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Ira and I got up to Jordanelle, then Rockport yesterday. Not much info on Jordannelle, so we went up there first, walked out from the main ramp, it was plowed down to the ice but walking out on the ice was horrible, sinking down about 6 to 8 inches with every step, snow over 4 inches or more of slush and after several reports of poor catching we decided to drive over to the PWC ramp to see if it was better, it wasn't. Ramp was plowed but on the walk out, there was even more slush under the snow, likely 6 inches or more, so we backed off. Other than someone walking out to check out the conditions, like we did, it did not appear anyone had fished either side since the last storm.
We drove to Rock Port next and before we got into the park, we noticed a half dozen groups out on the ice. Lots of deer on the road once we were in the park but the ramp was plowed and there was much less slush on the ice, so we walked out a 1/4 mile or so and drilled our first holes, we were in about 35 FOW. Marked few suspended trout like marks but we never got a bite, dropping to the bottom we were constantly seeing perch type marks coming up to out offerings but again not a single bite. We moved into 25 FOW but again, no bites, so we bailed. We wanted to get farther away from shore, to some of our favorite spots but without ATV's and the slush making walking so hard, that was not going to happen. We did see several snow dogs and at least one snowmobile out there and they did not appear to have any issues.
What is everyone else overall thoughts about the catching this Winter, I can't remember a ice fishing season this poor in a very long time. Any guesses on why it's been so bad this Winter for just about everywhere?
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Seems that the snow has made accessing some lakes near impossible, a few trips I had planned were cancelled due to snow storms, I wonder with the ever changing weather lately has had the fish a bit more tight lipped.
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With all the new water volume in my lakes, it seems to have been more challenging to find and stay on fish. Getting them to bite hasn't been too big of a deal.
Different issue for you guys seeing them, but not getting bit. Did you try aggressive to moderate jigging with multiple lures? Plastics vs live? And finally dead stick?
My last trip out was all about artificial and no bait, trout wouldn't touch spikes or waxies, but crushed gizzies/gizzila and jigging Raps fished aggressively. Trip a day earlier and a 1/2 mile north was all about bait and subtlety. Good luck figuring them out.
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03-03-2023, 09:45 PM
(This post was last modified: 03-03-2023, 09:46 PM by FishfulThinkin.)
I've had the same problem at RP this winter. Last fall I caught so many perch there that I nicknamed myself King Perch but winter has not been kind to me. I fished there a half day last week and just like you, we were on perch and they would come off the bottom to look at our offerings but only occasionally would they bite and usually it was just one quick tap so very few hookups. I only iced 2 dinks and 1 eleven incher. And yes, I have been skunked at RP this winter. I'd like to blame the fish for having lockjaw but I know others who have caught decent numbers this winter so I think it's likely the fisherman and not the fish.
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(03-03-2023, 06:36 PM)meancuznalfy Wrote: Seems that the snow has made accessing some lakes near impossible, a few trips I had planned were cancelled due to snow storms, I wonder with the ever changing weather lately has had the fish a bit more tight lipped.
We were wondering the exact same thing, it has been years since we have had this much stormy weather during the Winters, so we thought the same as you. I suppose there could be some other reason too I guess.
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(03-03-2023, 06:57 PM)fishnate Wrote: With all the new water volume in my lakes, it seems to have been more challenging to find and stay on fish. Getting them to bite hasn't been too big of a deal.
Different issue for you guys seeing them, but not getting bit. Did you try aggressive to moderate jigging with multiple lures? Plastics vs live? And finally dead stick?
My last trip out was all about artificial and no bait, trout wouldn't touch spikes or waxies, but crushed gizzies/gizzila and jigging Raps fished aggressively. Trip a day earlier and a 1/2 mile north was all about bait and subtlety. Good luck figuring them out.
We have had decent luck at certain lakes this Winter but others have been just the opposite and they are lakes we ave fished many times over the years, in high water conditions and low water condition. We always try all the different tricks like you mentioned to get them to bite, except for the plastics, can't really say I've ever tried using plastics for catching perch. I've used them for trout and crappie but never perch, do you use some kind of scent on your plastics when fishing for perch?
