Cascade Perch Pics

[TubeDude]

A former member of BFT who no longer posts sent me an email from Cascade in Idaho.  He and his partner scored 91 perch in one day...with the biggest going almost 2.5#.  Here's a pic he shared of his part of the catch...along with a male of 14.5 inches.  That's huge for a male perch.  Bigger than our perch mamas here in Utah.  Sorry, can't provide info on area of the lake, depths or lures/baits used.  But he did mention ice was about 12" under some snow with areas of slush.

  

[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks Pat, I hadn't been hearing of that good of trips up there lately, so that was great to hear... Would be fun to run up if it wasn't so far and I had time that I could do it... I really enjoyed my trips in the past... although that's about the coldest spot I've ever ice fished... at least the last trip... Thanks for posting... J

[MSM1970]

Nice, reminds me of yuba at one time.

[TubeDude]

Nice, reminds me of yuba at one time.

Yeah...it do indeed.  Whimper, whimper.

[MSM1970]

Nice, reminds me of yuba at one time.

Yeah...it do indeed.  Whimper, whimper.

surprised you haven't tried for them at jordy.

[meancuznalfy]

Nice, haven't heard of much coming from there this winter yet.

[TubeDude]

Nice, reminds me of yuba at one time.

Yeah...it do indeed.  Whimper, whimper.

surprised you haven't tried for them at jordy.

Jordanelle is hit or miss.  Mostly miss.  Used to catch a lot of nice perch there...both open water and under the ice.  But since the big dieoff about 2011...just like Starvation...it has not returned to its former glory.  Also like Starvy, there have been isolated catches, but nothing consistent.    There are fewer perch and they are scattered.  In my tube I am limited to fishing a relatively small area on any given trip.  Don't have the luxury of sonaring the whole lake to find a few scattered fish.  If I get lucky, I get a few perch.  If not, I settle for a couple of slimers and/or a smallie or two.  And the smallies are usually pretty smallie too. 

Nope.  Ain't any of my former Utah perch venues that are even a fraction of what they once were.  Yuba, Deer Creek, Jordanelle and Starvation are all nothing compared to the good times.  Sometimes worthwhile at Echo or Rockport but still way off the good times at the former named waters.

[RockyRaab2]

Utah is like a dead canary - fallen off its perch.

[MrShane]

Hang in there Pat, one of these days we will get three-four years of high water in consecutive years and we will go beat up jumbos again.
Those Perch in the waters you just mentioned are also waiting for high water years.
Not easy living in the bottom few inches of water in a bathtub….

[TubeDude]

Hang in there Pat, one of these days we will get three-four years of high water in consecutive years and we will go beat up jumbos again.
Those Perch in the waters you just mentioned are also waiting for high water years.
Not easy living in the bottom few inches of water in a bathtub….

God...give me patience.  AND I WANT IT RIGHT NOW! 

We of the perch-jerker persuasion suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous weather patterns more than most.  Perch need flooded vegetation upon which to spawn...or at least some kind of structure.  Ain't much of that on the bottom of drought-dropped manmade lakes.  So there is little to no spawning success.  That means two things.  First, no little ones to grow into big ones.  And second, no babies to feed the surviving adults in an ecosystem in which the primary forage for perch is baby perch.  Double whammy. 

Most of us who pursue perch are aware that big perch eat little perch...almost exclusively during a large part of the growing season.  I can recall trips to Yuba, Deer Creek and Starvation in which every large perch caught was barfing up baby perch.  And the best bait dujour was putting a freshly barfed perchlet on your jig and sending it back down.  Kind of like a perpetual motion machine.  So any year in which the water levels at spawning time are too low to provide spawning habitat for perch there will not be a good spawn...and the whole system collapses.  That was always a big problem at Yuba...up and down cycles.  When it was good it was very good.  But the next year might be a bit lean.  And declines in perch numbers or quality are almost never the result of angler harvest.

[MWScott72]

You guys aren't making me feel all warm and fuzzy here. I really hope February is better than January has been precip-wise. This year has been another odd one - great October, abnormally dry November, nice, wet December, and now a bone dry January. After seeing the reservoir levels, it's not just perch that are going to be hurting if this drought persists.

[TubeDude]

You guys aren't making me feel all warm and fuzzy here.  I really hope February is better than January has been precip-wise.  This year has been another odd one - great October, abnormally dry November, nice, wet December, and now a bone dry January.  After seeing the reservoir levels, it's not just perch that are going to be hurting if this drought persists.

