Deer Creek 6-23-22

[TubeDude]

Needed a change of pace from NBC days at Willard.  Plus, my sis in law had in an order for some good red meat trout fillets.  So Deer Creek came to mind.  Plus it offered a chance for a walleye or perch or two.
 
Launched my tube at the Island ramp about 6:30 am.  Water level is at 81 %.  Still not full but didn’t have to hike as far after launching my tube as I did late last year.  Still a long hike for us old guys since they reserved all the close-in parking for the restaurant patrons…or boat trailers.  I don’t have a trailer but might get one though.
 
A few light clouds.  No wind.  Air temp 53…warming to about 75 by noon departure.  Water temp went from 63 to about 66.


Killed the skunk within about 10 minutes of launching.  Was dragging a new color whirly flig about 1 mph to get to the flats north of the Island…to fish for walleyes.  A feisty teen incher rainbow slammed it and gave a couple of jumps before crawling into the net.  One for the sis in law.
 

Oh yeah, it was barely after 6:30 in the morning and a wave runner came plowing by…with their wunnerful music cranked up to about 200 decibels for all to enjoy.  So much for being able to enjoy the wonders and the sounds of nature by getting out early.


Nothing else hit the trout stuff before I reached the flats so I slowed down and put out a couple of crawler rigs…on other color whirly fligs…fire tiger and chartreuse perch.  They did well last year.  But I wasn’t seeing much on sonar.  An occasional mark here and there.  No concentrations.  Not even any doubles.
 
I tried making big S turns through different depths, changing up speeds, changing up colors, etc.  No help.  Then, while moving through an area of 12 feet of water I got a couple of light whacks with brief hookups and then self-releases.  Perch?  Small walleye?  They can be anything you want if nobody else sees them.  But I suspected perch and brought in one crawler rig rod and pitched a small jig and worm on another.  After a few uninterrupted retrieves I got a bonk and set the hook in a chunky 10 inch perch.  Second species.  But couldn’t duplicate it.  Only one perch all day.
 

About 10 am, after a long session of uninterrupted fishing, the rod with a fire tiger whirly and worm rig bounced and I reeled in my first and only walleye.  It spit the whirly just as I put the net under it.  Close call.  It was a slender 15 incher but it gave me hope that maybe the wallies would show up and turn on.  Nay.
  

Weather forecrash said there would be some brisk breezes about noon.  So I started in about 11…and so did the breezes.    Had to fight my way back in the last half mile or so against a building breeze and bouncing waves.  I had been bottom dragging with my electric motor for over 4 hours and the battery was showing signs of getting tired. 
 
With a fully charged battery and calm conditions I can make 2.5 mph with my float tube with my 40# thrust electric. Best speed I could make against the wind (and with a weakening battery) was about 1.3 to 1.1 mph.   I figured if that was all I could do, I might as well troll the silver and red whirly flig some more.  I put a small strip of worm on it and pitched it out behind my struggling tube.  It didn’t take long and another rainbow climbed on and made a couple of leaps on the way to the net. Cool.  A second one for the sis in law.


 I finally made it around the point of the island/peninsula and was about halfway to the ramp when still one last rainbow wanted to play.  This was the biggest of the three…at 16”.  The other two were right at 15”.
 

I made it to the ramp just as my motor was making its last feeble turns with the diminished battery.  Brought my tube to the far south side of the vacant ramp.  But wouldn’t ya know it…some doofus with a big wakeboard boat was backing down almost on top of me…giving me very little room…and hollered at me that this ramp was for boats only.  My first urge was to punch his lights out.  But knowing that my aging body no longer cashes all the checks my mind writes I didn’t.  But I did “politely” remind him that I paid the same fees he did and was also entitled to use the ramp.  Luckily his wife intervened and told him to knock it off.  Thank goodness for sane women in an insane world.
 
We don’t need stricter gun control.  We need better people control.
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[MrShane]

Needed a change of pace from NBC days at Willard.  Plus, my sis in law had in an order for some good red meat trout fillets.  So Deer Creek came to mind.  Plus it offered a chance for a walleye or perch or two.
 
Launched my tube at the Island ramp about 6:30 am.  Water level is at 81 %.  Still not full but didn’t have to hike as far after launching my tube as I did late last year.  Still a long hike for us old guys since they reserved all the close-in parking for the restaurant patrons…or boat trailers.  I don’t have a trailer but might get one though.
 
