06-04-2006, 12:26 PM
[cool][#0000ff]Many veteran BFTers remember Xman. He is not active on the boards now, but is a quality angler, holding several Utah C&R records. I have fished with him several times over the past three years, including a couple of trips he made to fish with me in Arizona, while I still lived there.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Swearing me to secrecy, he invited TubeBabe and me to join him on one of his favorite little lakes up by Preston, Idaho. We met up in Ogden and followed him (at least tried to) through Logan and across the border into Idaho. Stopped in Preston for out of state licenses ($23 for two) and then on to the top secret lake. Another $5 for entry fee to the managed lake.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Hit the water about 9 AM and had several nice bluegill to play with in short order. They were thick in the shallows and around the trees that lined the lake. The water was high and the trees were out into the lake. Ideal habitat for the big gills and the abundant bass in that pond. Also some big slab crappies, although we only caught one on this trip.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TubeBabe and I had decided in advance that we would try for a few perch to take home. Like some lakes in Utah, the perch had been put in this lake via bucket biologists and were now overrunning the lake. No limit. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Unfortunately, there was not much size to them either. I probably got over 100 perch on small plastic jigs, and only a few were large enough to fillet. The rest all received complimentary gillectomies (with my surgical thumbnail) and were released unharmed. The local grebes and gulls fell in love with me.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Shortly after asking Xman if there were many trout in the lake (and getting an affirmative), my ultralight rod bent over and my light drag shrieked. A fiesty and powerful 16 inch rainbow grabbed my little tubejig and came to play. Fun fun.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Xman spent most of the day flipping small jigs and spinnerbaits along the edges. He got one crappie, lots of big bluegills (up to a pound or more) and a few bitty bass. He also got quite a few perch, but did not keep anything.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TubeBabe got a lot of small gills and plenty of perch too. We had fun and it was great to fish with Mr. X again. He is a great guy.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Bottom line...Idaho licenses $23, lake fee $5, round trip gas $40...fun...priceless.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In reality, I am reasonably sure that we would have caught just as many fish (and spent less $$) if we had gone to Mantua. However, we would have probably have had a lot more "company" and would not have had the experience of a new water with a good friend.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Swearing me to secrecy, he invited TubeBabe and me to join him on one of his favorite little lakes up by Preston, Idaho. We met up in Ogden and followed him (at least tried to) through Logan and across the border into Idaho. Stopped in Preston for out of state licenses ($23 for two) and then on to the top secret lake. Another $5 for entry fee to the managed lake.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Hit the water about 9 AM and had several nice bluegill to play with in short order. They were thick in the shallows and around the trees that lined the lake. The water was high and the trees were out into the lake. Ideal habitat for the big gills and the abundant bass in that pond. Also some big slab crappies, although we only caught one on this trip.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]TubeBabe and I had decided in advance that we would try for a few perch to take home. Like some lakes in Utah, the perch had been put in this lake via bucket biologists and were now overrunning the lake. No limit. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Unfortunately, there was not much size to them either. I probably got over 100 perch on small plastic jigs, and only a few were large enough to fillet. The rest all received complimentary gillectomies (with my surgical thumbnail) and were released unharmed. The local grebes and gulls fell in love with me.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Shortly after asking Xman if there were many trout in the lake (and getting an affirmative), my ultralight rod bent over and my light drag shrieked. A fiesty and powerful 16 inch rainbow grabbed my little tubejig and came to play. Fun fun.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Xman spent most of the day flipping small jigs and spinnerbaits along the edges. He got one crappie, lots of big bluegills (up to a pound or more) and a few bitty bass. He also got quite a few perch, but did not keep anything.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]TubeBabe got a lot of small gills and plenty of perch too. We had fun and it was great to fish with Mr. X again. He is a great guy.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Bottom line...Idaho licenses $23, lake fee $5, round trip gas $40...fun...priceless.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In reality, I am reasonably sure that we would have caught just as many fish (and spent less $$) if we had gone to Mantua. However, we would have probably have had a lot more "company" and would not have had the experience of a new water with a good friend.[/#0000ff]
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] If I could find an equally satisfying area closer I would jump at it. I seldom see another fisherman after walking a couple of miles dwn the trail. It's remote, great scenery and great fishing. Now I've done it, I've given away one of my favorites. Oh well, I won't be doing it for too many more years so maybe it's time to share.[laugh] 
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