02-19-2012, 04:41 AM
Went venturing with the Friends on Friday. Hit some River trax to see what we could find. Tracked down some dinker sunfish hiding in rock crevises, but not the big-bad predators we'd hoped might be waiting for them. Pitched around rocks, and into the big river, but the schools I've seen in this spot were elsewhere that day.
So - we moved on. Hit more open water off the Bear, and got into some bluegills, and even a nice footlong crappie. Even bass came to play in the almost after ice.
Ben went to check on edges at Netwon, and with some extra boards,convinced us we could get on (and off!) the ice. So we hit it first light. No prob getting on - ice was a good 8 inches where we drilled out from the rope swing. We did get on some fish, but they were finicky. 35-45 ft of water - tight on the bottom, but not very willing to play.
Met "Bob" there, and chatted up and fished with him. Landed a few chunky 8"ers. Then the boyz wandered to the dam and got into some bass, and even some bluegill - yes Virginia - there are bluegill in Newton! One dink Crappie came to play. The musky did not want to play this day. No Jawjacker love!
Getting off - it was nice to have the boards. But the frozen mud had turned to goo, and the run out from the campground was a mud-bogging taboggen! I wasn't sure I wouldn't slip out of the ruts and into a tree, or worse! But we made it, cruised on out. (ah - a toast of adrenalin!)
On the way home we stopped off at a slough, and pitched some lines for kicks. Open water - hey baby!
I found shadows of flash in a pool across the way, and as we explored - realized they were SCHOOLS of carp minnows. Hoards of the danged beasts. Wouldn't bite a worm, or nothing. So - I started dropping below and lifting up. Snaggle puss indeed! Proof - they WERE carp minnows (not crappie boo hooo).
The boyz took off and left me to play for the next half hour -I tossed a treble below the beats, and pulled in baby-carp-after-baby-carp. Various sizes. Some almost too big!
So - in all, I had a 100+ fish day. Wish it had been 100 perch, but the carplets were entertaining. Sorting and bagging for spring catting. Guy passed by as I was walking out - saw my 'catch', and as I told him "bait" - he said THOSE?! I'm like - have you seen a 20lb catfish!!!
High Hopes. Springs a-coming! I think I know where I'm taking my cast-net now! Holy Carp Batman!
I was getting dizzy from turning circles having a fish to unhook every 10 seconds - literally!
And before anyone gives me crap for snagging carplets - I checked - and as a nongame fish, don't see anything to the contrary. I swear I hooked 'em in about every orivice and edifice they own! Jaw to butt, to side, to dorsal, chins, eyes - you name it!
Now my boy wants to come give them a try! (figured he would!) I think I need to buy a deep freeze!
(PS if you wanna know 'the spot' shoot me a PM - I won't announce it " in front of the lurkers - luuuuuurkeeeeeers" Ok Breck!)
So - we moved on. Hit more open water off the Bear, and got into some bluegills, and even a nice footlong crappie. Even bass came to play in the almost after ice.
Ben went to check on edges at Netwon, and with some extra boards,convinced us we could get on (and off!) the ice. So we hit it first light. No prob getting on - ice was a good 8 inches where we drilled out from the rope swing. We did get on some fish, but they were finicky. 35-45 ft of water - tight on the bottom, but not very willing to play.
Met "Bob" there, and chatted up and fished with him. Landed a few chunky 8"ers. Then the boyz wandered to the dam and got into some bass, and even some bluegill - yes Virginia - there are bluegill in Newton! One dink Crappie came to play. The musky did not want to play this day. No Jawjacker love!
Getting off - it was nice to have the boards. But the frozen mud had turned to goo, and the run out from the campground was a mud-bogging taboggen! I wasn't sure I wouldn't slip out of the ruts and into a tree, or worse! But we made it, cruised on out. (ah - a toast of adrenalin!)
On the way home we stopped off at a slough, and pitched some lines for kicks. Open water - hey baby!
I found shadows of flash in a pool across the way, and as we explored - realized they were SCHOOLS of carp minnows. Hoards of the danged beasts. Wouldn't bite a worm, or nothing. So - I started dropping below and lifting up. Snaggle puss indeed! Proof - they WERE carp minnows (not crappie boo hooo).
The boyz took off and left me to play for the next half hour -I tossed a treble below the beats, and pulled in baby-carp-after-baby-carp. Various sizes. Some almost too big!
So - in all, I had a 100+ fish day. Wish it had been 100 perch, but the carplets were entertaining. Sorting and bagging for spring catting. Guy passed by as I was walking out - saw my 'catch', and as I told him "bait" - he said THOSE?! I'm like - have you seen a 20lb catfish!!!
High Hopes. Springs a-coming! I think I know where I'm taking my cast-net now! Holy Carp Batman!
I was getting dizzy from turning circles having a fish to unhook every 10 seconds - literally!
And before anyone gives me crap for snagging carplets - I checked - and as a nongame fish, don't see anything to the contrary. I swear I hooked 'em in about every orivice and edifice they own! Jaw to butt, to side, to dorsal, chins, eyes - you name it!
Now my boy wants to come give them a try! (figured he would!) I think I need to buy a deep freeze!
(PS if you wanna know 'the spot' shoot me a PM - I won't announce it " in front of the lurkers - luuuuuurkeeeeeers" Ok Breck!)
][
] I'm not prejudice on the species for catching sake - it's all fun to me to have a tug at my line. I read of this blind taste test in In-Fishermen magazine with carp, catfish and tilapia cooked the same way. Carp was preferred 1-2! Interesting... One o' these days, if a catch a carp from somewhere other than Utah Lake, I'd like to try one for the smoker.