Bear lake cisco 01/20/03

[wiperhunter2]

Went cisco fishing today, it started off slow but soon we had our limits on the Rock pile. We met Crestliner and Plecopterahopper and saw the guy next to use catch a nice cutt.
We went deeper and tried for the macks but no luck, I had one on but did not get a good set and lost it. The GPS cord. that BLM gave on another post would have come in handy because it was very foggy and halfway to the rockpile and we just about ran aground. Good meeting you guys (crestliner&plecopterahopper), we will have to go after those wipers this summer. WH2
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[PREDATOR]

Tough bite on those macks right now hugh? They were everywhere from 45-100 ft deep but would only hit once and be gone. Too much choice of food compacted in that little area to force them to feed aggressivley. Sure got my butt kicked yesterday. Plus everyone who caught a mack that we saw kept them. One guy had two eight pounders and another mack on a stringer, another guy strung up a 5-6 lber. So, the guys catching them macks on the pile are doing a good job thining them out. The cisco fishing is pretty good though. Hey WH2, did you get any of them nine inchers so you can share the nine inch secret with us? BLM wouldnt share the secret with me, the only secret he showed me was how to look like an idiot while reeling in a rock. ITS A MACK! ITS A MACK! Then theres a thousand eyes on you while you release youe rock.
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[plecopterahopper]

We also had fun today at the Bear, we launched on the beach by spinnaker and made a couple of blind loops in the fog before I remembered that I had thrown in a compass (I don't know why I took it, but it sure came in handy). We blindly plowed through the fog until the silouette of about fifteen boats came into view like a vision of fishing heaven. (Thanks BLM, your directions were right on) Right off the bat snagged a cysco with a gold cast master (one of three that I lost to the rockpile, or was it four, I can't remember) We ended up getting about 40 cysco and one sucker before we decided to try for some macks. We ended up getting several bites and had a couple on for brief periods, but didn't land any. One lucky fish is swimming around with one of my jigs in his mouth, must have wanted it more than I wanted him.

I met WH2, and I have to thank him, he is very friendly and helped us out a lot. He let us borrow one of his anchors which helped us catch cysco better. It was awesome to meet you and I look forward to chasing Wipers this summer. I saw Crestliner, but didn't get over to talk to him. I also saw some of Tubedude's handi-work, WH2 was using one of Tube Dude's jigs and pulling out 3 cysco to our one.

It was great to meet some of you and awesome to use the advice that so many of you have given. Thanks again for all of your help, you guys are awesome.
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[wiperhunter2]

Now the secret is out, Plecopterahopper I told you not to tell BLM or Predator, ha,ha, just kidding. Yea, Tube Dudes perch urchine did the trick, thanks TD. We only caught two that were close to nine inches and they were only 8.5, it's still early this year maybe next week we will catch the big one's. BLM and Predator I look forward to seeing you guys and the big rock on Doug Miller. Rock On and it's a big one. WH2
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[BearLakeMack]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]Man, I wish I would of known that secret! I just tied a hook to a sinker and used that. I didn't realize you needed to use your fancy stuff to snag cisco. WH2, you're gonna have to show me that secret technique! My sinker will only catch 7 inchers. It must not attract the big cisco into snagging range. BTW, how many rocks did you catch? I'll bet I can catch more rocks than you![][/size][/font]
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[plecopterahopper]

Whoops, didn't know that was a secret, oh well, serves you right for catching them so fast while we were just playing with them. Those are sure some neat looking jigs you make Tube Dude. Do you have a website with your jigs or a catalog, I would like to buy some.
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[wiperhunter2]

You have me beat with your superior rock catching prowess, I caught 0. You will have to take me out sometime and show me your technique and I'll show you mine. WH2
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[BearLakeMack]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3][#122629]OK, WH2, I’ll show you my secret. Better yet, I’ll tell you it first so you can practice it at home before you go because it can be a little tricky for the first timer. [/#122629][/size][/font]

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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3][#122629]I’m going tell you right now, that rock is the best way to get cisco. You’re saying what? A rock? Yup, a rock. Go ahead laugh, get it out of your system…[/#122629][/size][/font]

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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3][#122629]Now, everyone is out there with every jig you can imagine in every configuration possible trying to snag cisco but I’m just gonna have to tell you, it ain’t the best method to get’em. Most guys are out there using that jerk/jig/snag thing, rippin’ that hook through the water at mach 2 trying to hook them little fish and you know what it works but it also just rips your bait up something fierce. Blood, fish guts and eggs, and anything else you can imagine that can come out of those little citters.[/#122629][/size][/font]

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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3][#122629]I, on the other hand, have devised a method that keeps the bait intact without any open wounds that can contaminate the bait in anyway and it’s a more humane way than this barbaric snagging that cause undue stress and pain on your cisco. Remember happy bait is good bait![/#122629][/size][/font]

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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3][#122629]The first thing you need to do is get a good sinker. Not just any old sinker but one of those trolling sinkers or torpedo sinkers with a loop on both ends. It don’t matter how heavy it is but you want it kinda heavy, about 1 ½ ounces or so. Attach a big ole (but legal) treble hook to it by any means possible. A snap, or a split ring or just anything that will keep that hook attached to the sinker. [/#122629][/size][/font]

