Floating Newton - not likely!

[CoyoteSpinner]

Tossed the idea of hitting Benson and then got an itch to check out Newton. Rolled up right in time to be welcomed by an attractive femme fatale changing out of her swimsuit, into her birthday suit, and then into her colorful panties, um - thank you, thank you, thank you! And NO I didn't take pictures, you little piggies!

As for launching, not just no, but HELL NO! It's already down as far as it got last year. So much for trying that new launch (figured I'd be beach/bank launching, but not with all that mud! Eeek)
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Since I was there anyway, decided to play with perch. Managed a peck of perch to pack on ice. Found a couple little bluegill too. Neighbor (with a soda bottle "rod") caught a catfish - first I've seen out of Newton. Didn't see any bass, crappie, or musky - but something was harassing the minnows along the shoreline.
Guess next-time I'll bring the Kayak if I want to float at all! And bring out the ice-boards to get across the mud!
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Then it got windy, then really windy, then really really windy! Said to myself, "Self - it's a good thing you didn't take the boat out", self says "Hell YES!"
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[OutSideFishing]

Well didn't you get lucky on a nice view! [sly]
Was fishing fast?
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[albinotrout]

Well nice to see that there are some fish left in there.
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[CoyoteSpinner]

I wouldn't say fast, though I had a lot more bites and nibbles than catches. Think if I'd been on TOP of them drop shotting down I'd have done much better. Too much slack in the bobber line, and I think I needed more weight on my drop shot to get the line taught.

PLUS - the buggers KNOW a two pole setup - tease one line, then move in on the other. Jeepers!

Yup - guess there still are some fish. Saw a report of a fly-flinger got into about a dozen Crappie. I do think I might just take the kayak and go float it before winter. Though I surely don't favor the notion of landy a musky with that setup! Boatside release if at all.

OSF - you been getting out on the river or around? I need to bop out there - dawg days of summer. Might need to bring a machete!

[gstott]

Panfish respond very well to drop shot rigs. A lot of my biggest perch have come while drop shotting for bass. Try a #6 Owner Mosquito hook with a small plastic like a crappie stinger with maybe a 1/8 oz weight. If it gets windy like that, I'll step up the weight. I like to use light braid like 1lb dia Power Pro with a light fluoro leader. It gives you great sensitivity and solid hook sets with the lack of stretch. That should do the trick.
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[OutSideFishing]

Been there once. Got a decent bass and that was it. I need to start getting out more.... Figured you'd be all over that place already
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[zman2]

Its to see the gross miss management of the water in this state does anybody know where it goes,,didn't think so,, the weber basin clowns are the worst its not that hard to save water the weber has been high for sometime and the Jordan has been the same seens like it gets worse every year,,,..., you cant tell me that there are that many people moving in to Utah that makes the water an issue,, from one year to the next its miss management and its going to cost us all
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[BUTLEY]

zman2 most of the reservoirs in this state were built for the farmers not for the fisherman and boaters. Its just a bonus we get to fish and use them. Thus it makes sense that they get the water that they are paying for and have the water rights too. I don't know all the ands and if's for the weber basin but I'm sure the wildlife management areas along the Great Salt Lake get their shares of the water along with the farmers. Coming from a farming community it gets hard to make a living on drought years were you are only getting sometimes 2/10 of your water shares. In small reservoirs like Newton it does not take long for the water to be drawn down. Lets hope we receive another good snowpack in Northern Utah this winter and that Southern Utah can receive an above normal snowpack to make up for the recent below average years.
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[CoyoteSpinner]

Well said Butley, I was going iterate just that. I feel for zman2's concern and all, but it's been bantered around before, that the angling and recreation are a side-bonus to the real reason our "lakes" are there. And we do live in a desert after all, though it's hard to tell with all the lush green lawns and landscapes folks keep up.

But some reses do have a cap where they hit a certain level the get "turned off" to the drawdown. One of the things about Newton is it really doesn't have a inflow, short of early runoff. Many damns hold up a river that might flow all year, but not really the case there. It's a filled bucket at end of winter, and then they take what's there till it's gone. Meanwhile I noticed Friday that the Bear river is very high now. Guess it's all a matter of control.

I'd still like to take my little inflatable out for a paddle. See what other panfish might appreciate a visit.

OSF - I did bop by one of our spots, ran into our other frequent friend. He was walking out as I was walking in. Didn't find all the attention I'd hoped for, mess of baby channels, and a couple bass/crappie. Though the bass were playing real good at 'hard to net'.