12-21-2015, 02:22 PM
Saturday we went to Yuba to see if we could get in one last open water fishing trip, but it was iced over except a few very small pockets of open water by the Oasis ramp. We tried it for a while and then gave up. Strange that the day before the reservoir was largely opened and froze with skim ice in one night.
Sunday I drove to Utah Lake to check out conditions. Arriving at Lincoln Beach I was fortunate enough to witness a flock of gulls diving on bait near the warm springs. The air was full of screeching birds that were diving on bait and their efforts were very successful. The bait fish I could see them take appeared to be about 3 or 4 inches at best. Probably white bass based on the efforts of two fishermen fishing there who were catching fish with nearly every cast.
The birds would flock up and dive much like a boil in the ocean and then dissipate only to come back again. Occasionally they would leave the warm springs area and dive close to shore in the open water north of the springs and almost on top of where the fisherman were. It must have been a huge school of white bass based on everything I saw.
In salt water when diving birds are present it means predators have driven bait to the surface and generally these conditions can provide great fishing. Due to the shallow waters of the warm springs and nearby open water in the lake this might not have been the case, but I was thinking Northern Pike or walleye might be laying under the bait fish. Who knows, but it was interesting to witness.
The birds in the air might be hard to see. I used my phone instead of the camera. Video would have been better as the sound effects add to the sight.
Merry Christmas and be safe on the ice.
[url "http://www.handinhandoutdoors.org"]http://www.handinhandoutdoors.org[/url]
[signature]
Sunday I drove to Utah Lake to check out conditions. Arriving at Lincoln Beach I was fortunate enough to witness a flock of gulls diving on bait near the warm springs. The air was full of screeching birds that were diving on bait and their efforts were very successful. The bait fish I could see them take appeared to be about 3 or 4 inches at best. Probably white bass based on the efforts of two fishermen fishing there who were catching fish with nearly every cast.
The birds would flock up and dive much like a boil in the ocean and then dissipate only to come back again. Occasionally they would leave the warm springs area and dive close to shore in the open water north of the springs and almost on top of where the fisherman were. It must have been a huge school of white bass based on everything I saw.
In salt water when diving birds are present it means predators have driven bait to the surface and generally these conditions can provide great fishing. Due to the shallow waters of the warm springs and nearby open water in the lake this might not have been the case, but I was thinking Northern Pike or walleye might be laying under the bait fish. Who knows, but it was interesting to witness.
The birds in the air might be hard to see. I used my phone instead of the camera. Video would have been better as the sound effects add to the sight.
Merry Christmas and be safe on the ice.
[url "http://www.handinhandoutdoors.org"]http://www.handinhandoutdoors.org[/url]
[signature]