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(03-03-2023, 09:45 PM)FishfulThinkin Wrote: I've had the same problem at RP this winter. Last fall I caught so many perch there that I nicknamed myself King Perch but winter has not been kind to me. I fished there a half day last week and just like you, we were on perch and they would come off the bottom to look at our offerings but only occasionally would they bite and usually it was just one quick tap so very few hookups. I only iced 2 dinks and 1 eleven incher. And yes, I have been skunked at RP this winter. I'd like to blame the fish for having lockjaw but I know others who have caught decent numbers this winter so I think it's likely the fisherman and not the fish.
As far as RP goes, yesterday could have been just about the location and not being able to get away from an area that has been fished hard all Winter. With the slushy conditions and not being able to move around as much as we would like, that could have had an impact on our catching yesterday. pressured fish are just harder to catch. Could have been the same thing at Willard and Echo, the two other lakes we have been skunked this Winter.
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Curt, if I would have been fishing with you, you would have caught lots of fish. I have been the gracious host on most of my trips this ice season. With a few exceptions, I am in a slump.
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(03-04-2023, 01:06 AM)wiperhunter2 Wrote: (03-03-2023, 06:36 PM)meancuznalfy Wrote: Seems that the snow has made accessing some lakes near impossible, a few trips I had planned were cancelled due to snow storms, I wonder with the ever changing weather lately has had the fish a bit more tight lipped.
We were wondering the exact same thing, it has been years since we have had this much stormy weather during the Winters, so we thought the same as you. I suppose there could be some other reason too I guess.
Not really an expert, but I do know the barometric pressure does change fish habits, and lately I'm sure it has had an effect on them with all the fast changes lately with the crazy weather we've had
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We have been wondering the same thing. I’ve been skunked on half my trips this year. That is not the norm to say the least. We have actually thrown in the towel for the year. I hate to sound like a broken record, but I think it’s Covid caused. Our waters have seen an incredible amount of pressure the last few years and I believe it is showing. That’s my excuse anyways.
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We've had much same catching rate this winter as you guys. Aren't you glad you got those nice Willard perch earlier this winter? We missed out on that opportunity. After last season we were really looking forward to restocking up on our perch fillets, but it's taken 3 trips for us to have enough for dinner. Still, we try to just enjoy our outings, having a picnic lunch as we wait to be pleasantly surprised by seeing fish on the finder and catching it, even if only a dink, but our last 2 trips turned out to just be a nice day for picnic. Never seem to get timing/location just right this year. 
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03-05-2023, 05:39 AM
(This post was last modified: 03-05-2023, 05:39 AM by SkunkedAgain.)
Curt the first of the winter was exactly like you say for me, I was about 1-2 fish per trip... Not at all like usual... I blamed it on the low water for two years and that concentrated the ice pressure and I think a ton of fish were harvested over those two years, so this winter after another low water level, i think all the fish were harvested and I just don't think there are many fish left in the ponds... Couple that with the fish and game reducing their stocking numbers so they don't have fish die out with low water and I think that's a big part of the tough ice year...
But then came February and March, I've done really really well the last 5-6 weeks, part of it is fishing lakes that aren't as effected by low water the other part is a friend loaning me his 360 to try. It's a game changer for finding good locations... Also let's you know when the fish are gone so you don't have to stay there freezing when there's nothing around anyway... My average over the last 20 trips is probably 15 fish per day, which isn't like me.... I hope it holds, but even if it doesn't I've had an excellent ice season this year... It even includes some boat trips to Willard in the middle of the winter... I haven't camped on the ice this year, but kind of haven't had a big enough window to go do it... It's okay Bear Lake is only and hour 15 away and fishes kind of like the gorge, at least I don't have to burn as much gas to not catch a big mac... later J
When things get stressful think I'll go fish'en and worry about it tomorrow!
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I’ve fished Mantua, PV and RP this winter. It’s been an average year for me. Mantua was a 1-time trip and we caught enough trout to keep it interesting. PV has been good, not great, for crappie. Rockport has been average for perch. While I’ll always wish I caught more fish, I can’t complain. It’s been good enough and size has been better overall too.
