11-20-2012, 12:32 PM
[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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[signature]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#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]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#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]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#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]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#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]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#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]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#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]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#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]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[signature]