Lonely at Echo 7-15-21

[TubeDude]

I generally like to make  a couple of trips on Echo about mid August.  By then the perch fry are large enough that the predators are herding them into shore and are willing targets.  But since Echo is  only 30% full in July...and because the park is planning to close soon...for remodeling...I figured I'd better give it a shot.



Arrived just ahead of the 6 am "opening".  No gate and nobody at the station.  Drove down the long ramp to find a closed sign and red cones.  Saw that the end of the ramp was coming out of the water.  Makes sense.  Drove over to the "float tube launch ramp" on the gravel and prepped for launch.  Got to watch several would-be boaters drive down, check out the sign and the situation and then drive off.  One yakker launched from the gravel too.  And one of the boats drove over to the next point of gravel and was able to successfully launch.  But those were the only two other craft on the lake all morning.  Sometimes a bit of alone time is just great.
   



Started out with the usual routine.  Several dink perch in a row.  I was trying my new "mini whirly fligs" on one rod and a couple of small perch jigs on the other.  I baited up the weighted whirly flig with worm...as I did with the perch jigs.  The whirly was dragged slowly behind my tube as I made casts and vertical jigged with the other rod.  After spanking and releasing about the tenth perchlet my mini whirly rod suddenly bowed toward the water and line sang off the drag.  Whoa...what's dat?  A cat!  The first one I have ever caught from Echo.  About 19" of catitude.  Kissed and released.
   
   
   


A few perch later I dropped my perch jigs down to an "interesting anomaly" just off the bottom in 12' feet of water.  Got a good munch and set the hook into what felt like a good footlong perch.  Nope.  A "seegar" walleye.  Like the cat, my first from Echo.    That made 3 species in the first hour.  Now all I needed was a smallie or two for a 4 species "slam".
   



Started pitching a larger "pale perch" plastic for smallies.  Actually got a few dink smallies on the little whirly fligs.  But I wanted something larger.  I did get a couple of "underfooters" but nothing keepable or brag worthy.  At least I got my fourth species.
   



Fed a lot of worms to a lot of dink perch and other unknown "assailants" as I worked my way back to my vehicle.  Then, on one cast with the light rod and small jigs I had another MUNCH.  I set the hook and whatever was on the other end of the line wanted to be somewhere else.  Zinged my string, he did.  After a couple of minutes of give and take tussle I was discarding the idea of another cat and thinking maybe a carp.  Yep.  'Twere a big old toothless golden walleye.  He was the only fish I invited home.  Wanna introduce (some pieces of) him to some whiskery friends in Utah Lake next week.
   



It was fairly calm when I launched but a semi stiff breeze came up for a couple of hours.  However, by the time I crawled out of the water a little after 11 the lake was glass...with nary a jet ski, wakeboard or water skier on the whole lake.  Works for me.
   
   
   

[JArner]

sounds ideal for a kayak trip there soon.

[Joe_Dizzy]

30%???

I wonder how the coldwater releases are looking for rest of the summer to maintain the lower Weber trout fishery?

[Cowboypirate]

We were on the lake, too.. or just s couple hrs this morning. Can't believe we did not see you or your rig, but we were more north. Cookie got a whopper of a crappie, but I won't steal her thunder. She can report it.

[TubeDude]

We were on the lake, too.. or just s couple hrs this morning.  Can't believe we did not see you or your rig, but we were more north. Cookie got a whopper of a crappie, but I won't steal her thunder. She can report it.

Congrats on the crappie.  I saw a few marks that looked kinda "slabbish" but they weren't playing with my stuff.

I only fished on the east side for a little over an hour...and a bit south of the ramp.  Then I went across to the other side.  Shoulda stayed where I was didn't find much on the other side of the lake.  When I came back I resumed where I left off...dinks a plenty.

Did you guys find any decent sized perch?

[Freakyfisherman]

I generally like to make  a couple of trips on Echo about mid August.  By then the perch fry are large enough that the predators are herding them into shore and are willing targets.  But since Echo is  only 30% full in July...and because the park is planning to close soon...for remodeling...I figured I'd better give it a shot.



Arrived just ahead of the 6 am "opening".  No gate and nobody at the station.  Drove down the long ramp to find a closed sign and red cones.  Saw that the end of the ramp was coming out of the water.  Makes sense.  Drove over to the "float tube launch ramp" on the gravel and prepped for launch.  Got to watch several would-be boaters drive down, check out the sign and the situation and then drive off.  One yakker launched from the gravel too.  And one of the boats drove over to the next point of gravel and was able to successfully launch.  But those were the only two other craft on the lake all morning.  Sometimes a bit of alone time is just great.




