G'day all,
We are going to try Utah Lake for the first time and have no idea on where to launch. I am Googling etc but a bit of friendly advice from you guys always helps. We are leaving Sunday morning from Salt Lake City What is the best place to launch a 17ft Lund?
Thanks in advance.
P.S. Feel free to throw in any fishing tips if you want
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If you want to fish the north end of UL I would suggest Af or lindon harbor. For the south end of UL, lincoln beach harbor
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[cool][#0000ff]First time on Utah Lake? Hope it treats you well mate. I have been doing fairly well, as have others. But after the current hissy fit by Mama Nature it may take a few days to get back to its best.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Attaching three maps that should help orient you better. I will give a quick rundown on the main launching spots. In a nutshell, all of the ramps are suitable for your boat. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]1. Provo Harbor. A state park, with state park fees. Might be a bit dicey to reach right now since Center Street offramp and some of the roads are closed. Best to avoid if you don't know the back roads into the harbor area.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]2. Lincoln Beach. Free launching at the Utah County facilities. Also a good spot for fishing right now...catfish, white bass and some walleyes showing up. Will be getting even better. I plan to test that theory myself sometime next week.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]3. Lindon Harbor. Two good ramps. Fees for launching. Good fishing in the area plus access to many different kinds of fish habitat.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]4. American Fork Harbor. Launch fees here. Decent ramp but not much parking on busy days. Should be okay this time of year. Good fishing inside at times as well as both east and west of the harbor.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]5. Saratoga Springs Harbor (at Pelican Bay). The only public launch ramp on the west side of the lake. Launch fees (for trailered craft) $9. Good fishing around Pelican Point and around to the Knolls.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Shoot me a PM when you decide where you want to go and what species you want to go after. I can send you some writeups to help.[/#0000ff]
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Thanks Pat PM on the way
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Yup - you got the right guy tellin ya the wheres and whats of that puddle. Those writeups are mighty helpful going into a new place.
One thing that I'm not clear on - is of the ones with launch fees - which are state parks that I can use my annual pass at, and which are private and charge ya anyway. I found that Lindon cost me $8 - as it's not part of the parks, but you say Provo is - and American Fork is too, no?
Now when ya say "trailered craft" - does that refer to the condition you got it there, or how you actually launch it? I mean it you trailer your pontoons, but then walk them down to the water - is that different from pulling out of the back of a pickup?
[cool][#0000ff]Only Provo Boat Harbor is a state park...and the only place where your pass is valid. You need to pay separate fees at Lindon, American Fork and Saratoga Springs and each is a separately run operation. No cooperation between any of them. If you want an annual pass you have to pay for one at each...and only American Fork residents can buy an annual pass at that harbor. Snooty lot.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The "trailered" term is for boats with trailers. If you bring in a cartop...or tube or toon...no fee for launching. If it ain't on a trailer coming in, you don't gotta pay a launch fee. Intermesting. Kinda the way most other ramps look at it but the Saratoga Springs operation is the only one that spells it out on the fee list at the gate.[/#0000ff]
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I was going to take by boat tomorrow (Sunday 10/9) or Monday out of American Fork Harbor to fish for catfish or white bass. Is it too late in the season? Anyone know how close these fish are to shore right now?
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I hate to rain on your parade but the water dropped 13 degrees in the last 10 days. I believe the fish are warm water fish in UL. Read my UTAH reports from 09/27 and 10/9. Good luck mate. I would recommend Bear Lake or Strawberry as long as it has not been stormy this tents to stir up the algae bloom at Strawberry and you will catch more algae than fish. Scolfield is so so. If you don't have any luck craft I highly recommend them. However they are $15 bucks each but well worth it. Get lucky craft 78 pointer SP rainbow trout color (just the normal rainbow not the ghost, or laser rainbow). toll or cast at 2.5 mph. Good luck and let us know how it goes....
Andrew
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[cool][#0000ff]It can be a little tough right after a front goes through...especially if the water temp drops more than a few degrees. Catfish are especially sensitive to that kinda thing. But they still eat...and keep on feeding throughout the winter...even under the ice.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I usually catch some of my biggest cats of the year around the middle to the end of October. The dropping water temps puts them in a feeding mode. During the hot summer they are more nocturnal. When it cools off they are usually deeper but bite best during the day. I do my best work in the deeper spots off Lincoln Beach or the Knolls. Sometimes they come in to the deeper waters around the bubbleup.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You won't hear about many cats being caught near shore for the rest of the year. You almost always have to go out into deeper water and really look for them. They tend to school up more in cold water and they look for the deeper holes...and areas where warm water inflows raise the water temps a few degrees. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You can spend hours dragging baits around looking for them but when you find them you can catch a bunch. They aren't as active and aggressive in cold water. They take baits more slowly and their "battle" is more dogged rolling than flashy runs or bulldogging. But if you wanna stretch your string or take home some fillets they are well worth the effort.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]On the other hand, white bass and walleyes love the drop in water temps. They will get very active around the shoreline at Lincoln Beach, Lindon, Provo Harbor, American Fork and the Knolls. And as the water cools even more they move inside the harbors too.[/#0000ff]
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Thanks for the insights Gentlemen--some really good data. Its good to know there are a lot of options. Looks like its going to get warmer everyday til next weekend. I may hold off on UL til then. Today or tomorrow I may go after smallmouth in Deercreek or East Canyon.
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[cool][#0000ff]Fall fishing for smallies...and largies...can be pretty good on both those lakes. Just be aware that the fish start heading deeper when the water gets colder. Look for points extending out into the lake and work along them until you find where the fish are holding. They do tend to school up more in the colder water than when they are feeding in shallower water. Once you find a "zone" you can look for similar conditions on other points...working about the same depths.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You might also find them on the edges of "break lines"...where shallower water drops quickly into deeper water. Having a good sonar and making some vertical presentations will put more fish on your line than just casting along the shoreline like we did in warmer times.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Right now the fish are probably at least 20 feet deep with the likelihood of finding them at even 30 feet or more. And they will move deeper quickly as the water continues to chill. Not good to fish them in water much deeper than 30 feet because they get the bends from being brought up too quickly from the deeper water. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I am probably going to hit the Lincoln Beach area around Wednesday myself. Need to check out a few new goodies on my new (to me) Renegade. Might as well try to find a few fish while I'm at it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Welcome aboard and let us know how your trips work out.[/#0000ff]
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