Anyone know how to fish Blue Lake ?

[Fishing_Girl]

My brother asked me to get some info about it the Tilapia there. He would like to try it out if he can but doesnt know how to go about it . And none of his fishing buddies know either. So any info would be cool. Anything that you know , from baits to if it is mainly a boat fishing thing or if he could do it from shore. Thanks guys :]
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[Fishhound]

[#008000]If you are talking about the lake just south of Wendover, you can fish it from the bank but it can be challenging. [/#008000]
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[#008000]Bugs ! Bugs ! Bugs ![/#008000]
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[#008000]Bring bug spray.[/#008000]
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[#008000]Did I mention bugs ?[/#008000]
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[Fishing_Girl]

yea i beleive thats the one. Whatever one has Tilapia. Do you know what to use? Lures ? baits? etc.?
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[wiperhunter2]

There is only one large pond there but a bunch of little ones, you can fish from shore at all the lake but from what I have read the smaller ponds have the tilapia. I would think that a small jigs tipped with a piece of worm would work below a bobber. Send a PM to TubeDude,if he does not respond to this thread, he has fished it in the last year or so. WH2
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Blue lake is a great place to find warm water fishing in the colder months. It is fed by warm springs that keep the water warm enough for exotics like tilapia and recently sighted peacock bass. In warmer months is is a GREAT place to lose weight...from blood loss. Tons of skeeters. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It is popular with divers because of the warmth, depth and clarity. But, they only hang out in the main lake. If you are going for tilapia you will do better stopping at the smaller lakes just as you come into the area. They are shallower and have good populations of bluegills and tilapia. You can also park right at the water's edge. To reach the biggest lake you have to leave your vehicle unattended and walk a long ways across a board walk. Once you reach the lake you usually can't see your vehicle because of the high reeds. That leaves it vulnerable to car burglars who often hide nearby watching for folks to leave their cars.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The fish in those lakes are attuned to eating worms. That is what most of the "happy harvesters" from the Wendover work force use to clean out the bluegills, bass and tilapia. They have really reduced the populations in the past two years.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]DWR enacted some new regulations in this year's Fishing Guide. Tilapia are now mandatory keep and kill...with no limits. They are good eating so keep and eat a bunch. They really do compete heavily with the bass and bluegill for food, nesting areas and they eat the fry too.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I am attaching a short PDF file that includes driving information. Be sure you have a sturdy vehicle that can handle some ROUGH washboard roads. Also, here is a link to a divers website with some more info and pics.[/#0000ff]
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[url "http://www.utahdiving.com/bluelake.htm"]http://www.utahdiving.com/bluelake.htm[/url]
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[JustinRobinsreo]

Wait a minute....Tilapia as in the same fish you'd buy in the store? And Peacock Bass? Really! What other kinds of species are in there? This is all news to me!!!

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Largemouth bass and bluegill have been in there for years. A few years ago the nile tilapia started showing up...having been transplanted by divers who wanted more diversity in the fishies they saw while diving. Ditto for the peacock bass. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Many tropical species will survive in the warm mineralized waters of blue lake, and I am sure that the diving crowd has dumped more than a few aquarium pets in there to see how they would do. But so far tilapia and peacock bass (not verified) have been the only exotics reported by anglers.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Here are a few pictures to provide a "flavor" for the area.[/#0000ff]
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[albinotrout]

I'm going to have to go out there one of these days. I would like to catch one of those tilapias.
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[bigearl]

The only peacock bass I remember being reported was from a former member who lost credibility with a wild deer hunting story that was debunked on here, and I think may have got him in trouble with the DWR? Kind of made me wonder about some of his other "fish stories".

I fished Blue Lake march of 08 and had a great time. Then I referred it to a friend who went in June and ran out of washer fluid trying to keep the bugs of the windshield. He said he couldn't even get out of his truck without inhaling bugs. He also felt I could have warned him about the long drive on the horrible road a little better. Fun winter spot, bad summer choice.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I still count the peacock bass sighting as a "potential". I have discussed it with a few other Blue Lake fans and none of them has personally seen one or heard of one from any of their "reliable" sources. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]But, I have been fooled too many times on too many issues to totally accept or totally discount ANYTHING until I have personal experience or good solid firsthand info from someone I trust. Even then, you never know. I have been fooled into trusting folks that proved to be untrustworthy.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Until they are captured in a sample netting or caught and photographed in the Blue Lake surroundings, I will keep that one open in my "MAYBE" file.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]That road and those bugs are a true test of anybody's determination to "enjoy" themselves at Blue Lake. Kinda like the old story about the guy who was hitting himself on the head with a stick. When asked why he was doing it he replied "Because it feels so good when I stop."[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It really is a nice tune up and a relief from winter cabin fever about February or March. [/#0000ff]
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[Fishooker]