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Well I hate to rain on the parade but its been opposite for me so far this year having great success at both strawberry and RP.
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[quote pid="1142691" dateline="1677893446"]
We have had decent luck at certain lakes this Winter but others have been just the opposite and they are lakes we ave fished many times over the years, in high water conditions and low water condition. We always try all the different tricks like you mentioned to get them to bite, except for the plastics, can't really say I've ever tried using plastics for catching perch. I've used them for trout and crappie but never perch, do you use some kind of scent on your plastics when fishing for perch?
[/quote]
I dont typically use scents other than what's already in the bait/plastic. I've had plenty of good results with plastic and perch, but they seem to be a bit more selective so you have to be prepared to switch it up when they snub plastics. I have also found time of day to be a big factor with perch. One day they bite all day long the following week they're hot for an hour or two in the morning or late afternoon. Why cant they be more predictable, sheesh!
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So this is just my opinion but my thinking is that with the low water levels and early ice this year the oxygen levels in the lakes are very depleted making for very lethargic and finicky fish. I generally fish North of the UT border but the fishing has just not been that great this winter. I do however have a prediction that next ice season is going to be a very good year. We will see.
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(03-04-2023, 01:06 AM)wiperhunter2 Wrote: (03-03-2023, 06:36 PM)meancuznalfy Wrote: Seems that the snow has made accessing some lakes near impossible, a few trips I had planned were cancelled due to snow storms, I wonder with the ever changing weather lately has had the fish a bit more tight lipped.
We were wondering the exact same thing, it has been years since we have had this much stormy weather during the Winters, so we thought the same as you. I suppose there could be some other reason too I guess.
Gotta blame it on the cursed Global Warming. 
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Not a big fan of Gary Winterton, but his Saturday night show was about fishing in a heavy snowstorm on Jordanelle. Fished in 16 - 20 FOW just out from the main ramp and got some piggy rainbows and quite a few splake. Nothing else before I filled up my "AWESOME" bingo card and turned him off. Surprisingly, he was using a silver dodger a couple of feet above a baited jig. Seemed to draw in the splake and they hit hard.
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(03-05-2023, 09:16 PM)TubeDude Wrote: Not a big fan of Gary Winterton, but his Saturday night show was about fishing in a heavy snowstorm on Jordanelle. Fished in 16 - 20 FOW just out from the main ramp and got some piggy rainbows and quite a few splake. Nothing else before I filled up my "AWESOME" bingo card and turned him off. Surprisingly, he was using a silver dodger a couple of feet above a baited jig. Seemed to draw in the splake and they hit hard.
Well that's interesting, did it show what kind of jig he was using or how far off the bottom he was fishing?
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(03-05-2023, 09:55 PM)wiperhunter2 Wrote: (03-05-2023, 09:16 PM)TubeDude Wrote: Not a big fan of Gary Winterton, but his Saturday night show was about fishing in a heavy snowstorm on Jordanelle. Fished in 16 - 20 FOW just out from the main ramp and got some piggy rainbows and quite a few splake. Nothing else before I filled up my "AWESOME" bingo card and turned him off. Surprisingly, he was using a silver dodger a couple of feet above a baited jig. Seemed to draw in the splake and they hit hard.
Well that's interesting, did it show what kind of jig he was using or how far off the bottom he was fishing? He used a variety of lures...including a 2" little pink worm with a wax worm for bait. But then went through several unidentifiable white jigs. Those fishing with him were using a lot of pink...with shrimp or wax worms. A few of the fish hit right on the bottom. Others were teased up from mid depth or closer to the ice. In short, there did not seem to be an identifiable no-fail combo of lure/bait/presentation. But the snow depth was horrendous and the snowmobiles seemed to have some issues with it.
I was really surprised at the number of splake he caught. But there were a lot of nice bows caught too...including some over 20' and a few very dark prespawn males. No perch or other species while I watched. AWESOME. I tried to find a link to the program on Channel 2 but couldn't. Might be worth searching out if you want some more current info.
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