Jordanelle Report 8-28-04

[TubeDude]

[url "javascript: addTag('cool')"][cool][/url][#0000ff]Sorry, no pics. Only shot I took was Hustler in the early morning. The glare off his bare legs (in his tube) and the glow of his blue kneecaps ruined the picture. Didn't even think to shoot any pics of perch, trout or smallies. They are all pretty much the same old stuff.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Got to meet Al (Hustler) for the first time last night. He came over to look over my tackle stash. Had a heck of a time convincing him that we needed to go to bed if we were going to get up for a daybreaker at Jordanelle.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]TubeBabe and I hit the gate at 6 AM, just as it opened and we were launched at the PWC launch ramp by 6:30. Air temp was in the mid 40's and water temp was 63 at the ramp and 64 out in the lake.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Unlike previous trips, we did not start seeing lots of fish on the sonar at once. As it got lighter, we saw some surface activity from trout, and the water was calm. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]A hundred yards west of the ramp, we started getting into a few perch, and I lost a nice rainbow. Exercised a couple of small smallies and noticed Hustler just pulling into the parking lot. Took him a long time to get down and launch with his waderless bare legs. Cool, man.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]TubeBabe and I were beating up on the small perch and I took a couple in the 10 or 11 inch range. Hustler finally got out into the zone and got bent on a 14" smallie. I followed it with a 13" one, and then some 10 inchers.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Hustler and myself left TubeBabe to play with the "locals", while we kicked over to the brushy shoreline to the west. I trolled a small "fuzzy rainbow" spinner and got assaulted by a fiesty 15" rainbow. Saw quite a few others popping the surface, chasing something.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I left Hustler behind to work the brush with his wacky Senkos, while I casted Roadrunners and spinners. Only got a few here and there, until I rounded a point and found a big cove with riprap shoreline. My sonar showed the bottom paved with fish up to five feet off the bottom, in 12 to 15 feet of water.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]For the next hour and a half, I caught fish on almost every cast. Well over a hundred perch and easily 30 to 40 smallies. The perch were up to 11 inches. The smallies were mostly under 10 inches, but I did lip a 15, two 14's and several 12 to 13's. A lot of fun on my light action 7 foot with 4# line.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I lost two bigger smallies. One to a sunken tree and the other just pulled loose on a power dive. The breeze began to pick up around 10:30 and I was thinking I should work my way back so that we could show up at CBR's burger & hot dog shindig. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Actually, a "friendly" boater helped motivate me to move out. Just after I released another nice smallie, the boaters motored in and started flinging casts all around my tube. When I asked if they were running short of water to fish, I was told "You don't own the damn lake". Not wanting to be on the early news, I quietly just moved on out of the cove and kicked back over to join TubeBabe and Hustler.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Before getting out and hunting up CBR, I had to give Hustler's rod some training. Seems it was inexperienced and couldn't hook those pesky perch. Got it straightened out though.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The breeze was picking up as we loaded the tubes in the two cars and caravaned over to campsite 103. CBR, wife and friends (non BFTers) were grilling up a storm, with both hamburgers and hot dogs just coming off the grill. We did our part to make sure none of it went to waste. Traded a few of my new jiggy bugs to CBR to help offset the expense of our glut.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Thanks Craig, wife and friends for a hospitable lunch. It really hit the spot after a stint on the waters. Hope some other folks showed up after we left. Too bad you went to all that effort for such a puny turnout as the "terrible trio".[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]For you troutaholics, I would suggest that you look at Jordy for some daybreakin'. Toss some spinners or throw some bubble and flies. The fish were often working within easy casting distance of shore, but if you have a tube, they were working all morning out away from the bank. The cooling waters are getting them more active.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]One final note. Several of the perch we kept for the table had big guts on them, when we filleted them. Inspection of the stomach contents revealed several with plastic baits in their digestive tracts. One had two front sections from 3" or 4" twisters in his stomach, and another had a 6" plastic worm. Voracious little devils.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[Hellsangler69]

Nice report TubeDude . I was going to make a effort to get there this morning but troubles at home have kept me home today . I haven't fished Jordanelle much at all this year and I am kicking my butt for not . Hopefully I get a chance soon .
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[url "javascript: addTag('cool')"][cool][/url][#0000ff]Sorry we missed you, and hope there will be another time. I understand about the duties and delays of personal obligations. We carry our cell phone out with us these days, just in case we get "the call". My mom is teetering on the edge, and sometimes we have to get away for awhile to keep from losing it ourselves.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Hope everything works out for you and that you are able to fit in some quality time on the water. Fishing is the best "brain broom" I know of.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[tomegun]

[#804000]Didya see me. I was the first vehicle/boat at the main gate. Our club had a small tournment at Lake X today, my team took fourth in the event. I ran away with individual honors, but it doesn't count in a buddy(team) tournment. I nailed the second biggest fish at 18 1/2"(we measured lengths today, weights were for our own personal enjoyment). I caught most of my fish on a Maniac #036 Predator stickbait(senko you heathens).[/#804000]
[signature]

[doggonefishin]

