Jordanelle advice

[trollboy8]

Alright, it is father/son October fishing trip number 2 this Saturday at Jordanelle. I know the basics of Jordanelle, but we will be specifically targeting smallies. Last time we went was in the early spring and did o.k., sort of, pretty slow. Could really use some help. What about fishing the west side? We generally go on the east side in the coves, or the rock creek arm. Would love any help at all.
Thanks!
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[flygoddess]

You really need to get a hold of Tube Dude on the Tubin' portion. He has gone there several times and always with #.s of good success.
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[trollboy8]

Thanks, we will be in a boat and will be fishing mostly in the AM--from light until around noon.
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[utwalleye]

This time of year I have done my best on the steep bank lines where the provo comes in, the south side was best for me. I used senkos and texas rigged 4" worms. hope this helps, kater chuck
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[trollboy8]

That helps a lot, one question: what is your worm of choice? PM me if you prefer.
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[trollboy8]

Sorry tubedude for your troubles with the DWR, I know you put a lot of work into all that. Maybe it would make you feel better if you gave me some killer pointers about how to have success this Saturday at the 'Nelle. I'm here to help...[]
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[tomegun]

Hardbaits along the shores(pointers,crankbaits, etc...)

Senkos from 10 to 30 feet.

Or, dropshot 4" to 5" worms or gulp minnows.

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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]No worries about the Yuba perch thing. This too shall pass.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In the meantime there is still Jordanelle and other waters with plenty of perch and other species close by and accomodating.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Based on reports of the last few days, you can get trout on flies or spinners at Rock Cliffs. They will also hit the plastics you toss for perch or smallies. Lots of fish on top and near the bank...including some humongous chubs.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Lots of planter rainbows on small flies. Use big wooly buggers for bigger fish. Some real hefty bows and a few browns on black buggers right now.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The perch are going deeper, following the young of the year baby perch. Fish along the north side of Rock Cliffs, out in deeper water off the brush lines...up to 30 feet deep. Vertical jig small tube jigs or drop shot with larger plastics. White is always a good bet.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Won't be long until the smallies are all quite deep, but there are a few still hanging in 15 to 20 feet. Again, work different plastics either hop and drop or vertical jigging or with dropshot. Spooning works too, but can get expensive in the underwater forests.[/#0000ff]
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[trollboy8]

I hear you on the "underwater forest" thing. The first time my dad used a LC Pointer was at Jordanelle. We were trolling in deeper water, I was running the electric trolling motor and got a little too shallow--well, that was the first and last time he used that pointer and I was $15 lighter in the wallet for the guilt induced replacement. Anyway, that is all great information, hopefully someone can give me some info on drop shotting. Any takers?
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Dropshotting is simple in concept, but can take a lifetime to refine. In short, you have a weight on the bottom of your line, to take down your unweighted or lightly weighted plastic (or bait, or fly). The weight gets the offering down fast and helps you maintain "touch" with what is going on down below.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The distance between the weight and the lure is usually anywhere between 12" to 24", depending on how tight to the bottom the fish are holding and other factors. You can rig the dropper using either a loop in the line or a blood knot dropper. Some folks even use small three way swivels, but that can spoon finicky fish.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There are lots of special dropshot hooks, designed for hooking and fishing different kinds of plastic baits. You can use grubs, tubes, stick baits (Senkos) or just about anything else you want. The key is in how you fish them. Sometimes you leave the weight on the bottom and just lightly "shivver" the line to keep the dropshotted lure wiggling and jiggling above the bottom. That can be deadly on many species.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Dropshotting is usually used in "vertical" presentations, but is also effective for casting in toward the shore and then slowly reeling and jiggling the lure down the slope until it is directly beneath your boat or tube. There will be some days when an "upslope" retrieve will work better...or even casting parallel to shore...in the "zone"...and working the rig back at the same depth.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If fishing from a tube or toon...or slowly drifting in a boat...a drop shot rig is great for bottom bouncing behind your craft to prospect for isolated fish or to find new schools. Just be sure to have enough weight to help keep the rig at a short angle behind you. That helps with feel and also reduces snagging.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Bottom-bouncing a dropshot rig with small tube jigs or flies can be deadly on perch, trout, walleyes and other species. I rig small tube jigs using regular jig hooks without any lead on them. Add a piece of worm or perch meat for extra attraction.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]To cover more of the water column, you can rig a tandem dropshot rig...with one lure at about 18" and a second up another 18" to 2 feet. If your sonar shows fish suspending a few feet off the bottom, in deeper water, you can rig the dropshot to ride as high up from the weight as you want. Remember, most fish will move up to take a bait or lure, but not many will drop below their zone. It is always better to fish above the fish than below them.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Go to a good search engine and enter "drop shotting" and see how many sites you can find. Lots of them. Otherwise, do the same with "bass fishing" and look for subheadings of drop shot.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Here are a couple to get you started.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][url "http://www.mojolures.com/"]MOJO[/url][/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][url "http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/drop-shot.html"]DROP SHOT RIGGING[/url][/#0000ff]
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[utwalleye]

