forecast

JimOcker's
Lake Havasu
Fishing Forecast

Di-Ann and Gail Schadt from California

February- This is the time of the year when the Bureau of Reclamation draws down the Colorado River reservoirs in anticipation of the spring snow melt in the Rocky Mountains. Expect Lake Havasu to be from 3 to 5 feet lower than summer pool. At the same time, the river will have stronger than normal current.

The best way to catch Striper now is to troll cut Anchovies along lake areas that have some current. Better locations are steep breaks along the old river channel. Use cut bait on 1 oz. or heavier slip sinker rigs. Cut the head off of the bait, hook it through the backbone from side to side, lay the hook shank back along the side and make a single half hitch around the tail. Trolling the bait backwards in this fashion helps keep the rig snagless.

2-13-00

3-26-02

3-27-02

2-3-03

1-31-00

3-29-03

3-30-03

2-15-04

3-16-06

3-17-06

3-21-05

3-23-05

3-24-06

March and April- This is the spring transition time for Striper. Although fish can be found in the lower one-third of the lake, many are beginning to move into the river toward spawning areas in the current. The larger, older individuals tend to move first and collect for short periods where there is a concentration of forage. Some good lake areas to find them are in large bays with massive weed beds that harbor Threadfin Shad; like Standard Wash, Whipple Bay, Thompson Bay, and either side of Windsor Basin. Striper may not actively feed over the weeds for lengthy periods, but they will mill around nearby.

The best method for consistently catching good fish from the lake now is trolling. Some effective tactics include speed trolling large lures, like Bomber Long A's, Magnum Rat-L-Traps, or Storm Thunderstiks. Use the boat's gas engine to drag the lures at speeds faster than 2 mph, on at least 40 yards of 12 pound or stronger line. Some anglers prefer to use some sort of 3-way rig, like a Wolf River Rig or a Bottom Bouncer to take a cut Anchovy or Shiner minnow into deep water. When using natural bait, a slower speed is employed.

Fishing for Striper that have moved into the river includes the two tactics of drift-casting and anchoring. Early in the morning or late in the afternoon, drift along sandbars or shallow flats and cast Magnum Rat-L-Traps or heavy (1 oz.) jigs into the shallow water. Heavy lures are needed to get the casting distance required but the shallow water means that the baits are worked fast. The same baits can be cast along steep bluffs that shade the water, but let the lures fall somewhat before retrieving. During most of the daylight hours, try anchoring along Bulrushes. Unlike Cattails, these weeds indicate somewhat deeper water. Use the current to set up a type of "chum line" downstream from the boat. Cut Anchovies into small pieces, using the body sections for bait on simple slip sinker rigs and chum with the heads and tails.

Largemouth Bass are also in transition now. Some are moving out of deep cover into shallow water and spawning areas. Within the lake, they follow the development of the weed beds as they grow and thicken. In the river, Bass move from deep tules and wood cover into the backs of sloughs and pockets. The males tend to move shallow first and become susceptible to spinnerbaits, shallow crankbaits, and tube jigs. The females tend to hold in somewhat deeper water or heavy cover nearby and can be tricked with jig and pig combinations.

4-12-00

4-15-00

4-16-00

4-17-00

4-21-00

4-15-01

4-16-01

4-16-02

4-18-02

4-12-03

4-17-03

4-18-00

4-10-02

4-13-00

4-19-00

4-1-05

4-06-06

4-12-05

4-14-06

4-14-05

4-21-06

4-25-06

May and June - Keep in mind that all of the individual Striper within the population do not all spawn at the same time. Those that spawned early have returned to their summer patterns and are roaming the lake. Submergent Sago and Spiny Naiad beds are developing well and hold a variety of prey. Schools of Threadfin Shad over the weed beds offer the hungry Striper plenty of food. Concentrate your fishing in water less than 18 feet deep and rely heavily on Rat-L-Traps and jigs to provide most of the action.

Those fish that are still in the river can still be taken on cut Anchovies during the day. Boat traffic in the river can be very heavy on weekends but it does not seem to hurt the fishing. In fact, the action often increases when traffic increases. Air temperatures are reaching or exceeding the 100 degree mark, which can make afternoon angling uncomfortable. Most fishermen start at dawn and quit somewhere around 2 pm.

Largemouth Bass are also using the weed beds. As they move about, they can be triggered with crawdad colored crank baits, like Rapala Fat Raps or Storm Wiggle Warts, or by large spinnerbaits worked more than 5 feet deep. Early morning hours often provide some excellent topwater action on Rebel Pop-R's or buzz baits.

5-3-00

5-20-00

6-04-01

6-19-02

5-11-04

6-09-05

6-08-06

6-09-06

6-22-05

6-26-06

July - This is the beginning of the topwater season for Striper. From dawn until 11:00am, and again from 4:00pm until dark, look for open water surface feeding anywhere within Windsor Basin. Rebel Pencil Poppers are far and away the lure of choice now, but if the action is extremely heavy, a jig will put 100 fish in the boat while other anglers are busy unhooking 10 fish caught on Poppers. Largemouth Bass anglers need to concentrate on the deep weedlines after the early morning, shallow water topwater bite has faded. Short (18 to 24 inch) Carolina rigged 4-inch ring worms or Power worms will provide constant action.

