I know a lot of you focus on the cats but I'm going for the eyes. I've caught all of 3 of these in my life. Got lucky last yeat and landed a 28 inch walleye from af harbor. Any of you have insight on Jordan River outlet and walleye? I'm coming from the north and plan to tube it. Should I just suck it up and drive all the wau down to lincoln where all the sites suggest?
Sorry, am on a cell at church and didn't finish my though. Is the pump station worth it from your point of view. I'm reading that soft plastics are the way to go. So, during your time catching cats where have you all stumbled upon walleye?
(or is this like one of those secrets you don't want to share online?) I don't know how all this works.
[#0000FF]There are a lot of walleye in Utah Lake...theoretically. But the catching has been poor this year. Not nearly as many during the "spring fling" and no good reports yet this fall.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Part of the reason it is difficult to catch walleyes at times is the abundance of baby white bass. Walleyes dine on them a lot and they are so plentiful and easy to catch that walleyes don't have to fall for the silly stuff fishermen throw at them.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]I have only caught one walleye from Utah Lake this year. Usually can count a double handful at least. Even when I have aggressively targeted them I catch only white bass and cats. And most of my walleyes over the years have come on baits and lures being fished for other species. They all hang out in the same areas and eat the same things, so if you fish something one likes the others will usually hit too if they are around.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Haven't heard of any walleye action at the usual places yet. It has been warm and the water is just now starting to cool into the walleyes' active zone. During the warmer days of summer they are not as active and are more likely to feed at night.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Over the years, fishing lipless cranks or shallow running crankbaits in silver/blue or other patterns that imitate white bass has been a good bet. But you can often do well with 3" - 4" plastic twisters on 1/16 or 1/8 oz. heads...in white, chartreuse, or various color combos that include chartreuse. And tipping with a piece of crawler can help.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]I am attaching a pictorial writeup I put together that might help.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Good luck.
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Thanks for the info and the document. I've been repeatedly reading another doc your wrote that I found online.
So question, if there's a lot of white bass younglings is it just super hard to catch the eyes? Also, if the weather is supposed to drop this week would that cool the lake enough to get them more active or does it take a couple weeks of cold?
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[#0000FF]DWR does not do sample nettings or otherwise keep tabs on population numbers on any species in Utah Lake. The only species anyone seems to care about are the June suckers. It is tough to know at any given time just what the numbers are. But, based upon personal observations and input from a lot of different anglers, I'm guessing that walleyes are not nearly as numerous as they have been in the past.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]There is a hardcore group of "walleye warriors" who show up at various points around Utah Lake when the fish are "in". You can see them wading and casting at all hours...at Lincoln Beach, the mouth of the Spanish Fork River, American Fork River inlet and around some of the harbor dikes. If anyone is catching walleyes it will be these guys. And this last year the catch rate was lower for all but a handful of these diehards...and there were more trips with few or no fish brought to net.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]There are not as many knowledgeable anglers who chase walleyes around the lake from boats or other floating craft. But there are a few. And Utah Lake was not very nice to us/them during the past year. A fish caught here and there but I don't know of anyone who ever caught a limit.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]The annual abundance of white bass younglings is a big part of the ecology for all Utah Lake predators. Even white bass rely on having lots of their own young to grow on. In years when there has been a poor spawn for white bass, those fish that rely on them for groceries do not do well.
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[#0000FF]At the end of the drought in 2005 there were greatly decreased numbers of white bass...after a couple of years of poor spawns...and the walleyes were skinny and hungry. Everybody caught lots of walleyes but many of those fish were seriously underweight. And there was a heavy starvation dieoff under the ice that last winter.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]The walleye I have seen recently...in personal brag reports...have looked healthy. I don't think they are in imminent danger of starvation. But I also think that their numbers are down to a level where they can survive on less food availability.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Walleyes are notorious for being difficult to catch, at least for the "average" angler. Utah Lake walleyes can be especially difficult. They are a species from deep cold lakes...that rely on having spawning streams with heavy flow each spring. That does not describe Utah Lake...a shallow mud hole with few suitable spawning tributaries and little rocky shoreline for alternate spawning sites.
