Utah Lake's Shedding Its Ice

[PrinceFisher]

Except for a brief afternoon of fly fishing on the Provo River in mid-December (where I caught a few fat and healthy slime rockets, thank you very much), I've not wetted a line since the air turned frosty and the lakes donned their hard tops. I'm going though withdrawls, I'm tellin' ya!

So it was with great anticipation that I saw open water welcoming me and my sons when we took a short drive last evening down to Provo Boat Harbor. Just last week my family and I took the same 10-minute drive from home and discovered an ice rink inside the jetties and around the boat docks, though there was open water further out past the mouth of the harbor.

It goes without saying, then, that I'm anxious to begin soaking dead minnows in hopes that a hungry walleye or two might find them appetizing. Here's hoping that as Utah Lake's toothy predators begin to wipe the sleep out of their big, glassy eyes after winter's dark night that they'll see and accept my humble offerings.

I know that winter's far from over, but I also know that warmer temps will soon turn our frigid, lethargic friends into more active feeding machines as their March-May spawning cycle approaches. In that same vein, I would appreciate any news as to Lincoln Beach's iciness inside the harbor.

Know that once I catch my first 'eye of the season, I'll post a report.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I doubt there is a walleye fan in Utah whose heart is not beating a little faster with thoughts of renewing old acquaintances with those toothy critters soon. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Both Willard Bay and Utah Lake should soon see some prespawn walleyes munching on whatever they can find to build up some energy before the "spring fling". That includes slow fished plastics and marabous, but nothing beats a juice minnow floated up off the bottom on a corky.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have been watching Lindon Harbor and the lake around it. Last Friday I stopped by and there was still a thin layer of ice on the harbor, but open water out into the lake. I suspect that with the warm and the winds of the past couple of days that the ice inside is about gone too.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I am attaching a "cool" pic I took, looking out from the shoreline at the "bubbleup". You can see the marker buoys straight out. I plan to take my machete down and hack out a launch area for tubing soon. No need to pay the fees at the harbor and then have to kick several hundred yards out.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Have you checked Salem Pond yet? We are going to have to meet up and go play with those bad boys again this spring.[/#0000ff]
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[PrinceFisher]

I've actually been wondering about Salem Pond. I have no idea if it has ice on it or not. My boys keep asking me when we're going to take the boat there again.

I went there, I believe, about a half dozen more times last year after you and I went, and each time we had about the same success, landing several planter cats with a few big gals thrown into the mix. I'm looking forward to playing with them again, as we released nearly all of them.

Last spring at SP, before I discovered my secret kitty spot, I caught a few very small largemouths during their spawn before they moved into deeper water and I couldn't locate them again.

I'm sure that many BFT hard-water hole drillers wouldn't mind if winter hung on for several more weeks, but I'm looking forward to some warmer weather and launching the old aluminum boat.

Hey, I look forward to joining you on the water again whenever our schedules permit it. Good to yack with you again.
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[utwalleye]

Hey Pat, is that pic you took right on the old spillway ?? wow looks like the cat tails have taken over. I haven't fished there in a few years. later chuck
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Yeah, the "forest" just exploded last year when the water came up.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Here's another pic taken right off the concrete spillway.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The good news is that the eyes sometimes hang right on the edge of the reeds, for good targeting.[/#0000ff]
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[Bigcat]

On our way home from Strawberry today we were discussing the snowpack and lake/reservoir levels and how hopefully most of them should fill up this spring. Utah lake came up and I am not too familiar with Utah lake fishing and for the most part water levels etc although I do a lot of recreational boating (trolling 200 pound wakeboarders and 6 kids on a tube) on it a lot during the summer months. Anyway we were wondering what is at the far north end of the lake where the lake transitions into the Jordan River. I assume there is something there to help control lake level and water flow into the river. Is there a Dam of sorts or pumps or some other flow control system? Thanks!
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]All of the above.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The Jordan flow is controlled by a set of pumps and a raised "dam" of sorts. When the pumps are shut down, the water is free to rise in the lake. When the pumps are opened , to send more water downstream to the water users, it is a balancing act between how much water comes in from all of the combined tributaries and how much is sucked out through the pumps.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]One of the big factors in favor of keeping Utah Lake levels up is the ongoing June Sucker program. DWR and other agencies are working to make sure that there is enough water coming down the Provo River to facilitate June Sucker spawning. That means more water for Utah Lake. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We have had enough water the past two winters to keep a good water level in Utah Lake, but if we ever go into another protracted drought, the downstream water users own that water and they could drain the lake down to below the last board on the Jordan River pumphouse if they wanted. It almost got there in the last quarter of 2004, before they shut off the pumps for the winter. It was difficult to find water deeper than about 6 feet anywhere on the lake, and the harbors were all shallower than 2 feet.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Right now the water level is about a foot higher than the highest point it reached during peak runoff last spring. If Jordanelle and Deer Creek fill up, the excess will bring Utah Lake up even higher. That will help keep the water from becoming so turbid in the wind and will definitely help spawning and recruitment for all species. (even carp).[/#0000ff]
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[Bigcat]

TD-
I knew I could count on you! Thanks buddy.. I still gotta find time for you to examine my broken patient. Life is too busy!
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Well, since the patient is already terminal, maybe we can go for a resurrection.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Don't just FIND time. MAKE time. (Easier said than done sometimes.)[/#0000ff]
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[Ewetah]

Since the ice is coming off I would like to get more info on fishing Utah Lake. I take my boat there for the first time each season but we have never seriously persued fish. This needs to change! So I have some questions.

Is the American Fork ramp the furthest north ramp on the lake or do they have a ramp at Saratoga?

I have heard the bubble up referred to before and how it attracts fish to the area. Just exactly where is the bubble up? Which fish species does it attract?

Any and all information is appreciated!
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]AF Boat Harbor is the furthest north ramp. It is still closed until April 1. Lindon is closest to Orem area and is open now. It is almost as far north, and within view of AF.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]On the other side of the lake, there is no public launching at Saratoga, but further south, at Saratoga Springs, there is a fairly new harbor and ramp. Last I knew it was still a free launch over there. With higher water this year look for them to start charging.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The term bubbleup comes from back in the olden days, when Geneva Steel was running full blast. Their waste water outfall was warm and attracted all the species in the lake. These days there is still some inflow, from springs. They first go through the old ponds so they don't add any warmth to the water. Nevertheless, fresh water from any source seems to attract walleye, white bass and cats.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have some writeups I have done on fishing for catfish and walleyes in Utah Lake. Send me a PM with your email address and I will send you some light reading. Both pieces include info on fishing each of the major access points around the lake.[/#0000ff]
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[Ewetah]

Thanks Tube Dude! I will send a PM.
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