Smith & Morehouse Last Run

[BURLEY]

     Went out for what may be the last trip of the season for me. Kent and I fished Smith & Morehouse Res.. I put hour 4.9 'til 5.6 on my snowdog that I got in Dec.. I hoped to catch a Grayling.  I ended up catching 3 Grayling, 1 Brook trout, and 8 Rainbow trout. Mission was more than accomplished. All fish were released to live another day. As too common,,,, Kent ended up with more than I got hands and toes,,, twice, plus some more. I think the number 32 may have been mentioned. With my head held low in shame, I'm still happy and sunburned. Someone forgot their hat with a bill. As with most of our trips together, there was more than just fishing.  Kent's SnowKitty (name of his machine) had to be left on the trail after smoking a drive belt and overheating the motor. We loaded it into his sled and pulled it back to the truck after fishing. 
     Ice conditions: 4 inches of snow on top of 8 inches of semi-hard slush on 12-14 inches of ice.

[Kent]

Good time was had by all.

[2knots]

Well done, I think I’m pretty much done with he ice season also

[wiperhunter2]

Thanks for the report and pics Hue. Couple of questions about the pics: where was that last pic taken, is it by the main road, where you turn off to go up to the lake? I don't remembers seeing those storages units in the background of that last pic, I'm guessing they are pretty new. In your third pic I can see a big group in the background, were those people back toward the inlet?

[dubob]

I'm no where near done for the season.  Pineview & Rockport still have well over a foot of ice on them and the edges are solid.  I've got at least 2 more weeks on the hard deck as long as the edges will hold the dog.  Now what I mean Vern?  ?

My boat ain't goin' anywhere soon.  Water's still too cold for the good fish to be active just yet and catfish ain't on the menu for me.  April will be soon enough to get the boat wet.  Y'all take care.

[BURLEY]

I'm no where near done for the season.  Pineview & Rockport still have well over a foot of ice on them and the edges are solid.  I've got at least 2 more weeks on the hard deck as long as the edges will hold the dog.  Now what I mean Vern?  ?

My boat ain't goin' anywhere soon.  Water's still too cold for the good fish to be active just yet and catfish ain't on the menu for me.  April will be soon enough to get the boat wet.  Y'all take care.

Yesterday I removed the cover and checked all bolts for tightness, washed all the mud off, and drained the gas. Today I changed the oil and tucked it away in the shed.

[Kent]

Couple of questions about the pics: where was that last pic taken, is it by the main road, where you turn off to go up to the lake? I don't remembers seeing those storages units in the background of that last pic, I'm guessing they are pretty new. In your third pic I can see a big group in the background, were those people back toward the inlet?

Yes, that last picture was taken at the parking lot on the main road.  The storage units are behind the Private Property sign, at the end of the main road.  There was a large group camped at the inlet.  It appeared to be a boy scout troop, or something similar.

---

Yesterday I removed the cover and checked all bolts for tightness, washed all the mud off, and drained the gas. Today I changed the oil and tucked it away in the shed.

Wow, you are serious about ending ice season.  Several weeks of good ice remaining at Strawberry.

[BURLEY]

Kent, the only thing needed to get ready again is to put gas in it and load it into the truck. So don't count me out, but the weather in Idaho is looking pretty sturgeony. Been getting the boat ready.

[Kent]

So don't count me out, but the weather in Idaho is looking pretty sturgeony. Been getting the boat ready.

I know the feeling.  This morning, I planned a trip for this week and this afternoon it became a "maybe" trip.  I should have locked in the weather forecast this morning, but I was hoping for even better weather.

[BURLEY]

So don't count me out, but the weather in Idaho is looking pretty sturgeony. Been getting the boat ready.

I know the feeling.  This morning, I planned a trip for this week and this afternoon it became a "maybe" trip.  I should have locked in the weather forecast this morning, but I was hoping for even better weather.

Yeah, I almost planned a early week trip myself.

[JBSPARKIE]

So don't count me out, but the weather in Idaho is looking pretty sturgeony. Been getting the boat ready.

I know the feeling.  This morning, I planned a trip for this week and this afternoon it became a "maybe" trip.  I should have locked in the weather forecast this morning, but I was hoping for even better weather.

Yeah, I almost planned a early week trip myself.

May I ask, Can you drive to the dam or do you park at the turn off? Thinking of making a run up tomorrow. I have a snow dog, but last time I went up in December I was able to drive to the dam.

[BURLEY]

We parked at the turnoff. The road was snowpacked and one hump after another all the way to the dam from the turnoff. It was turning to slush in several places when we left. By now there will most likely be a lot of gravel road showing. I suggest checking out the road before unloading the dog. Wish that I had better news, but it is that time of year when things change quickly. There were no vehicles at the dam or ramp on our trip. If your dog is on a trailer, you would be wise to drop the trailer at the turnoff before checking out the road.