7-19-04

7-29-02

7-14-04

7-28-04

7-23-02

7-27-04

7-06-05

7-14-06

August through September - This is the heart of the topwater Striper season, but a discussion about weather is in order before a talk about fishing. This is also the "monsoon" season when destructive winds and gully washing rains can appear, practically from nowhere. When a large high pressure area is located over northern Mexico and a large low pressure is over northern California and Nevada, the respective clockwise and counter-clockwise rotations pump heavy, moisture laden Pacific air up the Colorado River valley. Storm cells, forming very dense black clouds, will extend well above thirty thousand feet and can be seen for great distances. Some can be small, covering as little as 10 square miles while others can be half the size of Arizona. When a cell is observed, it is time to get off of the water. Do not hesitate. Go immediately. I have waited too long and been caught. Windsor Basin, about five miles wide, was calm on the California side, but before I could reach Arizona, I was battling 5-foot waves is a downpour that reduced my vision to less than a boat length. I was one of the lucky ones that made it in that day in 1993. Most storms pass as fast as they arrive.

The three best areas of the lake to find surface feeding (a.k.a. boiling, jumping) Stripers are Crazyhorse Campground to the Chalk Cliffs, Tompson and California Bays, and from Havasu Palms to Black Meadow Landing. Use two rods, both spooled with 12-17 lb. test line. The first rod is the topwater rod to cast Pencil Poppers, Zara Spooks, Magnum PopR's, and the like. The second rod is for 1/2 or 3/4 oz. Stump Jumper, Banana Head, and Sassy Shad jigs. With both rods handy, start slowly patrolling the shoreline immediately after launching the boat at dawn. Keep the boat about 150 feet or more from shore. Look for surface disturbances, Western Grebes actively feeding, or Threadfin Shad jumping right up on the gravel shore. When a feeding school of Striper is found, use the surface bait first by retrieving it as fast as you can turn the reel crank and pop the rod tip. Starting with a topwater bait instead of the jig will eliminate most problems of weeds fouling the lure.

After the sun is fully upon the water, watch the surface, out and away from the shoreline. Boils can occur over 50 feet of water as frequently as over 10 feet of water. When activity is observed, start with the topwater lure to test aggressiveness but rely on the jig to produce numbers of fish. Main lake action can be found in any of the three mentioned areas throughout the afternoon and evening. Mobility is the key to successful summer Striper fishing. Do not spend much unproductive time in any one spot. Keep moving.

There is one other summer tactic that deserves a few words. The river itself can be from 10 to 20 degrees cooler than the main lake. Try drifting whole achovies along the shore in shallow water. This can be a hit/miss proposition but it can also provide 6 to 12 pound fish while most of the lake fish will be 5 pounds or less this time of year.

When the water warms, Largemouth Bass go deep. They go deep into the water column , near cooler temperature strata, or deep into cover like weedbeds where the water is shaded and cooler. Topwater baits fished over the top of weedbeds are effective early in the day. Later, jigs and Saltcraws fished in the thickest bulrushes found and carolina rigged worms or lizards fished off points in 15-30 feet of water are productive. Within the river, most of the backwater coves are warmer than the main river and tend to concentrate the bass on main points or within the bulrushes. Tube jigs, 4-inch worms, and jig and Saltcraw combinations are favorite baits

8-8-01

8-26-00

9-19-01

8-17-04

8-18-04

9-20-01

9-21-01

9-26-01

8-20-04

8-28-02

8-25-04

9-16-02

9-17-04

9-20-02

9-21-02

9-6-02

9-10-02

9-25-04

8-09-05

8-17-06

8-19-05

8-21-05

8-21-06

8-26-05

8-27-05

8-29-06

8-31-05

9-03-06

9-05-06

9-06-05

9-06-06

9-07-06

9-08-06

9-20-06

9-22-05

9-23-05

9-26-06

9-30-05

October and November - During this time, water temperatures exhibit a general downward trend. Expect high 60's during the first weeks of October and high to mid 50's in late November. As the water cools, larger Striper become more accessible. Most of the more consistent Striper fishing is found from Windsor Basin downstream to Black Meadow Landing. Many anglers look for seagull activity to indicate striper action, and unsuccessfully run from gulls to gulls. The successful fishermen watch for actively feeding grebes in the backs of coves to help them locate shallow Striper. Keep the boat as far from the shallow Striper as possible. Cast heavy jigs, spoons, or magnum Rat-L Traps to get the needed distance.

When the Striper leave shallow feeding areas, the schools will move to adjacent deeper water. Often, they can be found in 30+ feet of water within the cove. Try deep spooning or jigging off of the main lake points. A good sonar unit is essential for deep water success.

Largemouth Bass are in transition from summer areas to winter areas. Some can be found in shallow shoreline brush but most fish tend to move to deeper water by following the dying weeds. By late November, most of the small leaf pondweed is gone and only the spiny naiad remains. It forms low mats covering the bottom in depths to 12-18 feet. Bass relate to these deep weeds as well as to deep brush and man-made habitat. Spoons and heavy jigs are the baits of choice within the lake. In the river, concentrate on deep bulrushes, snags in the current, and beaver piles.