03-22-2020, 04:56 PM
So we were planning our first run at the catfish challenge Saturday on one of the northern Utah waters, but family plans changed at the last minute, so Cookie and I opted to make our run to Blue Lake so she could check Tilapia off her Utah Fishing Grand slam list.
It was a quick trip out (if you can consider driving all the way to Wendover and then south to the blue waters as quick). As it was a last minute decision we got there mid day and missed early prime time. Weather was very pleasant and going this early in the season - no bugs - big plus.
First we did not fish the main Blue lake area. Lots of people, practicing social distancing on a family Saturday outing on the main lake, so we left that to them. We did talk to some people who hit it early before the crowds and they picked up 16 largemouth - I did not ask about the methods or baits.
We fished the upper ponds and springs specifically targeting Tilapia. We fished small jig heads with small curly tails in dark colors or split tails, tipped with a worm. Real simple set up. The Tilapia looked to be right in the middle of spring whoppie and were oddly not as aggressive as normal, but we still picked up a few. And as always we picked up a large selection of whatever those (Cichlids?) are wandering the waters. Crazy the different types offish in there that people have unloaded from their aquariums.
Blue Lake is a great trip to change things up, but I would go during the week right now if I was going to go again. Oh and it is a bit odd to drive through Wendover and see empty, yellow tapped off casino parking lots. A real bummer to not get a breakfast buffet.
here is the video report
https://youtu.be/qWd-0B2G3IY
![[Image: 20200321-140019.jpg]](https://i.ibb.co/W09bfxx/20200321-140019.jpg)
![[Image: 20200321-144254.jpg]](https://i.ibb.co/726kTXF/20200321-144254.jpg)
It was a quick trip out (if you can consider driving all the way to Wendover and then south to the blue waters as quick). As it was a last minute decision we got there mid day and missed early prime time. Weather was very pleasant and going this early in the season - no bugs - big plus.
First we did not fish the main Blue lake area. Lots of people, practicing social distancing on a family Saturday outing on the main lake, so we left that to them. We did talk to some people who hit it early before the crowds and they picked up 16 largemouth - I did not ask about the methods or baits.
We fished the upper ponds and springs specifically targeting Tilapia. We fished small jig heads with small curly tails in dark colors or split tails, tipped with a worm. Real simple set up. The Tilapia looked to be right in the middle of spring whoppie and were oddly not as aggressive as normal, but we still picked up a few. And as always we picked up a large selection of whatever those (Cichlids?) are wandering the waters. Crazy the different types offish in there that people have unloaded from their aquariums.
Blue Lake is a great trip to change things up, but I would go during the week right now if I was going to go again. Oh and it is a bit odd to drive through Wendover and see empty, yellow tapped off casino parking lots. A real bummer to not get a breakfast buffet.
here is the video report
https://youtu.be/qWd-0B2G3IY