A few light clouds.  No wind.  Air temp 53…warming to about 75 by noon departure.  Water temp went from 63 to about 66.


Killed the skunk within about 10 minutes of launching.  Was dragging a new color whirly flig about 1 mph to get to the flats north of the Island…to fish for walleyes.  A feisty teen incher rainbow slammed it and gave a couple of jumps before crawling into the net.  One for the sis in law.
 

Oh yeah, it was barely after 6:30 in the morning and a wave runner came plowing by…with their wunnerful music cranked up to about 200 decibels for all to enjoy.  So much for being able to enjoy the wonders and the sounds of nature by getting out early.


Nothing else hit the trout stuff before I reached the flats so I slowed down and put out a couple of crawler rigs…on other color whirly fligs…fire tiger and chartreuse perch.  They did well last year.  But I wasn’t seeing much on sonar.  An occasional mark here and there.  No concentrations.  Not even any doubles.
 
I tried making big S turns through different depths, changing up speeds, changing up colors, etc.  No help.  Then, while moving through an area of 12 feet of water I got a couple of light whacks with brief hookups and then self-releases.  Perch?  Small walleye?  They can be anything you want if nobody else sees them.  But I suspected perch and brought in one crawler rig rod and pitched a small jig and worm on another.  After a few uninterrupted retrieves I got a bonk and set the hook in a chunky 10 inch perch.  Second species.  But couldn’t duplicate it.  Only one perch all day.
 

About 10 am, after a long session of uninterrupted fishing, the rod with a fire tiger whirly and worm rig bounced and I reeled in my first and only walleye.  It spit the whirly just as I put the net under it.  Close call.  It was a slender 15 incher but it gave me hope that maybe the wallies would show up and turn on.  Nay.
  

Weather forecrash said there would be some brisk breezes about noon.  So I started in about 11…and so did the breezes.    Had to fight my way back in the last half mile or so against a building breeze and bouncing waves.  I had been bottom dragging with my electric motor for over 4 hours and the battery was showing signs of getting tired. 
 
With a fully charged battery and calm conditions I can make 2.5 mph with my float tube with my 40# thrust electric. Best speed I could make against the wind (and with a weakening battery) was about 1.3 to 1.1 mph.   I figured if that was all I could do, I might as well troll the silver and red whirly flig some more.  I put a small strip of worm on it and pitched it out behind my struggling tube.  It didn’t take long and another rainbow climbed on and made a couple of leaps on the way to the net. Cool.  A second one for the sis in law.


 I finally made it around the point of the island/peninsula and was about halfway to the ramp when still one last rainbow wanted to play.  This was the biggest of the three…at 16”.  The other two were right at 15”.
 

I made it to the ramp just as my motor was making its last feeble turns with the diminished battery.  Brought my tube to the far south side of the vacant ramp.  But wouldn’t ya know it…some doofus with a big wakeboard boat was backing down almost on top of me…giving me very little room…and hollered at me that this ramp was for boats only.  My first urge was to punch his lights out.  But knowing that my aging body no longer cashes all the checks my mind writes I didn’t.  But I did “politely” remind him that I paid the same fees he did and was also entitled to use the ramp.  Luckily his wife intervened and told him to knock it off.  Thank goodness for sane women in an insane world.
 
We don’t need stricter gun control.  We need better people control.
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Pat,
When I read your headline I got all fired up for a great Walleye report, I figured something special was happening at DC to get you to go there in late June.
Sorry you didn’t get more Walleye or Perch to cooperate.
Instead of getting mad at the wakeboat doofus, next time just superglue some pistachio shells to his trailer while he is out trashing the lake.
Then on your way out of the inspection station report you saw some funny snails on said trailer.
I wish you better luck on Walleyes next trip!

[TubeDude]

Pat,
When I read your headline I got all fired up for a great Walleye report, I figured something special was happening at DC to get you to go there in late June.
Sorry you didn’t get more Walleye or Perch to cooperate.
Instead of getting mad at the wakeboat doofus, next time just superglue some pistachio shells to his trailer while he is out trashing the lake.
Then on your way out of the inspection station report you saw some funny snails on said trailer.
I wish you better luck on Walleyes next trip!

