The Cutler drain is underway, started a little later than posted, but it dropped 6-8" over night last night and seems to be going to happen.. I took our scouts out Saturday and tried a little fishing, it was a lot slower than my last trip, but we ended up with 4 fish between the ten of us... Enough to have fun, but probably my last boat trip on there till next year... I was hitting bottom pretty heavy going into the channels and with 6" less water today my boat wouldn't make it in there anymore. But the water is sure clearing up nice as it cools down, but I didn't see any minnow schools, like I had hoped to find before the water dropped... Now it will be pretty tough to find minnows this fall... Fish break down was 3 SMB and 1 LMB...Largest about 1.5 lbs.... Lots of people still fishing, almost as many as the bird hunters, but I didn't find out if they were finding any fish.. Fish were hitting a mix of about any bass lure, no two fish were caught on the same thing... Probably just had to drop the lure in the right spot and you got hit... Nothing was caught on bait so I was a little surprised about that... Had a great activity though and the boys had a blast so I can't ask for more... Later J
[signature]
I guessed the drop at about 1 foot total down today, but I wasn't at a good marking spot to tell for sure, lots of mud starting to show around the edges... Probably starting to get pretty tough for most boats to run now... Guess the main body at 2 to 2.5' depth now.. Probably have to push over shallow spots to get into the river channels now... The beavertails are still fine, but this will get tough on outboards now... unless you sit pretty shallow in the water... I think it seems to be dropping 4 to 6" a day now. Not sure how far it will go down before the siltation starts backing up the water, but last time it left very shallow water (6" or less) in the main body with lots of mud around the edges. I figure by the weekend it will probably be time to fish somewhere else... or bank tangle if you can find a spot with public access. Later J
[signature]
yup marshes are turning into mud flats
[signature]
Did you keep catching cats, or did you switch over to the bass like I did? Makes you wonder how this will affect things for next year. It's been a fun year for me. Kind of gave up trout for the cats and bass this year. I sure had fun, hope it won't ruin that. Later J
[signature]
i gave up on cutler this year, as soon as the deer archery hunt started. I've switched to trout mode already...... almost bear lake time.... sure would like to kill a few honkers and quackers this year as well. BRING ON THE COLD
[signature]
Bass are just too much fun. I think I've been trout fishing maybe 3 times this year, all in the early spring. The rest of my trips have been for bass.
[signature]
I'm with you, the only trout I've caught this spring and summer have been on accident. Browns should be on the reds though, maybe it's time for a little bear trip.
[signature]
Yup it's great to have a variety of hobbies, I haven't chased birds very hard for too many years, guess I ought to rediscover the mud in my veins.... Somehow when the opener is as slow as it has been the last few years, I have a tough time getting motivated to go back after them... Plus the fish bug has been working me over so I spend too much time doing that when I have free time.... But I kind of like to be able to throw them back if I don't want to keep them... Can't do that with hunting... and I don't enjoy more than a meal or two of ducks a year... Love to shoot them, but just don't enjoy killing them... Must be getting older... Anyway good luck at Bear Lake... Later J
[signature]
Stupid slimers! I consider it a challenge if I go somewhere like Hyrum, to NOT catch the planter-bows!
Though I'll admit - I've messed with a few brown on the Logan, just because it easy access on the way home. Quick stop- few casts, couple tugs. But I'd rather pester the bass and crappie come summer/fall!
Guess there's a new world-record T-Muskie caught. talk about a prehistoric monster! 44 lbs think it was? Ben had the link. Idaho too, not some midwest beasty!
Greg, I think I've been there with you this year, between the cats and bass, I haven't missed the slimers too much... However, I'll bet they are starting to get good to eat again and if they haven't all been caught from that planting last fall they should be starting to get 16 to 17" by now so I'm starting to get interested again... I still really enjoy a good bow fight, but I have found other things that are as much fun... I guess catching cats on the troll and casting for bass is almost like fishing for trout, method wise, but the fights of larger fish makes them a whole bunch of fun... When I was just bait fishing for the cats, I didn't love it at all, but now I'm trolling for them I haven't fished trout since April or May time frame... Well hopefully when the drain is all over we can still have fun on Cutler... Sure wonder how they will do in such shallow water... I didn't check the depth today, but heard it continued down... Later J
[signature]
So Yote, did you make it back out on Cutler? I guess it will get tough from now on, maybe like Newton... Did you ever try it in your inflatable? If so any luck? Later J
[signature]
I do enjoy fly fishing moving water for trout sometimes, but when the bass started biting towards the end of April, I packed that away and haven't been since. I think you're right though, it might be about that time again.
[signature]
One of the Idaho waters I fish a lot for largemouth had a ton of rainbows planted there in June. A lot more of them survived the hot summer and low water than I expected as I've been catching maybe one for every three bass caught with my jerkbaits and lipless cranks. They are kind of fun when they go aerial. I haven't thought about keeping any out of there because of the mossy taste, but now that the water is only around 50, they may be worth a try again.
I'm with you on bait being boring. On the rare occasion I chase cats, I use a circle hook and a rod holder and fish for other species with lures while I wait. I couldn't imagine just sitting there staring at my line and waiting.
[signature]
I was surprised how fast the trout flavor improved last fall. I suspect they will be back to good eating by now. Since Cutler is way down today I'm thinking of Hyrum or Porcupine for my next trip. Later J
[signature]
I'll have to try some next time I'm up there. With me throwing jerkbaits and lipless cranks lately, one or two of them are likely to end up better off in an oven than back in the lake.
[signature]
Nice mud hole
[signature]
I wonder if this is as low as it will go? It sure looks
. I still see a little water in some areas, but its not much. Fish eating birds are sure thick and busy cleaning up the stranded fish. Catch ya later J
[signature]