I lile the yamamoto cut tail 4" worms. but the ones I like the best aren't around any more. lindy tail 4" worms. not sure if lindy was the company that made them. I have some that are about 35 years old.
I don't think there's one on the market that looks like it anymore. it's a great little cold water and feness bait. later chuck
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[trollboy8]

Wow T.D., I almost feel bad that you took all that time to explain dropshotting, but thanks a ton for the information. I have tried dropshotting but honestly didn't do much of it right other than getting a weight on the bottom of my rig! One more question regarding the hook placement. Lets say I use a blood knot dropper. Do you keep the hook really close to the main line or does it come off the main line a ways? The way I rigged them was with a palomar knot right on the hook and then I would attach the weight to the long tag end of the palomar knot. This, however, puts the hook right on the line and I can't really see how this allows the fish to take the bait or the hook into its mouth. Does this make sense? I guess I am just asking if the hook should be right on the main line or led off it a ways?
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]There are no hard and fast rules about the rigging, but there are some considerations. The longer the length of line between your main line and the hook, the less feel you have and the less transfer of subtle jigging motions to the lure. Most dedicated DSers prefer a short connection. Don't worry about the fish not having enough to get a good bite on the lure. Somehow they manage.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The flip side of that is when you are bottom bouncing and dragging a bait or lure behind your tube or toon with a dropshot rig, you can use a longer dropper to help the moving jig or bait to flutter more.[/#0000ff]
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[trollboy8]

Excellent. Thanks again for all the help--and thanks to everyone else for your comments and suggestions, hopefully the weather will cooperate tomorrow.
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[trollboy8]

One last questions: With the recent unsettled weather, any thoughts about Jordanelle and the effects it might have? In your opinion would it affect things enought to just bag it for tomorrow and go some other time or do you think it would still be worth going?
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Hate to be vague, but much depends on what part of the lake you fish and for what species. Also, which side of the "front" you fish. There are a series of "cells" coming through. Sometimes the fish hit best just ahead of or during a front. Often they shut down during a serious pressure change or for awhile afterward.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I am kinda wimpy in my old age and I prefer to wait for a couple of days of stable weather before planning a trip. But, like most fishermen, I have been caught on the water in some yucky weather and have sometimes had great action in the worst of it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I think I can reasonably predict that the smallmouth will be tough. They are fair weather fish. Perch can be caught, if you can find them, but they will be deeper and are likely to be moody...only biting for brief periods if at all...usually during sunshine periods between storms.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The trout can be very active during the sloppy weather. Sometimes they cruise the banks, looking for food washed in by the rain. At the mouth of the river they could gang up if the river raises a little and colors up a bit. Browns especially like muddy inflow. Out in the open water the trout have been very active near the surface. Throw flies or spinners from the mouth of the Provo out to the buoy line. Use dark pattern flies, like black buggers. If the sun comes out, switch to some white stuff.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The best time to go fishing is whenever you can get away...and fishing is always good, even if the catching isn't.[/#0000ff]
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[trollboy8]

Yeah, I am definitly a slave to my schedule and have a difficult time picking and choosing when to go. I almost wonder, if the bass are sleepy and the trout are frisky, if it might be worth saving the extra 1/2 hour and just go to Deer Creek. Anyone have any thoughts on that?
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