I am planning on taking my wife and kids fishing at Jordanell this Saturday. My plan is to fish the Francis arm. Does anyone have an idea how thick the ice is in the arm. I would like to take the ATV's but am not sure if the ice is thick enough to support the machine and a couple riders. Also has anyone had any success catching fish recently in the Francis arm?
Thanks in advance
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[cool]I believe you're talking about Rock Cliffs State Park, right? I know that there's lots of Francis signs on the highway in that area, anyway. I'll be fishing there this Saturday too for my first time this ice season. I'll have my radio on ch. 7-0 if you wanna keep in touch out there. That way we can share tips if one person is doing better than the other.
From the reports I've read lately, it sounds like the area closer to the Provo River inlet has pretty thick ice, 'cause it froze up first. I think in that area the ice is like 10 inches or so, but as you go farther out, the area from like the boeys to where that arm enters the main lake, that's been frozen up since the 15th or so, and it had like 6 inches of ice the last I heard and that was a few days ago. I think that generally, 6 inches of good solid clear ice is safe for wheelers, but I would still exercise caution when getting too far out there toward the main lake...
Will you be fishing for perch or trout, or both? I'll be after the perch in about 50-60 feet of water. Black coveralls, black jetsled with BFT stickers on it. May be by myself. Come say hi and we'll compare notes...
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I was up there last saturday and the ice was about 7 inches thick. There was plenty of ice for atvs. I saw five or 6 atvs on the ice last weekend. I may be going up there this sat too, if so I will have to come by and meet you and see how you are doing?
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I saw a snowmobile go way out last weekend. I think he went almost all the way to the main lake.
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Yes, rock cliffs state park is where we will be. Thats a great idea to share tips...........I will make sure my radio is on channel #7.
I am hopiing to get into the perch to keep my kids busy. I plan on targeting some trout as well.
I will keep an eye out for you.
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Yea, that sounds great......stop by and we will compare notes. I will be in a group of about 4 or 5. One or two Honda ATV's and a small red pup tent.
see ya up there
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[cool]Sounds cool. I'll see ya there. Hope we can find a nice big school of big perchies. I'll be there at about 6:45 or so...
EDIT: I think I'm now going to the Hailstone area to search for schools of bigger perch. Haven't heard one decent report from Rock Cliffs...But, I don't think I'm going to walk across to the other side of Hailstone yet. I'd rather not be the first person to try to cross the middle for the year, especially by myself. Hopefully I'll find some decent sized fish over on the Western side of it and to the North of the marina. If anyone else is going, I'll have the radio on ch. 7-0. Give a shout out if you are there or driving by on the way to 'da berry...
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It was my brother & I on the snow machine last weekend -- the ice was a good 8" thick in the whole arm...
We were in search of the perch too but all we found was large brown trout. We caught several 20" plus fish.
Our only perch was caught by the buoys and it was a whole 3".
If you are truely is search of large perch - my best guess would be to go past the bouy line and stay near the east side...
Good Luck -- we are currently debating between Jordanelle and the Berry for a Saturday outing.
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[cool]Hey, thanks for the tips, and for your report, Lundman. That worries me that you didn't find any perch, but the prospect of catching 20" browns would be alright too. I'm just worried that all we'll find will be those 13 inch planter 'bows...Guess I can always go over to the hailstone side if I can't get into the perch at Rock Cliffs. Hailstone should be safe by now...
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. Come say hi and we'll compare notes... [/reply]
those notes are stolen[
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The ice is about 10 inches? It's thick I was wishing I took the power auger today after drilling 2 holes. Fishing is very slow. I caught one fish 12'' RB trout, it was the only catchable fish I saw on the Aqua view. Saw lots of very small perch so small my bait was scaring them off when I jigged it. Should of went to pineveiw with LH2. Most people had a fish or two on the ice but nobody was killing them like last year. You should be fine with your wheeler on the ice. I saw tracks from wheelers and snowmobiles. Good luck!
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Hi everyone. This is my first post, after lurkin for some time. I was holding out for a great perch story for my initial post, but, alas I have not been able to get on the ice.
I drove by Jordanelle yesterday and saw a couple doz folks off the main boat launch at Hailstone. Also some brave souls who took their wheelers further north into one of the bays.
I believe these areas will produce more perch than hailstone. They like that deeper water. When I do get out, I'll be headin over to the west side of the lake to try and find em.
Hopefully, I'll have something good to say next time [
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Hey Lundman... How deep were you fishing? [
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