Yuba & DMAD 10-20-10

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Was feeling a bit exploratorial yesterday. Set off to remove a couple of ponds from my "bucket list" for this year. They both made the "suck-it list".[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I officially made Yuba "dead to me" last year. Gave it a eulogy and all that. And there has been little happening this year to change my feelings. Add that Jeff Rasmussen...manager of the Yuba State Parks just spent a 7 hour session searching for perch and walleye with nothing...except one lousy 35 inch pike to show for it. But hey...I am the master of Yuba perch...and other lost causes...so I made it Part A of my Masochists Anonymous session.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Launched off the gravel near the ramp about 7:30 AM. Air temp mid 30's and water temp 56. It was clear as I launched but swirls of mist soon turned into a couple of interesting mini fog banks. Kinda neat as the sun poked over the hills.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Lots of carpkind jumping and splashing all over the surface. And there were lots of carpish marks on the sonar screen in the upper layers of the water. Not much at all showing in perchville...near the bottom. Worked in and out all around the big basin between Oasis and the dam. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Water is still low...deepest spot I found was only 35 feet. During the best (past) years there is 55 to 60 feet of water at this time. One of the pics shows a clean, flat bottom in 32 feet of water. That is what my sonar screen showed most of the way across between the bluffs on the south side and the ramp coming back. No perchlet schools (like in the past) and no fishies.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I know there are still perch in Yuba. I caught and returned one. But, I don't got a clue as to where any others might be hiding. The one fish I got showed up on sonar in the middle of the fishless underwater desert...at 29 feet deep. I dropped down to him, finessed him and got the desired chomp. But that was it friends. No mas.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I had allotted myself until 10 AM to prove that Yuba was as bad as I suspected it might be. Loaded up my gear and headed to DMAD. After the DWR netting survey results of a couple of weeks ago I was optimistic that I might be able to score a few unmolested species from that little pond.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]They call it DMAD. But when I saw it all I could say was DAMN. It was a mudhole. The DWR boys must have pulled the plug as they left because it had flat been drained. You could see the recent high water marks about 8 - 10 feet higher along the shoreline and it was WET MUD along the banks. Didn't look like I could even launch a float tube. And indeed when I tried walking down to the water in a couple of spots I just about got bogged down in the sticky mud...several feet before I reached the water.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Call me an optimist. Call me silly. Call me a dedicated fisherman. Whatever. I was determined to at least get my tube wet and see if there might be some spot deep enough to hold fish. I suspected that most of the fish had boogied upstream in the Sevier River and were now waiting it out in the deeper holes. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I found a low muddy gravel bar covered with critter tracks. If it was good enough for them maybe I could launch from it. I could and did...without my motor. It was a little hike down from where I parked my vehicle. I wasn't worried about getting back up the steep access "path" but I for sure didn't wanna have to dig out of the soft mud. Even with 4X4 you can bury a vehicle in recently exposed lakeshore mud. Don't ask me how I know that.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]DMAD ain't a big pond. I kicked all over and around it a couple of times...looking for ANY spot deeper than the deepest hole I found...3.5 feet. It averaged about 2.5 feet and I left a trail of kicked up mud wherever I went.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I didn't expect much...and I didn't get much. But, I warded off the striped kitty with a couple of the species you might expect in such sucky surroundings. I got lots of pecks and twangs on the small jigs I was pitching and managed to put the hook into a small carp...toothless golden walleye. I also had lots of pop and drops on the mini minnows I brung along for the potential of finding a kitty or two. Finally, after finessing them a bit longer before the hookset I managed to hook a few bitty bullheads. Yee hawwww. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I pulled the plug on my enthusiastic enjoys early in the afternoon and headed home. Two bad beats in one day. But at least I got them off my list. Now I can go back to fishing friendlier waters for more accomodating fish...hopefully.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I combined the report and pictures on one thread. Should be easy enough to figure out which is which is.[/#0000ff]
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[fish_fear_me2]

Well you got the tube wet anyway. I crossed Yuba off my list after you performed the ceremonies last year and havent heard much since to change my mind with the exception of a few pike reports. Thanks for confirming where not to go at ice on
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[Wasatch801]

Hey Pat, I've seen sewage ponds more attractive than the two waters you fished today! Good thing you spared the wife from it all! You're a real trooper for trying... I'd have just driven away after seeing that!