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[#0000FF]Walleye anglers in the upper midwest are able to fish with live bait. We can't. They will pick up dead minnows and even pieces of cut bait fished for catfish. But in murky water their sight-feeding abilities are reduced. And even though they do hunt well in darkness and murky water by using their sensitive lateral lines to pick up vibrations, lure anglers do much better under good visibility conditions. Those do not happen often on Utah Lake.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]The cycle of life for walleyes is strongly dependent upon water temperatures. They spawn early...when water temps reach about 45 degrees. Then they go on the chew postspawn while water temps are from about 55 to 65 degrees. After that, they feed only briefly...at different times each day...depending upon water temps, clarity, food availability, heavy boating activity and other factors. And they tend to move around a lot looking for food and comfort.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Walleyes do start to feed more actively as soon as fall temps begin to drop. And you can find them chasing the feeding baby whities at numerous locations around the lake...especially right at daybreak. But they are very efficient feeders and can usually fill their stomachs quickly...with no need to chase anglers' trinkets for the next 24 hours.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]The upside of all this is that even well fed walleyes will sometimes have a "reaction bite" response to something presented to them the right way at the right time. One of the biggest walleyes I ever caught...in American Fork Harbor...took a small silver and blue spoon being fished for white bass. I took it in to have a resin cast mount made and when the guy had made the cast he ate the fish. He reported that it had three 10-inch white bass in it's gut when he filleted it. Maybe that walleye was just using my small lure as a toothpick.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Bottom line? You have to first find where the fish are hanging out...and feeding. Then you have to keep changing up your tackle and techniques until you find something the fish will vote for. And you may have to still keep changing up to keep catching fish.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Walleyes are frustrating...but worth the challenge.
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I honestly think if you are targeting walleye your bet at American fork inlet is as good as any. However, it will be slower fishing this time of year for other species in that location. So if your dead set on walleye I wouldnt shy away from there but if your looking for tight lines in general I'd head to the pumps area, Provo or possibly south.
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I CAUTION YOU
It sounds like you are already on the slippery slope for chasing eyes if your at church and asking about them, there will be sleepless nights, a lot of research, a lot of time practicing casting,(aka fishing) staying longer than expected for just the one more cast or one more pass before it time to go, family not want to go when they find out your just going for them, not getting the yard work done cuz the wind finally quit blowing, many outings just to be out cuz its surely not because you was catching fish, buying all the latest and best jigs, cranks, harnesses,
BUT when the moon, stars and the weather all align, the wind is just right, you can feel your jig just touching the bottom as you reel slowly watching where you line meets the water, your line moves just slightly to the side and you set the hook, you pull as hard as you dare with the light tackle hoping the jig don't come zinging back at you, making you say bad words and throw a temper tamptrums, the swirl of water before you get it in the net and the jig pops out, in the boat she is.
after that you have no hope you are hooked, all other fishing seems boring, it can get bad, you just want it more and more, so be cautious about what you ask for,
So now that you have been warned, I'm not sure bout the north end, Lincoln beach around to the south past the orchards is good, I like the island but that's mostly because I usually have it to myself, 3 inch curly G tail brand in junebug color is the favorite of most, running a tandem set up, if you cant fell the bottom you are not deep enough,
Good luck
PS. its worth it.
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I sent you a private message. YouTube can be helpful.
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I have seen some of MSM’s walleye catches when the “moon, stars and the weather align” for him and they were impressive... he knows his stuff about walleyes and addiction. Words of wisdom from him.
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says the guy who takes Sunday off from cat fishing,[
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You guys are awesome. I've been off line most of the week and just had a chance to check back on this thread. Thanks so much for the replies and help.
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"Sorry, am on a cell at church"
[#0000FF]You ain't hard-core enough yet. It is better to be on the water, marveling at the wonders of creation...than to be in church wishing you were fishing.[/#0000FF]
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Pat, I love your comment it mad me laugh out loud.
rj
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[#0000FF]Thanks, Richard.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]It ranks right up there with "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than to beg for permission."
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