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So I was just called to be a "Varsity Coach" which I learned is another name for "scout master" for the 14 & 15 year old kids. This group are not highly motivated about outdoor activities so I'm struggling to come up with ideas to get them interested in anything other than computer games. I usually ice fish strawberry, current creek, and scofield and never pay any attention to utah lake or tibble creek. I really don't want to foot the $ for gas to take them very far away (apparently we have no budget) for fear they will not tolerate it for very long, but I would like them to have a good introductory experience. I don't care what type of fish or the size, I would just like to get them some exposure and hope to plant a seed of interest in outdoor activities. I think starvation perch would be ideal, but as I said before I don't want to invest that much time & $ in their first experience. So I'm wondering if those of you who fish utah lake or tibble (or other suggestions) in the winter can give me any pointers on getting these youth onto some fish this winter? I hope this isn't too soon to be asking to get some good info, but thank you in advance for anything you guys are willing to share.
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I can't think of a better way to hook kids into ice fishing/fishing than the ice at utah after whites. Go with someone that knows what they are doing the first time and you are golden.
Good luck getting them out of the house.
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ya for sure as soon as it freezes some years as early as lat nov. and sometimes right before christmas, just fish the harbors near docks or any kind of structure, i have done real well for WB a ton and sometimes its non stop gill action too. plus you can always catch some crappies, perch and if your lucky maybe a LMB or an eye and even catfish but not consistent with the cold weather, usually its by accident. plus its usually the most mild ice fishing there unless its really stormin and the shallow water makes it easy for kids to get in on some action. hope this helps you
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Yeppers Utah Lake freezes over just depends on the winter we have. So does Tibble just FYI Tibble has warm springs that be kinda iffy for ice I know some have ice fished in the past but just got to keep an eye out.
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Yes it freezes every Winter, just not enough to get on sometimes!! You can always stand on the docks in the Harbors, but the main lake sometimes will freeze, then blow off or not get thick enough to get on!! Contrary to popular belief, 2-3 inches is not enough !!
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RE: "tibble (or other suggestions) in the winter can give me any pointers"
Tibble is fast fishing, but the springs are a big safety concern there. The worst springs are right in front of the dam. Unless you can check the ice thickness, do not enter the iced lake from the dam face, but enter from the middle. Good luck.
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anyone putting any bets on whether or not bear lake puts on hard deck this year?
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[cool][#0000ff]By now you should have received my PM with a PDF file on ice fishing Utah Lake. Hope it helps.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Traditionally, as others have suggested, Utah Lake freezes about the first week of December. There is usually a big winter storm about that time, followed by a week or so of temps in the teens...or lower. That is what it takes to cap the harbors and other sheltered areas. But it takes several calm nights of really cold temps freeze the whole lake...especially to a depth that is safe to walk on.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In a cold winter, there will usually be six to ten inches of ice over most of the lake. I would not recommend taking a group ice camping on anything less than that. The early part of January will be your best bet for finding good safe conditions.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There is one glitch in the potential for good ice fishing this year...the low water conditions on Utah Lake. Most of the popular early ice fishing spots, like American Fork Harbor, Lindon Harbor, the Pump House and Provo Harbor are all much shallower than they have been for the previous few years. There is only about 3' of water in most of them. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The shallower water will cool and freeze faster, but it remains to be seen whether or not the fish will swarm inside the harbors like they do when water levels are higher. There are always some fish that come in under the first ice but they are more easily spooked by the noises of anglers drilling and stomping around more closely overhead. Large groups almost always chase the fish away.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]However, if you are going to be camping on ice for the overall experience, rather than a major fish harvesting quest, then one of the harbors might be a good bet.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you want to find deeper water to fish, with a better potential for multiple species catches, then you might think about trekking out off Lincoln Point, at Lincoln Beach. Even with the low water conditions you can find depths up to 10 feet deep within a couple hundred yards of shore.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Right now we all need to wait for the first good freeze and safe enough ice to prospect for the fishies. Let's hope it comes earlier than later and that we have the options to fish over a wider area of the lake.[/#0000ff]
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doggonefishin- THANK YOU for the heads up on the warm springs near the dam at Tibble, I was not aware of this.
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