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Hi all, I'm new to the board. I'm not much of a warm-water fisherman but I need some help on fishing Utah Lake. I remember as a kid fishing from Lincoln Beach and catching lots of white bass. I would appreciate any advice on how and when to fish for white bass on Utah Lake. I wouldn't mind going after Cats or walleye too. Is this a good time to find white bass close to the shore? I'd appreciate any help you can give me. Thanks
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Just wanted to say welcome.
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Thanks icefool, anyone have any suggestions. Are they in close to shore at this time of year.
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[cool][blue][size 1]Welcome aboard bug. I am assuming, by your handle, that you may have a penchant for flinging flies. If that is so, I will be posting either later today or tomorrow a 7 page writeup on fishing Utah Lake with flies, complete with pics of patterns. That has a lot of stuff on white bass...especially since those prolific and fiesty denizens of the lake were often the inspiration for most of my fly patterns. [/size][/blue]
[#0000ff][size 1]White bass roam throughout the lake, constantly on the lookout for something to eat. And, they will eat anything that doesn't eat them first. Their preferred menu includes the young of all other species...and their own too, if they can't escape before feeding their parents or other relatives. During the early summer months they gorge heavily on baby carp. But, depending on the location and the time of year, you can take white bass with everything from insects to leeches to crawdad parts in them.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]In choosing flies or lures, go with something both representational of their preferred food items and also highly visible. Vibration and flash are good too. Spinners and rattling crank baits account for a lot of larger white bass. Jigs are almost always good, if fished in the right place (where they are) and the right way. Vary retrieves and depths. When they are cold or inactive, you will need to fish low and slow. If they are "wide open", they will hit a surface lure.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]This time of year is one of the best for whities, if you can find them. Look around rocky shorelines, inside harbors and up in tributary creeks. They are close to spawning and prefer current if they can find it. Lots of white bass go up the Provo and down the Jordan. The Provo remains closed for a few more weeks but you can still find whites quite a ways upstream far into the year after the spawn. In the winter months, you will sometimes find small schools of whites in the deeper holes of the lower Provo. They move slow, so use small white or chartreuse flies or jigs and be alert for light bites.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Right now, one of the best ways to fish whites is to walk the bank pitching spinners. The color often doesn't make too much difference, but I have had better luck with golds, especially when the water is cold and/or off color. They also like blacks and bright colors, so take an assortment and move quickly along the bank until you find them. Once you do, you can often rack up a good score. And, don't be surprised if some of your casts hook you into largemouths, walleyes or even hungry spring catfish.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Small jigs are always a good way to fish for whites. Use either "dressed jigs" (feathers or hair) or small plastics in all the bright colors, white, yellow or black. As mentioned, white bass will also pounce on small crank baits and minnow imitations like Rapalas. Those can get expensive, however, and the shoreline of Utah Lake is lure hungry. It is common to "donate" lots of lures to the lake gods in some areas, like Lincoln Beach.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]By mid May, the white bass will have spawned and scattered. They are really hungry after the spawn and if you can find them you can usually catch them. In addition to artificials, they will readily accept all kinds of baits. However, crawlers or pieces of their own flesh on a small jig is the best way to entice them. If you hang a small jig a couple of feet below a bobber, and work it through the best holding areas you can get a whole assortment of Utah Lake denizens. But, that is a good way to fish for white bass without losing so many jigs.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]As the lake cools in the fall, look for whites both in close around the main lake and up in the tributaries again. There are some tiny "trickle cricks" that dump into Utah Lake in various places...plus Provo River. The whites go just upstream to try to find more food in water clearer than the main lake. They also start gravitating to the different warm spring areas as the water cools. Many of the best spots are closely guarded secrets among white bass fans (and cooler filling gluttons).[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]In the month or so before ice up, some of the best white bass fishing is inside the harbors. They can school up in great numbers and smack lures aggressively before the winter slowdown. Hot colors, blacks, whites..almost anything works. However, one of the best colors at this time of year is hot pink. Throw it in flies, plastics or jigs. If you have a float tube, try vertical jigging with a small silver spoon with a piece of crawler on it.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I will not go into ice fishing for whites. That is an entire thread by itself. By next ice fishing season you should have more "white-ology" accumulated and you can follow the reports to get what you need about fishing those guys under the ice.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Month in and month out, there are probably more whites taken around Lincoln Beach than anyplace else on the lake. But, I do not know of anyplace thay they can't be taken, at one time or another. Part of the fun of fishing for them is learning a bunch of new potential whitie hangouts and then learning their habits and their "calendar". The journey is its own reward.[/size][/#0000ff]
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Thanks tube dude that's exactly what I needed. Appreciate it very much. Couldn't find alot of info on white bass fishing. I like to fling the flies but I am looking to find ways to fish with my boys... 3 & 1/2 and 1& 1/2. Ok my littlest is a little young but before too long. Think I'll take 'em both to Lincoln beach and give it a try at the very least my youngest can play in the sand. Think i'll just try some spinners and/or jigs.
