Summer Break Fishin

[lvrider]

I went to lake mead three times over this summer break. I also did some fishing while up at duck creek, Utah. I love seein others catch so I figured I should post some of my catches. Since there are a few different fishing trips I'll just make this thread be a compilation of my fishing adventures.
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[lvrider]

The first trip to lake mead we launched from boulder harbor around midnight. Didn't really know where to fish so we decided to try out the islands. We could hear them jumping all night but did not really have any luck until 4 am. I also think this was due to the fact we were in too deep of water until 4 am. At four we found a channel I guess you would call it in between some of the islands. They were really jumping in this channel. My buddy caught the first one and it gave us inspiration we were actually going to catch something. We made a couple passes through the channel drifting with the current through the channel. Gave that up and tried a cove in the islands were it was not so deep. I think I caught one dink in the cove. Couldn't really get into any more stripers so we gave the carp a try. Chummed with corn and got one carp. Gave this spot up and tried fishing by the water facility thing off to the side of the boulder marina. Saw lots of fish on the finder so I was thinking it would be a hot spot. We saw a guy fishing it all night also... Caught a cat that had a fat belly. We caught everything on chovies besides for the carp.
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[lvrider]

Second trip we launched from Callvile. Since it was during the week and wasn't busy we tried fishing big sandy beach. Again we launched around midnight. Got lots of bites/nibbles from the dinks. We both caught a couple stripers. Gave this area up after the sun was up for awhile and people started showing up to the beach. Went back past the marina into some cove where there was a floating dock with some kind of equipment on it. Shored the boat to explore the shore. I left a worm under a clear bobber in the water while we were exploring. Came back and found I had a small LMB on the line. His head was almost as big as his body. Since I caught a LMB we decided to anchor just a little ways off shore and give it a try. Twice in this area my line was what seemed to be cut in half. Once while I was bobbin a worm and again when soaking corn. Could this have been from a turtle chopping on my line? Or was it just cut from rubbing on rocks? Caught the stripers on chovies. Caught the LMB on night crawler.
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[lvrider]

This trip to lake mead was the best. We launched from boulder and headed towards hole 33. Again we made the trek in the night. Since the water was so calm and smooth when we got there I tried top water popper pretty much the whole night until the sun came up. Never did really get a bite but they were jumping so much I couldn't give it up. I am beginning to wonder if these jumping fish are even what I am after. Do carp jump at night also?

We went up farther past hole 33. Right before the sun came up 3 or 4 boats came storming into the cove that I have been anchored in. I figured this time I was probably in the right spot. We then seen the shad. Took a few throws to get the hang of the net but eventually we caught shad. Then we caught stripers. Caught so many we lost count.It was the first time my buddies friend ever caught a striper. When we even had a two fish on at once a few times. This was the best fishing day I have had so far at lake mead.
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[lvrider]

In between the Lake Mead trips I went to my aunts cabin in Duck Creek, Utah. They have a private fishing pond for their cabin association. It usually was not all that great of fishing until these past couple years. Last year someone had a bbq at the pond and stocked it with fish that were 2-3 times the size of the fish that were usually stocked. So this spring I think my father and I caught a couple of the holdovers. I added a picture my fish in the net with other average sized fish for reference. If Navajo Lake wouldn't have been frozen we may not have caught these lunkers.
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[lvrider]

My sisters friends came up this time so we fished the pond again. It was the younger one's first time fishing. The others do not fish often so it was fun to give them the chance to reel some in. My sister got a lunker close to shore but was not experienced in working a fish in rather than reeling it in. So in the excitement of having a big one and trying to teacher how to work it in, it got away. We still had fun catching all the others and had a great time being out of town. We smoked the big fish I caught the weekend before. It was so good non sea food eaters even ate it... or at least gave it a try. The left overs we turned into a sandwich like some make from canned tuna with mayonnaise and relish.
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[lvrider]

Went up to the cabin one last time before summer class starts and caught another fair sized one. It was bigger than the cooler. This happened after teaching some fellow las vegans how to use the bobber and a long enough leader. They had two girls and they weren't catching anything and thought it was because our spot was better. I caught one next to them and let one of the girls reel it in, to show them they could catch fish there.
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[Erawk]

Wow. Lot's of fishing, I'm a little jealous, haha. I'm definitely going to get out this weekend. That was a nice 20" striper you guys pulled in.

As far as the jumping fish... I'm convinced that 90% of the solitary fish I see jumping when I'm out there are Carp. That's why I'll never go out there again without at least one can of corn. I know it drove me batty over the years watching fish jump when I wasn't catching anything. I try to play closer attention and get a glimpse of the fish when they jump. At night, if your at the right angle you can use the moonlight to see them better. If they're not reflective at all, and appear darker in color, they are probably carp. I believe that jumping carp are said to be spawning and therefore not feeding; but carp travel in groups and individuals spawn at different times.

