The perch catching is a little slower but the quality is pretty good at Hyrum, we fished south of the boat ramp trying from 8’ out to 48’ with 18’ my most productive depth. The perch where very tight to the bottom so much so that many times I would get lite bites with no fish on my screen if I put my jig on the bottom. Next time out I’ll go off of the swim beach. The perch where 8-11”.
I've heard the same reports from my brother who has been out a couple times over the weekend. Light bites and fewer fish, but the ones they are catching are averaging between 9-11".
(01-03-2021, 06:50 PM)obifishkenobi Wrote: [ -> ]The perch catching is a little slower but the quality is pretty good at Hyrum, we fished south of the boat ramp trying from 8’ out to 48’ with 18’ my most productive depth. The perch where very tight to the bottom so much so that many times I would get lite bites with no fish on my screen if I put my jig on the bottom. Next time out I’ll go off of the swim beach. The perch where 8-11”.
Do you have a measurement of the ice thickness. Thanks, RJ
I've been there each day since Wednesday, ice yesterday was 4-5 inches everywhere we went, and I did move around. Someone rode out from the boat ramps on a snowmobile, but I didn't track his progress after he crossed the lake.
Yesterday the bites were light, and there were fewer than any day previous in the week. I'd taken a neighbor's son out with me, and we each caught one perch. Bites seemed to be picking up in frequency in the last half hour before we left, but he was done for the day so we left.
I rarely even marked fish on the sonar. Bites have been very light all week.
I was up there yesterday off the south side of the
Dam just 4 inches of ice moved around some fished 20 feet to 40 feet i just knocked open holes from the day before the pole out side the tent had the only action caught 4 missing most i just released them didn't think i would have caught enough for dinner but i would have thay were nice size nice day no skunk anyway ![[Image: 20210102-145356.jpg]](https://i.ibb.co/YhD4pqz/20210102-145356.jpg)
Timid perch for sure. Oh well, next time will be better.
Wow I must have been in the middle of you guys off the boat ramp. I started at 20 fow till about 9:30 when they quit moving through. Got 9 fish in there, 1 bow the rest 9-10.5” perch. Lost a big one at the hole when the upper hook snagged on the ice edge. Might have went 12-13” it was a lot bigger than the others I was catching. Anyway I was using my camera and the fish were just kissing the bait and not sucking it into their mouths until I put a chain and treble hook on, then I got most of the hits after. Nice fish, but you really need to be there for the early bite. Really slows down after 9:30. I found one out deeper after, but I couldn’t find where they went. They are not like past years balling up in big piles, or at least I didn’t find one. Everything I seen were out hunting for food in roving groups of similar size fish. I used spoons and bigger baits to try and discourage the smaller fish, it worked, smallest was 9”.. Sorry I didn’t recognize you guys. Later Jeff
![[Image: 46814-DB6-A4-C2-4-B53-8-EFC-8929-DB2614-A3.jpg]](https://i.ibb.co/5jfDH9P/46814-DB6-A4-C2-4-B53-8-EFC-8929-DB2614-A3.jpg)
(01-04-2021, 02:22 AM)SkunkedAgain Wrote: [ -> ]Wow I must have been in the middle of you guys off the boat ramp. I started at 20 fow till about 9:30 when they quit moving through. Got 9 fish in there, 1 bow the rest 9-10.5” perch. Lost a big one at the hole when the upper hook snagged on the ice edge. Might have went 12-13” it was a lot bigger than the others I was catching. Anyway I was using my camera and the fish were just kissing the bait and not sucking it into their mouths until I put a chain and treble hook on, then I got most of the hits after. Nice fish, but you really need to be there for the early bite. Really slows down after 9:30. I found one out deeper after, but I couldn’t find where they went. They are not like past years balling up in big piles, or at least I didn’t find one. Everything I seen were out hunting for food in roving groups of similar size fish. I used spoons and bigger baits to try and discourage the smaller fish, it worked, smallest was 9”.. Sorry I didn’t recognize you guys. Later Jeff
Richard, I seen 4-5” of ice as well. Seemed the same on both Friday and Saturday and at Swim beach and the boat ramp. That sled that crossed the lake scared me big time, I didn’t think it would hold it up, but he at least got to the other side. I left before he came back. Still not thick enough for me to take my snowmobile out. Later Jeff
