Full pool at Echo

[wiperhunter2]

Ira and I got up to Echo this morning and was greeted by a new state park, the grand opening is tomorrow and it is the fullest I've seen the lake in many many years. Here are a few pics.









On the way home we drove by the new bridge at Croydon, it pretty close to the water.


My guess is this is a temp bridge.

We tried for eyes then perch at Echo but no luck, so we finally decided to troll for trout and they were willing , we caught browns and bows up to 18". It is good to see the lake so full again.

[gofish435]

Thanks for the report and pics.  I'm glad the trout accommodated you guys.

It's great to see almost all of our reservoirs nearly full.

[barbs78]

How trout did you get? We are thinking of going to echo or east canyon saturday? Just trying to see if there biting and any good size!

[wiperhunter2]

How trout did you get? We are thinking of going to echo or east canyon saturday? Just trying to see if there biting and any good size!

We spent the first three hours looking for walleye and perch, the last three hours we trolled and caught 6 bows and two browns about half were 17 to 18", the other half were 14 to 16". We lost three more on the way in.

[RockyRaab2]

When I was there last week, I reported the water was 65 degrees. I was fishing for smallies, which were willing to play on ned rigs in 15' of water. I had two large fish hit but got off because I thought they were yet another small limb - which absolutely pave the bottom - and I pulled rather than set the hook. The brief fight felt like decent walleye.

What debris isn't floating next to the banks has sunk. Dragging any lure near the bottom will catch one after the other. It looks like brush piles on sonar in many places.

Still only one narrow ramp, no boat prep area, and no fish cleaning station. I like Echo, but it seems they did a half job.

[wiperhunter2]

When I was there last week, I reported the water was 65 degrees. I was fishing for smallies, which were willing to play on ned rigs in 15' of water. I had two large fish hit but got off because I thought they were yet another small limb - which absolutely pave the bottom - and I pulled rather than set the hook. The brief fight felt like decent walleye.

What debris isn't floating next to the banks has sunk. Dragging any lure near the bottom will catch one after the other. It looks like brush piles on sonar in many places.

Still only one narrow ramp, no boat prep area, and no fish cleaning station. I like Echo, but it seems they did a half job.

Water temp around 6:30 am was a little below 68 degrees but before we left a little after 12:30 it was over 72.  After your report last week, we did not even try anything close to shore but even in 20 to 30 FOW we found the same conditions of catching one tree limb after another while bottom bouncing with worm harnesses. 
While we were there we did not have any issues finding a place to prep the boat to launch or take back on the road. We did see one area where it looked like the might be going to install a fish cleaning station but it was nothing more than a drain and electrical wires sticking up out of the ground. We did ask about the price of the newly installed cabins, $200 a night and they sleep 8.

[RockyRaab2]

I had no trouble prepping, either, but by the time I left, there were cars and picnickers all along the edge of the parking lot - right where you'd naturally try to do launch prep.

Glad to hear there might be a cleaning station soon. I do like to keep a few "footer" smallies for the table, and any walleye, of course. I have cleaned fish on my boat while still out on the lake, but much prefer a cleaning station.

[wiperhunter2]

I had no trouble prepping, either, but by the time I left, there were cars and picnickers all along the edge of the parking lot - right where you'd naturally try to do launch prep.

Glad to hear there might be a cleaning station soon. I do like to keep a few "footer" smallies for the table, and any walleye, of course. I have cleaned fish on my boat while still out on the lake, but much prefer a cleaning station.

If that area is for a cleaning station, the place we readied our boat to go home might be gone the next time we go there but we happened to park right in front of it yesterday, that is why I noticed it. I guess you could use the area were you park to prep to go home or the area where the cabins are located, it wasn't busy yesterday, of course that could change

[barbs78]

How trout did you get? We are thinking of going to echo or east canyon saturday? Just trying to see if there biting and any good size!

We spent the first three hours looking for walleye and perch, the last three hours we trolled and caught 6 bows and two browns about half were 17 to 18", the other half were 14 to 16". We lost three more on the way in.

Thanks for sharing your info!

[Elk]

Ira and I got up to Echo this morning and was greeted by a new state park, the grand opening is tomorrow and it is the fullest I've seen the lake in many many years. Here are a few pics.









On the way home we drove by the new bridge at Croydon, it pretty close to the water.


My guess is this is a temp bridge.

We tried for eyes then perch at Echo but no luck, so we finally decided to troll for trout and they were willing , we caught browns and bows up to 18". It is good to see the lake so full again.

So are they allowing trucks with trailers to use this temporary bridge?

[wiperhunter2]

Ira and I got up to Echo this morning and was greeted by a new state park, the grand opening is tomorrow and it is the fullest I've seen the lake in many many years. Here are a few pics.

On the way home we drove by the new bridge at Croydon, it pretty close to the water.



My guess is this is a temp bridge.

We tried for eyes then perch at Echo but no luck, so we finally decided to troll for trout and they were willing , we caught browns and bows up to 18". It is good to see the lake so full again.

So are they allowing trucks with trailers to use this temporary bridge?

If you look close at the first bridge pic you will see a double trailer semi going over the bridge.

[Elk]

Ira and I got up to Echo this morning and was greeted by a new state park, the grand opening is tomorrow and it is the fullest I've seen the lake in many many years. Here are a few pics.

On the way home we drove by the new bridge at Croydon, it pretty close to the water.



My guess is this is a temp bridge.

We tried for eyes then perch at Echo but no luck, so we finally decided to troll for trout and they were willing , we caught browns and bows up to 18". It is good to see the lake so full again.

So are they allowing trucks with trailers to use this temporary bridge?

If you look close at the first bridge pic you will see a double trailer semi going over the bridge.

Sorry for the question, I should have looked closer at the picture.

[wiperhunter2]

If you look close at the first bridge pic you will see a double trailer semi going over the bridge.

Sorry for the question, I should have looked closer at the picture.

No need to be sorry, it was mainly posted to show how low the bridge sits to the water but a semi and trailers just happened to be going over it at the time. In the few minutes we were there three trucks with trailers went over it.

[TT600]

Is the water clear all the way to the inlet? I’ve had good luck trolling over the flooded brush up there.

[wiperhunter2]

Is the water clear all the way to the inlet? I’ve had good luck trolling over the flooded brush up there.

Yes, it is clear all the way to the inlet but as full as it is, that would be all the way up until it goes under the freeway. Do you troll while fishing over flooded brush, fly fish or jig?

[TT600]

I trolled rapalas over the flooded brush. Caught browns.

[Cowboypirate]

I trolled rapalas over the flooded brush. Caught browns.

I clap every morning I drive by Echo and see all the flooded brush - it has got to help the younglings survival rate a bit. But it sure spreads the fish out for us bank tanglers to track down

[wiperhunter2]

I trolled rapalas over the flooded brush. Caught browns.

I would have never thought to troll way up there in the flooded brush for fear of snagging up but it sound like a good idea, if it's deep enough.