11-04-2010, 11:30 AM
[cool][#0000ff]Last week it was reported that Huntington (Mammoth) was snowbound and freezing fast. I had wanted to get in one or two prefreeze tubing sessions but it seemed I had missed out this year.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Howsomever, I was guessing that with the warm spell of the past few days that maybe I could hit it with my tube and not need an auger. I guessed right...for a change. I made my final decision last night to give it a go today. Glad I did.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Air temp at 8 AM was a balmy 34...the same as the day before at Pineview. Actually warmed to 57 by the time I got off the water about 3. In fact, by the time I was ready to launch a bit before 9 it had warmed to over 40 degrees...and with no wind. I did not have to put my gloves on all day.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Water temp was 40 at launch and warmed to just over 42 before I left. Warmer than it was last year at this time. But Huntington can go south (Antarctica) fast when Mama Nature gets huffy.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The water level is a bit lower than last year at this time too. Already a few feet below the end of the ramp. Can still launch small boats but would not recommend launching with a large boat and trailer. Looked like someone tried that and had some problems getting back up the ramp. Black tire tread and other evidence. Don't those fools know that is a float tube ramp?[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Fishing picked up where it left off last year. I started working along the dam with a jig and fly combo...watching the sonar. Found some marks in 28 to 30 feet a ways out from the dam...and DAMN...WHAM. First of many footlong tiger troutskis of the day. Hit one of my "Copper Pat" jigs that some of the guys use a lot down in the Boulders. 1/16 oz. head with copper head and body, and root beer hackle and tail. It worked well today. But so did just about everything else I tried.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I couldn't find any real concentration of fish out in front of the dam as I have in years past. Just singles, doubles and the occasional small group of fish. Some on the bottom and some suspended at various depths. After the sun hit the water there were quite a few small fish rising next to the shore around the lake...and a few in the middle. Didn't see evidence of any larger ones on the surface. But caught a few footlongs and teeninchers on bubble and fly rig when I tried that later.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Worked along the south shore of the lake...in and out...shallow (15') to deep (35'). Got most of my hits in 26 to 32 feet...with most fish caught at about 28 feet. But, did catch fish as shallow as 13' and as deep as 33'. Also caught quite a few at mid depth by throwing out the jig and fly combo, letting it sink to the bottom and then "creatively" retrieving it up through the water column. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Finally reached the far western end of the lake, where there was a big flat that ranged from 25' to 29'. No big crowds of fish there but plenty of individuals roaming around and willing to swat jigs or flies. I had several doubles over a half hour period. What a circus. Actually had a couple of fish jump up over my second rod and create some "interesting" situations. Also had a couple jump right in my lap with me. Silly fishies.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]About noon I took a couple of pictures of the glassy surface of the lake and started back toward the dam. Figured I would fish my way back and then look harder for a concentration of fish in that area. I knew they had to be there somewhere.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Kept catching fish pretty regularly all the way back to the other end of the lake. Mostly "footlongs", with some 14, 15 and 16 inchers. They all hit like freight trains and fought much bigger than they were. Fun fun.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Still couldn't find any numbers of fish back by the dam. But, I did find some that were fairly shallow and close to the rocks. I caught several in less than 15 feet of water by casting and bouncing the jigs back over the bottom. Caught my last one as I was bringing in the rods to hit the ramp.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Besides being small, most of the fish were the "grey phase" tigers. Only a few had much color. The brightest was a feisty footlong. I did lose one big ol' purty dude. Guessed him to be over 18 inches. But after slamming my jig, stripping off line, jumping a couple of times and trying to ram my tube he just decided he really didn't want that jig after all and let me have it back. How thoughty.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Most folks would consider my day a fantastic trip. But, as with other lakes, I remember the "good old days" when the sonar was dark with fish and the average was bigger than the biggest fish I caught today. I probably caught well over 50 fish, but I would have really liked to have been able to release a few more bigguns. I only kept a couple of 14 inchers for the table.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Not sure what my findings mean for ice fishing. My guess is that it is going to be even worse than last year. Not much besides the small fish. I doubt I will put Huntington on my hard deck list this year. I hope everybody else proves me wrong and that it turns out gangbusters. [/#0000ff]