(01-04-2021, 02:22 AM)SkunkedAgain Wrote: [ -> ]Wow I must have been in the middle of you guys off the boat ramp. I started at 20 fow till about 9:30 when they quit moving through. Got 9 fish in there, 1 bow the rest 9-10.5” perch. Lost a big one at the hole when the upper hook snagged on the ice edge. Might have went 12-13” it was a lot bigger than the others I was catching. Anyway I was using my camera and the fish were just kissing the bait and not sucking it into their mouths until I put a chain and treble hook on, then I got most of the hits after. Nice fish, but you really need to be there for the early bite. Really slows down after 9:30. I found one out deeper after, but I couldn’t find where they went. They are not like past years balling up in big piles, or at least I didn’t find one. Everything I seen were out hunting for food in roving groups of similar size fish. I used spoons and bigger baits to try and discourage the smaller fish, it worked, smallest was 9”.. Sorry I didn’t recognize you guys. Later Jeff
Richard, I seen 4-5” of ice as well. Seemed the same on both Friday and Saturday and at Swim beach and the boat ramp. That sled that crossed the lake scared me big time, I didn’t think it would hold it up, but he at least got to the other side. I left before he came back. Still not thick enough for me to take my snowmobile out. Later Jeff
(01-04-2021, 02:22 AM)SkunkedAgain Wrote: [ -> ]Wow I must have been in the middle of you guys off the boat ramp. I started at 20 fow till about 9:30 when they quit moving through. Got 9 fish in there, 1 bow the rest 9-10.5” perch. Lost a big one at the hole when the upper hook snagged on the ice edge. Might have went 12-13” it was a lot bigger than the others I was catching. Anyway I was using my camera and the fish were just kissing the bait and not sucking it into their mouths until I put a chain and treble hook on, then I got most of the hits after. Nice fish, but you really need to be there for the early bite. Really slows down after 9:30. I found one out deeper after, but I couldn’t find where they went. They are not like past years balling up in big piles, or at least I didn’t find one. Everything I seen were out hunting for food in roving groups of similar size fish. I used spoons and bigger baits to try and discourage the smaller fish, it worked, smallest was 9”.. Sorry I didn’t recognize you guys. Later Jeff
(01-04-2021, 02:22 AM)SkunkedAgain Wrote: [ -> ]Wow I must have been in the middle of you guys off the boat ramp. I started at 20 fow till about 9:30 when they quit moving through. Got 9 fish in there, 1 bow the rest 9-10.5” perch. Lost a big one at the hole when the upper hook snagged on the ice edge. Might have went 12-13” it was a lot bigger than the others I was catching. Anyway I was using my camera and the fish were just kissing the bait and not sucking it into their mouths until I put a chain and treble hook on, then I got most of the hits after. Nice fish, but you really need to be there for the early bite. Really slows down after 9:30. I found one out deeper after, but I couldn’t find where they went. They are not like past years balling up in big piles, or at least I didn’t find one. Everything I seen were out hunting for food in roving groups of similar size fish. I used spoons and bigger baits to try and discourage the smaller fish, it worked, smallest was 9”.. Sorry I didn’t recognize you guys. Later Jeff
Richard, I seen 4-5” of ice as well. Seemed the same on both Friday and Saturday and at Swim beach and the boat ramp. That sled that crossed the lake scared me big time, I didn’t think it would hold it up, but he at least got to the other side. I left before he came back. Still not thick enough for me to take my snowmobile out. Later Jeff
(01-04-2021, 02:22 AM)SkunkedAgain Wrote: [ -> ]Wow I must have been in the middle of you guys off the boat ramp. I started at 20 fow till about 9:30 when they quit moving through. Got 9 fish in there, 1 bow the rest 9-10.5” perch. Lost a big one at the hole when the upper hook snagged on the ice edge. Might have went 12-13” it was a lot bigger than the others I was catching. Anyway I was using my camera and the fish were just kissing the bait and not sucking it into their mouths until I put a chain and treble hook on, then I got most of the hits after. Nice fish, but you really need to be there for the early bite. Really slows down after 9:30. I found one out deeper after, but I couldn’t find where they went. They are not like past years balling up in big piles, or at least I didn’t find one. Everything I seen were out hunting for food in roving groups of similar size fish. I used spoons and bigger baits to try and discourage the smaller fish, it worked, smallest was 9”.. Sorry I didn’t recognize you guys. Later Jeff
Richard, I seen 4-5” of ice as well. Seemed the same on both Friday and Saturday and at Swim beach and the boat ramp. That sled that crossed the lake scared me big time, I didn’t think it would hold it up, but he at least got to the other side. I left before he came back. Still not thick enough for me to take my snowmobile out. Later Jeff
We didn't get there until midday, we may not have crossed paths, we did see the guy go by on the sled on his way back in.