Thanks for the immoral support.  I'll start carrying some pistachios with me...and my .45. 

I launched with great optimism.  Over the years the "full moon in June" has been the beginning of great walleye action on Deer Creek.  But this year has been weird all over.  Whimper whimper. 

I expect to see a stellar report from you  before too long...if you quit donating fish and planer boards to Willard long enough to hit Deer Creek.

[wiperhunter2]

Great report as always Pat, sure is nice to see some clear water in those pics, after not fishing anywhere but Willard in over a month, I'm ready for a change. Were you using any weight to get those whirly fligs down in the water a little deeper? Not sure why anyone would harass you at the ramp like that, when the whole ramp is open but I guess not everyone raised their kids right and taught them to be polite.

[TubeDude]

Great report as always Pat, sure is nice to see some clear water in those pics, after not fishing anywhere but Willard in over a month, I'm ready for a change. Were you using any weight to get those whirly fligs down in the water a little deeper? Not sure why anyone would harass you at the ramp like that, when the whole ramp is open but I guess not everyone raised their kids right and taught them to be polite.

Thanks.  Yeah, clear water is nice for a change...after fishing only Willard and Utah Lake so far this year. 

Yes, I was using about 1/8 oz. of weight.  As you know, the whirly fligs are foam and they float, so it takes some weight to get them down.  How much will depend on how deep you wanna go, how fast you will be moving and how much line you have out.  I was going an avg. of 1 mph and was fishing about 50 feet back.  That was putting the lure at about 15 - 20 feet deep...which is where I was seeing some troutlike marks on sonar. 

However, I also saw a few rainbows leaping clear out of the water.  Don't know what they were after but it told me they were active and that surface temps were still not too warm for them. 

There were a few boats working the same areas I was working.  Some were clearly bottom bouncing at low speed.  Others were drifting or anchored and casting.  But nobody seemed to be scoring much.  Didn't see any nets dipped into the water on the boats I watched.  I did see one kid bring in a dink perch and that was about it. 

There were a few boats working right along the rocky shoreline below the train tracks.  I suspect they were probably targeting smallmouth.  Conditions are about right for them to be in on the rocks.  But the boats were all too far away for me to get a clear view of what they were doing.

[Freakyfisherman]

Needed a change of pace from NBC days at Willard.  Plus, my sis in law had in an order for some good red meat trout fillets.  So Deer Creek came to mind.  Plus it offered a chance for a walleye or perch or two.
 
Launched my tube at the Island ramp about 6:30 am.  Water level is at 81 %.  Still not full but didn’t have to hike as far after launching my tube as I did late last year.  Still a long hike for us old guys since they reserved all the close-in parking for the restaurant patrons…or boat trailers.  I don’t have a trailer but might get one though.
 
A few light clouds.  No wind.  Air temp 53…warming to about 75 by noon departure.  Water temp went from 63 to about 66.


Killed the skunk within about 10 minutes of launching.  Was dragging a new color whirly flig about 1 mph to get to the flats north of the Island…to fish for walleyes.  A feisty teen incher rainbow slammed it and gave a couple of jumps before crawling into the net.  One for the sis in law.
 

Oh yeah, it was barely after 6:30 in the morning and a wave runner came plowing by…with their wunnerful music cranked up to about 200 decibels for all to enjoy.  So much for being able to enjoy the wonders and the sounds of nature by getting out early.


Nothing else hit the trout stuff before I reached the flats so I slowed down and put out a couple of crawler rigs…on other color whirly fligs…fire tiger and chartreuse perch.  They did well last year.  But I wasn’t seeing much on sonar.  An occasional mark here and there.  No concentrations.  Not even any doubles.
 
I tried making big S turns through different depths, changing up speeds, changing up colors, etc.  No help.  Then, while moving through an area of 12 feet of water I got a couple of light whacks with brief hookups and then self-releases.  Perch?  Small walleye?  They can be anything you want if nobody else sees them.  But I suspected perch and brought in one crawler rig rod and pitched a small jig and worm on another.  After a few uninterrupted retrieves I got a bonk and set the hook in a chunky 10 inch perch.  Second species.  But couldn’t duplicate it.  Only one perch all day.
 

