At Lake Havasu (report from late August courtesy of John Galbraith at Bass Tackle Master), stained water conditions from monsoon runoff has slowed the striper bite considerably, but fish are still available for anglers that put in the work, and get a little lucky. Try fishing from Lake Havasu State Park south to the California Bay/Thompson area with cut anchovies on the bottom. Some boils have been reported.

This is a great reminder to pay attention to barometric pressure when planning a fishing trip. Post front conditions (rising barometer) usually mean it will be a tough bite for a few days. Conversely, the pre-front conditions before a storm (falling barometer) can translate to great fishing. During this time of year it’s best to focus your effort on the deeper fish (15-22 feet deep) because they are affected less than shallow fish by barometric pressure.

The murky conditions have reduced a normally much larger strike zone to less than 12 inches, so try to retrieve lures slower than normal to give the fish a chance to hone in and strike it. “Deadstick” the bait longer on each cast. Flipping baits like Senkos, Sweet Beavers and Chigger Craws are great choices right now at Havasu under these conditions.