Fishing Forum

Got an early morning start meeting up with Lavaman up by Benson Church - and launched by 7am to float the Bear for a bit. NICE cloud cover kept us cool as the sun rose over the mountains. We cruised up river and hit a spot where a back-slough drops into the river. Nice spot surrounded by reeds, and we were quickly onto fish.

Some tugs came - hope was for some nice channel cats, but we started off with a couple carp - very silvery carp. Lava says they don't count, but I watched his when that rod took a bendo! Next up were - tada - some channel cats. Not the big fat mongrels we'd hoped for, but at least we were in the right neighborhood. Some bitty channels - sure are purdy with all their spots, and so cute the way they 'urp' when you unhook 'em.

We had some mud-cats pester us, of course. Worm steelers! Was hoping for Crappie and Walleye- as usual, and the situation seemed ripe for it. After things slowed - we moved down stream and hit some deep bends. Managed to "drift" into some tree stops - (sorry dude!) but luckily, except for a lost bobber- suffered no damage in the swift current. Sometimes the anchor just doesn't wanna sit.

Moved further down to the bend by the church, and parked up in front of a backwater-logjam. Lava kept getting tugs, and missing the strike - I had a few bobber dives, but no hookups. Then he landed another mini channel. Again - jigged for crappie, but no go.
Time was up for Lava, so I dropped him off, and ventured back up river- tried our first spot again, and got into more mudders, and mini channels - no carp. Aha - found a Crappie - where there's one, must be more.
The nice cloud cover had given way to clear skies and HOT sun.
Took a cruise farther up-river, and found some more connections between the slough and river. Hit one last spot with another log jam, dropped in behind the log and the bobber took a BIG dive - hooked up, and KNEW the game was on. This one SHOT under the log and took a run for the border. Managed to hold on - give some slack, and NOT get wrapped around a log. Took some effort, but nursed this one back and managed to land it. A 21" 3lb channel - NOW we're talking - step up from the footlongs of earlier effort.

Next time - gonna go DOWN river, as we'd initially intended. Flow is gentle enough to "fight" back up without problem.

Thanks for taking me on your boat- that was a relaxing good time. (except when we ran into the trees).

Glad you got a Crappie and nice Channel. You deserve it.

I stand by what I said: Those stinkin' carp and mudders don't count.
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Oh Lava! You must be board with fishing! I know it is just fun to be fishing/then catching fish/then catching the fish you want. Pretty much in that order for me. Probably just use to catching them all huh buddy :-)
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I can't believe your postin pics of Ma's secret spot. I was sworn to secrecy, (hope thats spelledd write!)
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[quote catmaster23]I can't believe your postin pics of Ma's secret spot. I was sworn to secrecy, (hope thats spelledd write!)[/quote]
do you mean "that's spelled right"? [:p] Try a write click.

Haven't heard from you for a while - wondered if you took the summer off, or traveling to far-exotic-coastal bass waters for some surf fishing!

Didn't tell anyone it was Ma's secret spot - but NOW they know. From what I've heard - her secret spot is ALL up and down that river - from Oneida to the Refuge.
Not sure which pic you consider a giveaway - let me know (pm) & I'll take it down. I just thought they were some nice scenery shots- didn't post the butterfly shot - but they were ALL over man!

Didn't mark any maps or GPS spots - and those "points of interest" are self discovered, often pre-planning via Mapquest/Google searches from Satellite.

I will say - one thing I've been looking for, and seems to be pretty consistent - is places where waters connect or rivers split. Log jams make good structure, but they are also a pain in the butt for snag-ups!
I'd love to try portaging over into some of those back sloughs - maybe if I have a Toon or Tube.

LMAO! Thought my nose was itchin! Nice lookin kitty kats! Yes I have caught Eye's in that area but haven't fished it since June. Playin in Idaho( Bear river, Oneida, Twin and Lamont) did you see Aug. Wall of Fame? I'm the one in the orange with the smallies.
Cheers!
Smiles Always!
MA
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Judging by the numbers of 'rod holder twigs' and left behind worm casings - I'm betting a few other folks have 'stopped by' some of those spots from time to time! (not to mention the fire rings and such)

I was looking for flooded reeds, but couldn't get any players from the Eyes. I'll keep trying!
I sure did - and I wouldn't call those smallies! You got my vote!

Hope you don't feel I revealed anything that ought to best be whited out. Didn't think a silvery carp and mudcats would bring out the masses of marauders!
You've shared some great tips, and I've kept those in mind as I've explored. There's a heck of a lot of river out there - I got bunches more exploring to do!
plus - getting a bow setup - there's a few carp that need to be cleaned up out there! Slurpy 'ol farts!

No biggy...boy the water is alot lower than in June. That one pic where the slough runs into the river as you call it was full and I was able to get a boat through it.
Thanks for the vote! Those smallies are fun up there and getting big! I haven't caught an eye over 22" up on the dam this year but come Fall I'll bet Wanda will come out to play!
Smiles Alwyas!
MA
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Then and now. I'd say the river's probably dropped about two feet. You can see the mudlines along the shore where it was probably water's ledge during the runoff.
This fence post is out of water now.