About 10 am, after a long session of uninterrupted fishing, the rod with a fire tiger whirly and worm rig bounced and I reeled in my first and only walleye.  It spit the whirly just as I put the net under it.  Close call.  It was a slender 15 incher but it gave me hope that maybe the wallies would show up and turn on.  Nay.
  

Weather forecrash said there would be some brisk breezes about noon.  So I started in about 11…and so did the breezes.    Had to fight my way back in the last half mile or so against a building breeze and bouncing waves.  I had been bottom dragging with my electric motor for over 4 hours and the battery was showing signs of getting tired. 
 
With a fully charged battery and calm conditions I can make 2.5 mph with my float tube with my 40# thrust electric. Best speed I could make against the wind (and with a weakening battery) was about 1.3 to 1.1 mph.   I figured if that was all I could do, I might as well troll the silver and red whirly flig some more.  I put a small strip of worm on it and pitched it out behind my struggling tube.  It didn’t take long and another rainbow climbed on and made a couple of leaps on the way to the net. Cool.  A second one for the sis in law.


 I finally made it around the point of the island/peninsula and was about halfway to the ramp when still one last rainbow wanted to play.  This was the biggest of the three…at 16”.  The other two were right at 15”.
 

I made it to the ramp just as my motor was making its last feeble turns with the diminished battery.  Brought my tube to the far south side of the vacant ramp.  But wouldn’t ya know it…some doofus with a big wakeboard boat was backing down almost on top of me…giving me very little room…and hollered at me that this ramp was for boats only.  My first urge was to punch his lights out.  But knowing that my aging body no longer cashes all the checks my mind writes I didn’t.  But I did “politely” remind him that I paid the same fees he did and was also entitled to use the ramp.  Luckily his wife intervened and told him to knock it off.  Thank goodness for sane women in an insane world.
 
We don’t need stricter gun control.  We need better people control.
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Pat
Looks like the eyes were tough for you. I need to get out there. Last week I caught small mahi mahi out of La cruz de Huanacaxtl Mexico. I wasnt expecting to go fishing while on an anniversary trip to Mexico. So it was a fun outing. At least you got some good USA tugs. 
Gabe

[TubeDude]

Pat
Looks like the eyes were tough for you. I need to get out there. Last week I caught small mahi mahi out of La cruz de Huanacaxtl Mexico. I wasnt expecting to go fishing while on an anniversary trip to Mexico. So it was a fun outing. At least you got some good USA tugs. 
Gabe

I would have gladly traded places with you Gabe.  While living in Arizona I spent lots of time fishing the Sea of Cortez...only a few hours south across the border.  And from my float tube.  Here is a writeup I put together.  Those were the GOOD times.  A couple hundred fish a day...with at least 20 to 30 species represented.  A bit better than a bad day on Deer Creek...or almost anywhere else.

[MrShane]

Pat
Looks like the eyes were tough for you. I need to get out there. Last week I caught small mahi mahi out of La cruz de Huanacaxtl Mexico. I wasnt expecting to go fishing while on an anniversary trip to Mexico. So it was a fun outing. At least you got some good USA tugs. 
Gabe

I would have gladly traded places with you Gabe.  While living in Arizona I spent lots of time fishing the Sea of Cortez...only a few hours south across the border.  And from my float tube.  Here is a writeup I put together.  Those were the GOOD times.  A couple hundred fish a day...with at least 20 to 30 species represented.  A bit better than a bad day on Deer Creek...or almost anywhere else.

I just read your ‘Sea of Cortez’ write-up.
That looks like fishing Nirvana!

[TubeDude]

I just read your ‘Sea of Cortez’ write-up.
That looks like fishing Nirvana!

Sadly...like many other formerly great fishing destinations...it USED TO BE.  Probably still great fishing, but the potential dangers outweigh the potential fishing enjoyment.  All that was "BC"...before cartels.  My wife and I used to travel all the back roads and camp on the beach without any fear. 

But these days there are too many stories of travelers being robbed at gunpoint...or worse.  Also, a lot of our favorite areas have been "discovered" and some of our fave spots for fishing and snorkeling have been closed off to access...because of all the new gated and guarded communities being built around them...probably by cartel money.  I go in on Google earth and cry a lot when I see all of the new private developments.
   

