Still, the most popular means of enjoying the beaches of Lake Powell is in a houseboat. Houseboats put comfort into the camping experience.

The options are to either be an owner, which can mean everything form outright ownership to owning a share, to renting.

There is, of course, good reason for this interest in the floating homes, especially the newer models. They come with every imaginable amenity and some that people would never think of.

The house is really a boat, but once inside, if you didn't know it, it certainly looks like a house.

Available at Wahweap and Bullfrog is the new 75-foot Excursion, either as a rental or as a timeshare investment being offered by ARAMARK. It comes with, among other things, air conditioning, trash compactor, wide-screen TV and home theater system, tracking satellite dish, custom lighting, spiral staircase, waterslide and eight-person hot tub.

The boat has all the deluxe features a $400,000 boat should have.

As far as choices for recreational outlet, wakeboarding and tubing remain the most popular, followed closely by fishing, said Kerry Mystrom, general manager of marina operations.

Striper fishing continues to be excellent in portions of the lake. This, too, is a time when anglers are able to fish the "boils."

Boils appear when striped bass push small shad to the surface in large schools and feed. During this frenzy, the surface of the water appears to be boiling. A surface lure thrown within the boil is guaranteed a strike.

The characteristic striper holding spot is quite consistent over the length of the lake. The best way to find a boil is to look for a steep cliff face near the intersection of the main channel and the main canyon that has just enough rock to hide crayfish. Look for a rocky point jutting out from the smooth cliff face.

Chum the spot and then toss out one-third of an anchovy on an eighth-ounce jig head. It should only take 15 minutes to start catching fish. Move from spot to spot until a school is located.

August is, of course, one of the more popular months to visit Lake Powell. Come Labor Day, Sept. 3, things will start to taper off and filter into the fall season, which to many is one of the best times to visit the lake.

Lake Powell in the offseason isn't all that different. It is cooler. In fact, more people are choosing the cooler temperatures for the less crowded beaches, marinas and coves.

Another reason people like fall visits are the reflections. Some say it's reason enough to visit during quieter times. One wall becomes two and one boat a pair.

Some also find hiking in the cooler climate much easier.

No question, there are some advantages to the offseason, especially for those trying to beat the crowds ... and still looking for the Lake Powell experience.

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E-mail: grass@desnews.com