Fishing Forum - Fishing Blind at Deer Creek 8-24-23 (wITH VIDIO)

LINK TO VIDEO

I heard Deer Creek calling...and weather forecast was for calm all morning. Headed back to Charleston, hoping water level was still high enough to launch my tube. It was...barely. Not much longer. Got on the water by 7:30 am and turned on my sonar. %@&##! Got an error message on the screen that the transducer was not connected. Did what I could on the water to check all the connections. No fixee. Fished the rest of the day without TV.

Never knew how much I rely on sonar...and how much I would miss it...especially on Deer Creek. But I hoped that I knew the lake well enough...and had enough tricks up my float tube sleeve that I could catch at least a few fish. Stared off by slow trolling baited whirly fligs at mid depth...trying for trout. But no trout were showing on top and the state parks page showed water temps at 72. So the trout would be deeper. So I was surprised when one of my trout rigs went bendo...but with a perch and not a trout.

Motored over to the deeper water off the steep shoreline and started dragging a pair of my new whirly flig SCRs (Short Crawler Rigs). Made some S turns to present my offerings at different depths...searching for fish without sonar. Picked up a couple of perch and my first small-eye...a footlong. Whoopy. Worked in and out along the steep shore for a while and then crossed back to the "flats"...on the other side of the Provo Rivrr channel. Finally found a zone where my S turns periodically got multiple munches...on both perch and small walleyes. Actually was getting a lot of hits. Went through most of a box of crawlers. And I did get one footlong perch in this area.

About 11 am I was quite a ways south of the launch area and figured I would slow troll some more trout stuff in deeper water on the way back...just in case some silly trout liked warm water. Had one good one on...right up to the tube...and then it gave me back my flig and a middle fin along with it. But...wonder of wonders...there were some perch and slightly larger walleyes...up to 13"...holding at middepth in the deeper water. And they liked the trout tidbits. Got several more of each on the way in.

In the warming water of midday the surface of the lake was turning green...with algae. And it was building up along he shoreline where I brought my tube in.

Not my best day on Deer Creek. But definitely not my worst either. I figure I got about 10 perch and as many as 15 small walleyes. Really missed having sonar but wonder if I would have done any better with it. Couldn't have asked for nicer conditions. Dead flat calm from launch to return. And with school back in session there were only a handful of boats all morning. Only one wakeboard boat that passed a respectful distance away and hardly rocked me with his leftovers. The lack of other anglers on the lake should have been a clue. When the bite is on...you get a lot of company.

It makes you wonder if we all turn off our electronics and just went fishing - what would happen

Cookie get away from my deeper chirp castable and aquaview camera. I was only kiddin. She was going up to list them on eBay. And leave my gopro right where it is.

(08-25-2023, 10:29 PM)Cowboypirate Wrote: [ -> ]It makes you wonder if we all turn off our electronics and just went fishing - what would happen

Cookie get away from my deeper chirp castable and aquaview camera. I was only kiddin. She was going up to list them on eBay. And leave my gopro right where it is.

As most BFTers know, I have a vast (maybe half vast) collection of pictures...well organized into multiple categories. As I wander back through time...photographically...I am reminded that I have had a lot of great fishing trips long before I got overly edumacated and electronically enhanced.

A good example is ice fishing. I was one of the first in Utah to even have an ice auger...while many wannabees were pounding holes in the ice with axes and spud bars. And with only an auger, a five gallon bucket and a rod I was able to find and catch grundles of fish of several species. Can't remember ever getting skunked. But then there are lots of things I can't remember. But today on any given ice fishing pond you will see lots of folks with all the fancy modern equipment...and more than a few of them catch few or none.

There's an old saying..."It ain't just the dog in the fight, but the fight in the dog." And when it comes to fishing it is often more about how you use what you know and what you have rather than just having all the modern fad stuff. Or, as I put it, "A poor fisherman can't catch nuttin' on the hot lure or bait for the day. But a good fisherman can catch fish on the "wrong" lure or bait."

Good luck with Cookie...and guard your stuff.

Great report and video Pat, that was some great action, even if the size wasn't the best, tugs are tugs. Looked like some very calm conditions for DC and not getting harassed by the power squad had to be a big plus along with the overcast day. I don't remember there being a cleaning station at that location, do you take them home to process or do you go to the Island ramp to take care of them?

Nice video Pat. I enjoyed the lack of music.

(08-26-2023, 12:29 AM)wiperhunter2 Wrote: [ -> ]Great report and video Pat, that was some great action, even if the size wasn't the best, tugs are tugs. Looked like some very calm conditions for DC and not getting harassed by the power squad had to be a big plus along with the overcast day. I don't remember there being a cleaning station at that location, do you take them home to process or do you go to the Island ramp to take care of them?

I haven't heard of anybody scoring a good catch of larger 'eyes from DC this year. They gotta be in there but where? Maybe it will be better in the fall.

The calm and quiet were almost spooky. Can't remember when I have fished DC without having to dodge boats and listen to a constant barrage of motor noise and loud music. It is usually better for walleye when there is a chop on the water...either from breezes or boat wakes. But the continual overcast probably helped some.

