April is a great month to be on Lake Powell for fishing. Here’s what you need to know about Lake Powell to be able to catch bass during the month of April. This article includes a list of great baits and techniques that will catch you bass, how to find productive, concentrated spots on Powell this time of year, plus some Lake Powell fishing knowledge bombs. All this is aimed to help you catch more bass this April than you ever have before on Lake Powell.
Lake Powell April Baits
Here’s a list of 5 solid baits and techniques, each working universally well in the Lake Powell April waters. The key to using these baits is to know what conditions to look for to use them. By learning to adapt to the changing conditions in April as the water warms and the lake levels change, you will catch a lot more bass on this lake.
Jerkbait
One of the best Jerkbaits on Lake Powell is the Megabits Vision 110 jr. Series. This Jerkbait has more realistic colors to draw strikes and its smaller size is perfect at matching the baitfish size in the lake. Color and size is important on Lake Powell because the water is generally crystal clear. The bass won’t eat anything unless it looks extremely natural.
Here’s when you should start throwing a Jerkbait on Lake Powell in April:
- Windy Conditions
- Shady Spots
- Mornings/Evenings
- Cloudy, Overcast Skies
Drop Shot
The Drop Shot Rig is lethal for catching bass on Lake Powell in April. It works well for a couple of reasons. The firs is that Drop Shots can fish deep down or stay shallow. This is important because, often, the bass in April are transitioning from deep to shallow; having a Drop Shot Rig lets you fish the whole water column effectively. One of the best Drop Shot baits is a Yamamoto Cut Tail Worm. Wacky rig it on your hook and prepare for wearing your arm out with all the bites you’ll be pulling in.
Here’s what to look for to help you decide when you should choose a Drop Shot on Lake Powell in April:
- Calm Water
- Bright, Sunny Skies
- Bass are Deeper–Over 10-feet deep
Wacky Worm
There is something super magical about a Weightless Wacky Worm in the April water on Lake Powell–it always crushes those bass! The slow, natural fall when the bass are still a bit sluggish draws them in like magnets. Make accurate casts and let that worm fall down along the edge of those big boulders. Watch your line close, because the bites will be subtle. My favorite Wacky Rig bait is the Diawa Neko Fat. It has great action in the tail to get the attention and bites. The 4-inch size gets the most bites, but if you want bigger fish, try upgrading to the 5-inch baits.
Here’s when you should be throwing the Wacky Worm on Lake Powell:
- Calm Water
- Heavy Fishing Pressure
- Clear Water
- Clear, Sunny Skies
- Bass are Shallow–Less than 10-feet
Swimbait
A Swimbait is a bass magnet on Powell. The key is using natural colors and choosing the right Jig Head to make it perform optimally. What’s great about a Swimbait is you can fish it both shallow and deep by simply adjusting how heavy your Jig Head is. One of the best pairings on Powell is a Ball Head 1/8 or 3/16 oz. with a 3/0 hook. Powder coat those heads green pumpkin, then add an Ayu Keitech 4-inch Easy Shiner. You will wreck them. Make sure you check out this setup in action with my video below.
What you should look for to know when to use a Swimbait on Lake Powell in April:
- Calm Water
- Even Wind Conditions
- Clear Water
Jig
Fishing a Jig on Lake Powell is a great way to upsize your bites. Knowing which Jig to use can make a big difference. Small, finesse, natural: that will get you the bites. Letting the Jig lay on the bottom, and letting the skirts flair naturally in the water, is an easy trick to getting bass with a Jig this time of year. A Jig imitates a molting crayfish, which are abundant in Lake Powell. You will find the largemouth bass prefer a Jig compared to the smallmouth, so even though you may not catch the big numbers, you might pull the big greenies.
Here’s when you should pull out a Jig on Lake Powell in April:
- Heavy Cover
- Stained Water
- Calm Water
- Desire for Bigger Bass
Powell April Fishing Spots
Lake Powell is massive! There are tons of places to find bass throughout the lake in April. The key is to know what you are looking for so you can find them with tact. The bass in early April begin moving to the shallow pockets and coves to prepare for the spawn. However, not all coves and pockets are created equal. Bass may also choose to camp out on some of the points that lead to the backs of the coves. Check out the illustration below to help you get a better idea of what to look for on Powell to catch bass in April.
In April, the bass are also searching for warmer water. Usually dirty water is warmer than the deep, clear portions of the lake, so the river inlets are always great places to find concentrations of bass.
Here’s quick summary of what you need to look for to find bass in April on Lake Powell:
- Warmer Water
- 45-degree Banks
- Large Chunk Rock with Boulders
- Coves
- Points Leading into the Coves
Lake Powell Fishing Video – April
Here’s a video of all this equipment, techniques, and discovery in action on Lake Powell. It will help you get stoked for the awesome fishing that is waiting for you on Powell this month. Make sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel if you haven’t yet.
Additional Thoughts
Lake Powell in April is one of the best times to catch bass. Usually, there isn’t as many fisherman, and the bass are less pressured. The key is to remember to find those stained water warmer areas of the lake. Do this and you will find larger concentrations of fish and bigger fish.
One more thing, the links above and below in this post are affiliate links were you can pick up baits, rod’s, reels, line, and anything else I use to “Krak” some bass on Lake Powell. Krakenbass receives a small percentage of the sales through these links. I only use links to baits and gear I personally trust and know work. These links geared to be helpful for you, not for the small amount I make for the sale of the products. I hope these products can help you “Krak” some bass like they have for me. Thank you for your support!
As Always,
Stay Stoked!
2 Responses
Thanks for the great reports & advice. Keep ’em coming
Great stuff here. How long did it take you to get to the San Juan from wahweep?