Thanks as always for the excellent report. I was wondering if you could show or tell what a "roadrunner" is. It sounds like a great multipurpose-multispecies lure for the float tuber who doesn't have room for too many lures. Also, on the big bellied perch, I probably contributed a jig tail or two to them on Friday, I suppose they are in no condition to have them returned (oh well).
[signature]

[maniac]

Well Tomegun it sounds like you might of done better than we did we caught some runts and a hand full of twelve inchers to 2-1/2 pounds it was most definatly a morning bite for us.Sorry we missed you guys at the marina this afternoon the next thing we knew it was 3:45 and figured it was all wrapped up by then.We threw in the towell about 6:00pm

[Xman]

hey tube,
do you have to pay right now to get into rockcliffs? or is it still closed and have to walk in. also let me know when your going to willard i was thinking i could put you guys on some wipers up there.
[signature]

[wiperhunter2]

Great report Pat, I always thought other fishermen were friendlier that the guys you ran into, I wonder why they were trying to crowd you so much? Maybe they saw you doing good and thought you were on a hot stop, think they were in that little tournament? WH2
[signature]

[Tubeman]

I was up there Tuesday, and yes you still have to pay, and yes technically it is still closed. But, as Senkonate investigated if you fish weekends or after 5PM when the crew isn't there the only dilema you face is getting past the interrogator at the entrance booth. When we arrived I pulled out the season day use pass, she asks are you staying over night? I have an electric motor on my pontoon, but the registration numbers are on the seat back in plain sight, she tells me that if I have a motor on my boat I have to register it. Next she tells me that the road is closed until november, but I nodded my head on drove on in. Once I got to the water there was a husband, wife, and their daughter who had drove right through, missed the interrogation and drove to the water anyway. Oh well, felt good to finally see someone from the DWR...

[TubeDude]

[url "javascript: addTag('cool')"][cool][/url][#0000ff]Hey Guns, didn't see ya. I got there as the last set of taillights was leaving the gate. If I had known you were using the lake, I would have gone to Deer Creek. Oh yeah, glad you made a good showing in the tournament. What else would we expect of you?[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]To Xman: Thanks to Tubeman for covering the Rock Cliffs situation. I am still waiting for it to open up again. Got plenty of places to wet a line...like Willard. Do you have any time over the next 3-day weekend? Shoot me a PM and we will work out a plan.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]To WH2: I don't think the inconsiderate boaters were tournament guys. Most of the pros (besides T-Gun) have more class and sportsmanship. These guys hardly even knew how to handle their boat or cast a lure. I didn't see them get a fish. As a float tuber, I have met these guys on just about every water I have ever fished. All I can do is shake my head and boogie. I have mellowed in my old age, but I wasn't always so quick to leave the water to the idiots.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[url "javascript: addTag('cool')"][cool][/url][#0000ff]Hey DF, you don't want the "remains" of that plastic. Ugly. Shame on ya for contributing to the delinquency of those perchies. Happens to all of us when we fish plastics up there. Those perch got no shame or sense of proportion. They eat any lure of any size...much to the frustration of the bass chasers.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I am attaching some pics and a writeup I have put together on Roadrunners. In a nutshell, they are jigs with spinner blades attached. They create both flash and vibration to help bring fish into your plastic or bait. I include them in my line of "baitbugs"...to be used with a piece of perch meat or worm. I also pour them with the barbed collar, for use with plastics.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]One of the things we will be covering in the Monday night jig party, at Petty's place in Ogden, will be pouring and dressing those Roadrunners. If anyone misses it, we will be having more...in SLC and both north and south.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I also attached a pic of some of the single hook spinners I prefer. I make them both as "jig spinners" (with a jig body poured on a piece of spinner wire) and "spinner flies". These single hooks allow easier use of bait, and tend to hold better when you hook a larger fish. There is also one example of a "jingle jig", with a spinner and wire added to a regular baitbug. These are great for bottom bouncing or vertical jigging.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]PM me if you need any additional info, or help in making your own.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[signature]

[hustler898]

Now to continue the report... Following TubeDudes departure to the chunkrock cove I decided to stay behind and keep an eye on Tubebabe. It seems that there was a nasty little pontooner in the area crowding the babes fishing space. Well...Ok I just didn't want to kick so far. I later discovered that the pontooner was Craig or if you prefer "Mr. all you can eat hot dogs and Hamburgers" YUM. I managed 2 more smallies in the 10 to 11" range and a few perch. After TD returned we traded rods for a while and TD imediately began hooking perchies with my rod. Thanks for the rod training TD. It seems my hook setting technique was inadequate for those fiesty little buggers. Once I got the hang of the "wrist flick" hook set technique it was a breeze.

Met Craig and crew at his campsite and replenished ourselves on several hotdogs, hamburgers and sugar laden soda pop. Took a few pictures of the meet and greet and TD and TB said thier goodbyes. Seems like the older folk had to go take thier afternoon nap [url "javascript: addTag('sly')"][sly][/url]. Sat around BSing for a while and decided to hike it in to TD's top secret cove. Craig rowed in on his pontoon. The smallies weren't cooperative at all. Mid day is not the optimal time to hunt Bass. Did catch 2 more little dinks in that cove. both were a whopping 6". Kind of reminds me of the narrows at Pineview with respect to fish size and structure. Craig caught a nice 18-19" Rainbow trolling/rowing the area using TD's patented purple peril single hook spinners.