Started out with the usual routine.  Several dink perch in a row.  I was trying my new "mini whirly fligs" on one rod and a couple of small perch jigs on the other.  I baited up the weighted whirly flig with worm...as I did with the perch jigs.  The whirly was dragged slowly behind my tube as I made casts and vertical jigged with the other rod.  After spanking and releasing about the tenth perchlet my mini whirly rod suddenly bowed toward the water and line sang off the drag.  Whoa...what's dat?  A cat!  The first one I have ever caught from Echo.  About 19" of catitude.  Kissed and released.





A few perch later I dropped my perch jigs down to an "interesting anomaly" just off the bottom in 12' feet of water.  Got a good munch and set the hook into what felt like a good footlong perch.  Nope.  A "seegar" walleye.  Like the cat, my first from Echo.    That made 3 species in the first hour.  Now all I needed was a smallie or two for a 4 species "slam".




Started pitching a larger "pale perch" plastic for smallies.  Actually got a few dink smallies on the little whirly fligs.  But I wanted something larger.  I did get a couple of "underfooters" but nothing keepable or brag worthy.  At least I got my fourth species.




Fed a lot of worms to a lot of dink perch and other unknown "assailants" as I worked my way back to my vehicle.  Then, on one cast with the light rod and small jigs I had another MUNCH.  I set the hook and whatever was on the other end of the line wanted to be somewhere else.  Zinged my string, he did.  After a couple of minutes of give and take tussle I was discarding the idea of another cat and thinking maybe a carp.  Yep.  'Twere a big old toothless golden walleye.  He was the only fish I invited home.  Wanna introduce (some pieces of) him to some whiskery friends in Utah Lake next week.




It was fairly calm when I launched but a semi stiff breeze came up for a couple of hours.  However, by the time I crawled out of the water a little after 11 the lake was glass...with nary a jet ski, wakeboard or water skier on the whole lake.  Works for me.

Wow, jelly of the walleye. I have yet to see or catch one there. Then again I gotta be fishing in order to be catching. First one I have seen caught from someone I know.  I thought Echo is still catch and kill on the walleye. When my business slows down enough to set a hook up date, Ill have to contact you. We are almost staffed enough to relax here and there. 
Gabe

[Therapist]

So, did the ranger say anything to you about parking on the beach?? Last time Deer Creek got way down, the lady ranger got all bent out of shape about parking on the beach. Made you walk all the way up and down to the lot. Threatened to give tickets. Just wondering !!

[wiperhunter2]

Wow, a five species day, congrats Pat. That little eye makes me think they are reproducing just fine there.

[Freakyfisherman]

We were on the lake, too.. or just s couple hrs this morning.  Can't believe we did not see you or your rig, but we were more north. Cookie got a whopper of a crappie, but I won't steal her thunder. She can report it.

I got a good batch of crappie like 3 years . The water was up of course. Just near the boat dock before sunrise. After sun came up, they dispersed elsewhere. 
Gabe

[TubeDude]

So, did the ranger say anything to you about parking on the beach??  Last time Deer Creek got way down,  the lady ranger got all bent out of shape about parking on the beach.  Made you walk all the way up and down to the lot.  Threatened to give tickets.  Just wondering !!

Deer Creek is run by Nazis...compared to Echo.  It has always been tolerated for folks to park down on the gravel shoreline around Echo...especially during extreme low water conditions.  If you pull up old screens of Echo on Google Earth you can usually see a few vehicles parked on the shore somewhere.  I have only fished it for about 3 years now and have never been hassled about it.

I got a "warning" on my window a couple of weeks ago for parking my (trailerless) vehicle in one of the spaces designated for vehicles with trailers at the Deer Creek island ramp.  I have been parking there for years without any problems.  But no more.  It is a L-0-0-0-0-0-0-NG walk up and down that ramp at low water...especially for an old geezer with health issues.  And even though I displayed my park pass, invasive species sheet and a parking disability pass I got the "warning".  And when I stopped at the gate to talk about it, the lady was very hostile...wanting me to pay a $20 fine.  I didn't.  Didn't help when I tried to reason I pay the same fees that the boaters do and I have more reason for wanting to park closer.  Her mind was made up so I couldn't confuse her with reality.

---

Wow, jelly of the walleye. I have yet to see or catch one there. Then again I gotta be fishing in order to be catching. First one I have seen caught from someone I know.  I thought Echo is still catch and kill on the walleye. When my business slows down enough to set a hook up date, Ill have to contact you. We are almost staffed enough to relax here and there. 
Gabe

You are right.  I just checked the regs and I am now an outlaw.
"•No limit for walleye. Anglers must not release any walleye they catch. All walleye must be immediately killed"

I guess I'll just wait outside for the law to show up with the handcuffs.

