[cool][#0000ff]If anybody wants to get into a lot of rainbows, mostly 13" - 16", now is the time to hit Rock Cliff area at Jordanelle. They are plentiful and they are active. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Full moon? No problem. It was pretty over the lake when I launched and didn't seem to have any negative affect on fishing at all.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Launched my tube about 7:30. Air temp a brisk 25 and water temp 54.6...warming at noon to 56. The water level is way down and launching is now from the old road...beyond the end of the paved launch ramp. And, the water is shallow (less than 4 feet) for a long ways out from launching.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I started by throwing some gold spinners with orange spots...and a bright orange tail. Happy Halloween. The rainbows loved 'em. As soon as I passed about 5 or 6 feet of depth I started getting clobbered on the spinners. Caught and released several before hitting deeper water (12 feet). Then, I put out a bubble and fly rig, to drag behind the tube while I continued to toss spinners. Wasn't able to fish spinners much for awhile. I kept getting smacked on the flies within seconds of "splashdown" on the bubble rig. Not much surface action in the cold morning air, but the feisty little bows were not far down and they came up for the flies in a hurry.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I tried several different fly patterns behind the bubble. The ones that worked best had some hot orange in them. I did get a couple on black and on a white pattern. But, the halloween colors did best.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]After releasing a grundle of bows, I put up the spinners and flies and started bottom bouncing with a pale perch roadrunner, moving out into deeper water....up to 30 feet. Didn't find any perch or smallies, but the slimers followed me. They thumped the stuffin' out of the pony head jigs.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Eventually, I kicked a few hundred yards beyond the buoy line, along the south shoreline. The water at the buoys is only about 30 feet deep and the deepest I found beyond that point was about 45 feet. I saw a few small fish on sonar but none of them wanted what I was offering. Oh yeah, I did hang a couple of rainbows out in the deeper water...as I was reeling back up through the water column on my roadrunner after bouncing the bottom.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It had been almost glass all morning, but about 10 AM the usual Lake X west breeze started coming up. I drifted back to the launch area on the breeze, trailing a bubble fly and bouncing the pale perch roadrunner. Hit a couple of zones where I hooked doubles. Yee Haw. Decided to bring some home for the oven broiler. Got a limit of 4 for the basket in less than 10 minutes. That included releasing a couple of smaller ones.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I was the first on the water at Rock Cliff this morning but I was joined by a lot of company. A couple of pop gear "poppers" kept trolling by as close as they dared...after seeing me releasing a steady procession of fish. I didn't see them bring in anything. There were a couple of bait chunker boats that anchored and both seemed to be scoring fairly frequently...as did a fly flinger in a mini pontoon. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There were probably a dozen bank tanglers scattered along the north shoreline, but I never saw any of them bring in any fish. Very shallow in close right now and most of the fish are in at least 10 to 12 feet of water.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As I was beaching my tube there was a small floatilla of three other tooners just going out...into the building breezes. I tried to clue them in on the best spots and flies. Hope they scored a few.[/#0000ff]
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nice, looks like alot of fun catching those bows.
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Some chunky bows you got there. The "Just over 20 inches" fish was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise.[
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That is surprising that there was so much action during the full moon. Last week I had a similar situation that you did at Deercreek in 5 feet of water. Many rainbows rising and hitting spinners. Anything with gold seemed to work well. There were some real nice ones rising, but the largest we caught was 17 inches.
Thanks for sharing your mighty fishing adventures.
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[quote kentofnsl]Some chunky bows you got there. The "Just over 20 inches" fish was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise.[
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[#0000ff]It was a surprise all right. Can't remember catching another trout that small for many years.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I did not even know that it was a fish on my line. The spinner blade just stopped working on the retrieve and there was some (little) extra weight. I thought I must have picked up a piece of weed or something. I gave his his freedom but if he does not learn to avoid anglers' trinkets he will never get very big. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Don't know if you can see in the picture of the California Coachagade (fly) that the left corner of that fish's mouth is torn up and there was a loop from a snelled leader hanging from it's mouth. That fish is really determined to commit suicide by angler. I gave it a good talking to before I also released it, but not likely to do much good.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Too bad you could not have been there with a big live well. We could have loaded you up with some good sturgeon candy. Yeah, I know, they have to be morts.[/#0000ff]
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Another interesting report and pictures. Did you only fish the River inlet ? Weather is supposed to be nice for a few more days.
