There’s still a lot of water here. And from an angling perspective, it’s business as usual.
We recently went on a Sea-Doo tour of the lake with Bob Reed, owner of Up Lake Adventures, to get a personal look at this new version of Lake Powell. Bob has spent decades guiding on the lake and says that 2022 is already proving to be an amazing year.
Reed’s operation is part of Uncharted Society, which is a collective of North American powersport outfitters. From exploring ice caves in Alaska to offroad trips through the desert here in Utah, Uncharted Society offers some incredible experiences. Through his partnership with Sea-Doo, Reed gets personal watercraft that allow you to navigate narrow canyons and get within casting distance of fishing spots that would be inaccessible in a boat.
We covered more than 120 miles on our day trip, fishing everything from sandbars to rockpiles to cliff drops. The smallmouth bass were particularly active, striking crankbaits, jigs, and spoons. We landed about 40 on the day, with the largest topping three pounds.
As the day progressed and the water warmed up, we began to see more largemouth, walleye, and stripers. There’s nothing more exciting than casting into a narrow crack in the cliffs, only to have the surface of the water explode as a largemouth bass absolutely destroys your lure.
Our four largest fish of the day were all stripers. They were as healthy and beautiful as ever. We even caught a big brown trout, which is always a rare treat on Powell.
After a day of excellent fishing, we made our way back to the Stateline Boat Ramp. Our trip had highlighted the fact that Powell is still an angler’s paradise. Surrounded by beautiful scenery, you can catch dozens of smallmouth, largemouth, stripers, walleye, and yes, even the occasional brown trout.
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