Fishing Forum

[cool][#0000ff]TubeBabe and I did not get out over the weekend and she was busy today. I figured I would sneak in a trip to Deer Creek between storms and catch some walleyes. I figgered wrong.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I rolled up to the gap in the fence at the "island" just after 6 AM. Nobody else there. Water had just a teeny bit of a ripple from the east. Air temp was only 32 and there was frost on the weeds and grass. Cool. Put my gloves and hooded sweatshirt on.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Hooked up my "stroller cart" and easily pulled my loaded down tube to the water...just to the east of the north side of the "island". Noticed the water level is up a bit since we stopped to look a couple of weeks ago.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Was on the water by 6:30. Water temp at launch was 57, and fairly clear. No surface activity visible...unless you count carp. Some huge ones cruising along and occasionally leaping clear of the water. Some rolling in the shallows too. That time of year at Deer Creek. A huge old carp spooked right next to me and just about jumped into my tube with me. But, I told him I had a headache.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Rigged a worm harness and started dragging it across the flats while I made casts all around with spinners, crankbaits and even a bubble and fly. Nary a touch on anything the first half hour. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]When I reached the 17 to 18 foot depth on the sonar, I began to see some bottom huggers. Rigged a little fire tiger roadrunner jig and started bottom bouncing and yo yoing. That was good for a couple of smallies, but still no walleyes. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Changed the worm rig and put on a minnow. Same old nothing. But, I continued to exercise the occasional smallmouth by bottom bouncing small jigs. Biggest was almost 16". Several in the 12" - 13" range and a few dinkos. They hit soft and fought more like walleyes than smallies. Had my hopes up a couple of times.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I covered a lot of water. Went clear across to the rocks below the railroad tracks. Worked a hundred yards of shoreline without a whack. Saw several boats trolling, but did not see anybody boat a fish. Also saw some other tubers later, and they were also fishless.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Worked back across the channel to the island. Deepest water between te island and the north side was 23 feet. The "flats" of former walleye habitat are dry. The current flats do not hold the fish like they used to...at least right after the recent weather patterns.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Had a HUGE rainbow on a white fly behind a bubble. Took some air...about 4 feet out of the water...and gave me my fly back. Mighty thoughty. Kept me from gettin' my hands all slimy.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Worked in and out around the island...shallow to deep and back...casting and vertical jigging. Used jigs, cranks, spinners and plastics. Nada, zip, zilch, zero. Not a hotspot today.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There had been a fairly constant breeze from the NE all morning. About 10:30 it picked up briefly and then everything got real calm. Been there before. I began kicking to shore for serious. Got to my takeout spot right about 11 AM. Made a few casts at the big carp swimming next to shore on their way to the orgy in the shallow corner water. Had one hooked for a few zings of the reel. Then I long line released him. Saved some more sliming.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]By 11:15, I had my "stroller cart" reattached to the tube and was ready to trudge back to my vehicle. I had not taken 50 steps when I felt a rush of wind on my back and turned around to see the west wind huffing and puffing...and kicking up some waves. Whaddayaknow? I had timed that one right. By the time I reached the overlook, on the way home, the lake was popcorn. That's Deer Creek.[/#0000ff]
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Doesn't sound like much has changed in the last two weeks. Has anyone heard that they are going to shut the lake down due to low water, that is the rumor going around ??? This is more like late April, early May rather than June !! need some warm weather !!!

Went Friday evening with about the same success. We caught 3 rainbows one pretty nice around 2 pounds. Drug a worm spinner most of the day never had a hit.


Question:
I have a question for you. I am taking some 14 - 15 year olds to Utah Lake tomorrow evening to try to catch some cats. I read your article on Utah Lake Catfish.

