Fishing Forum

Got clearance to head for Ririe this morning. However once I got to the turnoff from the highway I started to wonder if it was a bright idea or not. I could barely tell that someone had been in there before me but it was still before sunrise. There was about 1 foot of heavy snow and it was drifting pretty heavily. I did make it but hit a high speed of 30mph and spent most the time around 15. Turned out I was 3rd person to arrive. I headed straight out from the ramp until I was even w/ the rock pile. I almost immediately landed a trout off the bottom that was around 12 inches. After about a half hour w/ more people showing up and a ton of noise I headed for the fringes. I got one hit shortly after setting up but never saw what it was. I stuck around for about another 2 hours w/ no action but watched people near where I started out get into a few schools. I Chrome Junkey showed up and we hung out and talked shop for a while wondering if the fish would ever come to us. Finally the main group catching left and people moved into their holes. After a few minutes I went over to set up near there and they had a few more open holes left and offered them. I set up and immediately started getting hits, but could not set the hook. After a little bit I found dropping down to them then reeling up about 4 cranks would get me a solid hit. I soon landed a couple fish then it eased off. Pretty soon the school was back but still skittish. But they would follow the lure right up to the hole almost. I was looking down the hole and jigging to keep them there and would watch 10+ fish swarming all around the lures but almost never hit it. I eventually landed my limit by watching for when the lure would disapear and then would set the hook. I almost never felt them hit though!

On the plus side the ice was still safe for walking, but it's about 3.5-4" thick. There are areas where it settled some and water was coming up. Where we were catching there was a few inches of standing water and the holes had doubled in size. Definitely need to be careful! On the down side I found out that they are starting to charge for parking this winter up there. On the way out I talked to the guy at the booth and he said the county is supposed to plow the road in. However it comes after they plow the I.F. area and then work their way out. He also says annual parking permits go on sale on Monday. Guess I know what I'm doing this week.

Over all, a good day and it was good to put some faces to other BFTer's out there.
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Cool report and pics...thanks!!
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I was also there this morning. Roads were bad going up and very slow after the turn off. I headed out north of the rock pile and tried a few holes there. Got one good hit, but lost him on the way up. The rest of the day was like that, just little nibbles, lighter than Perch. I jigged until about 1pm and then dropped a worm to the bottom. Got a few nibbles and finally hooked a Perch about 7". Finally decided to give up on the Kokes and set up the shelter NW of the rock pile and started after the Perch. Ended up with 17 with the average size of 8". Smallest was 6", largest was 10.5". The water is very clear. I dropped the camera down and was amazed I could see things all the way down. There are a ton of suckers on the bottom and quite a few Perch. I also seen Kokes swim by about 2' off the bottom and a few trout as well. I did land 1 Cut about 12". When I measured the ice it showed 5-6". Water was every where and a slushy mess. Turned out to be a good day. Worse thing was the 4 wheelers driving around and parking next to each other and then have 5-6 people standing around the 4 wheelers bs'ing. I heard more than one person tell them that was not smart. I looked for CJ, but did not see him. I may head back up tommorow and try again. I must not have held my mouth right for the kokes today.

EDIT: Just finished filletingthe Perch, figured I would throw a pic up. The blade on the fillet knife is 10".
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prcrt how deep of water were you fishing in to catch those perch. The spot I normally fish for Kokanee is about 70' deep and there are fish constantly showing up on the fish finder at the bottom. I've tried and tried to catch one but can't ever get a bite out of them. I think they are probably suckers but maybe they are perch way down there. I know what you mean about the kokanee being hard to hook. I've out fished my dad about 5 to 1 and I think it is just our different jigging techniques. For Kokanee I like to lift my rod about 2 feet fairly fast and then let it fall, when it stops I wait about 2 seconds then give it a quick jerk. When a school is around I usually hook one after about 4 jigs doing this. Seems to work for me anyway, everybody has their own tricks.
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I caught these Perch at 47'.

I do think it has something to the jigging technique. I watched a guy next to me with full length rods jigging and he was doing what you explained. I tried to imitate, but no luck. I watched people catching them on worms and a bobber. I was using Swedish Pimples with worm, but no luck. I also tried a white glow in the dark squid that I knock the crap out of them trolling with, no bites.

