Fishing Forum

Full Version: Jordanelle PWC area report 8-21-07
You're currently viewing a stripped down version of our content. View the full version with proper formatting.
[cool][#ff0000](Copied and pasted from the Float Tubing Board)[/#ff0000]
[#ff0000][/#ff0000]
[size 2][blue]TubeBabe and I met up with jbnsigma at the PWC ramp at Jordanelle this morning. We were all there about 5:45 and it was still very dark. Air temp about 50 and water temp 68.

Big chubs were boiling on the surface, just off the docks as we launched. J caught a 12 incher on his first cast. TubeBabe caught several throughout the morning. Somehow I managed to avoid the chubs today. I had to muddle through with trout, smallies and perch.

I thought all the surface action was caused by chubs. Wrong. There were some decent rainbows surfacing too. I had one smack a small jig just as it was getting light. Got a couple more later while vertical jigging for perch. Also saw a couple of bank tanglers score some small planters close to shore, under a bobber. Using power putty I think.

The dinky perchies were far too numerous today. Hard to get through them to larger perch. I lost several nice "basket fish" and TubeBabe managed to put a few in her basket. I think J ended up with a couple of keepers too.

I tied on larger jigs to try to keep away from the perchettes. It didn't work entirely. I still got a grundle and lost a lot of worms and perch meat to the bait stealers.

But...the smallies kept me very busy today, so I did not really mind the lack of larger perch. I was using some new PBJ's (painted body jigs) in fire tiger and in pale perch patterns. Also dunked some new colors of plastic tubes. The smallies voted for them with gusto. I easily caught 25 - 30 smallies. Over half were over 13"...with a couple of 15's and 16's...and one powerhouse reel stripper that went 18 1/2 inches. Just too much fun on light tackle. Many of those under 13" were fat 11" - 12" fish that bent my stick and stretched my string.

Only light breezes all morning. Surprising number of PWCs on the water. Guess all the kids are getting a last fling before school starts. But, since all the good fishing was inside the buoys, we were not bothered by the power squadron.

The highlight of my day was having a HUGE smallie follow up one of my small perch and then smack it just under the surface. Being a law abiding angler, who refuses to use live bait, I jerked the mugged perchie away before the big mean ol bass could slurp it. Yeah, right. Good thing I was fishing without waders. It woulda been a bit damp inside waders after seeing that big ol fishie.

Probably one of my better days for smallie tubin'...especially considerin' that I was targeting perch instead of the other guys. Now, if I had been dropshotting for smallies, I probably couldn't have kept the perch away. Hm-m-m-m-m-m.
[/blue][/size] [black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black] [black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=28719;"][Image: image.gif][#333366] EARLY LAUNCH.jpg [/#333366][/url](187 KB) [/size][/black] [black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black] [black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=28720;"][Image: image.gif][#333366] TUBIN' GOOD MORNIN'.jpg [/#333366][/url](151 KB) [/size][/black] [black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black] [black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=28721;"][Image: image.gif][#333366] JNBSIGMA WORKING.jpg [/#333366][/url](294 KB) [/size][/black] [black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black] [black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=28722;"][Image: image.gif][#333366] TUBEBABE TUBING.jpg [/#333366][/url](259 KB) [/size][/black] [black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black] [black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=28723;"][Image: image.gif][#333366] EARLY TROUTSKI.jpg [/#333366][/url](182 KB) [/size][/black] [black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black] [black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=28724;"][Image: image.gif][#333366] PURTY BOW.jpg [/#333366][/url](256 KB) [/size][/black] [black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black] [black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=28725;"][Image: image.gif][#333366] PALE PERCH PATTERN.jpg [/#333366][/url](196 KB) [/size][/black] [black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black] [black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=28726;"][Image: image.gif][#333366] TIGER JIG MUNCHER.jpg [/#333366][/url](186 KB) [/size][/black] [black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black] [black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=28727;"][Image: image.gif][#333366] FEISTY FOURTEEN.jpg [/#333366][/url](199 KB) [/size][/black] [black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black] [black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=28728;"][Image: image.gif][#333366] LAKE X LOVELY.jpg [/#333366][/url](219 KB) [/size][/black] [black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black] [black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=28729;"][Image: image.gif][#333366] SWEET SIXTEEN.jpg [/#333366][/url](153 KB) [/size][/black] [black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black] [black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=28730;"][Image: image.gif][#333366] PORKY SIXTEEN.jpg [/#333366][/url](105 KB) [/size][/black] [black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black] [black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=28731;"][Image: image.gif][#333366] OH YEAH BABY.jpg [/#333366][/url](176 KB) [/size][/black] [black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black] [black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=28732;"][Image: image.gif][#333366] 18.5 TUBER KICKER.jpg [/#333366][/url](151 KB) [/size][/black] [black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black] [black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=28733;"][Image: image.gif][#333366] 24 INCH SMALLIE (PHOTOSHOP).jpg [/#333366][/url](190 KB) [/size][/black]
[signature]
[size 1]Thanks for a great morning TD & TB! I guess we all had dibbs on different species today. Next time I call no chubs! [Wink] Here's a few more pics...[/size]
[size 1][/size]
[signature]
TD another great report and that 18.5 smallie is a nice fish
[signature]
Great smallies and trout there Pat. Congrats on a successfull day. [cool]
[signature]
Sounds like another fun day on the water. Did you have any problem getting in before 6:00 AM (the time the gate often opens)?
[signature]
[cool][#0000ff]The last two or three times we have gone in well before 6 and the gate is open...both at Hailstone and Rock Cliff. Don't know if that is a midweek thing or whether it is also the same on the weekend.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
[#500050]Did you make the body of the pale perch pattern?[/#500050]
[signature]
[cool][#0000ff]Yes, I make them. I have been making the solid/painted body jigs for a couple of years...mostly for small ice jigs. But, I have started making them in larger sizes and they have really proven to be great for all species. They are more like lures than just jigs.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I begin by pouring the jig heads I want to use. Then, I put them in my fly tying vice and wrapping on the tail. Next, I wrap a body of white craft cord, to the thickness for the size hook and end result I want. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I paint the body and the head the same. I usually begin with a white coat of vinyl jig enamel. Then I paint the colors/pattern I want. This allows me to get a continuity of the color and texture for the whole jig...not having to rely on a good match between head color and body material. Almost impossible without painting both the same.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]With the pale perch, I cover the white base with a glitter coat of white/diamond dust. Then I make a very light dusting of yellow/gold. I use green or green/black mix for the back and side bars. A couple of short lines of orange for the belly. The eyes are chartreuse with a black dot.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I clear coat with one coat of clear vinyl jig paint, allow to dry thoroughly and then top coat with clear epoxy. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]My new fire tiger finish is a killer too. But, for most of the year, baby perch are the primary forage for most predators in any lake where perch are abundant. And, if you look at the tiny perchlets, you will see that they are not the bright yellow of the adults. They are almost white. Hence, the pale perch. Just adding dark bars with a permanent marker, on white tube jigs, can produce some great response from fish that are keying in on little perch. That works well with smoke sparkle tubes too.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
[#800000]I've been making bodies from fly tying lead, epoxy, and mylar tubing.....Your idea with the craft cord is better, because they are lighter......Mine just hang there instead of dancing....I've been trying to make bodies with wooden dowels cutting a slot for the hook with a jig saw and gluing the hook in the slot, so the body is lighter than the head.....I'll see what happens.......I think it's important to have them dance and dart around.[/#800000]
[signature]
[cool][#0000ff]I am planning to make a line of PB flies too. The craft cord models will be slow sinking and subject to imparting action with the rod tip. I intend to also use them both for bubble and fly action and for drop shotting. I have done well drop shotting flies and also fishing them on a dropper above either a spinner or a jig. Work well on droppers above Rapalas too.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Here are some more pics that show the cord I use and the process.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
[#500000]I see on your pale perch pictures that you use the sickle jig hooks......Are you a fan of the red hooks?........Is the anchor cord the one with the string in the middle?.......Now that you have my interest tweaked I'm going to have to wrap some up.[/#500000]
[signature]
Those are some great looking jigs...


