[font "Comic Sans MS"][#0000bf][size 4]RDRRM8E extended an invite for me to fish with him on Bear Lake today. He wouldn’t promise but he was pretty sure I would be glad I went to Bear Lake rather than Strawberry. Well he got that RIGHT!
RDRRM8E, his friend Aaron, and myself launched a little before sun-up and called it quits for the day around 3:00 p.m.
The mackinaw spawn is on and they were stacked up around the Rock Pile. But it is pretty tough to get them to bite. But a little jig teasing netted us three macks and a cut. The cut went home for dinner and the macks went back into the lake.
All fish were caught in the AM and the rest of the day they were pretty much locked jaw.
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#0000bf][size 4]We seen BearLakeFishGuy and his canine companion out there fishing too. Good to see you again Scott.
Today was the first time when I wasn't with a paid guide where the boat owner simply put us over fish all day without fishing himself. RDRRM8E watched the sonar and worked the electric trolling motor all day to keep us in the zone. Pretty darn generous I’d say. I learnt tons and hope to give it a try again next year. Thanks again you guys.[/size][/#0000bf][/font]
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Nice report Ralph and great pictures. Any of those macks over 10 lbs?
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I would estimate the last two (if not all three) were over 10 lbs. Bringing them in actually gave me memories of catching macks on the Gorge. It was some good poll bending.
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Great Post Coot!
Shawn
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Ralph , your getting to be a regular PRO at catching those Macks. Great Job, I've fished with Rich once before . He is very informative. BTW, were you the only one to catch fish?
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Ralph actually caught 4 macks but we didn't get a picture of the first one. I just flipped the hook out of him at the side of the boat not really thinking he wanted a pic. Nothing big yesterday but considering it was spawn fishing it was still fun. Spawners can be pretty finicky about biting.
Couldn't of asked for better conditions. No wind, flat and calm. Perfect all day long. It was fun to get the boat out. Thanks for coming, Ralph.
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Nice work Rich, that last mack Ralph is holding looks like an older fish with the big yellow fins.
Remember that time those two guys in that bass boat but on a show for us by pulling in all those spawning macks, over twenty if I remember correctly, one after another? I doubt we will ever see a day like that again, with the mack numbers dropping off like they are now but they are some good memories.[
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Now that I have my Boat repaired , I'm hoping to get back out on Bear lake before it's too late. Weather will be a big factor.
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The yellow fins on Ralph's lake trout are spawn colors. Those fish, which are usually pretty void of any typical lake trout coloration throughout the year, do color up for the spawn.
That day, a few years back, was fantasy fishing for Bear Lake. We caught 11 that day but that was nothing compare with what those boys pulled in. If my memory serves me right, they had in excess of 30 fish. All C&R. Amazing to say the least.
Those boys were out there yesterday also. We talked throughout the morning. They caught about the same number as us. Maybe a couple more; I wasn't really paying attention too closely.
From what I saw yesterday, I was disappointed with the number of lake trout on the pile though, to be honest, that was the first time I've made it up there this fall so they may have started earlier this year and are finishing up. I don't know. I expected to see a lot more fish. The size of the fish was a little disappointing also. We'll usually pull out a couple high teeners close to twenty but not this year. Low teener was tops. Can't pick which ones bite.
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I am curious why you would let the Mack go and kept the Cutt. Just asking because don't the Mack end up eating everything?
Fantastic fish though. Just would like to learn more on the Mack species.
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I let the macks go because 1) there are fewer and fewer of them in Bear Lake 2) One of those fish I was holding was 20+ years old and the other two wern't far behind, 3) cuts taste better, and 4) the cuts in Bear Lake seem to be a bunch more prolific than the macks.
Also, one point of interest ... the only cuts you can take out of Bear Lake are ones that have had their rear soft dorsal fin clipped off. Those are the ones that have been planted. It is illegal to keep cuts that havn't been planted.
I sure wish they would make it illegal to keep macks. They are awesome to catch and a bit of a rush to even be in the presence of. Too bad their number have declined so much in the last years.
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Very nice! Those pictures remind me of you at the Gorge last summer! Did you use your Mackinaw pole that you purchased and set up last year and if so, how did it feel catching those (relatively) smaller macks? I may stil build one for this year!
Randy
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Yes Randy, I did, as a mater of fact, use that combo (Bass Pro Tourny Special rod and Shimano Calcutta reel). I like everything about it except that the large handle is limiting as to which rod holders it can fit in. That is the one thing I would change. Bait_Caster is looking to get one pretty soon and he will be trying to find a comparable rod with a "normal" handle.
But yea, I quite like it. (Thanks goes to Jim Williams for the recommendation).
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The handle on that rod is cork. Take a rasp and some sandpaper and work it down. Should be a pretty easy fix.
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Now there's an idea.
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[quote Old_Coot]Yes Randy, I did, as a mater of fact, use that combo (Bass Pro Tourny Special rod and Shimano Calcutta reel). I like everything about it except that the large handle is limiting as to which rod holders it can fit in. That is the one thing I would change. Bait_Caster is looking to get one pretty soon and he will be trying to find a comparable rod with a "normal" handle.
But yea, I quite like it. (Thanks goes to Jim Williams for the recommendation).[/quote]
Sanding/filing off the handle will certainly work. I have a couple I did that to for my own personal use. Also, if you want a longer "trigger" handle, you can buy a 6-foot version and saw off 6 inches of tip and glue on a tip top. I have a bunch of rods I've done this with, and its fast and easy. For example, get a TYS60MT, saw it off (fine hack saw), and put on a tip (5-minute epoxy). Just use a rod slightly softer/slower than the final action you want. Saw off a "medium", and you end up with a "medium-heavy". Remember, they're just sticks anyway!
My personal favorite mack rod is a 5 1/2 foot one (older IM-6 Tourney Special) that I sawed 9 inches off of. It's a 4'9" "quick stick" that I've used for a long time, and puts me closer to the action, which is the TIP! I still like the short pistol grip because I seldom ever really hold the rod and the butt end doesn't get in my way when I set the hook.
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Nice post! Great fish.
What a nice guy to take you and not fish. I'll do that when I take out my nephew or younger brother in law, but WOW, you were lucky. What a swell fella.
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