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Took the day off from work and went to Bear Lake with TubeDude and TubeBabe. Found the gate locked at Ideal Beach (does anyone know what time they open the gate?), so we went past Gus' Point and parked and walked back to the Rock Pile. Pat injured his back before we headed out, so he was struggling, and then to make matters worse he injured it again at the end of the day. It was a long and painful ride home for him. We snagged some cisco on the Rock Pile, but it took more time to hook them than I expected. I headed out in search of a mack or cutt, while TubeBabe stayed on the RockPile to be joined by TubeDude a little later. I tried some of my honey holes that I have on by GPS and the first honey hole didn't have any honey. Went out to the second place and finally got a light tap. About an hour later I could see another fish down there and I did some slow jig and quivers and my rod doubled over. Set the hook on something that felt large; but unfortunately, I lost it after only reeling it up a few feet. No more fish were interested in that area. I moved north of the Rock Pile and found JoyRide out there with a couple friends. I missed a few bites and then I set the hook good (a little too good perhaps) into something only to have my rod snap.[  ] While JoyRide held my broken rod I reeled. We managed to get about a 4 1/2 pound cutt to the hole, but it got off. That was it for my fish catching. JoyRide's friend caught a mack that went just under 7 pounds. It was fun watching him land that on a light rod and an ultralight reel. I'll let TubeBabe or TudeDude report on their catching. BTW -- the weather couldn't have been any nicer.
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Great report Kent. Thanks.[cool]
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Did you end up with your limits of Cisco?
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[unsure] I guess you need to sign up for tubedudes rod building class so that you can build a new one after today!
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Kent,
I shared my honey hole location and you failed to produce a fish.... now I have to do it this weekend! Pressure is too much for me. LOL
Just my two cents here, but I think that bear lake is fishless and all should target strawberry for cutts.
Me...well I will be hitting those carp real hard this weekend.
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[cool]Great report, kent, but other than the weather and good comany, it sounds like it was a rather crappy day. Pat's back, your rod, not many fish caught, etc...
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Thanks for sharing your report Kent, sounds like a tough day on the Bear but at least you got some cisco. Were you trying to set the hook like you do when fishing for Sturgeon, what was the expression "set the hook like your setting it in a 55 gallon barrow"[  ]
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[cool][#0000ff]Thanks for the invite and fine fishing company, as usual, my friend. Sorry I was such a "pain" on the ride back down the canyon. After some GOOOOOOOOOOD meds and a full night's sleep, I am back among the living.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Actually, it was a 3-way adventure. TubeBabe had to get in the act too. On the way out, we had to step across a couple of feet of fresh open water. 6" of good ice on either side, but only a thin crust on top of the break. TubeBabe made the short jump (long step) okay, but the weight of the sled jerked her backwards and she stepped into the open water. Went clear down with her right leg. Made it back out okay on her own, but got some water inside the boots. Good old wool. She stayed warm enough to tough it out.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As Kent mentioned, beautiful sunshine day. There was still ice in the guides and the holes all day though. No shorts and tee shirts anywhere in the Rock Pile crowd.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]With my twisted lower back, I wasn't sure I would be able to leave the car and get out on the ice. But, after a light nap and some rest on the reclining seat, I felt well enough to trudge out and join the rest of the party. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Kent had already scored a few bait ciscos and was off to deeper water in quest of macksters. TubeBabe had jigged up three ciscos, a new species for her, but the fish were thinning out quickly. I dropped down with some of my casting spoons, with some new red Matzuo trebles and immediately got into a few ciscos and some Bear Lake whitefish too. I got one Bonneville whitefish that bent my little ice stick pretty good.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Once the fish thinned out, nobody around us were taking any ciscos at all. The early crowds either went home or wandered out onto the lake to deeper water. We were set up in 50 feet of water, where Kent had drilled the first holes. With my achey breaky back, I did not relish drilling a bunch of new holes with my hand twister. So, we pretty much stayed in the same area and waited for the occasional cisco and small whitefish. We could not get bit on small jigs and waxies or any other small lure/bait presentation.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I was really pleasantly surprised with the success of those red Matzuo trebles. They are super sharp and grabbed everything that got close enough...including fingers, gloves and clothes. But, I probably caught more fish than everybody else around us combined, as the fish would smack those red trebles on a dead stick or light jigging action, while the "heavy lifters" were not on enough fish to make snagging that effective.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TubeBabe did not get very many more ciscos after her early morning success, and she did not bring up even one whitefish. I probably caught somewhere around 15 whitefish and maybe 20 ciscos. I also had one nice cutt right up to the ice hole but managed to jiggle him loose without having to bring him up through the hole and touch his slimy self.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Oh yeah, I also brought up a couple of rocks and hooked many others. But, those heavy little casting spoons are really good at jiggling loose if you don't set the hook too hard up front. TubeBabe and I each donated one spoon to GPS our spot for next time.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Pretty "snow flowers" and ice crystals all over the lake. Also, there are several bubblers between Gus Rich Point and the Rock Pile. Watch for them. Kent also observed quite a few out in the deeper water.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As Kent mentioned, I retwisted my lower back as I was shucking some layers and boots back at the Suburban. I was almost paralyzed with pain and I whimpered and whined a lot on the way down out of the canyon. Probably won't be back out on the ice again for at least a day or two.[/#0000ff]
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Nice report guys! Sorry to hear about the back Pat... I have had a few lower back problems, and when they act up... you can't move. [pirate]
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I probably could have gotten a limit of cisco if I would have stayed around the Rock Pile another 1/2 to 3/4 of an hour, but after getting 10 I was off fishing for something larger. The cisco were definitely not on the Rock Pile in huge numbers.
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I did attend the rod building class and yes I am in need of a little heavier jigging rod or two.
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2][#002850]Great report and pictures guys and gal.[/#002850][/font][/size]
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