Deer creek shore access

[clebreto]

I am planning on taking the kids up to deer creek this afternoon and would like some suggestions on where to try. Preferably some place Thai is relatively easy to access.
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[Shrimpboy]

I would suggest paying the state park fees and fishing near one of the parking lots. I'm told that Rainbow Bay can be good from shore.
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[cat_man]

I disagree. You should go to the very east end up against the midway turnoff. Park in one of those pullouts along the highway anywhere along the rocks there next to the weeds at the east end and along the shore from there going west. If it's cloudy or evening, you should be able to pick up a few perch and a lot of dink smallmouths in the rocks there with just a simple worm dropped below a bobber. Just cast it out next to the rocks or about 5 - 20 feet out. Once you find what depth they are at, which is often right near the bottom in this shallow water next to the rocks, you'll get plenty of them. If there's no wind you can even watch them down there hitting the worm. Sometimes they'll investigate without biting, but slowly moving the worm around or reeling it in sometimes entices a strike. Usually though no movement is necessary.

If there's a little wind causing riffles, they'll move up a bit higher in the water column. I've caught plenty of them along there with this method, including a few bigger smallies, a couple small largemouth, lots of perch and even a couple tiny green sunfish that hide under the riprap rocks along the shore.
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[Shrimpboy]

I didn't realize that the water was up that high again...it's been more than a year since I've been up that way. I would say that this area would be your best bet for bass and perch too, but if you have little kids then the rocks might be a problem.
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[cat_man]

Ya this is the first year since like 1998 that Deer Creek has been that full. It's at 100% capacity, as is Jordanelle right now!

You're right, the rocky ground can be tricky for kids in places there, but there are a few spots that have flat gravel ground right up to the edge, although it can get crowded at times. I guess it depends really on the age of the kids and their stamina.

You're down in AZ now aren't you? Hows the heat?
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[clebreto]

Thanks for the advice I found the banks on the the upper east side a little to steep for the kids. So we ended up fishing around the island.
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[cat_man]

How did you end up doing? Catch anything?
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[clebreto]

I eneded up catching on small mouth but that was cool because it was my first bass ever.

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[cat_man]

Cool! Congrats on your first bass! Believe me they can get addicting very fast!! For Deer Creek and Jordanelle you'll need to get a few staples for next time. I read your other post, so I know you've already recognized that topwater baits like poppers, etc. can be good very early or very late. Once they go down to the bottom, however, a great way to get them is with senkos or other brands of soft plastic stickbaits like that. For Deer Creek, white or smoke sparkle are great colors, followed by green. Jordanelle the chartreuse does very well, as well as shades of white. You can wacky rig them, drop shot, or many other ways. When it comes to catching lots of them but little ones, a worm under a bobber is hard to beat though.
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