[Freakyfisherman]

Pat
Looks like the eyes were tough for you. I need to get out there. Last week I caught small mahi mahi out of La cruz de Huanacaxtl Mexico. I wasnt expecting to go fishing while on an anniversary trip to Mexico. So it was a fun outing. At least you got some good USA tugs. 
Gabe

I would have gladly traded places with you Gabe.  While living in Arizona I spent lots of time fishing the Sea of Cortez...only a few hours south across the border.  And from my float tube.  Here is a writeup I put together.  Those were the GOOD times.  A couple hundred fish a day...with at least 20 to 30 species represented.  A bit better than a bad day on Deer Creek...or almost anywhere else.

I just read your ‘Sea of Cortez’ write-up.
That looks like fishing Nirvana!

Gone but not forgotten Pat. I was down near San Carlos about 15 years or so ago. We stayed on the beach near a small fishing village called La Manga. The local fisherman took 10 of us out on their scallop diving boats pretty much all day. We caught so many different fish and took a good amount back to shore. The entire village came out and they cleaned the fish, cooked it up, and we all ate like kings. It was so good. Its where I learned to flavor my cooking oil for frying by first frying up onions and garlic till they were golden brown. Then that oil was used to fry up the fish. For 10 of us to go out, fish all day, come back and cook the fish, all they wanted was $100 US dollars. That was one heck of a bargain. I probably wont ever drive through Sonora ever again, but I won't ever forget that fishing trip. That was cool to see and read Pat. Thanks
Gabe

[TubeDude]

Pat
Looks like the eyes were tough for you. I need to get out there. Last week I caught small mahi mahi out of La cruz de Huanacaxtl Mexico. I wasnt expecting to go fishing while on an anniversary trip to Mexico. So it was a fun outing. At least you got some good USA tugs. 
Gabe

I would have gladly traded places with you Gabe.  While living in Arizona I spent lots of time fishing the Sea of Cortez...only a few hours south across the border.  And from my float tube.  Here is a writeup I put together.  Those were the GOOD times.  A couple hundred fish a day...with at least 20 to 30 species represented.  A bit better than a bad day on Deer Creek...or almost anywhere else.

I just read your ‘Sea of Cortez’ write-up.
That looks like fishing Nirvana!

Gone but not forgotten Pat. I was down near San Carlos about 15 years or so ago. We stayed on the beach near a small fishing village called La Manga. The local fisherman took 10 of us out on their scallop diving boats pretty much all day. We caught so many different fish and took a good amount back to shore. The entire village came out and they cleaned the fish, cooked it up, and we all ate like kings. It was so good. Its where I learned to flavor my cooking oil for frying by first frying up onions and garlic till they were golden brown. Then that oil was used to fry up the fish. For 10 of us to go out, fish all day, come back and cook the fish, all they wanted was $100 US dollars. That was one heck of a bargain. I probably wont ever drive through Sonora ever again, but I won't ever forget that fishing trip. That was cool to see and read Pat. Thanks
Gabe

Happy to know you got to experience that area.  We fished all up and down the coast from San Carlos and really liked the area around La Manga for tubing.  Had a fave spot we had to park on the hill and hike down to launch, but there was always good fishing.  Couldn't make that today.  Here are a couple of pics.  I know La Manga has built up a lot since the pics were taken.
 

[LloydE]

Pat,
Glad to see that you worked Deer Creek well. I should have gone there. I went to Utah Lake like I said I would. Bad choice, I caught one white bass, a lot of wind, dirty water, and a lot of rocks. I guess I should be really honest, and admit that I have a lot to learn. It's going to take me a lot of time to learn even a little of what I used to know. However, I am not going to give up!
Lloyd

[TubeDude]

Pat,
Glad to see that you worked Deer Creek well.  I should have gone there.  I went to Utah Lake like I said I would. Bad choice, I caught one white bass, a lot of wind, dirty water, and a lot of rocks. I guess I should be really honest, and admit that I have a lot to learn.  It's going to take me a lot of time to learn even a little of what I used to know.  However, I am not going to give up!
Lloyd

I think you don't need to make excuses.  Considering all of the fishing "time outs" you have had since your last years of frequent fishing I think you are okay.  And if you need any more excuses this has been a weird year on most waters for most species.  A lot of us are having problems even though we think we know what we are doing. 

Good to see you back on the board.  Now we need to get you into enough fish to make a decent report.