My sons and daughters spent some time on Cutler fishing Saturday afternoon and evening. They caught the usual carp and mud cats and a couple of small channel cat and a couple of small mouth bass but not much to write home about. When they got back to the dock the ran into a relative and he was telling them that the F&G had done a gill netting survey of Cutler to see what the health of the fish and kinds of specie and numbers. They were very surprised at what they found in Cutler. His comment was the only species not found was piranha! lol They had gotten a couple of large brown trout and said you would not believe the number of walleye in Cutler. I know all of this is second and third hand info. so has anyone else heard anything about this survey? When it was done, location, total fish counts and species?
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Send Got bait a PM I believe he was participated in the gill netting, I believe 2-3 years ago.
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Thanks monstermasher I will do that!
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I know a lot of Walleye were being pulled out of Benson Marina 3-4 years ago, but catching the past 2-3 years has taken a drastic decline, the same with the Bear River that dumps into Benson. Too much catching and keeping and not enough stocking or reproducing in my opinion.
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What the heck was going on at benson marina on saturday, we went out there and there were boats, campers and people everywhere, so we just drove on by, looked like something big.
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That may be a factor and it might be just different conditions. My dad lives on the bear and catches quite a few walleye and they do seem to be down from years past. One of the things that has happened near where he lives is the channel into the slough is almost gone and I wounder if things like that might be it. The river changes from year to year and the fish may move with the changes.
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I fish the entire River from Oneida to Cutler, Fishing pressure for walleye is 10X what it use to be 10 years ago. And there is one spot where a huge amount of walleye spawn that I witness hundreds get pulled out of and killed every year, majority being big females, so I am going to stick to my opinion of too much catching and keeping, and not enough planting. I have fished this system for about 22 years now. It was amazing about 8 years ago, catfishing is still pretty good, and walleye fishing is very tough (on the Utah side). Small mouth are starting to take over and that is encouraging.
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A man with experience always has the advantage over a man with a theory! I have only fished it on a hit and miss basis over the last 30 years so the most I have to go on is theory.
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New to the board here, and have a question. My brother and I hit Cutler last Friday. we mostly fished the Canyon, as well as by the bridge by the boat dock. All we cought were mud cats, small channels, and a few carp. Where would one go to find some bass? We were only fishing for cats, but would love to get into some bass. Are bass number very high in Cutler? I am pretty familiar with the waters down there as I spend a lot of time hunting ducks launching from the Valley View highway boat dock. Are bass more in Cutler or they through out all the samps down there?
Thanks!
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Its good to hear from a knowledgeble expert experienced from one end to the other. I keep on putting off going there but one of these days...
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I'm in your boat. Just started exploring cutler, benson, bear river the past couple years.
Like you I've found small yellow bellies pretty readily, just hit my first set (cookies) channel cats where the bear hits cutler (about halfway from Benson to the northern boat launch.)
Sick as it is - I have yet to land a carp! Could use some cut bait!!! Need to try some home made dough.
From my reading - if I were a Walleye or bass I might have been hanging out where I was fishing. Also hit some wood structure and weeds along shore - hoping to find some Crappie. No go. Dropped into the bear near the "T" by the church in Benson, and went north - nice river - deer all along, jumpers abound. Checking for deep holes. Found some shallow sandy shores holding fish (carp?) wallowing. Lots on dinky hits - but no hooksets. Busy rebaiting though! (Gotta keep the little ones off, and find the bigger beasts!)
Sure is some dang shallow territory out there. Up toward Valley View - I'm bringing waders next time!
If anyone who has good experience out there would care to mock up a map, or give a few directions - I'd love to find more than the cat/carp offering of what amounts to a fine fishery (according to the studies. THANKS for the USU link - very nice!)
So where do you find walleye, bass, and crappie in the Cutler/Benson waterways?
Thanks. pm if preferred.
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I, too, am wanting to explore Cutler and the surrounding waters more. I moved here a couple of years ago. I love fishing for bass, catfish, & crappie. Never really fished for walleye. If anyone has any info for me on Cutler too, it is much appreciated here. I have a one man 9ft pontoon that I do most of my fishing from here.