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Welcome to the site! Its never too early to take your boys fishing. I caught my first channel when I was 1. Just goes to show that patient parents, and what they introduce you to, can really effect a kid!
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Hey if you catch a white bass or carp use a tiny piece about 12 inches under a bobber .The white bass love it and an occasional mudcat will to.You never know walleyes eat the white bass too so it wouldnt hurt.I did that with my daughter last fall and she caught about 30 white bass and the bait lasts a long time and no snags either perfect for kids.
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welcome to the site as you can see there always someone that can answer about any question you throw out there. welcome again
Big Jim
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Thanks again, you all are alot more willing to share info than most ffers on other boards I vist. I'm going to give it a try this week for sure.
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Welcome baetis! I too am primarily a fly-flinger at heart. TubeDude's counsel is what got me into the warmwater fishies at Utah Lake. It is just a matter of finding those fish.
Good luck when you go out.
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TD what an introduction to the BFT site, you astound me every time. Too bad you missed out on the salsa fling er carp fling this weekend, fishing was a flop but the party was not.
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[cool][blue][size 1]Thanks FFM. All I can say is keep my reservations open. One of these days I will just show up and join in the festivities. I really am looking forward to being a part of all that stuff.[/size][/blue]
[#0000ff][size 1]As soon as my cooking gear makes it up on the moving truck we will have to get together and not only make up some salsa, but a big heaping pot of my "Pig Out Fish Chowder" too. No survivors yet.[/size][/#0000ff]
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Pig out fish chowder? Wow, I'm really looking forward to that! For the carp fling I only brought 11 quarts of salsa, but they only managed to kill 2 1/2 quarts, but I had the whole inventory on hand for the bravest to try. Big hits were kitchen sink, pumpkin & green chilli salsa this weekend.
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i wish i would have tried your salsa i love salsa but being wet and all i was not of the best mind set
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Hey buddy I can understand being cold and wet with the wind not helping any. But all you needed kto do was ask and I would have sent you home with a jar to sample in the warm comfort of home. There will be a next time for youn to try it.
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in april the whites run up the crekks to spawn by the zillions. also look to the inside corners of any marina small jigs will out perform all other presintations. green white pink and yellow all kick tail. in two inch for whites three inch for walleyes. have agreat time remmember to move until you locate a school then just keep pounding the the scool . solid sets crossineye
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When do the whites start the spawn? I saw April but does the water need to be much warmer?
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I have never seen the whities spawn that early. I used to fish the white bass spawn every spring on the Provo River by the shack where they take the June Sucker eggs (about a mile above the lake). I fished it probably from 1994 to 1998, then again in 2001.
The white bass were in full spawn the last few days of May into the first week of June. Then they tapered off very quickly. Many did remain in the river in the deeper holes throughout the summer however.
It was the same every single year. I think April is far too early. Mid May at the earliest.
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Just another of the places I've got to go and hit. My fishing schedule is filling up very fast.
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I wish I had a schedule to fill! Mine's already full with work and school! AHHHHH!!
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