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How early to Lake Powell


BlindSquirrel

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When is pretty much the earliest Lake Powell is tolerable to ski and play in without a wet suit? A family member of ours was just given a not so good cancer diagnosis and wants to go back to Lake Powell to have a house boat trip like we have had in the past. We typically have gone in late summer, but will need to go early spring now. Looking on the weather channel, the air temp averages ~72 in April but I assume the water temp is pretty cold. Wanting to start planning this deal, but not so familiar with how fast the water reacts to warmer temps. Any ensite?

 

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Daytime temps may average 72 in April, but nighttime temps are still high 40's - low 50's. Those temps need to be in the 60's for water temps to be comfortable. 

Best of luck with family health issues.  

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Lake Mead is just below Lake Powell, but about 2600 feet lower. I typically plan early March to go boating with a wet suit at Lake Mead, but the first week of May is usually when I take it off...the kids quit wearing them in April. So for Powell, May is probably a great time, but the water may still be a little chilly. I remember one year at Mead, we had to wait until June.  Late April for Lake Mead is usually a definite, but kind of iffy until then. But I would plan a trip there in May. 

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4 hours ago, bbattiste247 said:

Lake Mead is just below Lake Powell, but about 2600 feet lower. I typically plan early March to go boating with a wet suit at Lake Mead, but the first week of May is usually when I take it off...the kids quit wearing them in April. So for Powell, May is probably a great time, but the water may still be a little chilly. I remember one year at Mead, we had to wait until June.  Late April for Lake Mead is usually a definite, but kind of iffy until then. But I would plan a trip there in May. 

That’s a good idea, I didn’t realize there was that much difference. 

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On 12/1/2017 at 4:17 PM, Sixball said:

Can't help with your question. But keep them thinking positive. Many people go well past any time given from Doc. Thoughts with them and the family!

Yeah, thanks. My dad has the same thing as McCain, comes with an average of 13 months. Dad is at 15 months but starting to show more signs of not doing so well. Just hard to keep his spirits up since there is no cure. He’s doing good.... well as good as expected. Was at work one day, fine.... passed out when he got home. Went to the doc.... stage 4 brain tumor. He’s 66.....way too soon for the garbage. 

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So sorry to hear about your dad.  I hope you guys are able to make that trip.  My parents are about 10 years older and I thank God for them every day.  

 

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1 hour ago, BlindSquirrel said:

Yeah, thanks. My dad has the same thing as McCain, comes with an average of 13 months. Dad is at 15 months but starting to show more signs of not doing so well. Just hard to keep his spirits up since there is no cure. He’s doing good.... well as good as expected. Was at work one day, fine.... passed out when he got home. Went to the doc.... stage 4 brain tumor. He’s 66.....way too soon for the garbage. 

Really sorry to hear about your Dad.  Hopefully you guys have a great trip! 

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Most people start going to Powell in June. It’s usually still a bit chilly, but similar to Idaho in late July. 

Good luck with your family member. 

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Sorry about your dad.  That is tough.

I almost consider Powell my "home lake".  5 trips this year.  6 each of the last two.

Our first non-fishing trip is usually around my wife's birthday - mid April.

We have had some of our best trips then, with highs in the 80's and 90's, and "tolerable" water temps.  

Here is the average water and air temps by month.  http://www.lakepowellhouseboating.com/lake-powell-visitor-information

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Good find on the temp graph, @RyanB.  It says April average high temp is 68 degrees with 54 water.  You have to hit a warm spell in April to get 80's and 90's.   

I find it is often windy in the spring, which does take some of the fun away.  I used to have my houseboat share the first week of June, and we found it windy so often that we enjoyed it less. And some days with high temperature 70 degrees.  I switched it to the 3rd week of June and the last 2 years it has been the hottest week of the summer, being 110 degrees.  I just can't find the perfect week since I still have kids in school (THE perfect week is mid September).  

Best wishes to your father.  

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12 hours ago, RyanB said:

Sorry about your dad.  That is tough.

I almost consider Powell my "home lake".  5 trips this year.  6 each of the last two.

