Minersville

[Shootncast]

I have not posted in a while. Used to post as Castnshoot, but this new format won’t let me back on using my old name.

Anyway just a short report report from Minersville. Ice is 8 to 10 inches, and no real shore to ice issues.

Right now it is 2 to 3 of the 10 to 12 inchers then a bigger fish. Those smaller fish are this falls planting, and a lot of them look a little rough. (Race Rub) Hopefully they pretty up over time.

The bigger fish are still fat and feisty, just a small amount of thinning 
behind the annal fins.

There has been no real ice season for the last couple of years at Minersville. That my be one of the factors in there being so many trophy fish in there right now. A 22 incher is not uncommon, a fair chance at a 24 incher, and even a few bigger than that. So if you go treat the big ones right. 

This year Minersville was planted with Large Mouth again, even though they have not taken hold in the past.

They did give it a small hit of Wipers this year which I personally am glad to see.

They also put a bunch of small Browns in as they often do. Let me know if you catch one.

Also the Small Mouth are doing good and will be ready to bite this spring.

Micro biologicals, bug hatches and crawdads seemed in good shape this past summer. I have not seen a Chub in the lake in a long time even though they are abundant in the river above and below the lake.

They did drop a lot of fire retardant close to the lake this summer.

February and March is when the Beaver mountains often get their snow, pray that is the case this year
.

[_6x_]

Thanks for this informative report! I've wondered about Minersville but have never tried it. It seems like if things go well that it could be a multi-species location worth keeping in mind.

[gofish435]

Thanks for the great report and pictures.  Those fish are fun on a six weight, I can't imagine how they are on a little ice rod. 

There are some great fish in there but it takes a lot of pressure too. 

[Fritzfishin]

nice job man! i use to live in the trailer house on the ramp till it burned down, saw alot of nice fish! only ever got 1 cutty there, a few browns tho. lots of big smallies and several toad wiper.

[wiperhunter2]

Hey Blaine, good to see you made it back on the site, I was wondering if that was you when I sent you that email about activating your account. If you like, I can get you back to your old username? Nice trout.

[Cowboypirate]

Great report, txs.

[Shootncast]

Hey Blaine, good to see you made it back on the site, I was wondering if that was you when I sent you that email about activating your account. If you like, I can get you back to your old username? Nice trout.

Yes I would like to get my old username back. What do I need to do. Thanks

[PBH]

It seems like if things go well that it could be a multi-species location worth keeping in mind.

could be?  It has been for a long time.
Like 435 said -- "...it takes a lot of pressure too...".


Pressure is a result of good fishing.  Good fishing comes from good water, and good management.  The real issue isn't pressure -- it's water.  That's the scary part.  Our snowpack is looking really, really bad right now.  If this continues, Minersville will struggle next summer.


Moral of the story?  don't wait for "could be".

[Big Sky]

Minersville has one foot in the grave and the other foot inching forward rapidly if we don't get A LOT better snow pack in the next 2 to 3 months. If the snow/rain doesn't show up Minersville will be history this summer. This isn't paranoia talking. I personally work with the guy that controls the outflow of water for irrigation below the lake. His instructions are pretty clear, and that lake won't have enough water left in it to support the trout if we don't get the much needed snow. The insane amount of fishing pressure on the lake since the quarantine started last year hasn't helped matters either. While there are big fish, there numbers have dropped considerably since last spring. Not complaining just stating facts. Everyone has a right to fish there, but tons of pressure is tough on the fish. Last note, if I see anyone with Powerbait bottles or worms, myself and all the guys I fish with will turn you in to DWR in a heart beat. If you love to bait fish that is fine, just don't bring your bait game to Minersville!

[wiperhunter2]

Hey Blaine, good to see you made it back on the site, I was wondering if that was you when I sent you that email about activating your account. If you like, I can get you back to your old username? Nice trout.

Yes I would like to get my old username back. What do I need to do. Thanks

PM sent

[castnshoot]

Minersville has one foot in the grave and the other foot inching forward rapidly if we don't get A LOT better snow pack in the next 2 to 3 months. If the snow/rain doesn't show up Minersville will be history this summer. This isn't paranoia talking. I personally work with the guy that controls the outflow of water for irrigation below the lake. His instructions are pretty clear, and that lake won't have enough water left in it to support the trout if we don't get the much needed snow. The insane amount of fishing pressure on the lake since the quarantine started last year hasn't helped matters either. While there are big fish, there numbers have dropped considerably since last spring. Not complaining just stating facts. Everyone has a right to fish there, but tons of pressure is tough on the fish. Last note, if I see anyone with Powerbait bottles or worms, myself and all the guys I fish with will turn you in to DWR in a heart beat. If you love to bait fish that is fine, just don't bring your bait game to Minersville!