As far as suckers, there were a lot of them. I seen them come by in groups of 3-4 at times. They will hit anythig within a few feet of the bottom. I watched them chase my worn up 3-4 feet before they would give up. I was constantly moving my bait out of the way of them. I hooked one the other day at Sportsman's and he ended up wrapped around 2 poles and my camera before I got him out of the hole.

I need to get some BFT stickers also. I know people from the forum were there, but ChromeJunky is the only one I have met numerous times and would remember. I tried to call him while I was there, but he must have AT&T.

I see Belasko got a pic of me. I am between the green pop-up and the black pop-up North of the rock pile.
My sled is the one with the PVC pipe rack on it.
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Ya I was over in the Blue Clam south of the ramp. Between four of us we limited out. The kokes were hungry, we had no stop action for two hours. All i could see at one point was blue backs two feet below the ice it was nice.Man does my back hurt looking down the hole catching them.But the fishing was great. I had a new guy with me and he could not believe all those kokes. We had them there from 10 to 12 or so but they left for ten minutes or so and they were back.Fishing in about thirty feet water caught some perch and splake at the bottom.I got ? for any body can answer. Why don,t ya catch any smallmouth ice fishing out there.
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I didn't get there until about 1 in the afternoon. We set up on some holes that were already drilled NW of the rock pile just off of the boat ramp about 50yrds or so.

We made the right decision as we got into the kokes without too much trouble. They were coming through at all kinds of different depths. It did seem like the bigger ones were a little deeper. They were tough to hook as many of you noted. I was using pink swedish pimples with a small pink ice fly dropper tipped with mealworm.

Three of us got 15 we tried to hold out for the last three but we didn't see any more after 4.

I have them in the brine ready to smoke tomorrow. We were fishing over 72 ft of water. Most of my fish came at the 20' mark, but I got some anywere from 50 feet to 5 feet.

Windriver
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Mr bigs and I got our limit of kokes shortly after belasko left sorry I didn't get your phone call prvrt not sure why though. But I will be there sunday also sometime. Not sure when but I have stickers for members who find me green Eskimo quickfish 2 with bft sticker on the front
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Will someone be at the booth to sell the annual parking permits? If not where do you buy them? I will be there next saturday unless it keeps up this warm spell.
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Sounds like you were rght by me Windriver. I was also using a Pink Swedish Pimple, but no dropper. I will try that today. Getting ready to head out now.
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There should be someone at Juniper selling parking permits or at the office there by the care takers. You can call to find out by looking In the Bonniville Co. For their number and they should be able to tell you where to get them. Post up what you find
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it was sloooooowwwww today, was fishing just south of the rock pile, caught one good perch at about 15ft, then had a few bites, then nothing till dark, also seemed to be the word from everyone else as well. Did talk to one gentleman while i was loading up that limited out in about an hour and a half but he was fishing up closer to the dam... actually as i think about it, if anyone hears that i am going ice fishing, just stay home that day, seems that just me going is going to ensure that it will be a slow day
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I am thinking it has something to do with the weather. I bet after this cold air hits Wed. that things will pick up, I hope. [angelic]
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You can buy the parking permits at the main office there at Ririe or you can get them at the county court house in I.F. Both places should have them until they are out. I'm told they are going for $30 this year.
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Can anyone tell me what the ice thickness is?
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4" in most places.

Windriver
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I picked mine up at the County Commissioners Office located downstairs in the Main Court House. They moved from upstairs where they were last year. $30.00 for the all week pass. I didn't ask what they were charging for weekdays only.
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$25 is what was posted on the shack up at Ririe on Saturday.
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Parks and Rec said that someone will be in the booth Saturday from about 8 am to 4 pm.
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[quote Belasko]$25 is what was posted on the shack up at Ririe on Saturday.[/quote]

Better make sure. That is generally the fee for just the week days. $5.00 more for weekends.

They usually don't have the passes for sale at the booth. You have to go to the visitor center office at Ririe Res.
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