At 4:00 we decided to call it quits and headed back to the campsite to plan our assault on the Rockcliff smallies. 6:00pm, Craig and I arrived at Rockcliff. Being law abiding citizens we respected the no trespass sign and hiked our gear down to the lake. I had to return to the campsite since I left my smallie baits behind. Fatigue does strange things to your alertness, LOL. When I returned I found Craig rowing the area trolling the purple peril spinner and sporting an ear to ear grin. Seems that in the 30 min. I was gone he had nonstop action and landed several nice smallies. Took some snap shots of his latest victim a fat 18" smallie and quickly released it. Of course the bite ended and I didn't land a smallie and Craig just hooked some perch.

All in all a fun day of fishing. Met some great people and made a new friend. I got to stop with these fishing marathons! Arrived at Jordenelle 6:30am and left the water at 9:00 Pm.

Be warned, if you intend on driving down to the lake on the Rockcliff side make sure you have an off road vehicle. Craig almost high centered in his car.
[signature]

[Xman]

i will be in yellowstone for this three day holiday fighting the battalions of campers. but perhaps next week or so if you can pull it. i usually go after work but i know its alot longer a drive for you. ill just stay in touch see if a time will work out for there.
[signature]

[PREDATOR]

Looks like saturday was BFT day on lake X. I was there too.
It was a pretty low day for us.
We only boated 15 smallmouth, 2 trout, and too many perch.
Most of our smallmouth were of o.k. size. No big ones.
[inline 100_0286.JPG]

Like Tomegun, fish were caught on "[#804000][size 1]a Maniac #036 Predator stickbait.[#000000]"[/#000000][/size][/#804000]
Boy was it cold in the morning. Before the old sun came up, my hand was nearly froze to the frigid metal of my reel.
[inline 100_0282.JPG]
So, there you have it.
Not my best day, but it was ok.
I was on a searching mission for the day though.
It was time to find some new water to catch smallmouth in.
I did end up finding some, so its all worth doing.
[signature]

[leaky]

Good report Dude, Tomme, Pred. and everyone else!

Lake X is a wonderful place for smallies isn't it, especially when you know what you're doing like you guys! I've got to get down there with the tube and find one of the spots you guys are using. Need to find a way in to those spots without paying since I'm so cheaaaaaap! Will probably check it out after I get back from the Snake. Another problem, I've gotten lazy, early morning is tougher on me now. I know, stop the whining and get off my duff!!!!!!!!
Dude - maybe I could volunteer some 06 practice from the shore hills to help ya with those not too considerate boaters. Need some long range target practice for the upcoming season. I think I could put a couple about 6-9 in below the water line. They'd never catch me. LOL
[url "http://javascript:%20addTag('crazy')/"][crazy][/url][url "http://javascript:%20addTag('crazy')/"][crazy][/url][url "http://javascript:%20addTag('crazy')/"][crazy][/url]Leaky

[hustler898]

Mr. Leaky ( always show respect to your elders)[url "javascript: addTag('')"][][/url]

I heard of a spot on 40 that you can pull off and walk down to the lake. It's just a mile or so before the hailstone exit as you headed towards I-80 from Heber. Here's the catch, it ain't legal to pull off on the side of the road. Many have done it and aren't ticketed. I imagine it would be a gamble. Let me know how it goes if you try it.
[signature]

[scottieb]

Hey TubeDude;
sounds like a great day at lake X. inspite of the rude boaters. I just bought me a 15 foot tri hull and would like to fish lake x. the motor is a two cycle and smokes alot (if i keep it very long i might have to change my handle to oldsmokey) but the ele. troling motor is nice and quite. Thinking of taking time off work Wed. and going up. Would greatly appreciate some hints or if you would like to ride along in old smokey will like some company. I have never fished lake X before. I need all the help i can get. Until two years ago all the fishing i did was with fly rod and mostly dry fly. OldCoot is a long time frend andhe got me started in a boat.
[signature]

[scottieb]

Thanks for the info.
It helps alot and I hope to beable to post some good news.

scottieb

I just keep on learning.
[signature]

[CBR]

Thanks for coming out and for the great tackle. The purples produced very well for me on Sunday on the rock cliff side. Caught 11 perch, 3 bows, and 5 smallmouths. All bows were about 15-17 inches largets smally was about 14 inches and all the perch were dinks as usual. Great fun though.

Will have a complete two day report done later this afternoon.
[signature]

[CBR]

Al, was great meeting up. I think we should definately do this again. Up for hunting some muskie at the end of this month? They should be more active then. And if they aren't hitting the smally action there is not too shabby. Gotta go thru alot of dinks to get a good sized one though.

Great meeting all of you. And thanks for helping eat all those burgers and hotdogs.

DOH the fish covered the BFT sticker, owell. Ate the trout Saturday night for dinner. Tasty, not as good as the smaller ones though.
[signature]