[signature]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Howsomever, I was guessing that with the warm spell of the past few days that maybe I could hit it with my tube and not need an auger. I guessed right...for a change. I made my final decision last night to give it a go today. Glad I did.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Air temp at 8 AM was a balmy 34...the same as the day before at Pineview. Actually warmed to 57 by the time I got off the water about 3. In fact, by the time I was ready to launch a bit before 9 it had warmed to over 40 degrees...and with no wind. I did not have to put my gloves on all day.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Water temp was 40 at launch and warmed to just over 42 before I left. Warmer than it was last year at this time. But Huntington can go south (Antarctica) fast when Mama Nature gets huffy.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The water level is a bit lower than last year at this time too. Already a few feet below the end of the ramp. Can still launch small boats but would not recommend launching with a large boat and trailer. Looked like someone tried that and had some problems getting back up the ramp. Black tire tread and other evidence. Don't those fools know that is a float tube ramp?[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Fishing picked up where it left off last year. I started working along the dam with a jig and fly combo...watching the sonar. Found some marks in 28 to 30 feet a ways out from the dam...and DAMN...WHAM. First of many footlong tiger troutskis of the day. Hit one of my "Copper Pat" jigs that some of the guys use a lot down in the Boulders. 1/16 oz. head with copper head and body, and root beer hackle and tail. It worked well today. But so did just about everything else I tried.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I couldn't find any real concentration of fish out in front of the dam as I have in years past. Just singles, doubles and the occasional small group of fish. Some on the bottom and some suspended at various depths. After the sun hit the water there were quite a few small fish rising next to the shore around the lake...and a few in the middle. Didn't see evidence of any larger ones on the surface. But caught a few footlongs and teeninchers on bubble and fly rig when I tried that later.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Worked along the south shore of the lake...in and out...shallow (15') to deep (35'). Got most of my hits in 26 to 32 feet...with most fish caught at about 28 feet. But, did catch fish as shallow as 13' and as deep as 33'. Also caught quite a few at mid depth by throwing out the jig and fly combo, letting it sink to the bottom and then "creatively" retrieving it up through the water column. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Finally reached the far western end of the lake, where there was a big flat that ranged from 25' to 29'. No big crowds of fish there but plenty of individuals roaming around and willing to swat jigs or flies. I had several doubles over a half hour period. What a circus. Actually had a couple of fish jump up over my second rod and create some "interesting" situations. Also had a couple jump right in my lap with me. Silly fishies.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]About noon I took a couple of pictures of the glassy surface of the lake and started back toward the dam. Figured I would fish my way back and then look harder for a concentration of fish in that area. I knew they had to be there somewhere.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Kept catching fish pretty regularly all the way back to the other end of the lake. Mostly "footlongs", with some 14, 15 and 16 inchers. They all hit like freight trains and fought much bigger than they were. Fun fun.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Still couldn't find any numbers of fish back by the dam. But, I did find some that were fairly shallow and close to the rocks. I caught several in less than 15 feet of water by casting and bouncing the jigs back over the bottom. Caught my last one as I was bringing in the rods to hit the ramp.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Besides being small, most of the fish were the "grey phase" tigers. Only a few had much color. The brightest was a feisty footlong. I did lose one big ol' purty dude. Guessed him to be over 18 inches. But after slamming my jig, stripping off line, jumping a couple of times and trying to ram my tube he just decided he really didn't want that jig after all and let me have it back. How thoughty.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Most folks would consider my day a fantastic trip. But, as with other lakes, I remember the "good old days" when the sonar was dark with fish and the average was bigger than the biggest fish I caught today. I probably caught well over 50 fish, but I would have really liked to have been able to release a few more bigguns. I only kept a couple of 14 inchers for the table.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Not sure what my findings mean for ice fishing. My guess is that it is going to be even worse than last year. Not much besides the small fish. I doubt I will put Huntington on my hard deck list this year. I hope everybody else proves me wrong and that it turns out gangbusters. [/#0000ff]
[signature]
] I wish I was there.