Kevin
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Spared the wife? Yeah right. She is still on a Caribbean cruise with daughter and granddaughter. Wonder who had the best time yesterday. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I cry a lot when I remember Yuba "in the days"...compared to what it is now. Lots of good memories but I don't know why I torture myself with return trips when I already know what to expect. Just an infernal optimist, I guess.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]DMAD? Truth to tell I have NEVER fished it before. One of those waters that has always piqued my curiosity and yesterday just ended up as Plan B on my silly session. I did make notes on mileages and the general layout as part of my ongoing collection of intel on Utah's fishin' holes. Will have that available for anybody who wonders about it in the future. And....the fish will return when the water does. But, as you point out, it is definitely not a scenic wonderland. Nobody will ever confuse it with Huntington Reservoir...or almost any other more glamorous waters in our state.[/#0000ff]
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[Therapist]

It is that Yuba has fallen on such hard times. We had some great days in years past out there. So why would there be such drastic draw downs this late in the season ?? No irrigation going on !! Wonder what they did with the H2O, make snow out of it !!!

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]My understanding is that the problem started two years ago. There was a low water year in the Sevier drainage and all of the streams and lakes along the entire length suffered from low flows. Yuba never got above about 60% full. Wasn't much better this year. The downstream water users really don't care about maintaining lake levels...as long as they get their water...used or not.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The outflow was virtually shut off a month or so ago and the lake is filling a little bit. But, unless there are some heavy fall rains, followed by a good snow pack in the right places, Yuba is hurtin' for certain.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Evidence points to a poor perch spawn and recruitment this past low water spring. It will be even worse this coming spring without major inflows of water. As you know, the perch need the water to be up into the shoreline vegetation to spawn and to have a place for the fry to find some shelter from carp and other predators. Without flooded structure there will be another bad year for perchkind.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Looking back, there was a lot of rain in the late spring and early summer two years ago. Farmers did not need to irrigate for a couple of months that they would normally be using Yuba water. But they kept the water coming anyway so they would not forfeit their rights. Major water pouring out of Yuba and downstream to ultimately flood the desert. If there had been some kind of common sense (WHAT???) controls in place the gates at Yuba would have not been opened so wide and it would have filled up more. Hindsight.[/#0000ff]
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[tlspyder13]

I think TubeDude has it. If the water rights in a lake are anything like the rights my dad had on some property then you must use the water or loose the water to the state. Same thing with a small spring a friend of mines dad had. Never used it but knew that somehow Salt Lake county was. Wasn't that big of a deal and he wasn't using it at the time. Went to develop his property only to find the State had taken control of all the water rights because he hadn't protested in time.
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[fuzzyfisher]

[quote TubeDude][cool][#0000ff]My understanding is that the problem started two years ago. There was a low water year in the Sevier drainage and all of the streams and lakes along the entire length suffered from low flows. Yuba never got above about 60% full. Wasn't much better this year. The downstream water users really don't care about maintaining lake levels...as long as they get their water...used or not.[/#0000ff]
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yet the last 3 years gunnison res has been next to full.. i know it's a 1/3 the size of yuba but there is no reason not to drain it before draning yuba.. at lest yuba has something other then carp in it!!

+1 on missing the good old days on yuba and gunnison [:/]..

well i'm getting ready to do the IPP plant.. i'm going to be staying in the RV out at DMAD for the next 3 weeks or so.. i guess i'll get to know the lake a little.. lol good thing i read this first i guess i'll leve the boat home.. lol thanks for the report!! [sly]
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[WyomingMoose]

It can be depressing fishing a lake that used to be stellar but took a turn for the worse.

You still go every once in awhile just to make sure things haven't changed. But usually that takes longer than we'd like. Drought is the biggest problem in Utah and Wyoming. Even bigger than bucket bio's.

