Lessons learned at Bear Lake

[Fishdude]

Here are some lessons that I learned the hard way at Bear Lake today:

1. Braided line does in fact slip on a metal spool when it is cold outside - I should have used some backing. Found this out on about my third jig this morning and had to switch back to my other spool that had 8 lb test monofilament on it.

2. 8 lb test monofilament does not cut it at Bear Lake - I hooked up with a LARGE fish today and survived 5 runs before hearing zzzzzzzzzzzzzSNAP on the 6th. I was in tears...never even got it up to the hole to get a look. Maybe it was the Bear Lake monster...
[signature]

[wiperhunter2]

Sorry to here you lost the big one today but at least you had one on. Yesterday was very slow for us at Bear lake and we never caught a fish over 3 lbs. What area were you fishing? WH2
[signature]

[Fishdude]

I was on the east side near second point. Got on the ice around 7:30 this morning, but didn't get a bite until about 8:30. Man was it cold this morning...
[signature]

[wiperhunter2]

Sounds just like it was yesterday, it was so cold my bait caster froze up and I had a hard time pulling line out of the reel but once the sun came up I had no problems with it.
It's days like that, I wish I had an ice tent. How many fish did you catch? WH2
[signature]

[Fishdude]

I iced 2 Macks - one was 20 inches (i had to take it home because it was bleeding badly) and the other was a bit bigger than that. After losing the big one, I caught 4 nice cutts. I even got a free Kastmaster out of one of the cutts! Its amazing that fish can continue to feed successfully with a large treble hook and lure hanging out of their mouth.
[signature]

[fishnpro40]

How deep of water were you fishing?
[signature]

[Fishdude]

Started in 60 feet of water but didn't get any bites. Moved to 70 feet and only got one bite in about an hour, so I trid 80 feet. No bites there, so I moved back to 70 feet and that is were I caught all of my fish.
[signature]