11-05-2008, 09:40 PM
[quote lov2fish]TD how does the fishing do during the ice and what are my chances of a wally? Didn't have time to make it to starvation this year.[/quote]
[cool][#0000ff]You can do great on walleyes in Utah through the ice. First, stop at the bait shop and buy several dozen nice 3 inch live minnows. YEAH, RIGHT.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I have caught walleyes through the ice in Utah, but mostly by accident. When I go for them specifically, I usually smell skunk...or catch other fish by accident. Your best bet is to rig for big perch, with larger lures and a nice fresh piece of perch meat. Then, once you find where the larger perch are hanging out...usually near some small "feeder" perch...you at least have a chance that a walleye will wander by and sample your offering.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The walleyes in Deer Creek act like those in most other lakes. They go deep...following the schools of yearling perch or other forage species. Sometimes they just find a nice deep hole and snooze for days, right on the bottom, without moving a fin. Obviously, anything you fish in shallower water ain't gonna do much good. But, when the stars line up right, and the fish get hungry, they will make feeding forays into shallower water and then you got a shot. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Yuba used to be about the only place I could score walleyes through the ice on a regular basis. But, in the good old days, anybody who COULDN'T catch walleyes in Yuba probably wasn't using a hook. For the last couple of years before the last big CRASHO the food was scarce and walleyes hit just about anything you dropped down. These days there are very few walleyes and waaaaaay too much food for them. They only feed for a few minutes at a time...maybe once a day...during the night...and then they dog it for the rest of the day. When they got a gut full of yummy baby perch they do not get very interested in carp food (worms). But, if you time it right or provoke a reaction bite with the right lure...right color, right wiggle...you can score one once in awhile.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]In short, there aren't going to be many places within an easy drive of Salt Lake where you can count on icing a walleye. Actually, if Utah Lake freezes, it would probably be an even better bet than some of the others. Shallow, and takes "stealth mode", but there are some good fat walleyes iced there every year.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Anybody who claims to be able to catch walleyes anywhere, any time, will lie about other things too.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
[cool][#0000ff]You can do great on walleyes in Utah through the ice. First, stop at the bait shop and buy several dozen nice 3 inch live minnows. YEAH, RIGHT.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I have caught walleyes through the ice in Utah, but mostly by accident. When I go for them specifically, I usually smell skunk...or catch other fish by accident. Your best bet is to rig for big perch, with larger lures and a nice fresh piece of perch meat. Then, once you find where the larger perch are hanging out...usually near some small "feeder" perch...you at least have a chance that a walleye will wander by and sample your offering.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The walleyes in Deer Creek act like those in most other lakes. They go deep...following the schools of yearling perch or other forage species. Sometimes they just find a nice deep hole and snooze for days, right on the bottom, without moving a fin. Obviously, anything you fish in shallower water ain't gonna do much good. But, when the stars line up right, and the fish get hungry, they will make feeding forays into shallower water and then you got a shot. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Yuba used to be about the only place I could score walleyes through the ice on a regular basis. But, in the good old days, anybody who COULDN'T catch walleyes in Yuba probably wasn't using a hook. For the last couple of years before the last big CRASHO the food was scarce and walleyes hit just about anything you dropped down. These days there are very few walleyes and waaaaaay too much food for them. They only feed for a few minutes at a time...maybe once a day...during the night...and then they dog it for the rest of the day. When they got a gut full of yummy baby perch they do not get very interested in carp food (worms). But, if you time it right or provoke a reaction bite with the right lure...right color, right wiggle...you can score one once in awhile.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]In short, there aren't going to be many places within an easy drive of Salt Lake where you can count on icing a walleye. Actually, if Utah Lake freezes, it would probably be an even better bet than some of the others. Shallow, and takes "stealth mode", but there are some good fat walleyes iced there every year.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Anybody who claims to be able to catch walleyes anywhere, any time, will lie about other things too.[/#0000ff]
[signature]