[fishskibum]

id jus say it escaped due to poor executioners skills
you know i d cause the one that pulled the hardest
and gots to go home for someones potentials dinners
yep ida guessed
natty dreadcarps
looks like the upside of the droughts gonna be
living simply
can still gitcha the piscatorial pursuit happiness of floating
and wakelessly at that
im gonna have to go check on those poopers
thanks for the info and report

[TubeDude]

id jus say it escaped due to poor executioners skills
you know i d cause the one that pulled the hardest
and gots to go home for someones potentials dinners
yep ida guessed
natty dreadcarps
looks like the upside of the droughts gonna be
living simply
can still gitcha the piscatorial pursuit happiness of floating
and wakelessly at that
im gonna have to go check on those poopers
thanks for the info and report

Lotsa PFs (poopfish) in Echo.  Early morning finds a lot of them cruising the surface...and a few hugging the shore a bit deeper during the day.  Not as many bigguns as other waters but an abundance for the whippy stick.

As the water continues to drop...and with no boat disturbances...the remaining denizens will be getting more concentrated and easier targets for fisherfolk.  Only hope there is enough of a conservation pool at the end of the year to keep a few fish alive.  But no matter how bad it gets we know your lovely pucker-faces will make it.

[2knots]

Well done Pat, you always seem to get quite the variety on your gear, glad I was introduced to it earlier this year.

[fishskibum]

one big honkin motor aint how the cool kids with cash do it no more 
so they tell me
its all about the bank o horses powers on the back

[TubeDude]

Well done Pat, you always seem to get quite the variety on your gear, glad I was introduced to it earlier this year.

Thanks.  Sounds like you've been keeping busy with the kokes.  Good on ya.  Won't be long until they turn red and you gotta settle for some more Willard denizens.

---

one big honkin motor aint how the cool kids with cash do it no more 
so they tell me
its all about the bank o horses powers on the back

Now that's a whole lotta kickers.  I'll bet it's fun getting them all started and running right.  And it must be an engineering nightmare to keep 'em steering right.

But..."Everybody to their own tastes" said the old maid as she kissed the cow.

[2knots]

Well done Pat, you always seem to get quite the variety on your gear, glad I was introduced to it earlier this year.

Thanks.  Sounds like you've been keeping busy with the kokes.  Good on ya.  Won't be long until they turn red and you gotta settle for some more Willard denizens.

---

yes they have and heading back to the gorge this afternoon, when they turn elk season will be here and that will be my focus. Hopefully we can make another Willard run sometime this fall although launching a boat might be a challenge

[TubeDude]

Well done Pat, you always seem to get quite the variety on your gear, glad I was introduced to it earlier this year.

Thanks.  Sounds like you've been keeping busy with the kokes.  Good on ya.  Won't be long until they turn red and you gotta settle for some more Willard denizens.

---

yes they have and heading back to the gorge this afternoon, when they turn elk season will be here and that will be my focus. Hopefully we can make another Willard run sometime this fall although launching a boat might be a challenge

Launching YOUR boat might be a challenge.  But not "mine".  However, I doubt I could fit you into my float tube.

[2knots]

Well done Pat, you always seem to get quite the variety on your gear, glad I was introduced to it earlier this year.

Thanks.  Sounds like you've been keeping busy with the kokes.  Good on ya.  Won't be long until they turn red and you gotta settle for some more Willard denizens.

---

yes they have and heading back to the gorge this afternoon, when they turn elk season will be here and that will be my focus. Hopefully we can make another Willard run sometime this fall although launching a boat might be a challenge

Launching YOUR boat might be a challenge.  But not "mine".  However, I doubt I could fit you into my float tube.

Lol yea that would be a sight, might have to use the drift boat

[fryman1]

That was me in the Lund. It is nice to have a smaller lighter craft I can launch without a ramp and having the peace and quiet from the power squadron. Well sounds like it will be closed soon. No slams for us but we did get into some healthy bass that day. My friend caught his pb and his bro in law from AZ caught his first ever bass.

If you all want a good laugh watch this short video. My friend should advertise for Gary Yamamoto. Pictures of the catch are included.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1KcTqCpy8k

[TubeDude]

That was me in the Lund. It is nice to have a smaller lighter craft I can launch without a ramp and having the peace and quiet from the power squadron. Well sounds like it will be closed soon. No slams for us but we did get into some healthy bass that day. My friend caught his pb and his bro in law from AZ caught his first ever bass.

If you all want a good laugh watch this short video. My friend should advertise for Gary Yamamoto. Pictures of the catch are included.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1KcTqCpy8k

Yeah.  You guys ruined what would have been my only perfectly boatless day on Echo.   But glad you found some basses for you and your guests.

Sounds like even when they close the ramp and facilities they will be leaving access open to the shoreline at select areas.  I plan to take advantage of that in my tube and maybe you can still find a safe spot to launch.