Ok, maybe I was leaving as you were getting there. I should have recognized Sean, but didn’t see him in the crowd I guess. Glad the sled made it back, I would have felt bad if he drowned and I didn’t tell him the ice was only 4” thick in places. But he didn’t seem like he wanted any advice. Looks like I was wrong anyway. Later Jeff
Jeff, I have not seen a crappie out of Hyrum before. I did not know they were in there.
(01-04-2021, 03:50 AM)Jig-fisher Wrote: [ -> ]Jeff, I have not seen a crappie out of Hyrum before. I did not know they were in there.
That was a Newton fish, I had a couple fish from a previous trip that froze solid and I hadn’t filleted yet. 14 Perch were from Hyrum over two days. The rest were Newton. Got a nice pile of fillets now. Fish Tacos or Pats Fish chowder seems to be the question now. Later Jeff
(01-03-2021, 06:50 PM)obifishkenobi Wrote: [ -> ]The perch catching is a little slower but the quality is pretty good at Hyrum, we fished south of the boat ramp trying from 8’ out to 48’ with 18’ my most productive depth. The perch where very tight to the bottom so much so that many times I would get lite bites with no fish on my screen if I put my jig on the bottom. Next time out I’ll go off of the swim beach. The perch where 8-11”.
Thanks for the report! Perches are bigger than last year!
(01-04-2021, 02:22 AM)SkunkedAgain Wrote: [ -> ]Wow I must have been in the middle of you guys off the boat ramp. I started at 20 fow till about 9:30 when they quit moving through. Got 9 fish in there, 1 bow the rest 9-10.5” perch. Lost a big one at the hole when the upper hook snagged on the ice edge. Might have went 12-13” it was a lot bigger than the others I was catching. Anyway I was using my camera and the fish were just kissing the bait and not sucking it into their mouths until I put a chain and treble hook on, then I got most of the hits after. Nice fish, but you really need to be there for the early bite. Really slows down after 9:30. I found one out deeper after, but I couldn’t find where they went. They are not like past years balling up in big piles, or at least I didn’t find one. Everything I seen were out hunting for food in roving groups of similar size fish. I used spoons and bigger baits to try and discourage the smaller fish, it worked, smallest was 9”.. Sorry I didn’t recognize you guys. Later Jeff
Hi, Jeff, where is the crappies from in your photo? Nice catches!
(01-04-2021, 05:31 AM)LT-perch Wrote: [ -> ] (01-03-2021, 06:50 PM)obifishkenobi Wrote: [ -> ]The perch catching is a little slower but the quality is pretty good at Hyrum, we fished south of the boat ramp trying from 8’ out to 48’ with 18’ my most productive depth. The perch where very tight to the bottom so much so that many times I would get lite bites with no fish on my screen if I put my jig on the bottom. Next time out I’ll go off of the swim beach. The perch where 8-11”.
