The Mantua Blues

[EvilTyeDyeTwin]

Went up to Mantua yesterday afternoon in search of Bluegill. Launched "The Blue Pelican" (my kayak) and tried all my favorite holes.


I tried the personal watercraft docks, the knoll, the trees to the north and south......NOTHING! So I packed up and went to the West Dike.


On the opening cast, the swimbait hit the water, and BAM....a fish took my gear down deep and fast. So I fought the thing like Jermery Wade, and after 10 minutes, I got the LMB netted.



Walked the dike and got about 20 LMB.....none of which were under 12 inches. Ended up with 2 "twins" at 16.5 inches a piece. Please forgive the photo quality, I did not have a tripod for the self portrait.




Just before it got dark, the bluegill began to boil everywhere. Chucked my gear at several different boil patches and did not land a single bluegill bigger than a silver dollar.
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[scartinez]

Why keep your biggest bass caught? Small ones taste just as good and are much more numerous. Harvesting small bass is a great way to help increase the overall size of bass in the lake. Just a thought.
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[waldocod]

[quote scartinez]Why keep your biggest bass caught? Small ones taste just as good and are much more numerous. Harvesting small bass is a great way to help increase the overall size of bass in the lake. Just a thought.[/quote]

Here we gooooo....!
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[TyeDyeTwins]

Maybe because some of us like the taste of bass and want to have a fish fry for later.

Let the bass hugging begin!
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[SLAPPINTHEBASS]

Was the moss and growth pretty bad still?? I fished there a few weeks ago and it was really bad. I was out on a boat and still had trouble keeping it out of the stuff.. Did you just find pockets of openings? Nice job!!! looks fun!!
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[EvilTyeDyeTwin]

The weeds and moss go right up to the surface in places! Most my fishing was done in the 1st couple of feet of the water colum. The water is thankfully not pea soup just yet.
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[scartinez]

I eat bass all the time. I just never harvest fish over 12 inches. I enjoy catching large fish in comparison to small So there is a difference in catching large versus small. I also enjoy eating bass. Fish tacos are the bomb. Is there a differnce in the taste of a small fish compared to a large one. If any, the small fish have a bit firmer meat. So I choose to keep small fish. It's a win win. I get a better tasting meal and what fish are left have a better chance at getting bigger. More big fish for the next time I go fishing, and we all know small bass are a dime a dozen in Utah waters so there are still plenty to harvest.
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[Flyfishinglover]

If I was ETDT is keep 6 big bass []
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[FishMcFisherson]

There needs to be more fisherman like you.
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[UVU_bass]

Also people dont realize how long it takes bass to grow. A 4 lb bass in Utah is probably 7 years old. That means that fish avoided predators, cold winters, fishermen who keep fish and any other unfavorable conditions since 2006. Not to mention, the multiple times other fishermen let them go so they can grow big. Most bass that size have been caught and released dozens of times. In Utah, warm water species are not stocked like with trout. Trout are managed to be kept, and millions and millions are stocked each year. Bass are usually stocked once in a body of water and then left to their own survival methods. The only way good bass fishing continues is most bass fisherman either are 100% C and R or practice selective harvest.

Thanks Jeremy for practicing selective harvest and using your voice to help educate others!
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[TyeDyeTwins]

[#0000BF]Deleted [/#0000BF]guys give it a rest!

How many times are we really going to go through this????

Yes I am sure ETDT is aware that people think bass are just pets and that some anglers feel that only the smaller ones should be kept.

But did any of you guys realize that in Mantua you are allowed to keep bass of any size? Think about it. You guys are hassling an angler who stayed within the rights of his fish license? He could have taken six bass.

Look the bassery of Mantua is not going to decline by one angler who visits the place maybe 5 times a year.

If you bass huggers have an issue why don't you voice it where it matters....the DNR.

And you all wonder why we have reduced our posts on here. We go out, have a good trip, take an hour of our time to edit pics and type a report, just to have a gang of anglers that feel there way is the only way, and that you are a [#0000FF]deleted [/#0000FF]for keeping fishing leagally.

Take some time to think about what you are suggesting here. What, your opinion is now the law? That you can impose how you feel to what others need to do?

Just get ready for my report coming.....you guys are gonna have a fit![]

[#0000BF]I have no problem with your sentiments, just had to clean up the language a little. -- Kent[/#0000BF]
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[PVFishinDad]

Those are some good lookin' bucketmouths! I took my kids up the other day and we caught 3 or 4 good sized gills, one I would call a bull. Even had one smallish bass. I would love to catch a couple like yours. Can I ask what lure you used?
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[chugg]

I like to keep the big ones so the lil ones have a chance to grow up. Good job Evil. Nice fish.
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[EvilTyeDyeTwin]

[quote PVFishinDad] Can I ask what lure you used?[/quote]

2 inch Yellow Perch swim bait made by Storm.


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[bornfishin]

Man, that looks like a lot of fun. I didn't know you kayak. What do you have, how is it rigged? Im looking for ideas for mine.
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[UVU_bass]

Neither Scartinez nor myself posted any direct criticism or anything inflammatory. I provided information, and I was replying to Scartinez directly, not the original poster. I am not sure where this post came from, or why it seems to have upset you. None of the information I provided in my post to Scartinez was opinion, it was all 100% facts. I thought both of us were not only civil, but down right respectful.
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[westonater1980]

I see no problem with keeping two bass from a lake that coul probably use a couple taken out of there. He was within the law, which is in place for a reason.
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[doggonefishin]

[quote UVU_bass] The only way good bass fishing continues is most bass fisherman either are 100% C and R or practice selective harvest. [/quote]

I'll stay out of the specifics of this case, but I felt that this warranted a comment. I would say that it is fairly rare that 100% C&R is the preferred action. It would maybe be in a case with low bass populations, high pressure, and good growth potential. (maybe Utah lake?, community ponds?) Most places are not like that around here. The most common problem around here seems to be an overabundance of small bass, especially smallies, very few big ones, and poor to sub optimal growth. Reproduction is often too good. In this case, selective harvest is ideal, but it appears many folks have no clue what that really means. It doesn't necessarily mean just take one or two small ones, the ideal, if there are too many small ones is to liberally harvest these little guys and bon appetit! Do release the bigger ones as they are a rare resource in this situation. It would be hoped that with fewer stunted small fish around, the remaining ones would grow faster and more bigger fish would be found. Remember the analogy of the cookie jar. The jar will only hold so much cookie biomass. If the jar is full of crumbs, then the only way to get big cookies in the jar is to dump out some of the crumbs. Scartinez does get this and this was what he's trying to suggest. Carry on.
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[sinergy]

[quote TyeDyeTwins]
If you bass huggers have an issue why don't you voice it where it matters....the DNR.[/quote]

Bass-Huggers BawHahahaha now that's comedy [sly][sly][sly]
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[UVU_bass]

great post
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