12-15-2019, 08:01 PM
Joatmon and I fished at Mantua yesterday, Saturday. We parked on the southeast side and proceeded cautiously about 200 yards out onto the lake, spudding and drilling as we went. Ice was about 6" thick everywhere and we quit walking gingerly once we realized it was pretty safe. Areas that looked like they might be a little thin turned out to be spots where holes had been drilled. There was a couple of inches of water and slush on top.
A few fishers were out there already. EyLayo had told us that he caught quite a few bluegill and bass out around 7 fow. At less depth we were augering up weeds. Our fishing was very slow. Where we fished first we caught three pretty, fat rainbows but that wasn't what we were after so we kept moving out trying to locate the bluegill. A family came past us and set up a bit further out. They began catching trout and at least one bluegill so we moved further out, too. Eventually we each caught a small bluegill or two but that was it. We tried jigging for the bass with a few different spoons but they weren't having any of it. I believe Brett tried a Swedish Pimple and I gave it a go with a Johnson Shutter Spoon, tipped with meal worms per EyLayo's directions. We probably need to get a better selection and try again. I think the weather may have had some effect on our catching rate; it spit snow pellets on a cold wind out of the west most of the day. We used tungsten jigs with waxworms and meal worms. I caught one trout on a modified Atomic Teaser with waxworm.
The weather turned nastier and the wind started blowing snow down our necks in the afternoon. I finally couldn't take any more of the cold so we headed to the Tahoe to warm up and move over to the dam area to try for some perch. There were a few anglers set up in shelters not very far out from the ramp. We went out as far as the closest and drilled a couple of holes. We were only in 6 fow. I tossed my green tungsten jig with a waxworm down to see if anything was around. Boom! Fish on. I quickly pulled out a dark rainbow, about 12" like all the others. We decided to go further out and more to the north. We didn't go very far before we tried again. Now we were in 17', more like perch depth. I never got a nibble but Brett landed one to fill another species slot in the Challenge. Now he has 7 species and I'm up to 6 with the bluegill added.
While we were leaving another guy came by. He said he had caught about 10 each perch and rainbow, and one good bluegill. He was deadsticking a tungsten jig with waxworm on one and jigging a Tingler with the other. Anybody know anything about those? Size or color?
I see no reason why anyone shouldn't go there to fish at this point. I would just avoid trying to go way out or across the lake without very careful checking. Then, the weather is going to get very cold in the next couple of days which should freeze that water and slush on top and make it a little more comfortable that way.
I would like to go again soon and see if I can catch some bass. I can go Tuesday or Wednesday this week or sometime after Christmas if anyone is interested in joining me. PM me.
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A few fishers were out there already. EyLayo had told us that he caught quite a few bluegill and bass out around 7 fow. At less depth we were augering up weeds. Our fishing was very slow. Where we fished first we caught three pretty, fat rainbows but that wasn't what we were after so we kept moving out trying to locate the bluegill. A family came past us and set up a bit further out. They began catching trout and at least one bluegill so we moved further out, too. Eventually we each caught a small bluegill or two but that was it. We tried jigging for the bass with a few different spoons but they weren't having any of it. I believe Brett tried a Swedish Pimple and I gave it a go with a Johnson Shutter Spoon, tipped with meal worms per EyLayo's directions. We probably need to get a better selection and try again. I think the weather may have had some effect on our catching rate; it spit snow pellets on a cold wind out of the west most of the day. We used tungsten jigs with waxworms and meal worms. I caught one trout on a modified Atomic Teaser with waxworm.
The weather turned nastier and the wind started blowing snow down our necks in the afternoon. I finally couldn't take any more of the cold so we headed to the Tahoe to warm up and move over to the dam area to try for some perch. There were a few anglers set up in shelters not very far out from the ramp. We went out as far as the closest and drilled a couple of holes. We were only in 6 fow. I tossed my green tungsten jig with a waxworm down to see if anything was around. Boom! Fish on. I quickly pulled out a dark rainbow, about 12" like all the others. We decided to go further out and more to the north. We didn't go very far before we tried again. Now we were in 17', more like perch depth. I never got a nibble but Brett landed one to fill another species slot in the Challenge. Now he has 7 species and I'm up to 6 with the bluegill added.
While we were leaving another guy came by. He said he had caught about 10 each perch and rainbow, and one good bluegill. He was deadsticking a tungsten jig with waxworm on one and jigging a Tingler with the other. Anybody know anything about those? Size or color?
I see no reason why anyone shouldn't go there to fish at this point. I would just avoid trying to go way out or across the lake without very careful checking. Then, the weather is going to get very cold in the next couple of days which should freeze that water and slush on top and make it a little more comfortable that way.
I would like to go again soon and see if I can catch some bass. I can go Tuesday or Wednesday this week or sometime after Christmas if anyone is interested in joining me. PM me.
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The older I get the more I would rather be considered a good man than a good fisherman.
