05-13-2014, 12:07 AM
I haven't been to the local ponds too much at all since getting a boat 2.5+ years ago. When we did we never took anything home. Always catch and release. This time of the year catching much of anything in the ponds is a chore. We only went in the winter months and sometimes would catch as many as several dozen planter Rainbows in a couple hour period. Either by fly, lure or a power bait of some sort. One year we did really good when the Bluegills were spawning. 50-100 of them in a couple hours. My daughters kept me seriously busy landing, re-baiting and casting for them back then. Haven't been out to try for them in years though. One of those perfect timing things. The local ponds certainly are "combat" fishing scenerios though. Never cared for that at all!
Downside to the south... There isn't a whole lot one can do w/o a boat. We tried for years to fish Mead from shore and totally gave up on it. The river is semi useless w/o a boat. The few trout factories within a couple hours drive to the north of Vegas can provide some results but again a boat makes a world of a difference. Utah wise... Sand Hollow can be alright from shore until summer hits and the hundreds of kids take up the shore lines swimming and jumping from the cliffs. Boating can be a challenge in the summer months due to the skiiers (busy boat ramp plus I have to launch/do everything myself since Madi can't operate either legally on her own). Kolob can be alright from shore but only in the earlier months since the Boy Scouts totally take over that lake the majority of the summer. Minnersville and Panguitch one can catch trouts from shore but again a boat makes a world of a difference...
Boat = much better fishing experience. Downside... Boats cost plenty of $$ to own/operate plus the additional cost of fuel to tow plus the $$ for a vehicle capable of towing. If money grew on trees I would be "somewhere" every weekend fishing. But since it doesn't I have to manage the fun. Thus this time of the year after some fun chasing the spawners in April I sit... Bored to death weekend in and out. But saving some $$ for trips to Utah, cooler temps, great camping and some serious fun fly fishing. There is a ton of places I would TOTALLY love to try but $$ rules and gas getting there takes a toll on ones "allowance".
Why I haven't been posting. School is almost out so been saving for some trips north to cooler weather and a change of scenery.
Speaking of water levels... Mead/the river system isn't the only place hurting. Several lakes in Utah might go dry this year. Kolob is somewhere around 30-35% full. At 9200-9700 feet or so there isn't much property higher than it for snow to sit, melt and fill it. It is hurting all over and fishing is really affected IMO by that fact alone this year.
Vegas is really a bummer of a spot to live if one really enjoys the outdoors (I grew up in Montana so hard to compare that to anything when it comes to outdoor activities, lakes, etc, etc. lol) Very very very difficult spot/area to fish if one doesn't have some fairly decent $$ available to them (which I don't...)
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Downside to the south... There isn't a whole lot one can do w/o a boat. We tried for years to fish Mead from shore and totally gave up on it. The river is semi useless w/o a boat. The few trout factories within a couple hours drive to the north of Vegas can provide some results but again a boat makes a world of a difference. Utah wise... Sand Hollow can be alright from shore until summer hits and the hundreds of kids take up the shore lines swimming and jumping from the cliffs. Boating can be a challenge in the summer months due to the skiiers (busy boat ramp plus I have to launch/do everything myself since Madi can't operate either legally on her own). Kolob can be alright from shore but only in the earlier months since the Boy Scouts totally take over that lake the majority of the summer. Minnersville and Panguitch one can catch trouts from shore but again a boat makes a world of a difference...
Boat = much better fishing experience. Downside... Boats cost plenty of $$ to own/operate plus the additional cost of fuel to tow plus the $$ for a vehicle capable of towing. If money grew on trees I would be "somewhere" every weekend fishing. But since it doesn't I have to manage the fun. Thus this time of the year after some fun chasing the spawners in April I sit... Bored to death weekend in and out. But saving some $$ for trips to Utah, cooler temps, great camping and some serious fun fly fishing. There is a ton of places I would TOTALLY love to try but $$ rules and gas getting there takes a toll on ones "allowance".
Why I haven't been posting. School is almost out so been saving for some trips north to cooler weather and a change of scenery.
Speaking of water levels... Mead/the river system isn't the only place hurting. Several lakes in Utah might go dry this year. Kolob is somewhere around 30-35% full. At 9200-9700 feet or so there isn't much property higher than it for snow to sit, melt and fill it. It is hurting all over and fishing is really affected IMO by that fact alone this year.
Vegas is really a bummer of a spot to live if one really enjoys the outdoors (I grew up in Montana so hard to compare that to anything when it comes to outdoor activities, lakes, etc, etc. lol) Very very very difficult spot/area to fish if one doesn't have some fairly decent $$ available to them (which I don't...)
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