I have to have the boys back around 9PM we leave at 6 any tips. We usually launch at AF Boat Harbor. Usually fish were the water comes into the lake from the Water Treatment plant just East of the harbor. However, I have not had much luck there. Someone told me to try just east of there in the rock cove. Or should I just leave the boat and fish right in the harbor?
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[cool][#0000ff]The water is up just a bit, and there were boats launching from the State Park at Walsburg. It is close though, and if they drop it any further they will shut the main ramp again. Count on it. But, Jordanelle will probably spill soon and there will be a while that Deer Creek might be allowed to raise even more.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Who knows?[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The Provo below Deer Creek was flowing nicely and clear this morning. No big outflow yet.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]Sheesh! Nothin' like hijackin' a Deer Creek thread to talk about Utah Lake.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Sokay though. I'll deal with it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There is some good cattin right around the edges of AF harbor this time of year. And, the area between the outflow and Lindon should be good for cats...in the reeds. But, it supposed to be windy. That will not be good. If you go, you will probably do just as well to stay inside or fish from shore. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Fish minnows, carp meat or white bass meat about 3 feet under a bobber, near shore or reeds.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Good luck.[/#0000ff]
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Nice day Pat, typical afternoon W. No Walleyes. All our old hotspots are high and dry, next year there will be good fish habitat to spawn atleast.
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[cool][#0000ff]Yep. Lotsa green growin' where the walleyes used to play. Next year you won't be able to troll there without snagging.[/#0000ff]
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Yes thats true, but I will take a lawn mower and trim them.
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I always enjoy your reports TD, do you ever get skunked!?
Nice smallies, walleye fishing seems to be terrible this year.
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Great pics TD! (like always) Are you sure you're not a professional photographer?

Gotta love that wind. Nothing else can ruin a great day of fishing than that dreaded "W".

You shoulda caught that huge rainbow, you're slippin!
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Not too terrible metal fish[]...we all have our secrets. I forgot who mentioned it but do you really think they'll close down the ramps at DC? Are they doing work on the dam?
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Yes they probably will and yes they are working on the dam.
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[cool][#0000ff]Thanks. It has been over two years since I was last skunked. That was when I was in somebody else's boat and the wind blew us off the lake before we could really get any fishing in.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I try to plan my trips carefully, and I am a multi species and all tackle angler. I make most of my own rods, lures and flies and collect and prepare my own bait. SOOOOO...I am usually fully geared and ready to rumble when I go fishing. I may have a target species in mind but I often have to go to Plan B or C in order to catch fish. I ain't proud. I will fish for whatever is biting.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The topsy turvy weather this year, and the low water on Deer Creek, has changed the fishing for walleyes on that lake. They are still there, and the guys "in the know" are catching a few. But, they are in different places and are deeper right now than they normally are this time of year.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]Thanks Derek. Not really a "professional" but I have had training and I have sold some of my shots. I used to make slide shows and product brochures so I appreciate the value of composing a shot and then tweaking it to balance the final picture. I have three different photo software programs so I get help in cleaning up my mistakes. and making the pics look better than my camera did.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Wind is a four letter word...especially to us tubers. I try to plan most of my trips around the weather, but not always. I knew the wind was going to come up on Deer Creek, and I timed it so that I was off when it kicked in. Got it right for once. Too many times I have had to power my way back in against the waves. Not good.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]About the "Houdini" rainbow. I may not have gotten to touch it or take it home for dinner...and I did not get a photo of it...but I will always have the memory of the hard strike, the zing of my string and the mental picture of it silhouetted against the beautiful scenery of Deer Creek. I no longer need a dead fish in my cooler to count the trip a success.[/#0000ff]
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I love deer creek rainbows and their fight! It must just be the scenery or something.. But, I love catching them.. They always seem to make my drag sing there more than anywhere else. I have yet to have one do the 4' jump you got.. usually they are a little lower.. but they sure know how to pull!
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The weekend past we had alot jumping out of the water. Lost some on the jumps.
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"[#0000ff]I no longer need a dead fish in my cooler to count the trip a success."[/#0000ff]
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[#005028]Amen to that![/#005028]
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[cool][#0000ff]I have been catching and loving the rainbows from Deer Creek since the early 1960's. Some might say "A bow is a bow". But I have caught a lot of rainbows around the country that do not fight as hard or taste as good as the Deer Creek Darlin's.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I suspect that part of the reason for DC's better bows is their diet. DC is rich in copepods and the rainbows find dense clouds of them and fill their guts. I have filleted some that were full of green ooze...that turned out to be a bajillion copepods upon closer examination. Like many invertebrates. this bitty bites are rich in vitamin A and carotene. That adds bulk fast and turns the flesh a bright red. If you cook them right, they are every bit as good as fresh salmon. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]A good diet also makes for active fish...that pull hard and jump well. [/#0000ff][#0000ff]Did I say 4 feet? Hey, I am a fisherman. I expected everybody to deduct at least 50% for the hyper tuber factor. It was a HIGH leap. Good enough for me.[/#0000ff]
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