Eat Canyon Wipers

[fishgiver]

Has anyone caught any wipers yet ?
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[bassrods]

They all died I hope..
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[TyeDyeTwins]

Last year there was a report or two of someone who caught a wiper at EC.

Can't wait for more of them in there!
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[HD7000]

I did a little digging on this and have come to the conclusion that wipers were put into E.Canyon to try and control the stunted small mouth population. The DWR only put 10,178 wipers in EC which sounds like a lot, but compared to the 371,968 wipers they planted in Willard last year, they hardly put any in EC!
I'm sure we will hear of people catching them from time to time, but If you are targeting wipers, you would be much better off heading down the canyon!
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[utahgolf]

sorry but those east canyon smallies are so overrated as far as size. I think low expectations on smallies is what drives people into thinking the east canyon ones are bigger than they really are. Now Pineview has some real beasts. I've caught decent ones at east canyon but they are fewer and farther between than most want to believe.
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[bassrods]

At this time you may be right, but many big small es have been caught and taken home..

Most just can't under stand that small mouth only grow about 1 1/2 to 2" per year till they get around 13"to 14" then they can grow faster if they have a good food..
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[FishSlayerJT]

troll the shore when they are spawning.. plenty of bass 14-20"..
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[wiperhunter2]

Growth rate of Smallmouth bass
A normal year class of smallmouth can have some fast and slow growers with the bulk of individuals in the mid range. Based on amount of food available, the average size can be skewed toward one side of small or large. A standard year class can be composed of several 2"-4", the majority in the 5"-6" size, some 6"-7" and maybe a few exceptional ones 8"-9".

[inline growing-smallmouth-bass-2.gif]
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[utahgolf]

Plenty of 20 inchers in East Canyon? I guess I better ditch the jig rods and start trolling over those beds! []
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[dubob]

[quote bassrods][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]They all died I hope..[/quote]Ahhh; words of wisdom from the REAL expert on all things fishing in Utah.[/#800000][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][cool][/#800000][/font]
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[Gemcityslayer]

[quote HD7000]I did a little digging on this and have come to the conclusion that wipers were put into E.Canyon to try and control the stunted small mouth population. The DWR only put 10,178 wipers in EC which sounds like a lot, but compared to the 371,968 wipers they planted in Willard last year, they hardly put any in EC!
I'm sure we will hear of people catching them from time to time, but If you are targeting wipers, you would be much better off heading down the canyon![/quote]


The # of fish stocked isn't the most important # to look at. A better number for what you are suggesting is fish density. How many fish were stocked per surface area? Or per volume of water?

Willard bay is a pretty large lake surface area wise, and those 370,000 wipers have a lot of room to spread out and move around. EC is considerably smaller isn't it?
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[HD7000]

Willard is also only 10-12 feet deep, I have marked spots at East Canyon over 175' deep. EC may look like a small lake, but there is a lot of water up there, even when the level is 30' low!
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[wiperhunter2]

Another thing most people don't figure into the equation is what the survival rate is for those 10,178 wipers. According to the info I received from the DWR there is only a 1 to 4% survival rate when they are planted at that size. So overall the amount that are in EC at this time is a pretty small number.
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[PBH]

[quote bassrods]
Most just can't under stand that small mouth only grow about 1 1/2 to 2" per year till they get around 13"to 14" then they can grow faster if they have a good food..[/quote]

ugh.

Bassrods -- what YOU can't understand is that big fish are the result of FAST growth. If those smallies are only growing 1 1/2 inch per year, then there is a problem -- and it is NOT harvest!! Why are those smaller fish growing slowly? You've got to get those fish growing fast -- if there are too many fish, growth rates slow. Reduce the number of fish. How do you do this? 1. increase harvest. 2. stock a fish that will eat them when anglers refuse to increase harvest.





Concerning wipers, stocking rates, and survival rates:

1. Compare EC to a place like Minersville. Stocking numbers are very similar. People ARE catching wipers at Minersville. However, if you compare to Otter Creek, where stocking numbers are again similar but the size of the lake is much larger, people are NOT catching wipers. As was previously mentioned, densities compared to surface acres is key.

2. survival rate -- again, as mentioned previously, survival rates are not high. Stocking fish at this size is always a gamble. Timing can play a significant factor. Stock them too early, and they all die. It's a tricky equation figure out.


What we saw at both New Castle and Minersville is that nobody saw wipers for a few years. Then all of a sudden, anglers start catching them.

Does anyone know any results of spring gill netting at EC? That would be the telling info of whether or not to expect to start catching wipers from there or not. If they are showing up in the nets in decent numbers, then people should start catching some. If not (like at Otter Creek this year), then most likely nobody is going to be catching them.
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[bassrods]

I just got back and seen I made or put the wrong size down it should have been 2" to 4" on avg..
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[trout_slayer]

Try trolling the shore after I have been up that way. There will be plenty of SMB on the bank from my catch, photograph and launch (to the bank)!!! LOL

TS
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[Troll]

Are you saying that you waste game fish?
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[FishSlayerJT]

not trolling just looking.. i usually leave the big ones alone.. i have caught 14-16" bass trolling worm harnesses at EC and DC. Actually did really well one day at 30-40'. And im not claiming to actually have landed a 20" bass, or that i am all a bass fisherman, but i will claim to have broke 1 off. Hooked her on a jig on the way down and it was a hell of a fight on 4#.. more like plenty of 14-18 last year making them, __" this year..
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[wiperhunter2]

I'm sure he is just jabbing Cliff but in theory, if you don't have a stringer, you could throw your fish up on shore and pick them up before you leave[:/].
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[bassrods]

In the past posts I have posted pictures of a few out of east canyon over 20" and even over 6+lb , they was in there at one time but now??Who can say..
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