Big Sky, like I said often times Feb. and March is when the Beaver Mountains get dumped on. That is always in the local’s prayers this time of year.

I think it was 6 or 7 years ago there was no snow pack and 2 months of heavy spring rains topped off the lake that was only 1/2 full.

Also several years ago there was a super heavy monsoon season that topped the lake.
I try to see the lake as half full rather than half empty.

As far as die offs the worst thing I have seen the last few years is people (mostly Flyfishermen who should know better) fishing that little cove by the Dam in late summer and early fall. Often times even thought the fish are really stressed they will really stack up in that cove and hit the small fly. Most every fish caught in those conditions will die. Guys will stand there and kill one fish after another. They are not braking the law though.

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Minersville has one foot in the grave and the other foot inching forward rapidly if we don't get A LOT better snow pack in the next 2 to 3 months. If the snow/rain doesn't show up Minersville will be history this summer. This isn't paranoia talking. I personally work with the guy that controls the outflow of water for irrigation below the lake. His instructions are pretty clear, and that lake won't have enough water left in it to support the trout if we don't get the much needed snow. The insane amount of fishing pressure on the lake since the quarantine started last year hasn't helped matters either. While there are big fish, there numbers have dropped considerably since last spring. Not complaining just stating facts. Everyone has a right to fish there, but tons of pressure is tough on the fish. Last note, if I see anyone with Powerbait bottles or worms, myself and all the guys I fish with will turn you in to DWR in a heart beat. If you love to bait fish that is fine, just don't bring your bait game to Minersville!

Big Sky, like I said often times Feb. and March is when the Beaver Mountains get dumped on. That is always in the local’s prayers this time of year.

I think it was 6 or 7 years ago there was no snow pack and 2 months of heavy spring rains topped off the lake that was only 1/2 full.

Also several years ago there was a super heavy monsoon season that topped the lake.
I try to see the lake as half full rather than half empty.

As far as die offs the worst thing I have seen the last few years is people (mostly Flyfishermen who should know better) fishing that little cove by the Dam in late summer and early fall. Often times even thought the fish are really stressed they will really stack up in that cove and hit the small fly. Most every fish caught in those conditions will die. Guys will stand there and kill one fish after another. They are not braking the law though.

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nice job man! i use to live in the trailer house on the ramp till it burned down, saw alot of nice fish! only ever got 1 cutty there, a few browns tho. lots of big smallies and several toad wiper.

Fritz, was that this summer’s fire?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PSrBWVRb-NY

Here is that day from my house, scary.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cnjuctuc-ZY

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UB9d98u7XJM

---

Minersville has one foot in the grave and the other foot inching forward rapidly if we don't get A LOT better snow pack in the next 2 to 3 months. If the snow/rain doesn't show up Minersville will be history this summer. This isn't paranoia talking. I personally work with the guy that controls the outflow of water for irrigation below the lake. His instructions are pretty clear, and that lake won't have enough water left in it to support the trout if we don't get the much needed snow. The insane amount of fishing pressure on the lake since the quarantine started last year hasn't helped matters either. While there are big fish, there numbers have dropped considerably since last spring. Not complaining just stating facts. Everyone has a right to fish there, but tons of pressure is tough on the fish. Last note, if I see anyone with Powerbait bottles or worms, myself and all the guys I fish with will turn you in to DWR in a heart beat. If you love to bait fish that is fine, just don't bring your bait game to Minersville!

Big Sky, like I said often times Feb. and March is when the Beaver Mountains get dumped on. That is always in the local’s prayers this time of year.

I think it was 6 or 7 years ago there was no snow pack and 2 months of heavy spring rains topped off the lake that was only 1/2 full.

Also several years ago there was a super heavy monsoon season that topped the lake.
I try to see the lake as half full rather than half empty.

As far as die offs the worst thing I have seen the last few years is people (mostly Flyfishermen who should know better) fishing that little cove by the Dam in late summer and early fall. Often times even thought the fish are really stressed they will really stack up in that cove and hit the small fly. Most every fish caught in those conditions will die. Guys will stand there and kill one fish after another. They are not braking the law though.

[castnshoot]

Hey Blaine, good to see you made it back on the site, I was wondering if that was you when I sent you that email about activating your account. If you like, I can get you back to your old username? Nice trout.

Yes I would like to get my old username back. What do I need to do. Thanks

PM sent

Thanks Curt, let me know if you come down this way. PS I am a tectart!

[wiperhunter2]

Thanks Curt, let me know if you come down this way. PS I am a tectart!

"I am a tectart", what does tecatart mean?

