05-25-2021, 07:52 PM
First trip to Panguitch for 2021. Water is considerably lower this year, which is to be expected, but it changed where I would normally fish. Arrived around 0730 and went over to the Northwest corner. Started off hot with 6 fish in about 30 min of fishing, all on my small brown leech pattern, including the biggest fish of the trip...24" Tiger. Best bite of the day as I spotted him cruising the bank about 10 yds down from me and made the cast at him in about two feet of water and watched him swing over and pick it up...so cool! Ended up not getting a pic of the fish as a gentleman approached me as I had him in my net getting my camera set up and in the distraction of the conversation the fish jumped my net and took off...oh well. Fish were in spawning mode and were cruising up and down the bank tight. Water is very clear for up there and still very cold...little to no aquatic vegetation yet. After about 10 fish around noon, the bite shut off there so I loaded up in the truck and ate lunch then ventured over to the dam area where we have fished ice-off in the past...this was a good move. Immediately started hooking up on fish, mostly tigers with some going airborne 3-4 ft after hook up, lots of fun! The bows again were cruising shallow chasing each other around my legs...but only convinced a few bows to bite. Still ended the day with around 20 fish, and completed the Panguitch grand slam. Overall good day, but it will just get better as the spawn ends and summer kicks in with some vegetation growth...usually mid June through Aug are the best for us.