Thanks for the report! Perches are bigger than last year!
(01-04-2021, 02:22 AM)SkunkedAgain Wrote: [ -> ]Wow I must have been in the middle of you guys off the boat ramp. I started at 20 fow till about 9:30 when they quit moving through. Got 9 fish in there, 1 bow the rest 9-10.5” perch. Lost a big one at the hole when the upper hook snagged on the ice edge. Might have went 12-13” it was a lot bigger than the others I was catching. Anyway I was using my camera and the fish were just kissing the bait and not sucking it into their mouths until I put a chain and treble hook on, then I got most of the hits after. Nice fish, but you really need to be there for the early bite. Really slows down after 9:30. I found one out deeper after, but I couldn’t find where they went. They are not like past years balling up in big piles, or at least I didn’t find one. Everything I seen were out hunting for food in roving groups of similar size fish. I used spoons and bigger baits to try and discourage the smaller fish, it worked, smallest was 9”.. Sorry I didn’t recognize you guys. Later Jeff
Hi, Jeff, where is the crappie from in your photo? Nice catches!
Crappie was from Newton.... J
(01-04-2021, 03:48 AM)SkunkedAgain Wrote: [ -> ]Ok, maybe I was leaving as you were getting there. I should have recognized Sean, but didn’t see him in the crowd I guess. Glad the sled made it back, I would have felt bad if he drowned and I didn’t tell him the ice was only 4” thick in places. But he didn’t seem like he wanted any advice. Looks like I was wrong anyway. Later Jeff
Sorry to have missed you Jeff. I was fishing flats off the beach and looked around, but I'm not sure I'd have been able to pick you out even had you been nearby. I took my son and we had a good day on Friday, catching mostly perch and a couple of planter 'bows up higher at 8-12 feet over 30 feet of water.
(01-04-2021, 08:05 PM)gaardvark Wrote: [ -> ] (01-04-2021, 03:48 AM)SkunkedAgain Wrote: [ -> ]Ok, maybe I was leaving as you were getting there. I should have recognized Sean, but didn’t see him in the crowd I guess. Glad the sled made it back, I would have felt bad if he drowned and I didn’t tell him the ice was only 4” thick in places. But he didn’t seem like he wanted any advice. Looks like I was wrong anyway. Later Jeff
Sorry to have missed you Jeff. I was fishing flats off the beach and looked around, but I'm not sure I'd have been able to pick you out even had you been nearby. I took my son and we had a good day on Friday, catching mostly perch a couple of trout up higher.
I wasn't flying my flag and just took my smitty, I was fishing around the east buoy off the boat ramp not very far from that east picnic area.. Too bad I didn't see you, you would have liked what the camera was doing for me... Then again maybe it's good you didn't see me... your wife might be mad at me if you bought a new camera... I'm liking the shallower spots since I can use the camera and see what the fish are doing, they are really picky this year so far... I like it better when they just come in and eat... it's taking lots of coaxing for me to get a hit this year... I've had to change up lures a lot too to find something that works... Hope next trip they will still take the same lure so I don't have to waste too much of the hot fish window trying to decide what they will take... but Friday they liked a spoon and Saturday it was a perch talker, so who knows next time.. Maybe location changes the lures, I was off swim beach Friday... Well fun to be back on the ice, hope we recognize each other one of these times so you can see if the camera will be useful to you or not... Later Jeff
Jeff, what brand of underwater camera did you buy and what is the max depth it is good down to? Most camera are only good down it a certain depth, from my experience.
Hey Curt I got the Marcum Recon 5, I’ve had it a few years and it seems to lose clarity below 25 feet. I have cable to go deeper, but that’s where the light and murk seems to make things get harder to decern what’s going on. I was fishing 20’ at Hyrum and I could only see a couple feet beyond my jig. But I could see around the jig really well so I could tell when the fish had the hook in it’s mouth. Really been liking it this year so far. My new pole holder camera system has made it a lot easier to use. Later Jeff