The new Stateline Auxiliary Ramp located at Wahweap is open and working very well. It is the only functioning boat ramp in the southern lake. Access the ramp by driving down the old Stateline Ramp at the Utah/Arizona border. Turn to the right into a new parking lot between the old Stateline Ramp and the new Auxiliary Ramp. Boat trailers are allowed to park in that new parking lot, which means the walk from the ramp to your parked vehicle is much closer than on any of the other Wahweap ramps. There are two lanes at the bottom where two boats can launch at a time. The last 20 yards are on boiler plate material, similar to recent launching at Wahweap and the old Auxiliary Ramp near the houseboat dock. This ramp will be operation this winter and next spring. The launch ramp at Bullfrog has boiler plates at the bottom, but water depth off the boiler plates is only 3.6 feet. At the bottom of the ramp, launch off the north side on the dirt where water depth is greater. I am glad to report that there are working launch ramps at both Wahweap and Bullfrog even at these unprecedented low water levels.

In the northern lake, stripers are reported to be found at the mouth of 4-Mile Canyon. Stripers were caught trolling and casting. The best lures were Kastmasters, Rattlin’ Raps and shallow-diving Rapala Shad Raps. There were a few striper boils, but most of the fish were caught deeper while trolling and casting. Most of the fish were healthy and strong. 

Expect good striper and bass fishing from 4-Mile Canyon down to the floating restroom at Buoy 118. Stripers are still hitting bait from Padre Bay up to Rock Creek in the southern lake. 

Lakewide, stripers are holding at a depth of 40-80 feet. One good technique is to start in the back of a canyon at a depth of 20-40 feet. Search with the graph for shad balls and striper schools. Shad show up as a huge ball of fish while, stripers appear more often as lines of fish. Stripers are usually deeper than shad. The best fishing technique is to drop 1.5-ounce jigging spoons down to the bottom just under the striper school. One striper grabbing the spoon energizes the whole school. It is easy to catch many stripers in a short time. Jigging by two or three anglers in a boat increases the striper energy level. When one fish is hooked, more fish show up under the boat. Try to stay with the school as they congregate under the boat. Spot lock electric motors hold the boat and the fish school together and increase the catch rate. 

 Bass fishing continues to be strong lake-wide. Bass hang out in groups near coves with green weeds as reported last week, but also in rocky coves near shore and in deeper water. Finding bass takes some effort but when a group of bass is located they bite in rapid succession. After catching lots of fish in short order, the school moves on and you have to find another willing bunch of fish and the excitement takes off again. Yamamoto Shad Shaped Worms, in translucent grey and laminate white and watermelon colors, work well using a drop-shot technique. Bass were caught right up next to the bank at less than 5 feet deep, and directly under the boat at 20-25 feet and a lot of places in between. It did not appear one depth was any better than the other. Bass were caught on points, offshore reefs and in the backs of shallow coves. Different techniques worked while dead-sticking and while reeling the plastic baits quickly back to the boat. Use different techniques when bass are stubborn. Bass were feeding on crayfish, shad and little sunfish, about 1 to 2 inches long. These fish are opportunistic feeders and will grab anything that looks a like a potential meal. Go catch some fish.