I love the line from the movie Jurassic Park..."Nature will find a way."  Unfortunately, the fish will have to start wearing tennies if the water levels drop any lower.  And  you'll need a dog to hunt for them.  Shudder.

[MWScott72]

Does the State here not believe in artificial structures?  Totally correct that there is absolutely no cover on the bottom of our reservoirs, but we do seem to have an overabundance of junipers!  Chain a bunch of those together and sink them in some of the deeper areas where they can do some good during low water periods.  During high water, the fish can use more typical flooded brush.

One thing for certain, if we're hanging on to hope that water is going to be more plentiful in the future, we are going to be sorely disappointed.  Best start planning accordingly now.

[TubeDude]

Does the State here not believe in artificial structures?  Totally correct that there is absolutely no cover on the bottom of our reservoirs, but we do seem to have an overabundance of junipers!  Chain a bunch of those together and sink them in some of the deeper areas where they can do some good during low water periods.  During high water, the fish can use more typical flooded brush.

One thing for certain, if we're hanging on to hope that water is going to be more plentiful in the future, we are going to be sorely disappointed.  Best start planning accordingly now.

A couple of years ago DWR did drop some artificial trees in Rockport...out in the deep water...to provide protection for the young and habitat for larger fish.  Have not heard of any studies or results yet. 

There have also been bundles of "used" Christmas trees dropped in a few ponds...and even old tires.  And in Willard DWR dumped in some new rock piles...which have so far not been proven to be irresistible fish magnets. 

The situation with perch is that they are creatures of large old natural lakes...in which there are natural weedbeds and a more or less stable water level throughout the year.  So in their natural cycle they instinctively move in to the vegetation when it's time to spawn and there is no problem.  Mantua comes closest to providing suitable spawning habitat each year.  Most other perch ponds are dammed (not damned) reservoirs subject to great water level fluctuations and virtually no vegetation...living or dead...upon which perch can spawn in the early part of the year when they do their thing.  So any year they get in a good spawn is a bonus. 

Some reservoirs have rocky areas that seem to suffice for some perch spawning.  Although that is not the ideal situation it is usually good enough to help sustain a fishery.  But for lakes with nothing but sticky mud along the shorelines at spawn time the perch just can't make it work. 

Don't be throwing rocks at DWR.  They are not clairvoyant and do not know what any given year will show for water levels, fish habitat, spawning success or ????  Since their efforts to manage our fisheries are subject to the whims of Mama Nature, it becomes even more difficult.  They best they can do is to try to deal with the conditions that exist and to TRY to keep a bunch of unreasonable anglers happy.  As I have been knowed to say:  "Ya can't manage the unmanageable." 

And simply pouring a bunch or rocks or trees at different levels each year is not doable.  First of all, that would probably be a budgeting nightmare...in terms of cost and people time.  Secondly, many of our ponds are owned and managed by water users...who frown upon dumping ANYTHING into their waters.  They allow us to continue using them for our recreational pursuits but heaven help us if we do anything else to their precious ponds.

[TopH2O]

Does the State here not believe in artificial structures?  Totally correct that there is absolutely no cover on the bottom of our reservoirs, but we do seem to have an overabundance of junipers!  Chain a bunch of those together and sink them in some of the deeper areas where they can do some good during low water periods.  During high water, the fish can use more typical flooded brush.

One thing for certain, if we're hanging on to hope that water is going to be more plentiful in the future, we are going to be sorely disappointed.  Best start planning accordingly now.

A couple of years ago DWR did drop some artificial trees in Rockport...out in the deep water...to provide protection for the young and habitat for larger fish.  Have not heard of any studies or results yet. 

There have also been bundles of "used" Christmas trees dropped in a few ponds...and even old tires.  And in Willard DWR dumped in some new rock piles...which have so far not been proven to be irresistible fish magnets. 

The situation with perch is that they are creatures of large old natural lakes...in which there are natural weedbeds and a more or less stable water level throughout the year.  So in their natural cycle they instinctively move in to the vegetation when it's time to spawn and there is no problem.  Mantua comes closest to providing suitable spawning habitat each year.  Most other perch ponds are dammed (not damned) reservoirs subject to great water level fluctuations and virtually no vegetation...living or dead...upon which perch can spawn in the early part of the year when they do their thing.  So any year they get in a good spawn is a bonus. 