[BearLakeFishGuy]

I'm no where near done for the season.  Pineview & Rockport still have well over a foot of ice on them and the edges are solid.  I've got at least 2 more weeks on the hard deck as long as the edges will hold the dog.  Now what I mean Vern?  ?

My boat ain't goin' anywhere soon.  Water's still too cold for the good fish to be active just yet and catfish ain't on the menu for me.  April will be soon enough to get the boat wet.  Y'all take care.

You guys have missed out and ARE missing out right now.  Bear Lake has been hot all winter and its been even better the last couple of weeks.  Trolling AND jigging.  Unless you have an I/O or true inboard, both of which are a pain to winterize, there is no reason to put the boat away.  Then people show up in May/June and then wonder why the fishing is slow.  If you're looking for that trophy cutthroat or lake trout, winter is the time to fish Bear Lake.

[JBSPARKIE]

We parked at the turnoff. The road was snowpacked and one hump after another all the way to the dam from the turnoff. It was turning to slush in several places when we left. By now there will most likely be a lot of gravel road showing. I suggest checking out the road before unloading the dog. Wish that I had better news, but it is that time of year when things change quickly. There were no vehicles at the dam or ramp on our trip. If your dog is on a trailer, you would be wise to drop the trailer at the turnoff before checking out the road.

Thank you for your information. From the current weather report, it looks like we may have fresh snow in the morning and throughout the day. I do have the dog and 5 sleds all on a trailer so thanks for the heads up.

[BURLEY]

We parked at the turnoff. The road was snowpacked and one hump after another all the way to the dam from the turnoff. It was turning to slush in several places when we left. By now there will most likely be a lot of gravel road showing. I suggest checking out the road before unloading the dog. Wish that I had better news, but it is that time of year when things change quickly. There were no vehicles at the dam or ramp on our trip. If your dog is on a trailer, you would be wise to drop the trailer at the turnoff before checking out the road.

Thank you for your information. From the current weather report, it looks like we may have fresh snow in the morning and throughout the day. I do have the dog and 5 sleds all on a trailer so thanks for the heads up.

Well? How did you do? Road conditions?

[JBSPARKIE]

We parked at the turnoff. The road was snowpacked and one hump after another all the way to the dam from the turnoff. It was turning to slush in several places when we left. By now there will most likely be a lot of gravel road showing. I suggest checking out the road before unloading the dog. Wish that I had better news, but it is that time of year when things change quickly. There were no vehicles at the dam or ramp on our trip. If your dog is on a trailer, you would be wise to drop the trailer at the turnoff before checking out the road.

Thank you for your information. From the current weather report, it looks like we may have fresh snow in the morning and throughout the day. I do have the dog and 5 sleds all on a trailer so thanks for the heads up.

Well? How did you do? Road conditions?

Parked at bottom. No way I would have made it in the truck towing the trailer to the dam. Snowed 5" after we got up there at 7. Had the lake to ourselves all day. Road was totally snowpacked all day with no signs of gravel until 4:30 right by the truck. the road is a roller coster with all the snowmobile humps. Wind got bad about noon. Took every last inch of the auger to get to the ice. 4 of us fished all day. Mostly rainbows and cuts. No kokes or tigers. only 1 grayling. Fish were finiky. A lot of lookers. Definitely took some enticement to catch the ones we caught. Lost track, but easily over 25 each. Gonna hit Strawberry Saturday.

[BURLEY]

We parked at the turnoff. The road was snowpacked and one hump after another all the way to the dam from the turnoff. It was turning to slush in several places when we left. By now there will most likely be a lot of gravel road showing. I suggest checking out the road before unloading the dog. Wish that I had better news, but it is that time of year when things change quickly. There were no vehicles at the dam or ramp on our trip. If your dog is on a trailer, you would be wise to drop the trailer at the turnoff before checking out the road.

Thank you for your information. From the current weather report, it looks like we may have fresh snow in the morning and throughout the day. I do have the dog and 5 sleds all on a trailer so thanks for the heads up.

Well? How did you do? Road conditions?

Parked at bottom. No way I would have made it in the truck towing the trailer to the dam. Snowed 5" after we got up there at 7. Had the lake to ourselves all day. Road was totally snowpacked all day with no signs of gravel until 4:30 right by the truck. the road is a roller coster with all the snowmobile humps. Wind got bad about noon. Took every last inch of the auger to get to the ice. 4 of us fished all day. Mostly rainbows and cuts. No kokes or tigers. only 1 grayling. Fish were finiky. A lot of lookers. Definitely took some enticement to catch the ones we caught. Lost track, but easily over 25 each. Gonna hit Strawberry Saturday.

Thanks for the report. I didn't realize that Tiger trout were in there. I will have to pay closer attention to species before putting back in the hole or soon to be water. Never caught one, that I know of.