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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3][#122629]Tie this to the end of your line but make sure you got a good stout pole. I’ll explain why later but tie a good knot cause it’s got to hold some weight. Now you’re ready to get you some cisco.[/#122629][/size][/font]

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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3][#122629]Drop that big snagging jig down to the bottom of the lake and start feeling around and snag you a good heavy rock. If it don’t feel heavy enough, shake it off and snag you another. That’s the reason for the heavy pole. You got to be able to jig your rock! Now I can hear you now sayin’ “What in the world does snagging a rock have to do with getting cisco?”. Just hold on, I’m getting there, Hoss.[/#122629][/size][/font]

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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3][#122629]Now that you got your rock ready you need to start jigging that rock. Lift it up about 2 to 3 feet and let it fall but don’t let it hit the bottom. Stop it short. What you’re trying to do is bonk the ciscos on the head to knock’em out but if you go to the bottom you end up smashing the poor things and then they’re useless as bait. [/#122629][/size][/font]

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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3][#122629]See, when you bonk’em on the head, it knocks’em out and they float right to the top. That’s when you use them long handle nets to scoop'em up. And you thought they were just for shallow dip net. The reason the handles are long is so you can get the ones that float up out of reach of the boat. Keep doing this until you’ve got enough for your limit. When you’re done, release your rock and you can catch it next year.[/#122629][/size][/font]

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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#122629][size 3]With this proven method you have no big gashing holes in your bait and the ciscos will never know what hit’em and they die happy fish which make happy bait. So go ahead and try this out and improve your chances to make better bait.[/size][/#122629][/font]
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[TubeDude]

[cool] Dang it, WH2, whydja hafta spill the beans? Just for the record, I ain't in the tackle business. I don't sell my stuff, but I will be happy to share pics, writeups, instructions, diagrams, emails and even maybe a "test package" with those who know how to beg and grovel well enough.

I have been tying flies and experimenting with lure making for $#@ years. I'm kinda creative and I have been fortunate enough to come up with a whole buncha unique fly patterns and lure designs that ACTUALLY WORK. Like other folks who hang out here, I am a sharing kinda guy, so I don't mind passing on what I can, in the interest of helping others find new dimensions.

I think the lures WH2 has found so effective are probably the hammered sinker versions of my "perch urchins". About twenty years ago I began decorating Kastmasters with green prism tape, and adding chartreuse eyes, to catch the big perch and walleyes in Deer Creek and Yuba. That was inspired by seeing the large perch fry protruding from the gullets of many of my largest fish caught on other type jigs.

The original models worked so well, I experimented with different sizes and colors. Long before lure manufacturers started making lead jigging spoons, I found a bin of long saltwater sized sinkers, with wire loops on either end, in a closeout bin at Smith and Edwards. I bought a few, hammered them into a thin shape, prism taped and painted them and absolutely hammered the big perch through the ice in deep water. I bought the rest of the sinkers still in the bin on my next trip back to S & E. Still have a bunch of the original batch, but also pour my own these days.

As I recall, the white with a red eye, hot red and chartreuse with a red eye were the good colors last year on cisco. I usually take several colors and as the light conditions and depths change, I rotate until I find the hot ticket. I don't know which ones BLM's rocks might favor. Maybe a good brown model.

I also make a whole line of "bait bugs"...jigs especially designed to be fished with a piece of "sweetener" on them. Some are plain and others with spinner blades...the old Roadrunners. They are great for vertical presentations both in open water and through the ice.

I'm not at my home computer right now (goofing off at the office), but I will put up a post later with pics of the "urchins" and the bait bugs. Anyone who wants directions on how to make and fish them can email me at [url "mailto:pscouten@qwest.net"]pscouten@qwest.net[/url] or send me a PM through the BFT channels here. Most of them are not hard to make, but there are some subtle tricks to turning out the fancy stuff...including the use of glitter paints, adding eyes, etc. I use a lot of the synthetic "craft cord" and other materials you find in hobby shops, in the "Plastic Canvas" section. It makes some fantastic fly patterns too. Be happy to send some pics of those patterns if you are interested.
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[wiperhunter2]

What a great way to start my day off, laughing always makes for a great start. BLM, you must have missed a few cisco from the day before because we saw many floating cisco yesterday. By the way, what is the ideal weight for those rocks, I don't want to get the wrong size and get smashed cisco as a result. WH2
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[BearLakeMack]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]You have to match your rod to your rock. See, the problem that Predator had is he tried to get too big a rock. He doesn't quite have the feel for it yet but he's getting it down. By the end of the day he was a cisco bonkin' fool. [/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]Ya, smashed cisco are bunk. That's why I told you to practice out in the front yard at home. Get it down before you go.[/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]I also had to get Predator to slow down because, as any experience cisco bonker knows, it takes a while for the fish to float to the surface after getting bonked. By the time I got him stopped, we had enough cisco floating on the surface for seven guys and there was only us and another boat. We only gathered our limits and the birds ate what they could. I didn't think there were that many out there! Wow, I can't believe you saw some the next day![/size][/font]
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[wiperhunter2]

I tried practicing in my front yard just now and I think I'll do it in my back yard from now on. Some guy came up to me and ask me what I was doing and when I told him I was practicing to
bonk cisco on the head at Bear lake he just looked at me funny
and walked away shaking his head. Some guys just don't have a clue. WH2
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[BearLakeMack]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]You are so right! Have a good day at work, WH2![/size][/font]
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