Fishing Forum

[cool][#0000ff]TubeBabe and I volunteered to be instructors for the DWR Youth Fishing Program this year. Last night we had a dinner and get-together for all the volunteers. Drew Cushing (DWR) and his two assistants were there and they downloaded some interesting info during the course of the get-together.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]1. There are several new waters coming on line under the urban fisheries program. One will be in Syracuse. There will also be a couple of large waters in the Herriman area.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]2. Urban fishing lakes get a lot of pressure. Surveys showed that they typically receive about 2600 angler hours per month. That is as much or more than some of the larger reservoirs.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]3. It has been estimated that whenever these small lakes are planted with trout and catfish that the new planters are almost completely "harvested" within 2.5 days, by those who consider them to be their private fish markets.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]4. Over 2500 kids "graduated" from the Youth Fishing Program this year...from Logan to Utah County. A high percentage of the youngsters become regular anglers and begin purchasing fishing licenses as they get older.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]5. Utah is considering a "division" in fisheries management. Up to this point (as we all know), virtually all management has been for trout, rather than "warm water" species. It is being discussed to bring in another fisheries manager to oversee the management of selected warm water habitats and the fish species within them. (No chub stocking program on the horizon)[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As soon as I get the particulars from Drew Cushing, I will post for some volunteer help. TubeBabe and I will be fishing Mantua with the DWR group over Labor Day weekend to harvest fish for the kids ponds at the State Fair (I think). They will have a holding pen in the middle of the lake for "downloads" from participating anglers.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The second part of the volunteer thing is for people to help with the kids' fishing pond at the State Fair. Shifts will be from 4-8 PM and participants will get free passes to the fair for the entire day. I will have the numbers to call to get your name on the list.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Our thanks to Drew Cushing and his assistants for the great job they are doing to help teach young people the joys of fishing and to get them properly started.[/#0000ff]
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What, no pictures? Come on, man, you're slacking?

Just kiddin'.[]

Nice (fishless) report.
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[cool][#0000ff]You wouldn't wanna see any pictures of those chowhounds wolfing down the great barbecue ribs. Wasn't pretty.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Here are a couple of pics I took on the last night of our program on Bountiful Lake, with two girls that were in the group TubeBabe and I worked with.[/#0000ff]
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Thanks for the info... if I can find the time to volunteer I ceratinly will.
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Do you need to know how to fish to volunteer? [shocked]

I think it would be a lot of fun to volunteer but as you have observed I know very little of the art of fishing. So let me know if I would be useful or just a hassle to have help out.[]
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Keep us updated. I don't think you'll have a problem finding volunteers! Count me in.
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[cool][#0000ff]The main thing we need is adult participation and supervision. There are brief classes at the beginning of each week's fishing session, after which the kids just "let 'er rip" on the water. You can learn by doing, right along with the younguns.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Also, if you and your husband are really serious about getting through "Fishing 101", I'm sure there are others just like you but less open to popping in and asking for help. If there are a few folks who would be interested, I would be open to having a couple of two hour sessions in my big lighted 3 car garage...surrounded by fishing stuff. We could go through the different kinds of fishing gear...spinning, baitcasting, flyfishing, etc. We could also cover a lot of the different baits, lures and rigging, so that you would be more comfortable buying tackle and then using it on the water.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]One of the things that newbies usually need is a lot casting practice. We could go over to a nearby park to start, and then maybe have a graduation session on the water somewhere. By the time we finish that, you would have no problem knowing more than 99 percent of any kids you might get to supervise.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Believe me, there are volunteers that have very little fishing ability when they start, but who learn from the others and then pass it along to the kids. The main thing is a bit of patience and the ability to keep from getting too excited yourself when one of your kids catches their first fish.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The Youth Fishing Program is over for this year, but will be lining up more volunteers early next year. We have a lot of time to get you up to Fishing 202.[/#0000ff]
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hey dude if you can talk Drew into throwing say 60,000 Rainbow,tiger trout, or splake in E-lake i will volunteer for the whole fair this year!!

if not then i'm still mad at them [sly]..

wish i lived closer or i would love to help out.. and if i knew even if i was going to be around then.. my busy time is comeing up fast..

but the offer up top still stand's.. for that i would make time!
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Sounds great! We're learning but I still feel pretty clueless and watching the fish jump all around my line tonight just hit it home.

When would you want to host fishing 101?
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[cool][#0000ff]Sometime after Labor Day. I assume that you guys are going to be bogged down with classes, so we will try to work around your schedule. Send me a PM with days and times that would work for you and we will set a time and post an announcement for anybody else who might want to show up. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It will be open to anybody of any age who wants to cover basics...or it can be strictly a Q&A session...or both.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We have had different "jig parties" and little seminars on more advance stuff, but I have recognized the potential appeal of some real basic instruction. I sure wish that I had access to that when I was learning. I had to put up with my dad and uncles...treating me like a kid. Wait a minute. I was a kid.[/#0000ff]
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Pat, I will also be helping the DWR at Mantua.
Who knows, we may run into each other up there this time.
I will also be at the Fair on Monday the 11th and Tues the 12th, helping at the fishing pond.
I fished at Mantua lase Monday and it looks like getting a boat load of Bluegill will be an easy chore. Just be sure to bring a lot of bait!
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[cool][#0000ff]Hey Dale, let's coordinate things this time so we are not hollering at each other across the lake on walkie talkies...or not even knowing we are on the same lake.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]No worries about the bait. I catch plenty on plain jigs, but I also bring some salted and scented perch meat strips. They stay on for many fish so I do not use much bait.[/#0000ff]
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You will have to show me how to "pickle" some perch.
We used 3 dozen worms last trip to Mantua
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[cool][#0000ff]I usually keep several perch in the six or seven inch range. I first scale them and then fillet them, removing the rib cage. I freeze four of them in a package, adding a couple of teaspoons of water in the plastic bag and then squeezing out all the air bubbles. Keeps good for a long time.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The night before a planned trip, I thaw the fillets. Laying them flesh side down on a cutting board, I use a SHARP knife to cross cut strips from the fillets about 1/4 inch wide. They range in length from 1/2" to an inch. I keep a small knife with me to cut them into even smaller pieces when fishing, if necessary.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I "pickle" them by putting the pieces in a small bowl and then sprinkling them first with salt (non-iodized preferred) and then with either crawdad or shad oil. Apply just enough to "flavor" the perch bits, not enough to harden them. No need to drown them in the scent either. By the way, I prefer crawdad or nightcrawler scent for perch and bluegill.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Put the cut and flavored pieces in a small ziplock bag or sealable plastic container. If you are going to be on the water all day in the heat, keep them in a soup sized insulated (Thermos) container with some ice or frozen pseudo ice.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You usually only need a tiny piece of the perch meat to seal the deal on your jigs. Sometimes, when the fish are bigger and more aggressive, the larger pieces will get bigger fish and keep off the little ones.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I usually split the 4 fillets in each package between my wife and myself and we always have leftovers after a 200 fish day. I once caught over 30 fish on one piece of perch by actual count. Saves a lot on worms and the bigger fish seem to prefer it.[/#0000ff]
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Thanks Pat. I have some fillets in the freezer and I will spice them up before I go.
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