The only cleaning station is at the main park entrance. I seldom stop there unless I have a load of perch or something. And there haven't been enough perch the past decade to even make a meal on most trips. However, on this trip I caught more perch than usual...and most of them were right at 8"...with one fat 9" and the footlong. So maybe it will improve for perch in the next year or two.

(08-26-2023, 01:27 AM)Kent Wrote: [ -> ]Nice video Pat. I enjoyed the lack of music.

Thank you sir. Just for you.

For what it's worth, I agree with you...that background music can be annoying...especially on a lot of the TV shows these days. My hearing is not as great as it used to be either and there are some programs where the loudness of the music drowns out all the dialogue. And I think of you.

I wonder what people are thinking that crank the volume up to deafening levels so they drown out normal coversation a couple of 100 yds away! Like I want to hear your disgusting rap music!! Give me a break!! While watching your video TD, I was struck by the lack of other boats on the water!! When was the last time that happened !! Nice job!

(08-26-2023, 04:34 PM)Therapist Wrote: [ -> ]I wonder what people are thinking that crank the volume up to deafening levels so they drown out normal coversation a couple of 100 yds away! Like I want to hear your disgusting rap music!! Give me a break!! While watching your video TD, I was struck by the lack of other boats on the water!! When was the last time that happened !! Nice job!

To reckymember any semblance of the peace and quiet I enjoyed Thursday I would have to go back many years...before I moved to Arizona in 1984. I moved back to Utah in 2004 and I clearly remember my first tubing trip back out on Deer Creek. That was before the state parks began closing the lakes until 6 am. I was on the water before daylight and working along the steep rock banks for walleyes. Before it even got light I was almost run over by an early ski boat "running the banks". And it only got worse. Got off the water by about 9 am because of all the wackos.

It's been pretty much the same most of the fishing year since then. The main exceptions are the early months before school is out and the late fall months after kids go back to school. But almost always a lot of boats...fishing and non fishing. I truly can't remember another day I have had on Deer Creek with so few other watercraft. Okay by me. I admit to giggling a lot.

Have you figured out what was wrong with your sonar??

(08-29-2023, 12:41 AM)Therapist Wrote: [ -> ]Have you figured out what was wrong with your sonar??

Thankfully, it was something simple. I had visions of having to get a (spendy) new transducer. But it turned out to be a loose connection on the little 10-pin connector in the line that turns one cable into two transducer cables. I had it taped together but somehow it got pulled apart just enough to cut off the connection. I could have found the problem and fixed it if I had gone back to shore to get to the wiring behind my seat. But NOOOOOO. I just shut it off and kept fishing. (slaps forehead)

(08-29-2023, 11:50 AM)TubeDude Wrote: [ -> ]Thankfully, it was something simple. I had visions of having to get a (spendy) new transducer. But it turned out to be a loose connection on the little 10-pin connector in the line that turns one cable into two transducer cables. I had it taped together but somehow it got pulled apart just enough to cut off the connection. I could have found the problem and fixed it if I had gone back to shore to get to the wiring behind my seat. But NOOOOOO. I just shut it off and kept fishing. (slaps forehead)

Glad it was something simple but that brings up another question, why do you need a cable that turns one into two transducer cables? I've been looking at a cable that splits the transducer cable from one to two cables, so I can run two fish finders from one transducer but is that what you are doing? Just don't remember seeing two finders on your tube.

(08-29-2023, 01:23 PM)wiperhunter2 Wrote: [ -> ]
(08-29-2023, 11:50 AM)TubeDude Wrote: [ -> ]Thankfully, it was something simple. I had visions of having to get a (spendy) new transducer. But it turned out to be a loose connection on the little 10-pin connector in the line that turns one cable into two transducer cables. I had it taped together but somehow it got pulled apart just enough to cut off the connection. I could have found the problem and fixed it if I had gone back to shore to get to the wiring behind my seat. But NOOOOOO. I just shut it off and kept fishing. (slaps forehead)
Glad it was something simple but that brings up another question, why do you need a cable that turns one into two transducer cables? I've been looking at a cable that splits the transducer cable from one to two cables, so I can run two fish finders from one transducer but is that what you are doing? Just don't remember seeing two finders on your tube.

Nope. Just one finder. But the Garmin Stryker Plus 7 factory setup has the two transducer connections on the back of the display unit (see pic). So the single wire coming from the transducer goes through a pinned connection splitter. And each of the two wires has specialized connection ends that will only fit into the right slots.

(08-29-2023, 02:15 PM)TubeDude Wrote: [ -> ]Nope. Just one finder. But the Garmin Stryker Plus 7 factory setup has the two transducer connections on the back of the display unit (see pic). So the single wire coming from the transducer goes through a pinned connection splitter. And each of the two wires has specialized connection ends that will only fit into the right slots.

I'm not familiar with the Garmin wiring setup, so I guess I just don't understand why you would need the splitter wire or is that the way the traducer cable comes or how that system works?