.
[signature]
[cool][#0000ff]The craft cord is an inexpensive item available in most hobby and craft shops...and in the craft section of Wally World. If you have difficulty finding it, look in the sewing section or wherever they have the "plastic canvas" supplies. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]It comes in many different colors and a lot of them make great bodies for lures and flies. I have been using it for years. I always head for that section of any new potential supplier I visit. I have a ton of it, in all colors. But, the white is my most universal color. It makes a great body without painting, as do some of the glittery colors of the craft cord. See attached pics for craft cord and other materials. I have also attached a pic showing some of the small "bugs" I make using craft cord bodies. There are also a couple of pics of some flies I tie using the craft cord bodies.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Yes, I do like the sickle hooks. I use them in both red and gold. I use the red hooks for patterns that contain chartreuse or the fire tiger finish. Good contrast and attractor color...especially for perch and walleye. White bass, smallmouth and trout also like the red hooks. Actually, I use red hooks a lot for dragging bait for catfish and wipers too.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Have fun.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
[cool][#0000ff]Thanks Bro. When I finish whipping up a new batch of the weightless models I will give you a couple to try for dropshotting. [/#0000ff]
[signature]
Thanks I would like to try them .....

Are they done yet....[Wink]


.
[signature]
[cool][#0000ff]I am just wrapping a batch right now. I will have a few of both the pale perch and the fire tiger. I am doing them on both the Matsuo sickle hooks and some other ring eye hooks. It will be after the weekend before they are ready to fish. I'll give you a holler and arrange a handoff.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]"ARE THEY DONE YET?" You sound like my kids on a trip..."Are we there yet?"[/#0000ff]
[signature]
[#500000]It's almost as fun making this stuff up as it is fishing with it.......I tie a couple of flies like the ones in the upper left corner of you fly picture.......They work great at DC.[/#500000]
[signature]
Sounds great let me know when....


.
[signature]
[cool][#0000ff]Yeah, those are variations of the "Silver Hilton". I have been tieing and using those since my days of steelhead fishing in northern California. I have found them to be very effective all over Utah. I tie them in everything from size 12 wet fly to size 2 3X long streamers. In addition to just about every species of trout, I have caught almost all of the warmwater species on them too. Great for big bluegills.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I once won a bet (catfish on flies), by catching about 20 channel cats in less than an hour at Willard Bay on those black flies. I sometimes tie them with a bright red tag/tail. And, I am just making up a batch using the red sickle hooks. I think they will do great at Deer Creek and Jordanelle. Rainbows and browns have both voted for the regular models. Let's see if they like them with a bit of "bling".[/#0000ff]
[signature]
[#500000]That ought to work really well, as I have wrapped red crystal flash on the butt in lieu of the griz tail on the Silver Hilton......I'm not sure what this does, but I know it works.[/#500000]
[signature]