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Overview: 186 Miles of Red Rock
Lake Powell stretches 186 miles up the Colorado River from Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Arizona, to Hite, Utah. The 161,000-acre reservoir sits inside Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and is famous for its red sandstone cliffs, slot canyons and houseboat fishing trips.
Lake Powell is one of the most diverse warmwater fisheries in the western US, offering striped bass, smallmouth, largemouth, walleye, channel catfish, sunfish and crappie — often all in a single day.
Best Species and Tactics
Stripers dominate. Anchovy chumming over deep water at Wahweap and Bullfrog produces nonstop action in summer. Striper boils erupt across the lake from June through September — keep topwaters and swimbaits ready.
Smallmouth average 14-17 inches and crush tubes, drop-shots and Ned rigs along rocky shorelines. Walleye are increasing rapidly and are best trolled on bottom-bouncers with worm harnesses in 20-35 ft. Largemouth lurk in submerged brush in the back of side canyons.
Where to Fish on Lake Powell
Wahweap Marina near Page, Arizona, is the most popular launch and offers houseboat rentals plus quick access to the lower lake's smallmouth-heavy shoreline. Antelope Point ramp is nearby and busy.
Mid-lake Bullfrog Marina and nearby Halls Crossing give access to the famous striper waters of Good Hope Bay, Bullfrog Bay and the San Juan River arm. The upper lake from Hite to Dirty Devil offers walleye and a more remote experience — water levels permitting.
Best Season to Fish
May through October is prime. Smallmouth bite picks up in April; striper boils peak in July-September; walleye fish best in late spring and early fall.
Winter striper fishing is excellent using sonar to find schools in 80-120 ft and dropping spoons or live anchovies. The lake never fully freezes, making it a year-round destination for serious anglers.
Access, Permits and Regulations
Lake Powell crosses Utah and Arizona. Most of the lake is in Utah; an interstate use stamp lets either state's license cover both sides. Buy from Utah DWR (wildlife.utah.gov) or Arizona Game and Fish (azgfd.gov).
Stripers have no limit. Bass limit is 10 in Utah waters with no size limit on smallmouth (managed as an invasive in some Utah waters). Walleye limit is 10. Houseboat rentals are available at Wahweap, Antelope Point, Bullfrog and Halls Crossing.
Nearby Spots Worth a Day Trip
The Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam offers world-class trout fishing for rainbow and brown trout — a 15-mile catch-and-release stretch is wadable and floatable from Lees Ferry.
Lake Mead is 4 hours south and offers excellent striper and smallmouth fishing if Powell is weather-bound. Navajo Lake on the New Mexico-Colorado border is 3 hours east and famous for lake trout, kokanee salmon and smallmouth.
Frequently Asked Questions
June through September is peak boil season. Stripers chase threadfin shad to the surface, especially at dawn and dusk in the main channel and the mouths of canyons near Wahweap, Bullfrog and the San Juan arm.
No. A reciprocal stamp lets either a Utah or Arizona license cover the entire lake. Buy the stamp when you purchase the base license online with Utah DWR or Arizona Game and Fish.
Excellent. Lake Powell produces some of the best smallmouth fishing in the West, with 14-17 inch fish common and 4+ pounders possible. Tubes, drop-shots and Ned rigs on rocky points and broken cliff edges produce all day.
Wahweap and Antelope Point near Page, Arizona, are easiest for first-timers and offer full services. Bullfrog Marina in Utah gives mid-lake access to top striper waters. Halls Crossing is quieter with full ramp facilities.
Yes. Houseboat-and-tow-boat combos are the classic Lake Powell fishing trip. Anchor in a quiet canyon, fish from the houseboat or run the tow boat for stripers, smallmouth and walleye. Book early — peak weeks sell out a year ahead.