Those trout sure were pretty too. Hatchery trout can be boring. We indefinitely postponed our Utah trip this year =(. We were catching nice 20+ inchers at Panguitch a few years back. They were delicious. Smoked trout sounds great, I'd like to do that. What kind of wood did you use to smoke it?

It was nice of you to help the noobs get into the strike zone. Way to go man.

Thanks for the extensive report!
Fish on [fishin]
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[lvrider]

I believe it was mesquite that we used in the smoker this time. I hear good things about alder wood and would like to try that. I have also heard of cajun wood and would like to give that a try, but have not seen it in stores yet. My smoker is the orion can smoker. http://www.amazon.com/Orion-Charcoal-Hol...B000MWDHZQ The orion smoker is sealed and the charcoals are on the outside. So not only does it smoke the fish it also steams it in its own juices(or what ever juices you add.)

Being so busy with school this was the first time I got to go fishing all year long. So I wanted to get all the fishing in I could. I'd like to get out once or twice more to catch shad again. How long do the shad boil in the shallows for approximately?

I think I would have to catch quite a few more stocker rainbows to get bored with it :p. Altough I would like to learn how to fish Fish Lake, Utah. I think it would be amazing to catch a mack.
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[NParry]

Well done! It's time ont he water that catches lotsa fish.

And, I agree, lots of Carp jumping at Mead. Whenever I go play at Sunset Park for an hour or so, I watch them jumping all the time. Not sure why they do, but they do, and often.....
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[montananinnv]

nice work man, you kicked some ass on your time off. keep it up.
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[BaySport]

Took a few throws to get the hang of the net but eventually we caught shad. Then we caught stripers. Caught so many we lost count.It was the first time my buddies friend ever caught a striper. When we even had a two fish on at once a few times. This was the best fishing day I have had so far at lake mead.

It's hard to beat live bait. Nice post, great pics.
BaySport
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[giddyup]

My old roommate's parents have a cabin in Duck Creek. We used to go up there a couple a year and go fishing at that pond and at Navajo Lake. Haven't been up there in about 7 or 8 years though. We never caught any fish like that though. Nice fish. Always loved to fish Navajo in the fall when the leaves start changing color. Never caught any big fish there ,but you can't beat the scenery. We also used to get the best beef jerky up there from a guy who would sell it out of his van.
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[Erawk]

Mesquite is probably the easiest to find along with hickory. If you ever find any applewood, give that a try. My buddy used to smoke ribs with it, quite good.
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[lvrider]

Yea I agree mesquite and hickory are the easiest to find. That is why I ended up with the mesquite. If I had more of a selection at the time I would have tried alder or apple. I have smoked with cherry, pecan mesquite, and hickory. I like them all. Sometimes I get fancy and I like to blend cherry and pecan too. I think once at the dunes a buddy brought tri tips and applewood and it was amazing.
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[lvrider]

I love duck creek. I have never caught any fish like that from there either. I also love Navajo. You are right about not being able to beat the scenery. Way easier on the eyes than lake mead.

Thank you everyone for your comments. This is a great board... even if one guy does try to ruin it bashing on others []
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[lvrider]

So does any one know how long the shad boil for before they go deep?
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[TheWhizzle]

Well, the shad don't actually boil- It is the large schools of stripers that herd the shad up to the surface and attack, making the water erupt. They start in the summer, and the boils can last all the way til the end of December. Every year they act just a little different, but summer through late fall is typical pack feeding season. I don't ever remember seeing a striper boil after January.






I love when they are on top.

Zara Spooks are my favorite by far- but lots of things work well.



Spit'n Image



Weightless soft jerkbaits can kill. Work them quickly into the boil, then just let em sink. Deadly... Use whites, clear with some sparkle, or a shad color.

[url "http://zoombait.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/IMG_7942.jpg"][/url]
[url "http://zoombait.com/trickflukes/flukes/fluke/"][/url]
[url "http://zoombait.com/trickflukes/flukes/super-fluke/"][/url]



The Buzz Bomb / Zinger brand SPINNOW is a killer-. You can cast it a mile, and work through the bottom of a boil, where the big fat lazy stripers sit and wait for injured shad to sink down.
Spinnow - Chrome
Spinnow - Black Pearl



Chrome on sunny days, Black Pearl on overcast or low light conditions.

That seems to be the rule when fishing the striper boils - When it is sunny, throw the shiny chromes and silvers. When you have some cloud cover or when it is early and late in the day, throw the white and bone colored lures. The chromes reflect the clouds and seem to almost disappear to the fish. I dont know what they are seeing, but it works for me.

Enough already! Too many pictures going on here...

Good Luck!

The Whizzle
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[lvrider]

Great post TheWhizzle. I love all the pictures. That explains striper boils.I have always wondered how to properly rig a plastic. Does the white/silver sunny/cloudy apply to Zara Spooks as well?
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[TheWhizzle]

yup
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