A duck-hunting bud had told me they drag their boat across those rocks to get back in the slough to chase Daffy. Have wondered if just carp get stuck up in there, or if other fishes have in/out access. Seems like there's some connecting pipes at points.
One local told me some of those sloughs get crappie stacked up in 'em. Probably a few leeches too!

Met my first Bear-Smallie, nothing like yours, but it's a start. Bull-dawgers!

Curious - when the water's that high, does the river flow into the slough? Or is it still heading south(ish)?

Yote' saw a group heading down to fish the hole west of the church Friday night after dark maybe they caught your big one. Sorry the tips didn't pay off with your high mark of the year but at least you caught a few. My tips to a guy I work with only yielded a small gill and three mud cats. Guess I better quit giving advice. Later. J
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How have the boaters been up at Twin? I've been wanting to head up there, but I've been avoiding it because of them. Oneida too actually. The last time I was there it was swarming with ski boats and I haven't wanted to go back.
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yup your about 10 years behind on that river unless catching a few crappies
(if your lucky and a lucky walleye gets u off), shoulda fished it several years ago. Problem is fish don't get planted in that river or cutler, and it gets fairly heavy pressure, glad you still have a good time fishing and posting about it tho. Wish I could still get excited about it but I would be emabarrassed to throw up posts about a one crappie day even a 5 crappie day.
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I have heard good tails about years gone by on that river and reservoir. But that story seems common on about all waters I've fished (I remember when. . . ). Could it have something to do with the growing Utah population overall? (damned Californians and Asians moving in, right? Maybe the Hispanic families of fishers? Or is it all the LURKERS!)

Sorry - I don't get embarrassed about catching fish. Some are little, some are big - some "don't count" - but I generally don't tally exact counts anyway. If I get into a 'bunch' - I'm a happy camper.
But the point of a post - as I see it - is to share a fishing adventure, maybe spin-a-yarn, have a chuckle, even put up a couple pix. Sometimes I think - maybe I shouldn't bother.
The crappie was a 'find' and actually to show Lava I read the water right, they are there. And since he left by then, and he's NEVER caught a crappie (though he was ON this carp!). Too small for me, he went back. But I thought itwere a purdy fish all the same.

I've actually pitched lines out in those waters for a couple decades - but never been very serious about it, or maybe I've learned something in the past few years - plus getting a boat to float adds another dimension. This has really been my first year getting into "other" species out there, and bigger fish, though I've still got more "work" ahead of me.

The DNR seems to mostly plant trout, and nothing but the trout (ok a few fingerling wipers here and there). Their stance on most other flavors of fish seems to be they count on natural reproduction. Do you ever see Bluegill, Crappie, Perch, Bass of most any variety - on the Stocking Report? Yeah - they chunk some channels in the community ponds, and I'm sure the happy harvesters are there to take them back out just as quick.

In other news: I was reading something about plans to dam up a bunch more of the Oneida area? Less river more reservoir? Don't know if that's a good thing or bad thing?

And hey - Jeff - I like your advice, I just didn't take it. But next time I'm floating farther down river. Got some more 'points of interest' that need some exploring!

To answer your question...both. If you go more north there is another area that the water flows into and it actually looked like a lake back in and connects to the area in your pics.

On another note about the walleye....
[url "http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/fish/stocking/stockingDataDisplay.cfm"]http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/fish/stocking/stockingDataDisplay.cfm[/url]
I only searched back to 2006...
Gotta be some records lurking in there and I'm gonna get me one soon!
Smiles Always!
MA
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Gstott 3 weeks ago I went up to Oneida and it was PACKED! I toodled my motorhome and boat down to Twin there were plenty of boats in the afternoon and lots of camping spots available(SURPRISE). Fishing the morning was good and all species were playing. Bite was tough in the afternoon. Fished Oneida last weekend not many boats at all. The bite was tight lipped. Caught a few smallies and a couple dinky eyes.
Can't wait for Oct. to get here the bite will be better and less boaters!
Smiles Always!
MA
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Thanks for the info. I work nights so I usually don't make it out until late morning. I guess that explains why I've had to work so hard for fish lately. I'm hoping now that school is back in session that things will be a little quieter at the lakes, and the cooler weather that is coming will turn things on.
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The secret spots gets so old. I enjoy reading posts and seeing pictures. In most cases unless you already know the area pictures wont give away a secret spot. This forum is for fisherman to share info. If you are embarrassed to post about a slow day or small fish then you must fish just to get numbers and size. IMO you miss out on the real joy of fishing if you cant enjoy the trip even without fish. We all want to catch fish but just fishing is a worthy endeavor in itself. Doesnt matter if you flyfish, toss hard baits and plastics or dunk worms and power bait. Enjoy fishing for fishing. I for one am happy to read posts of 1 carp, 1 crappie and some channels. Relax
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oh noes, you found a spot on your own but said something about it!


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I can't believe I'm actually agreeing with you on this one yote. Any other species caught on the bear besides a cat or carp is an accomplishment in my book. I've fished it for crappie and bass and it's not as easy as it seems. The first bass I ever caught out there was as big as that crappie and I was pumped. I'm usually the first to bust your balls about little fish posts but if it's out of the bear I have to give you a thumbs up.
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I deleted one personal attack post on this thread and I would prefer not to have to delete others or lock the thread.
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