Short trip on Jordanelle

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]The "Three Tube-a-teers" hit the PWC ramp area at Jordanelle this morning. When I got there just after 5 AM, Tlspyder13 was already there, trying to set up his tube in the dark. I shined my car lights on his efforts to speed up the process. LloydE cruised in right behind me and we were all on the water just after 5:30.

Lovely sunrise, very light breeze, air temp mid 50's, water temp 69. A few fish smacking the surface. Likely mostly chubs. Tlspyder13 caught a chub as the first fish of the day...and the first fish jinx didn't help him much. I started off by catching several little smallmouth by casting spinners and jigs near shore. Most were about 7-8 inches long. One might have pushed 10...or dragged it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Usually by this time of year the perch are abundant and active around the PWC ramp and there are plenty of decent smallies to keep them company. For awhile this morning I did not know whether my new Humminbird 565 was broken or if someone had vacuumed up all the fishies. Pretty blank screen from shallow out to 30 feet.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]How about Lloyd? That sunnuvagun had the nerve to take the advice I had given him and he was out in deeper water bottom bouncing a pale perch road runner...with worm. You would think he was on Starvation, fishing for walleyes. But, the trout didn't think so. They kept smackin' that roadrunner and Lloyd kept whoopin' and hollerin'. The trout were all decent sized and full of energy. He took top rod honors for the day with 5 rainbows, keeping 4 nice ones that anyone would be proud to invite home for dinner.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Wondering if the quarry area might hold more fish, we kicked over there and allowed ourselves to endure more abuse and disdain. A few more smallettes. No perch. I think we all caught a few of the dinky smallies.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The power squadron started tuning up about 9 AM and we were getting the rock-a-bye treatment on glassy calm water. Somethin' wrong with that picture. So, with the complete lack of any fishy action for any of us...for the last hour...we decided we had overfunned early and were off the water by about 10:30.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]At least none of us went home smelling like skunk.[/#0000ff]
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=51133"][#63626b]SUNRISE LAUNCH.jpg[/#63626b][/url] (272 KB)
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[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=51138"][#63626b]LLOYD SCORES.jpg[/#63626b][/url] (273 KB)
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=51139"][#63626b]A BIGGER BOW.jpg[/#63626b][/url] (278 KB)
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[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=51143"][#63626b]LLOYD'S LOVELIES.jpg[/#63626b][/url] (453 KB)
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[peter805]

Nice going and in just "couple" of hours !
Those are some VERY NICE trouts for Lloyd. Loooking
at those trouts makes me want to go eastern sierra. I love that sunrise picture.

Peter
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Thanks. You would really enjoy the fishing we have over here. Within 1 to 2 hours drive of the Salt Lake area we have world class fishing for rainbow, brook, cutthroat, lake and brown trout...as well as several hybrids, like the tiger trout and splake. No need to drive many hours to fish waters heavily crowded with other people trying to "get away from it all". Yes, we do have some spots that get a lot of attention, but there are other places where you will not see another human in a full day of fishing. Lots of deer, elk, bears, turkeys, eagles and other wildlife though.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I remember my years of living in Southern California and thinking the hatchery pets stocked in some of the local creeks were such a joke, compared to the big beautiful natural fish of my home state of Idaho. It was hilarious to watch southern Cal anglers get so excited about catching those poor little trout on their Balls O Fire. And, I quickly lost my taste for fishing on some of the big waters to the north when you could walk across them on boats full of folks from the big cities.[/#0000ff]
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[idahoron]

Very nice day! Ron
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[doggonefishin]

Last week, I caught 2 perch in the grass at the back of Rock Cliffs, and had numerous other "perchesque" nibbles on my plastics. They were both "keeper size". I wasn't targeting them that night and didn't try to catch more, but I would bet your good perching skills could scrape together a nice meal there if interested. Nevertheless, I definitely agree that the perch are way down generally at the X.

Thank goodness for the bass, which are faring better there at this time. []
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[peter805]

Yeah TD, I know what you mean. Fishing is not great
around here but I have to do what I have to do.
If it was up to me i would move somewhere alse where
there is better fishing but..........................
For now it is what it is.

Peter
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Would you believe I have not even dunked my tube at Rock Cliff this year? I usually hit it at least once or twice a week when the water is up like it is now. But, the last two years the quality of the fishing has dropped off overall. Very few perch and the average size of the bass is down too. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You can have some good days...or hours...but overall it is not nearly as good as it once was. All I have to do is check my past fishing logs to verify that. Three years ago it WAS possible to harvest a 50 perch limit...all over 10 inches. And, I had days of 30 to 40 smallmouth, with several in the 18 to 20 inch bracket. Last year just about killed it for me. Only a few dink perch and ditto on the bass.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I know I do not fish it as often or as aggressively as you do. And, my primary target is usually not smallies first. But, when I get a hankerin' for one species or another it is nice to have the option.[/#0000ff]
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[tlspyder13]

It sure was a nice day to be on the lake and watch the sunrise. The doe and fawn on the way in wasn't a bad way to start the day either.

Not sure if after going out to chase the trout with Lloyde you tried the shallows again. Early in the morning there were small fish everywhere in the water 18 to 20 ft deep. Not that they would take anything but they were there. When I looked for them on the way in they were no where to be found.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Always good to share the ramp and some water with you Bro. Sorry it turned out so slow for MOST of us. Lloyd had to mess up the curve.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I did indeed make a couple of sweeps through the shallower water on the way back. Like you said, all of the small fish and the few big ones among them had departed hence. Gave my sonar a rest, not having to keep showing fishies on it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Lloyd and I are semi planning on Starvation next Tuesday if you can make it. Also open to any other tubers or tooners who wanna play with the perchies, wallies and smallies. [/#0000ff]
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