I hear tale that you can spearfish for the tilapia at Blue Lake. Does anyone know if this is true? It isn't mentioned in the fishing guide as a lake legal to spearfish in, but you can spearfish for carp in any water during its open fishing season. I know carp are the exception for non-game fish in Utah, but it would make sense being that Tilapia are also non-game fish (fish that you are required to kill if caught). So, either it is legal, or some peeps are doing some illegal fishing. Just wondering?
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Careful. You cannot spearfish for carp in ANY water. The only lakes in which you can legally have a speargun are the lakes listed. You can get busted in any other lake...no matter how persuasive you are that you are only shooting carp.[/#0000ff]
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[#211d1e][size 3][#211d1e][size 3]Underwater spearfishing
[/size][/#211d1e][/size][/#211d1e][font "Myriad Pro Cond,Myriad Pro Cond"][#211d1e][size 1][font "Myriad Pro Cond,Myriad Pro Cond"][#211d1e][size 1][font "Myriad Pro Cond,Myriad Pro Cond"][#211d1e][size 1]Utah Admin. Code R657-13-9
[/size][/#211d1e][/font][/size][/#211d1e][/font][/size][/#211d1e][/font][font "Myriad Pro Cond,Myriad Pro Cond"][#211d1e][size 2][font "Myriad Pro Cond,Myriad Pro Cond"][#211d1e][size 2][font "Myriad Pro Cond,Myriad Pro Cond"][#211d1e][size 2]Underwater spearfishing—for both game and nongame fish—is permitted from June 2 through Nov. 30, 2009 at the following waters: Causey, Deer Creek, Fish Lake, Flaming Gorge, Jordanelle, Kens Lake, Lake Powell, Lost Creek, Pineview, Red Fleet, Steinaker, Starvation, Willard Bay and Yuba reservoirs.
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[#0000ff]They have enacted a mandatory keep and kill rule on tilapia this year. Maybe they will open it to spearfishing in the future. There are some HUGE tilapia in the main lake and they get larger by not showing up around the shoreline or munching on anglers' baits. Many of them live on cheez whiz squirted out of cans underwater by the divers. All you gotta do is take a couple of cans down, along with your speargun and...wait a minute. Would that be chumming?[/#0000ff]
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[Therapist]

So if you bait your favorite treble hook with cheezwiz out of a can, you should be able to nail one of those suckers !! Anyone know what flavor they prefer, garlic, pimento??

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Don't forget the crackers.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I hear tell those big tilapia can actually read the labels on the cheese containers and have brand preferences. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I also hear tell that the bluegills and largemouth bass also have a passion for the yellow dairy products. Of course, with the slim food base in that little water system it is no wonder. They would probably even eat green jello. It is Utah.[/#0000ff]
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[bigearl]

I'm sure you were kidding, but you might be more right than you know. I know a few people squirt cheese wiz in their tube jigs out there for the bass!

And Tube Dude is right. When I went there you could see HUGE tilapia and bass in the main lake. The Tilapia were sitting on beds and not at all interested, but they were big!
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[Fishrmn]

You stopped reading about a page too soon. You can spearfish for carp in ANY water in the state of Utah, during the open season of that water.

Copied from the 2009 Utah Fishing Guide, page 11.


• At all waters open to angling—during
their open seasons—you can underwater
spearfish for carp.
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[Springbuck]

BIg Earl... What time fo year was that and in which lake?

I have my own plan for them I've been doing a lot of reading...
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[Fishooker]

To quote: "You stopped reading about a page too soon. You can spearfish for carp in ANY water in the state of Utah, during the open season of that water.

Copied from the 2009 Utah Fishing Guide, page 11.


• At all waters open to angling—during
their open seasons—you can underwater
spearfish for carp."


I guess I didn't make myself clear. Thanks Fishrmn, that's what I was trying to say. Anywho, I would never assume that because you can spear a carp in any waters open to angling during their open season, and since Tilapia and Carp are non-game fish (A+B=C, B+C=A etc.) Get my drift? That's why I was asking to see if maybe I missed the memo.
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[bigearl]

late feb
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[catfish-logic]

I used to live in Yuma Arizona where there are tons of Tilapia. I mean muchas pescas!

They are very very very very hook shy. They just don;'t swallow the hook! Ooooof!

They can use their mighty nibble abilities and nibble nibble nibble nibble a worm right off the hook—even a small piece of worm can be eaten without swallowing the hook. You can't set that darn hook!

I would walk down the shoreline of the Gila River and toss a throw net. Bam! Great idea. I got plenty of 13 inch fish and bigger. I'd say near 15 inches.... Blue Lake be darned.

I got Tilapia spawning in early April. They dig nest in the sand. And make a very noticeable hole near the shore. Like a large bowl.

Take down what TubeDude says but be wise to know they are hook shy vegetable-tarians. Lets put it this way PETA would give a Fishy Vedgie award to these fast multiplying fish for not eating other "living" things....except the eggs of our buddies, the Largemouth Bass.

Just a suggestion take a throw net. And try dough balls. I could never catch one on a hook......never. But Utah is different.

I know I'll visit this lake in the future.
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