Hello All

[Erawk]

I'm new to the forum and wanted to introduce myself. I came across this site while researching a float tube purchase. I discovered pontoons along the way and ended up buying one of each (used). My tax return is gone [shocked]hah.

Anyway, I'm going to be going out for a maiden voyage at Meade pretty soon and thought i might as well try to make some new friends. I've mostly done night fishing @ Meade but will have to change that to get started floating (not much of an AM person, strange I know). I have mostly been a bank tangler so I'm still down for shore fishin... any kind of fishin really.

My cousins say I'm "Hardcore" or "diehard. First in the water and last one out. So when I say "new friends" i mean "new friends that love to fish as much as I do." []

So, I haven't really fished meade for a few years, and so... it's a whole new lake. Having grown up on it (2-3 wks at a time on summer breaks), it's kind of seeing its current condition. Meade has always been a hole in the desert but it used to be a nicer hole.
Nonetheless, I plan to spend a good amount of time there and anywhere else fishing this summer.

So enough about me, it's your turn to introduce yourself.
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[vegasback2id]

I have a pontoon, but do not fish at Mead. Too hot and I am not much of a night fisherman. We mainly go up to southern Utah, We go to Kolob Res. all summer. It is artificial only, no live bait or power bait. Nice place to go to get out of the heat.
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[Erawk]

Cool, Utah is the only other state I've fished in other than NV. Probably more (forgot to mention that). We've been going up to panguitch at least once a year for the last couple. Caught some nice ones a few weeks ago and I'm hoping to get up there once more before the weather warms up any more.

I believe I fished Kolob many years ago as a kid. I've been meaning to try out some other spots in UT but panguitch has been treating us pretty well, so...

Do you camp/lodge/hotel when you go to Kolob?

Thanks for the response. Fish On
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[stripercraze]

Welcome to the site. have not been out lately but the Vegas Wash, 33 Hole and Government wash areas should be productive right now. Check some previous posts there are a couple tubers that check in from time to time. If you live around the Henderson area there is a local striper club that meets monthly. There web site is listed here under fishing clubs nevada. Also there are a few Large Mouth Bass clubs to. Good luck!!!!! Can't wait to here about your results. Go out and save the Shad and catch some stripers.

Stripercraze
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[reellittlephish]

Hi Erawk,

Welcome to the forum. I'd dispute your claim that Mead is doing poorly. I am having the one of the best seasons I've had in 10 years of fishing it. I can remember a couple years when I'd fish all day for maybe one bite.
The lowered water has exposed many offshore reefs and humps which the bass and stripers use. Water level is gong down 2 more feet in next few weeks.
See my note on grass. That pondweed grows deep enough it is not dried out and killed by lowered water levels. This could be a very good thing for Mead.

On the downside, even though evidence of the quagga mussels is everywhere exposed by falling water levels fishing remains good. Though I have no scientific basis for that opinion, we may not see their massive effect on the food chain till later in the year or next year. Certainly the water right now is as fertile with algae as I've ever seen it.
I do know the mussels are a nuisance in terms of line abrasion. I am always retying and checking for nicks on any retrieve which comes over rocks. I upgraded one baitcaster from 10lb to 12 lb flurocarbon to address the problem.
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The Smallmouth bass population seems to be spreading and increasing. I caught a 2.5 lb'er last week and Julie caught a 3lb+ 2 weeks ago. Driving a red and white with black bottom 2007 Skeeter ZX 225. I don't often visit 33 Hole, but sometimes I am near Black Island or 3 Finger Coves. See you out there
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[Erawk]

Hi Phish,

Thanks for the reply. I'm not claiming the fishing is poor, just that the low water level (and resulting mud/soft shorelines), long drives from main roads & trash make visiting the lake less pleasurable than before. I'm actually catching more & bigger fish than I was a few years ago before I stopped going out. I'm sure there are some beneficial aspects of the lowered water, but in the long run I can't imagine it being a good thing.
The water had dropped by a couple feet (shore) between thursday before last and yesterday when I was out. Thanks for the info on the continuing drop.

I did notice some weeds just off a rock ledge I was fishing. I'm not sure how far it drops off but I'd imagine at least 10', so the weeds may be pretty tall there. They did hold fish although I couldnt tell what kind.

At any rate, I am glad to hear you're doing well. I sure would like to catch some SMB. I've never seen them at meade so that would be cool. I haven't found any spots that hold LMB's yet either, so looking forward to finding some new spots.

Thanks again for your post. See you there.[]
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[reellittlephish]

I sympathize on the long drives and the muddy approaches..Of course in the lower basin you get a lot of trash.
I had a 12 ft fiberglass boat when I first got to Vegas.....Got muddy more than once.

Looking for smallmouth...they move around, but Saturday I found some on shallow slick rock flat points. At right near the shore line to 15 ft out. Smacking shad in the shallows...They were hiding in any shady depression in the rock point or just off the edges. I was fishing in full sun. So hard mud banks might be good to try. Look for the veins of rock or calcite deposits.

On the sonar I see weedbeds as deep as 30 ft. Lots at 20 to 15 ft.

Otherwise, for smallmouth, I am targeting more gently sloping points - less than 45 degrees and trying to cover several points on a bank. Thing about smallies I've found is, right now if one is around he usually bites on the first well placed presentation. The little ones fight harder than the bigger cousins.

Those locations I mentioned around Black Island had largemouth on them last week. They seem to be on steeper banks and fish down to 30 ft. for larger ones. With a stealthy approach I was catching them right at the water line. If conditions are safe enough go around to the south side of Black Island. Some good spots there.

If you have a high clearance 4x4, Boathouse Cove Road might be good to explore. I haven't been near shore there, so you have to go look at the hike from the road's end. A little quieter and somewhat protected from the SW winds - at least you will get blown back to shore.

Been deadsticking plastic when it is slick and crankbaits when it is windy. Wonder about swimming a jig. Or dragging a slipshot and worm. I'll sometimes swim a grub. I saw some bluegill in the shallows at the launch ramps last week so bluegill patterns baits may be the ticket. Overall, the smallies are still regurgitating crawdads into the livewell..
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[Erawk]

Excellent info, Thank you.
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[vegasback2id]

I camp at Kolob. You could stay in a hotel in Hurricane or St George. There is no campground up there so it is all primative camping. There is a boat ramp and a couple of bathrooms. I like it cause you can camp right on the lake and leave your pontoon on the shore. I have only fished Panguitch a couple of times and prefer Kolob. I have not fished there since they replanted it. Minersville State park is another good place for spring and fall fishing. There is a campground there but we normally camp right on the water. There are hotels in Beaver which you could stay. Was there over Memorial weekend fishing was way slow. Water was really murky from the run off. It may be good the next couple of weeks when the water clears.
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