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[quote mactuna]Did you only fish the River inlet ? .[/quote]
[cool][#0000ff]I fished a large part of the Rock Cliff arm, but my lower unit was not up to roaring off up the lake to check out any other spots.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Typically, this time of year the rainbows are all around the lake and are easy to catch with almost any bait, lure or fly.[/#0000ff]
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i cant wait to pass thorough the states again next may!
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The pictures are great I love the moon shot... The water looks as low as it was last year at this time, I hope they let Deer creek fill up this next year and Jordanelle...
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Thanks for all of the pictures! It helps tremendously. I can see that I need to have some fly tying lessons from you as well as the spinner-making lessons, etc.
I just don't seem to be able to get rid of that sinus infection as fast as I had hoped. As soon as I am able, I need to join you in all the fun you are having.
You didn't catch any perch. Did you try? The perch were probably deeper than you were fishing.
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[cool][#0000ff]No perch. Looked high and low (literally) on sonar but did not see anything that looked like a school of perch. Might have been some singles, doubles or small groups, but nothing like the late fall deep schools of years past. Been a bad year at Lake X for perch. Only got a few dinks even during the prime summer perchin' time.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Surprise! Surprise! I HAVE been busy at the fly tying bench again...experimenting...naturally. I had quite a bit of success with some stuff I originated last year and codgertated up some new ones this year. Got a whole new line of "Flash Flies" and "Slimer Sundaes"...all tied on size 4 and 6 hooks (Matzuo aberdeen ring eye gold and red). No dainty stuff for this kid. First time on the water for a couple of them Wednesday and the local denizens voted for them in "the primary". [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Hurry up and get that bug eradicated so we can get back on the water.[/#0000ff]
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Very nice report Pat, and thanks for sharing as always. I bet some basic buggers with orange hackle on a intermediate or mid sinking line would work well.
I haven't had my tube out since purchasing my boat three years ago, and it looks like it's time to resurect it from it's storage bag and hit the water. I'm obvioulsy missing out on some great year end fishing by having my boat winterized early. Before the boat purchase, the tube and toon were my only means of lake fishing, and I went quite a bit in the off seasons. I've just been spoiled having my feet out of the water, and a motor attached.
Is that halloween spinner you made a twisted wire setup or is it a bead blade spinner-rig with a orange fly attached? I'd like to duplicate something similar should I make it over there. Unfortunately, I too have been battling that nasty sinus infection that's been plaguing many, and don't feel quite up to sitting in a tube for an extended period of time yet or I'd have considered going this week after reading your report.
I'd like to go out with you on the tubes sometime and get back into it, but I'll wait until I shake the bug first. I can PM you when I'm ready if you don't mind the company.
Glenn
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[cool][#0000ff]Hey Bro, you are always welcome to visit the tackletorium and look over my shoulder. No deep dark secrets...just a few personal innovations I am willing to share.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Depending upon time of day, brightness of the sun, ripple on the water and other factors, almost any line would work. But, getting your flies down at least 5 to 10 feet will get more hits. I got a lot of smacks within seconds of splashdown last week, but I also got some nice fish right on the bottom by vertical jigging a roadrunner jig in 30 feet of water. The rainbows are so thick and so active in there it would probably be difficult to find something they WOULD NOT hit. But...they sure did seem to prefer something with orange in it. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Buggers with hot orange will work. So will almost any other pattern...like an egg sucking leech with a hot orange head. Most of the flies I have been scoring best on include a bright orange hackle feather wrapped at the front (see attached pics). I also use "spinner flies" on the back of my spinners. I am convinced they generate a lot of addtional interest over just plain hooks. I even "sweeten them" with a bit of crawler on occasion. And, I make most of my spinners with single hooks to increase holding power and reduce damage to hooked fish. Trebles tear them up and get tangled in the net a lot more. I don't miss many good strikes and I also don't lose too many fish once hooked up.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]One of the great things about being a "multi craft angler" is that you have a choice as to how you want to fish any given water...or being able to fish waters with your tube that you can't with a boat...or vice versa. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you are ailing, do not get in the cold water. That will definitely not accelerate the recovery process. But, once you are cleared for splashdown, let me know and we can go abuse some fishies.[/#0000ff]
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Thanks for the pics Pat,
I just might take you up on that offer sometime. I used to tie a lot of flies in my earlier fly fishing days, but I've since resorted to buying them as it took too much time away from the water. Maybe after I retire I'll take it back up again. I have all the goodies, and more if they don't decompose by then. I have my fair share of road kill pelts. Winter of course is a good time to catch up on stocking the fly box, but I seem to have taken on to many other hobbies over the years to commit to it much.