(08-29-2023, 04:54 PM)wiperhunter2 Wrote: [ -> ]
(08-29-2023, 02:15 PM)TubeDude Wrote: [ -> ]Nope. Just one finder. But the Garmin Stryker Plus 7 factory setup has the two transducer connections on the back of the display unit (see pic). So the single wire coming from the transducer goes through a pinned connection splitter. And each of the two wires has specialized connection ends that will only fit into the right slots.

I'm not familiar with the Garmin wiring setup, so I guess I just don't understand why you would need the splitter wire or is that the way the traducer cable comes or how that system works?

I did not design it and don't pretend to know the "why" of it. But when it works, it works well. As with most things we acquire to facilitate our filthy habit (fishing), different manufacturers all have their own ideas about what will work best...or catch the most fishermen.

(08-25-2023, 08:48 PM)TubeDude Wrote: [ -> ]LINK TO VIDEO

I heard Deer Creek calling...and weather forecast was for calm all morning. Headed back to Charleston, hoping water level was still high enough to launch my tube. It was...barely. Not much longer. Got on the water by 7:30 am and turned on my sonar. %@&##! Got an error message on the screen that the transducer was not connected. Did what I could on the water to check all the connections. No fixee. Fished the rest of the day without TV.

Never knew how much I rely on sonar...and how much I would miss it...especially on Deer Creek. But I hoped that I knew the lake well enough...and had enough tricks up my float tube sleeve that I could catch at least a few fish. Stared off by slow trolling baited whirly fligs at mid depth...trying for trout. But no trout were showing on top and the state parks page showed water temps at 72. So the trout would be deeper. So I was surprised when one of my trout rigs went bendo...but with a perch and not a trout.

Motored over to the deeper water off the steep shoreline and started dragging a pair of my new whirly flig SCRs (Short Crawler Rigs). Made some S turns to present my offerings at different depths...searching for fish without sonar. Picked up a couple of perch and my first small-eye...a footlong. Whoopy. Worked in and out along the steep shore for a while and then crossed back to the "flats"...on the other side of the Provo Rivrr channel. Finally found a zone where my S turns periodically got multiple munches...on both perch and small walleyes. Actually was getting a lot of hits. Went through most of a box of crawlers. And I did get one footlong perch in this area.

About 11 am I was quite a ways south of the launch area and figured I would slow troll some more trout stuff in deeper water on the way back...just in case some silly trout liked warm water. Had one good one on...right up to the tube...and then it gave me back my flig and a middle fin along with it. But...wonder of wonders...there were some perch and slightly larger walleyes...up to 13"...holding at middepth in the deeper water. And they liked the trout tidbits. Got several more of each on the way in.

In the warming water of midday the surface of the lake was turning green...with algae. And it was building up along he shoreline where I brought my tube in.

Not my best day on Deer Creek. But definitely not my worst either. I figure I got about 10 perch and as many as 15 small walleyes. Really missed having sonar but wonder if I would have done any better with it. Couldn't have asked for nicer conditions. Dead flat calm from launch to return. And with school back in session there were only a handful of boats all morning. Only one wakeboard boat that passed a respectful distance away and hardly rocked me with his leftovers. The lack of other anglers on the lake should have been a clue. When the bite is on...you get a lot of company.

Pat,
I really have wanted to hit the open water on Deer Creek, but with my busy life, it's just not in the cards right now. Maybe fall I can or hopefully, it will freeze up and I can hit the hard deck. The majority of my trips are short and usually are at Rockport or Echo since they are close to work. If I can figure out how to get my pictures from my iPhone to my Macbook I will post a report and picture from Willard this past Friday. Nice video and report.
Gabe

(08-29-2023, 07:49 PM)Freakyfisherman Wrote: [ -> ]Pat,
I really have wanted to hit the open water on Deer Creek, but with my busy life, it's just not in the cards right now. Maybe fall I can or hopefully, it will freeze up and I can hit the hard deck. The majority of my trips are short and usually are at Rockport or Echo since they are close to work. If I can figure out how to get my pictures from my iPhone to my Macbook I will post a report and picture from Willard this past Friday. Nice video and report.
Gabe

I thought about ya and remembered our last meetup at Charleston while I was out there. I really think it is going to be much better when the water level and temperature both drop a bit.

I read and replied to your report on Willard. Waytago. I will likely be pointing my tube toward Rockport sometime next week.

I miss fishing deer creek, but, cant have my dog on the boat, so that's a non starter. Thanks for the post!

(09-04-2023, 03:34 AM)PAC12_AfterDark Wrote: [ -> ]I miss fishing deer creek, but, cant have my dog on the boat, so that's a non starter. Thanks for the post!

I may be wrong and will check when I have time but I think the regulations have changed and you are allowed dogs.

Here is what it says in the Utah State Parks website for Deer Creek.

"DOG INFORMATION:

Please keep your dogs on a leash no longer than six feet and please pick up after your pet."

Unlike previous years, there is no specific regulation for disallowing dogs in boats. But a call to the state parks office at 435-654-0171 will let you clarify it to your own satisfaction.

Interesting, I will call to verify. I had been working off this info.

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