Some reservoirs have rocky areas that seem to suffice for some perch spawning.  Although that is not the ideal situation it is usually good enough to help sustain a fishery.  But for lakes with nothing but sticky mud along the shorelines at spawn time the perch just can't make it work. 

Don't be throwing rocks at DWR.  They are not clairvoyant and do not know what any given year will show for water levels, fish habitat, spawning success or ????  Since their efforts to manage our fisheries are subject to the whims of Mama Nature, it becomes even more difficult.  They best they can do is to try to deal with the conditions that exist and to TRY to keep a bunch of unreasonable anglers happy.  As I have been knowed to say:  "Ya can't manage the unmanageable." 

And simply pouring a bunch or rocks or trees at different levels each year is not doable.  First of all, that would probably be a budgeting nightmare...in terms of cost and people time.  Secondly, many of our ponds are owned and managed by water users...who frown upon dumping ANYTHING into their waters.  They allow us to continue using them for our recreational pursuits but heaven help us if we do anything else to their precious ponds.

Hey Pat, not Patrick,
I thought I'd help you whimper some more.  (I hope I used the right word there).  I'm headed to Cascade on Sunday and three of us will be fishing for 4 days.  Weather looks near perfect.  The surface conditions are very favorable for ATVs, no snowmobiles needed right now.  The larger perch have started showing up for the guys who know how to target the yellow demons.  I've caught a few over the years.
If you whimper long enough, I may post a report when we get back.
As far as Jeff, Skunkedagain,  is concerned, he was invited on this trip and he declined.  He should whimper also.  The temps are going to be in the lower 30s in the day and low teens at night.

Mike

[Therapist]

To MWScott72:

DWR did try to put some structure in Yuba years ago. They dropped thousands of bundled christmas trees from the high water mark down to about 15-20 ft on the ice so the trees would settle when the ice melted, forming a line that the fry could follow from shallow to deep. Unfortunately they forgot to figure on the numbnuts that live in Utah . The Idiots got on the ice and set fire to almost all of them, destroying several weeks work. DWR did not try to do that again. They also were given some artificial structures of various types and made some from PVC pipe and nylon rope. These were placed by boat in several locations. Again the numbnuts decided that they would make nice fires when they became exposed by low water. Hence, they have not tried to put more structure in Yuba. That was all done when Charlie Thompson was the Central Region Biologist and his assistant Doug Sagucci were in charge. They also collected eggs at Deer Creek on carpet mats and placed them in Yuba to try and bolster the population. That was at least 20 years ago and I don't think that they have done much since due to the vandalism and lack of water. The northern pike and carp now keep what few perch and walleye in check, eating most of the YOY. To bad, it was a great fishery at one time !!!

[TubeDude]

Hey Pat, not Patrick,
I thought I'd help you whimper some more.  (I hope I used the right word there).  I'm headed to Cascade on Sunday and three of us will be fishing for 4 days.  Weather looks near perfect.  The surface conditions are very favorable for ATVs, no snowmobiles needed right now.  The larger perch have started showing up for the guys who know how to target the yellow demons.  I've caught a few over the years.
If you whimper long enough, I may post a report when we get back.
As far as Jeff, Skunkedagain,  is concerned, he was invited on this trip and he declined.  He should whimper also.  The temps are going to be in the lower 30s in the day and low teens at night.

Mike

Sounds like the potential for a great trip.  Hope all goes well and the only whimpering is from soreness...for "perch rash" on your hands and/or  sore arms from all the reeling in of big fish.  Looking forward to your report.  Then I may do some more whimpering.

[SkunkedAgain]

Hey Mike, I will be whimpering for sure not being there.... Especially since the conditions look so nice for this time of year and seeing the great catches above even rubs more salt in the wounds... But my nephew will be getting home from his mission and so I want to be there for his report and to chase some cisco with him... Sure look forward to the report, even though it will add more salt to not being there...would of could of been deal... Best of luck I hope you guys have a great trip... Later Jeff

[Kent]

Mantua comes closest to providing suitable spawning habitat each year.

Another lake that comes too close (too ideal of spawning conditions) is Fish Lake.

[TubeDude]

Mantua comes closest to providing suitable spawning habitat each year.

Another lake that comes too close (too ideal of spawning conditions) is Fish Lake.

Keerect!  As evidenced by the over proliferation of the little tigers.