Do you use a hand winder for your lures or a bench model? What guage wire do you find works best?
I've considered picking up the famous Hagen's Wire Former, but I'm not sure it's necessary for the lighter stuff. For heavier guage bottom bouncer type assembly it would probably be a better choice.
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"Do you use a hand winder for your lures or a bench model? What guage wire do you find works best?"
[cool][#0000ff]If you know how to use them, simple round nose pliers work faster and better for forming nice round loops on your wire goodies. No need to spend the bucks on the fancy wire formers. One quick demo will show you the basics. I was thinking of having a "Working With Wire" party for anyone who wanted to get into making their own spinners and other wire rigs. We have had quite a few jig making sessions. Interested?[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I buy wire in 1/4 pound rolls, in several different sizes. For making most spinners, I prefer .022 to .024 (wire diameter). I use .035 to .051 for everything from small spinnerbaits to buzzbaits to bottom bouncer rigs. I can bend all of that by hand, using sturdy round nosed pliers.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I have modified many of my jig molds to accept a short length of wire, so I can make spinners from my favorite jig heads. Attached are pics of a couple of things I make from "wired jigheads".[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It takes a bit of an investment to get set up for making spinners, but once you have the basics you can not only save a few bucks on lures...you can make exactly what you want and not have to buy what Sportsmans or Wally World says you need.[/#0000ff]
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Yes I would be interested. Put me on your mailing list for that, and I'll do my best to attend. Let me know what I need to bring ahead of time so I can be prepared. I've been pouring my own drop shot weights for years now, and have some other molds, but haven't used them as of yet.
Thanks,
Glenn
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[cool][#0000ff]We usually have the "gatherings" in my heated and lighted 3 car garage (tubatorium). I set up tables with everything needed for show and tell. You bring only anything that you want to discuss or get individual input on. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I am thinking that sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas would probably be a good time to have a series of "parties"...Jig pouring and painting, Jig "dressing" (hair, feathers, synthetics), Working with wire (spinners, wire rigs, etc.). Might even get in a session on fly tying...or rod building & repair.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Once I know my family's schedule, I will post up an announcement for the programs and see what the general interest might be.[/#0000ff]
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Hey TD I'd be very interested in that class too.
Oh yes your Willard write up was very good and interesting. Thank You.
Is there a way to take an 8' Graphite rod and bust it in two?
Wife got a real nice Phlugler from Mom and Dad but it is a One piecer and a pain to take anywhere unless we are taking the camper!
Sorry for the thread Jacking...
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"Is there a way to take an 8' Graphite rod and bust it in two?"
[cool][#0000ff]Much easier to "bust a rod" in two...or even three pieces...than to fix it. Spastic anglers do that all the time and I end up trying to make them fishable again.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Seriously, what you want is to turn your one piece long rod into a more transportable two piece. No problem. We just need to decide where is the best spot to cut the rod and either install a ferrule or reduce the length a few inches and have a "fit over" ferrule connection. Might be necessary to retie some of the guides to get the right spacing. The big issue is to check the action of the rod and to be sure that we don't create a "flat spot" by putting the connection in the wrong place.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Shoot me a PM and I will provide my address and directions. Then you can bring the "patient" to the rod hospital for diagnosis and treatment.[/#0000ff]
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I too would be interested in making jigs, spinners etc. BTW I already had a trip planned for Jordanelle Thurs. morning also, so I'll probably see you guys up there. I planned to just take a fly rod and drag wooly buggers etc. in my SFC this time, and I'm still debating whether to hit the water at 7:30 and freeze for awhile, or to wait until a little later like a wuss would do.
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