Fishing Forum

I decided that I have had a long couple of weeks with work and getting over a painful illness that I needed a good trip somewhere. I decided to hit my favorite spot to fish: Starvation. I woke up late on Thursday and packed my gear with the intention of bringing my float tube. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring it in my haste to get going.

"Oh well, it will probably be really windy like it always is up there," I tried to rationalize.

Of course, when I get to Starvation it's nice and calm the entire day. Figures.


I first decided to work the Knight Hollow side for about an hour. I got no love, no bites or any evidence of fish. I packed up and went to the Juniper Point side where I instantly saw fish from shore. They were perch! Excellent. Just what I wanted. I was hoping to get into some perch and maybe bass.

"This will be like shooting fish in a barrel!" I said as I drew out my handgun.........just kidding.

First I rigged one of my poles with bait for trout and casted it out. Then I put on my favorite spinner that usually catches perch on my second pole. Nothing. They completely ignored my lure. I was in a pretty well hidden position that I could see them but it was unlikely they could see me. After a few more casts with a spinner I've never used before I finally got a perch to bite and it was fish on! I brought in a tiny one, but it was my first perch of the season so I was happy.


Suddenly, my trout pole went a full 90 degrees. I set the hook and was in for a fight! I couldn't believe it was a rainbow trout. It was easily the hardest fighting rainbow I had ever encountered. It took drag without even trying. I'm surprised it didn't snap my line. I brought him to shore and taped him out at about 20 inches. I wish I had the foresight to have taped the width. He was a fatty! I couldn't get my hands around him. I was shocked. I've always caught smaller rainbows out of here. I unhooked him, thanked him for his fight and let him free.


I went back to the perch but didn't have a whole lot of luck. Most of my lures went largely ignored. I managed 2 more small perch hook ups, one with a different spinner and another on a curly tale grub jigging from shore. I didn't get a single smallmouth bass to my disappointment.

Despite the heat, the trout were more than willing to bite. I brought in 5 more hard fighting rainbow trout that were all in the fat 17-19 inch range. I don't know what they are getting fed but they knew how to put up a hard fight. I didn't bother getting pictures of them. They fought so hard they would hit the submerged rocks and get a little dazed from it. Often times they would jump out of the water and dive down into a shallow rock. Ouch! I thought it was more important to unhook them and make sure they didn't join the "belly-up club" permanently. Luckily they all swam away once they came to from bashing themselves into a rock.

Also I had this little animal following me for a while. I think it was some sort of ferret. Sorry it's not a great picture. You'll have to zoom in to see it well. Does anyone know what this is? In any case, it wasn't very afraid of humans. Really curious animal. Got up to maybe 2 feet away from me if not less many times.

That's about it. The fishing was steady but not hopping. for the 6 hours I was there. However, I do love making the trip to Starvation any chance I get so I can't complain either!
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Hard to tell but it looks like a mink to me.
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Pretty sure that's a smallmouth not a perch in that picture
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I wondered if it was a smallmouth, it just didn't look like one. I've caught both perch and smallmouth before. In the past, there was some old timer who insisted that fish about this size were just young perch without stripes and not smallmouth. I've been a little conflicted on the issue with fish this size since. Leave it to me to make something simple more complicated. Thanks for the correction!
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Perch will always have stripes on them.

Even in Utah Lake where the color on the fish can get pretty washed out you can still see them.

Nice day of fishing though. Congrats.
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Thanks! I've just fallen victim to bad information and lack of research on my part.
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The pic is tough to tell, but if the little critter was small squirrel sized and medium to dark brown with white around the ears and a white belly, that's a weasel, also called an ermine when he turns white in winter.

If he was dark brown or black and big squirrel sized, that was a mink. They'll follow you to steal fish or fish cleanings if they can.
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I also think it's a weasel judging from the white on the belly and throat. Mink rarely have white.
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I noticed you hook your spinner directly to the swivel. Do lots of folks do this? It would make for easier changes of lures. I usually stick with a lure longer than I probably should because I get tired of tying new ones on.
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the swivel reduces spin in the line. i always use swivels whether it be cranks spoons or spinners
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[quote jwalker25]...Also I had this little animal following me for a while. I think it was some sort of ferret.[/quote]

It looks a lot like a mink to me.
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After doing some research, I'm under the impression that it was a mink as well. Up close, he looked almost identical to this picture I found.

http://kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/Hunting/Fu...tela-vison

However, I'm no biologist. Wyoguy may be the most correct since the animal does appear have small patches of white which could easily make it a weasel. In the picture on the link, this mink also has a little white under his chin as did the one following me.

For what it's worth, it knew how to swim and catch crawdads. But I think both weasels and minks are capable of swimming and doing that.

And yes, I do use swivels with lures, crankbaits and spoons. It reduces line twist and keeps birds nests from forming in my reel. But it's mostly a lazy/convenient component for me. I like to be able to switch out lures quickly. I'm horrible at tying knots. On occasion I'll tie directly to the lure because sometimes that produces a more natural movement. It's rare that I do it, but for some Rapala's it's best. For Flatfish, you absolutely have to tie it directly to get the best action out of it. However, I do know a few anglers who hate swivels and prefer to tie it on directly. It's matter of preference I guess.
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Weasel. Ermine. Too small to be a mink.
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BigEz,
I don't think everyone understood your question. Let me try to answer. I am kind of guilty for the same reason as you. I always use a swivel but I always put 2-3' of 6lb. clear leader between my swivel and lure. I too am reluctant to change lures because I sometimes just don't feel like tying another knot. I am also very reluctant to attach a lure directly to the swivel, although in all my 'studies' I don't think it matters much.
I always use colored line so in my little pea sized brain I need the clear line as a 'break' between the colored line and the lure.
The short answer to your question is my guess is about 50% of fisherman use a leader, the others hook directly to the lure.
Shane
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I appreciate the replies guy. I like to use a swivel and leader as well and can tie an improved clinch fairly well, but I'm lazy so I stick with a lure or plastic for a long time even if it isn't producing at different speeds and depths. I use Berkley Trilene 8lb low vis green and tend to take line from my spare reel to make my leaders meaning they are the same line. I probably should buy a clear leader of 6lb to lessen the chance of breaking off at the swivel. Those darn fish are so good at snapping my line. [] (that was for you TD)
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Unless it's a young mink. They do start out small then grow bigger.
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WEASEL !!! And there is plenty more around that pond all along the rocks !!They dont get much bigger than that and ive seen them on the hard deck and this time of yr looking for a handout []
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