East Canyon Conditions

[icerman]

Was hoping to take my brother in law to East Canyon on Friday for his first ice fishing experience catching Trout.  I would sure appreciate any information regarding ice conditions.  Edge access, will a plank be necessary?  Slush?  Quality of the ice?  Safe ice?

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to give information.

[ReelMasta]

I'll be there Friday morning.  Hoping it'll be a good morning.  Going to be cold.  Forecast is ~10°.

Good luck.

[ReelMasta]

Didn't dare go on the ice alone.
I eased towards the edge, did a heavy sized 12 boot stomp and heard it crackling all over.... ummm I'll live to fish another day.

[Cowboypirate]

Didn't dare go on the ice alone.
I eased towards the edge, did a heavy sized 12 boot stomp and heard it crackling all over.... ummm I'll live to fish another day.

We drove up to see if anyone was trying it that we could talk to and get some condition info, but the lake was devoid of risk takers.

[ReelMasta]

Not worth the risk. It'll only deteriorate as the sun rays hit it.
I think the lower reservoirs are done for unless you dare a plank in and out.

[wiperhunter2]

Not worth the risk.  It'll only deteriorate as the sun rays hit it.
I think the lower reservoirs are done for unless you dare a plank in and out.

Thanks for getting up there and checking it out, sounds like a good call not to chance it. What was the temp up there when you got there Scott?

[icerman]

Hit East Canyon early this morning.  Temp was 9 degrees.  Edges (where we accessed) were solid.  Brought a plank but did not need it.  Ice was solid but slick!  Easy walking.  I felt totally safe.  There was another group who followed us out.  Catching, now what was another story.  Fished from 7:15-8:39 a.m., not even a bite!  Only saw two possible fish cross the finder.  The other two guys, who were closer to shore, didn't seem to be having any better luck that us (fishing in 50 FOW, lines 15'-20' down).  Ended up calling it quits and headed to Rockport.

13 degrees when we got to Rockport.  Access was frozen mud on the way out, slick mud on the way back.  Edges were solid where we accessed.  Ice was slick!  Wish I had worn my spikes!  You could see where it had been liquid slush in the recent days, but was solid.  Marked lots of perch on the finder, catching them was another story.  very light bites, like they were only playing with it, not biting it.  Caught about 6 big ones between the two of us and lots of dinks, still the catching was not fast and furious.  Left around 12 ish.  Slick getting off but not scary at all.

[wiperhunter2]

Hit East Canyon early this morning.  Temp was 9 degrees.  Edges (where we accessed) were solid.  Brought a plank but did not need it.  Ice was solid but slick!  Easy walking.  I felt totally safe.  There was another group who followed us out.  Catching, now what was another story.  Fished from 7:15-8:39 a.m., not even a bite!  Only saw two possible fish cross the finder.  The other two guys, who were closer to shore, didn't seem to be having any better luck that us (fishing in 50 FOW, lines 15'-20' down).  Ended up calling it quits and headed to Rockport.

13 degrees when we got to Rockport.  Access was frozen mud on the way out, slick mud on the way back.  Edges were solid where we accessed.  Ice was slick!  Wish I had worn my spikes!  You could see where it had been liquid slush in the recent days, but was solid.  Marked lots of perch on the finder, catching them was another story.  very light bites, like they were only playing with it, not biting it.  Caught about 6 big ones between the two of us and lots of dinks, still the catching was not fast and furious.  Left around 12 ish.  Slick getting off but not scary at all.

Thanks for that report, glad you were able to get on and off the ice in both location with no problems. Conditions sure are changing from one day to another. 
Did you get on the ice at the ramp at EC? Any trout at RP?

[icerman]

Hit East Canyon early this morning.  Temp was 9 degrees.  Edges (where we accessed) were solid.  Brought a plank but did not need it.  Ice was solid but slick!  Easy walking.  I felt totally safe.  There was another group who followed us out.  Catching, now what was another story.  Fished from 7:15-8:39 a.m., not even a bite!  Only saw two possible fish cross the finder.  The other two guys, who were closer to shore, didn't seem to be having any better luck that us (fishing in 50 FOW, lines 15'-20' down).  Ended up calling it quits and headed to Rockport.

13 degrees when we got to Rockport.  Access was frozen mud on the way out, slick mud on the way back.  Edges were solid where we accessed.  Ice was slick!  Wish I had worn my spikes!  You could see where it had been liquid slush in the recent days, but was solid.  Marked lots of perch on the finder, catching them was another story.  very light bites, like they were only playing with it, not biting it.  Caught about 6 big ones between the two of us and lots of dinks, still the catching was not fast and furious.  Left around 12 ish.  Slick getting off but not scary at all.

Thanks for that report, glad you were able to get on and off the ice in both location with no problems. Conditions sure are changing from one day to another. 
Did you get on the ice at the ramp at EC? Any trout at RP?

I did not access via the ramp at East Canyon, did the hike down the bank, not difficult at all.  Only one large trout at Rockport and it broke off at the surface!  Sure was fun reeling in on that noodle rod!  The only safety concerns I had was the slick surface ice at both lakes.

[wiperhunter2]

Thanks for that report, glad you were able to get on and off the ice in both location with no problems. Conditions sure are changing from one day to another. 
Did you get on the ice at the ramp at EC? Any trout at RP?

I did not access via the ramp at East Canyon, did the hike down the bank, not difficult at all.  Only one large trout at Rockport and it broke off at the surface!  Sure was fun reeling in on that noodle rod!  The only safety concerns I had was the slick surface ice at both lakes.

Many years ago we use to fish the area in the back called Taylors hollow and it was a fairly steep hike back up, we did OK but that was before they changed the stocking numbers.
Not sure if the trout was a bow you caught at RP but those fish are a handful when you get them to the hole, especially the big ones.