Our first non-fishing trip is usually around my wife's birthday - mid April.

We have had some of our best trips then, with highs in the 80's and 90's, and "tolerable" water temps.  

Here is the average water and air temps by month.  http://www.lakepowellhouseboating.com/lake-powell-visitor-information

Thanks for this, good info. We may roll the dice and go for the second week in April this time. We have been twice, both times in September with good weather. Had a pop up storm come in one time out of nowhere, well nowhere if you are in a canyon and can't see much of the sky very well. We owned a house boat in Oklahoma so are pretty familiar with storms from nowhere and being prepared. On a positive note I believe April is still "off season" rates. 

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The weather certainly always isn't good, but we have had more good April trips than bad.

Sure, the air and water can be cool.  And you can catch wind (that part can happen any time of year).  But my experience is that it is not too early.

These photos were from this April.

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My wife did surf this year without a wet suit.  Not nearly as warm as summer.  But bearable.

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And if your dad likes to fish at all, April is a great time of year.  These were with my father in Spring of 2016.

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Is that some walleye?  The thinner ones on the top?  

Powell is a pretty great fishery.  I had a Quintecta one day where I caught Bluegill, largemouth, smallmouth, striper and catfish all in the same location.  

I took my father on a houseboat trip less than a year before he passed.  I am so glad I had him come along, since it was our last summer.  I did not know it would be our last together at the time, although he was over 80 at the time.    He had a wonderful time and it was great to connect.  I hope this trip works out well.  

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56 minutes ago, TallRedRider said:

Is that some walleye?  The thinner ones on the top?  

Powell is a pretty great fishery.  I had a Quintecta one day where I caught Bluegill, largemouth, smallmouth, striper and catfish all in the same location.  

I took my father on a houseboat trip less than a year before he passed.  I am so glad I had him come along, since it was our last summer.  I did not know it would be our last together at the time, although he was over 80 at the time.    He had a wonderful time and it was great to connect.  I hope this trip works out well.  

We usually catch a mix of walleye, small mouth, large mouth, and stripers.  Always keep the walleye and stripers.  Keeping SMB and LMB depends on what the biologist says is best for the lake.

Dad and I try to do at least one fishing trip to Powell a year.  Sometimes we make it both spring and fall.  Those are good years.

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On 12/2/2017 at 8:11 PM, BlindSquirrel said:

Yeah, thanks. My dad has the same thing as McCain, comes with an average of 13 months. Dad is at 15 months but starting to show more signs of not doing so well. Just hard to keep his spirits up since there is no cure. He’s doing good.... well as good as expected. Was at work one day, fine.... passed out when he got home. Went to the doc.... stage 4 brain tumor. He’s 66.....way too soon for the garbage. 

I'm sorry to hear, I lost my dad to a Glioblastoma stage 4, he was 58.  Although in his case he didn't get treatment till his symptoms were 4-6 weeks from death & he died from brain swelling two weeks after surgery.  Deff way too soon!

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Sounds like a great trip, I'm no help but hope you are able to make something happen.

My dad mentioned Belize as one more place he'd like to see. He started his chemo and radiation last Monday for stage 3b lung cancer. Retired at 55 and said he had a great one at that point. He's had 17 great 'bonus' years at the lake house with my mom since then. He was content with whatever may come. When he first found out he wrote something akin to a 'goodbye' letter but after more tests and more information, we had some more discussions he came around to treatment options and is now fully willing to give it a go. 

Best of luck to @BlindSquirrel and anyone else going through something like this. We had been very lucky until this point family-wise.

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20 minutes ago, racer808 said:

I'm sorry to hear, I lost my dad to a Glioblastoma stage 4, he was 58.  Although in his case he didn't get treatment till his symptoms were 4-6 weeks from death & he died from brain swelling two weeks after surgery.  Deff way too soon!

Oh man.... sorry to hear about YOUR dad. It's crazy how many people are affected by this awful disease. If a positive can be taken from my situation, it's really brought our family closer together and our boats ( my VLX and his XTi ) have been a great platform to hangout on to be away from everything. I started planning the Powell trip with him, helps keep him busy and engaged too.

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