A report on my trip to Lake Havasu this year.

[Mark Knapp 0]

Although I was not able to throw a fly this year, this trip is applicable to this site because it is in preparation for fly fishing the lake.

After last years 8 day guided trip, I put together my own Havasu boat over the winter with a 50 horse, four stroke, a Minn Kota Ultera trolling motor and two new Garmin fish finders, one at the bow for the trolling motor and one in the helm. The base boat is an Alweld aluminum hull that was a lean-to casualty over the winter and totaled by the insurance company. I bought it and repaired all the bent and punctured spots.

We trailered the boat down starting on April 8th, Easter weekend, drove right through and made it to the lake on Tue. the 11th. A 3,409 mile trip. On the twelfth we began our month of fishing.

We had twelve days of fishing for our selves, 8 days of guided fishing, then more unguided fishing.

When we got there, the California, Arizona and Nevada drought was over. The Alamo Damn on the Bill Williams river up-stream from Havasu had expelled river water all spring. All the run-off was in the river and south end of the lake. The south end of the lake seemed to be washed out and we could not see our tip-tops three inches under the surface.

We still managed to catch fish.

Note the muddy water.

Dave and I caught largemouth, smallmouth, and blue gills. They were all drop-shotted with worms while we prospected for enough fish to warrant fly fishing. We obviously caught fish but they were all over the place. Those blue gills were big, but not the huge redears we were after. Big redears were very hard to find.

Some of the locals came around to photo-bomb our trophy shot so we let them. When one of the girls said "Eew, why does it feel like that inside", I said "Because it's a fish"

We caught lots of stripers, with the guide and without. On the 12th day of our trip the new $2,500.00 Minn Kota Ultera gave out due to a bad mother board. I bought a used $400.00 Motor Guide to salvage the trip while the other is being fixed under warranty. It got us through though we had no directional indicator, I-Stop or I-Pilot.

This one was the biggest redear I caught this season. The scale jumped around from 2 pounds, 15 ounces to 3 pounds. Like a good fisherman, I call it a three pounder. We caught many in the pound and a half to three pound range.

We saw lots of wildlife besides the bikini girls in boats.

Channel cats and flathead cats too.

Some friends dropped by to fish with us a couple of days. I tried to tell them that only "punk adzes" hold the fish way out in front.

This was the biggest sunfish I got my hands on all month. We got home again on May 13. All and all, a fine trip. Next year I'm planning to stay longer, leave my spinning gear home, and take only fly gear, as well as leave all my buddies home too. It's not fair to ask my friends to fish the way I want to fish.

My best to all of you.

 

[chugbug27 0]

Happy times thx for sharing

[Steeldrifter 0]

Great report Mark. Nice smallies and those are some huge red ear. The locals ain't too shabby either 😁

[Mark Knapp 0]

2 hours ago, Steeldrifter said:

Great report Mark. Nice smallies and those are some huge red ear. The locals ain't too shabby either 😁

Thanks bud.

[niveker 0]

That is one heck of an assortment of fish, and good sized one's too.  

Sounds like a fun trip, great set of photos, thanks for posting them.  

[Poopdeck 0]

Well shoot, let’s see the Alweld.  I love those style of boats. Is this the one that’s been sitting in your driveway/yard? That’s quite the impressive road trip and man those are still impressive sunnies. I might have to put sunnie fishing that lake on my retirement list. 

[Mark Knapp 0]

19 hours ago, Poopdeck said:

Well shoot, let’s see the Alweld.  I love those style of boats. Is this the one that’s been sitting in your driveway/yard? That’s quite the impressive road trip and man those are still impressive sunnies. I might have to put sunnie fishing that lake on my retirement list. 

The Alweld is a new boat. I bought it as a totaled lean-to that I rebuilt as a dedicated Havasu boat. I'm storing it there for an every year thing. The other boat, a Almar that I rebuilt is still up here. I'll dig out pictures of the Alweld.

The sunfish are impressive, that's why I'm going back.

[Mark Knapp 0]

Pictures of the Alweld. It's dedicated to fly fishing. It's fishing deck is large with no protrusionary objects like rod holders.

[Mark Knapp 0]

On 5/24/2023 at 3:54 PM, niveker said:

That is one heck of an assortment of fish, and good sized one's too.  

Sounds like a fun trip, great set of photos, thanks for posting them.  

Thanks bud.

[Poopdeck 0]

Nice boat. I love those utilitarian/work/fishing style of boat. You did a nice job on the rehab. I like the smooth deck. How’s the flat bottom on the lake? Was there any chop that rattled the fillings? My river is dying a slow death and I’m considering lake fishing this summer but my boat screams shallow river. 

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Great report, great photos, looks well worth any angler's attention... I'm running a Minn Kota Terrova, 24v model now for almost three years trouble free (except for batteries and losing my first remote...) in hard commercial service in fresh, salt, and brackish waters - mostly the salt... It has the same capabilities the Ulterra model does but without the auto deploy feature.  Most that I know have gotten away from the Ulterra since there's more stuff that can go wrong... Hope your warranty fix solves the problem.  I also know one angler who still prefers the Ulterra - but also brings a backup in case the Ulterra quits on him when he's on a trip.

He comes down to my area from his home state so he's always considering ways to back up his gear a long way from home... 

[Mark Knapp 0]

21 hours ago, Poopdeck said:

Nice boat. I love those utilitarian/work/fishing style of boat. You did a nice job on the rehab. I like the smooth deck. How’s the flat bottom on the lake? Was there any chop that rattled the fillings? My river is dying a slow death and I’m considering lake fishing this summer but my boat screams shallow river. 

Yep, I too go for the no bells and whistles thing. I get fewer bikini girls in the boat though, like none.

The flat bottom was OK, I can't fish in anything over 10 to 12 mile an hour winds anyway so it's kind of a non issue. I just go nocturnal, fish early mornings and quiet evenings or go to protected bays. It's a shame to hear about your river, I guess all things change. I guess we must adapt.

[Mark Knapp 0]

8 hours ago, Capt Bob LeMay said:

Great report, great photos, looks well worth any angler's attention... I'm running a Minn Kota Terrova, 24v model now for almost three years trouble free (except for batteries and losing my first remote...) in hard commercial service in fresh, salt, and brackish waters - mostly the salt... It has the same capabilities the Ulterra model does but without the auto deploy feature.  Most that I know have gotten away from the Ulterra since there's more stuff that can go wrong... Hope your warranty fix solves the problem.  I also know one angler who still prefers the Ulterra - but also brings a backup in case the Ulterra quits on him when he's on a trip.

He comes down to my area from his home state so he's always considering ways to back up his gear a long way from home... 

I now have a back-up too. I don't really need the auto stow, it's mostly just a pain in the butt because, after the strokes, my feet just kind of go where they want and I get a lot of inadvertant auto-stows at most in opportune moments. I suppose the auto-stow thing is nice to have if you are unsure on your feet like I am on the front bow. I got it when I was shopping cuz nothing else was available. Times of supply chain shortages of almost everything.

Warranty is supposed to be fixing it as we speak. We are suffering with more supply chain shortages though.

Nice to hear from you, have a nice summer.