[Fritzfishin]

No it was about 4 years ago on a February 3rd when the trailer house burned down i use to always be out on the lake on my orange artic cat 4 wheeler looking dor something trophy status

[Big Sky]

Recent update. First let me say I'm not trying to intentionally sound negative, I'm just stating the facts, and then you can do what you want with that. Minersville got absolutely hammered over the weekend. Friday evening wasn't too bad, but Saturday a small city formed on the lake. There were around 200 people out there, and it's not that big of a lake. There wasn't a lot of fish catching going on either. Just a few here and there, and many got skunked altogether. I talked for a while with the DNR officer that was there. He was surprised the amount of traffic on the lake as well. It has been getting relentlessly pounded since last March when most of the state quarantined, but Minersville reservoir never did. It is taking a toll on the lake. The Beaver River below the lake is more or less completely destroyed as far as any decent fishing goes. This not an exaggeration. Year before last one mostly caught browns with the occasional rainbow. Some of those fish exceeded 20". If you go down there right now. You will be lucky to catch any fish and if you do it will be a small planter rainbow from last fall. There are almost no browns left in the river and anything of trophy quality would be a total fluke at this point. I talked with the fish biologist over the area and he concurs that the river is in tough shape right now from excessive fishing pressure. I also ran into a rancher yesterday that was celebrating his 89th birthday by driving around in the West Desert and getting some fresh air. He mentioned that in his 89 years he has never seen the Tusher mountains is such bad condition or with such little snow pack. All the local farmers are very concerned about the water situation as is the DNR. The drought is for real folks and if that snow doesn't happen in the next few months it's going to be a very bad situation.

[PBH]

this post is funny. Minersville has been experiencing absolutely fantastic fishing. People are talking about it all over -- what do you expect? You cannot hide good fishing. When fishing is good, people show up. Isn't that what we want? Isn't that why the DWR manages fisheries -- to provide good fishing for people to enjoy?


I'm trying to understand what you want?

As for the Beaver River below -- it has it's own issues, and over harvest by fishermen isn't at the top of the list. It goes up and down over the years. Some year's it is really good, and other years it isn't so good. It's been in a down cycle for a bout 3 years now. Hopefully the recent stream reconstruction work will help it.

The only concern I have right now is water. If we don't get some snow on the Beaver Mountains, then Minersville will struggle next summer. If we do get water, then the fish will be just fine.

It's good to see the lake busy. That means something is going right!

[Saltslam]

There's a good chance the crowding over the weekend was courtesy of Adam Eakle hotspotting it on KSL a week or two ago. This past week it was panguitch they did the same for, so expect crowds there. As PBH mentioned, Minersville Res. fished about as well as it ever has last summer and fall. The beginning of ice season was fantastic. I did see many people take fish that were 22" in their estimation but a tape would have certainly negated that idea. I'm glad there was a DWR person there and I can attest to the fact if you see someone breaking the law (artificial only and one fish over 22") and call the dwr, they will respond. Kudo's to them for the efforts there.
A good rain dance or prayers for snow by someone with more clout than myself would certainly help more than anything else that could happen. We really need some water for all the local lakes. Even with the pressure it was a banner year for fishing all around. Again, great job by the dwr. Keep it up.

[Fritzfishin]

Brandon white is the dwr supervisor down there I know him personally hes a good dude so give him a call on fishy fishermen, ive done it down there several times

[Big Sky]

"This post is funny. Minersville has been experiencing absolutely fantastic fishing. People are talking about it all over -- what do you expect? You cannot hide good fishing. When fishing is good, people show up. Isn't that what we want? Isn't that why the DWR manages fisheries -- to provide good fishing for people to enjoy?"

The last two weeks your "fantastic fishing" statement is simply not true at all. I fish the lake almost weekly. I can tell you that it is not as good as it was, point blank and period! You are also partially wrong about the Beaver River below the dam. It does have some other issues that you are correct about, however it is fished out. It has nothing to do with cycling up and down. Just days before the quarantine fishing was excellent and pressure had been moderate to light on the river all year. From when the quarantine started until now, pressure has been extremely heavy on the river below the dam. It is a waste of time to even go there. If you don't believe me then go give it a try  this week, and post all the pictures of 15"-20+" trout you caught. It would have been easy to do just 10 or 11 months ago. Prove me wrong, I'll wait.

It's good to see the lake busy. That means something is going right!

It depends on why it is busy. Is it because something is going right or because most of the other lakes in the area are doing poorly? With that said there are at least 10 other lakes/reservoirs in Beaver county. Which one is doing remotely close to as well for size and numbers of fish?

[Fritzfishin]

I feel every body of water has been hit harder this year then ever, all the stores up here in slc area are sold outta ice rods and everything. I love minersville but its every lake... drive by echo on a Saturday morning it looks like Los angeles