Lake Powell Fishing Guide

Lake Powell is one of the best warm-water fisheries in the West. Striped bass and smallmouth bass are the big draws, with walleye, crappie and catfish close behind, all set against red rock cliffs and quiet side canyons. Here is what you need to know before you wet a line.

Fishing Licenses

Lake Powell straddles the Utah and Arizona state line, but you only need one license. According to the National Park Service, a valid fishing license from either Utah or Arizona is good on all of Lake Powell; follow the rules of the state you are fishing in. Licenses are sold online through each state’s wildlife agency and at many stores in Page. Young kids can fish without a license, and the age cutoff differs between the two states.

Fishing the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam, including the trout water at Lees Ferry, takes an Arizona license.

Lake Powell Fishing Limits

Limits come from the National Park Service summary of Utah and Arizona rules. Check the current Utah and Arizona fishing guidebooks before your trip, since rules can change.

Striped Bass

Stripers are the most targeted fish on Lake Powell. They roam the open water in schools chasing shad, and in summer and fall they often push bait to the surface in “boils,” where you can see fish breaking the water. Keep a rod rigged with a topwater lure or spoon and get to a boil quickly and quietly. Early mornings near canyon mouths and points are productive all year.

There is no limit on stripers, and Utah fisheries biologists encourage anglers to keep what they catch, because fewer stripers means healthier, bigger fish. Utah and Arizona have issued a mercury advisory for striped bass in the southern part of the lake, from about mile 43 down to the dam, so check the advisory before eating large stripers from that stretch.

Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie and Catfish

• Smallmouth bass: rocky points, ledges and broken rock along the canyon walls. Spring and fall are best, when they move shallow.
• Walleye: best in spring and early summer along rocky slopes and the edges of flats, often in the early morning and evening.
• Crappie: submerged brush and flooded trees in the backs of canyons, especially in spring.
• Channel catfish: sandy coves and beaches, often best in the evening on warm summer nights.

Best Time to Fish Lake Powell

• Spring (March to May): water warms into the 50s and 60s, bass move shallow and stripers become active. Often the best fishing of the year.
• Summer (June to August): fish early and late. Striper boils start, and the middle of the day is better for swimming than fishing.
• Fall (September to November): cooling water brings fish back up, boils continue and the lake is quieter.
• Winter: slower fishing with fish holding deep, but calm, empty water.

See Lake Powell water temperature by month to plan around the season.

Where to Fish near Page

From Wahweap and Antelope Point, try the rocky points of Wahweap Bay, the long walls of Navajo Canyon, the coves of Warm Creek Bay and the buttes and points around Padre Bay and Gunsight. Uplake, anglers report good striper fishing around Rock Creek and Last Chance on the south end and Good Hope Bay and Lake Canyon on the north end. Use the Lake Powell map to see distances from each marina.

Rules to Know

• Clean, drain and dry. Quagga mussels live in Lake Powell, so clean, drain and dry your boat, gear and waders before using them anywhere else.
• Do not move fish. Never move live fish from Lake Powell to another lake.
• Closed areas. Some areas of the lake are closed to fishing; check the park’s rules before you go.
• Native fish. Release any endangered native fish, such as razorback suckers or bonytail, right away.