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First off welcome aboard BFT! To you and some of the others that have inquired, Cutler is a mighty big area and there are lots of areas that hold fish. I remember in my youth ( which was a lot of years ago) that a group of pro bass fishermen hit Cutler and their comment was that it was one of the premier bass waters in the country. My dad who is in his 80's has caught bass in Cutler all of his life as have I. The Channel cats showed up about 45 year ago, the walleye about 40 years ago and the small mouth in the last 5-10 years. So they all have had time to grow and there are some big fish in Cutler.
I have caught bass in the slough on a fly and crappie jigs as well as along the road around the Benson Marina. I think the key is finding out where the fish are hanging and then target them with natural looking baits. My dad has caught walleye, bass and crappie on worms and jigs in the river near his house. His technique is to fish a little every day if he doesn't catch anything in a few minutes he heads for the house and tries again later or the next day. Some times he catches fish and sometimes he doesn't.
I think it just take putting in the time and being persistent and have fun!
Good Luck to all!
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I actually called the professor that wrote the article from usu and she had a lot of good information. I've fished the marsh all my life and caught a lot of nice cats and carp but not much else, mostly because I never tried to target anything else. She told me that I wouldn't believe the amount of walleye and largemouth that they found in there. She said that they were all good size fish as well. I think the key there would be to find good structure and a higher oxygen content and put in your time. The cutlar marsh has all the ingredients for large fish, tons of food, cover, and it's not fished heavily at all. My next treasure hunt is going to be for largemouths in the marsh for sure!
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I've caught a few largemouth from Cutler, and they have all been really fat and healthy. I too need to make it a goal to fish it more as it's a lot closer to home (and work) than Idaho.
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So where would be the best place to target bass and crappie? Would we launch our boat from Cutler, Benson, or Valley View? I am not the most experinced fisherman. No fish finder, etc. Just a boat and the basic tackle for trout and bass. We did well for bass at mantua early this year, but that place is pretty easy to target bass. Any info would be most helpful.
Thanks!
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I would say it depends on what kind of fish you are targeting. I think you will find more walleye in the rivers than you will bass but again it depends on the structure and the time of the year. I remember my dad one late fall day pulling seven or eight bass out of the Bear river in a snow storm!
I think any of the launch points would be okay once you scout out the area and find where the fish are and I think they move around a lot. I don't think they stay in one spot all of the time but move to find the food and oxygenated water. I again am a man with a theory and not the experience to tell you exactly where to go or what to use. Try some things and good luck!
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Thanks for the info! I hope to get out sooner than later and will post a report of what I find and where.
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I don't know if this'll help. I marked up a map - the red circles are the launch points I know of, and the blue circles are some spots where I'd expect to find something other than just cats and carp.
BUT I can't say from experience - just using some of the same thought process expressed here - I was trying to find some deeper pools, and drop-offs, and places where water flows together. About midway from Benson to the Cutler Sportsman's access (#1) seems the Bear river flows into Cutler. Seems a spot where a lot of debris and "stuff" flows along the edge - then there was a droppoff at the join that gets down to almost 20 feet. I dragged a few cranks and minnows, but didn't get any hits.
Found my first channel cats (cookies) around that area.
From the other sportsman's access (#2) you can head upstream and right at the bend is a deep pocket - like 30 ft, and under some serious wood structure. Followed up the river and found several "pools", also down river, especially at the bends. Had a lot of 'tap tap' hits - probably little cats, and lost a lot of worms.
But I also ran across (literally) a number of submerged trees/logs/snags - so be aware. I was trying to drag some worms, but maybe anchoring and casting would be better.
If anyone knows any good points to target Walleye or Smallies - I'd LOVE more marks on my map!
Was planning an early Saturday adventure out that way, but now I hear the Wiper boils are on at Willard - I may just have to head that way! So many fish - so little time!
Do Wipers like lightning?
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