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You at least caught a perch. I spent 6 hours or so searching a lake up here for some and did not get a nibble. Sure is nice for this time of year though.
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[TubeDude]

"+1 on missing the good old days on yuba and gunnison"

[cool][#0000ff]Yeah, I have not wet a line in Gunnison since the early 80's. But I still remember the toad perch, football largemouths and bodacious kitties. I seem to remember you putting up a couple of posts this year about finding a few whisker fish surviving among the carp there. They must know "Karp Fu".[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Even if you don't take your boat you might wanna carry some river fishin' gear. There's gotta be some finny critters hanging out in the holes in the river. Let me know if you find some worthy spots.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Ready for the hard deck yet?[/#0000ff]
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[fuzzyfisher]

lol karp-fu i like that.. i just wish i could have found a bait that knew karp-fu.. once the water started to warm up i could not keep the carp off the bait long enough for the cat's find it..

yeah i'll be trying some of the spots on the river as well might even go and try gunnison bend as well, i have never even been to that one..

you bet i'm ready for the hard deck!! should not be to much longer.. 3 or 4 weeks i hope..lol
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]We need to share some ice this winter. Ran out of excuses for not getting together.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Some predictions are for a milder winter this year. Might affect how soon the ponds ice up and for how long.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]My prediction: It'll be whatever it will be. Not much we can do about it except be there when it freezes and stay until it thaws.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Got a bunch of new ice lures to try this year. Working on some "jingle jigs" with rattling beads and airplane spinner blades to buzz on the lift and fall. Have also added little Colorado blades to some of the other stuff...like the Ultra Minnow. So far the walleyes and perch at Starvation seem to like them pretty well.[/#0000ff]
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[utahfishin]

If you're up for some muddy boots and shore fishing DMAD, i can give you a small pointer. I grew up in Delta, and fished both DMAD and Gunnison Bend avidly. If you go east and north around the IPP pump house, you can find some deeper holes in the main sevier channel. The cats, bass, (white, smallies, and largies) are all in there, and you might even be able to get into some crappie too, or perhaps even some eyes if you're lucky enough. I do quite well on gunnison bend every year for nice cats, and it seems to me that starlings taken with a pellet gun seem to be the best bait. [] Or any kind of stink you can find that globs good to a monster treb hook. Sometimes at night, i can even get into some acrobatic cats. It's always fun to hear and feel them jumping on the end of your line.
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[utahfishin]

Oh yeah, i forgot one thing; sorry.

Below the spillway at Yuba used to be awesome for fall eyes, perch, and cats (the cats were further downstream though) This was quite a while ago, however, i haven't fished Yuba in a number of years...
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Thanks for the info. I had heard there was good fishing in the holes above the lake when the water dropped, but trudging muddy banks is not my style. Attached is a picture of what it looked like the other day.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As far as the "scour hole" below Yuba, I know it well. That used to be one of my favorite fishing spots. But several years ago there was a lot of vandalism and damage to the property below the dam and it was closed to public access. Trying to fish it now will get you a hefty fine...and/or jail time.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Never have fished Gunnison Bend. Not likely to do so. Too many places closer to where I live that have plenty of kitties...and other species. But it is good that there is some kinda fishing nearby for folks that live in the area.[/#0000ff]
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[utahfishin]

I hear ya there. I've not been fishing it like i used to, being that i'm no longer in that area. Typically, i will only fish millard county when i go to visit. My pops and little brother are still there.

That pic of DMAD sure is bleak. The beauty of it though, is that when it's low like that in the fall and winter, it enables one to find the 'real' holes.

Also, further north; just north of the cement plant you can access the river by a rock quarry and i've pulled some nice fish from there in the past as well. Lots of species in that river, and up in the cleaner, colder waters you can still find a few trout lingering. Good luck to you if you ever make it back that direction! Your posts are always a pleasure to read, TD. Thanks for sharing!
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Back in the "olden days" I used to have multi-species days below Yuba that often included some big rainbows. Perch and walleyes were almost a given. And more than a few big pike. Here are a couple of pics of fish taken below the dam.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have talked with a few guys "in the know" about the river between Yuba and DMAD and they all roll their eyes when the discussion turns to Leamington Canyon and other "special" spots. Yes, there are a lot of fish in that waterway and (fortunately) they are far enough away from the big centers of population that they don't get hammered...especially if they require a bit of hiking and exploring. [/#0000ff]
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[utahfishin]

Man, those are some hogs! The perch in comparison to the pike are amazing to me! It sort of reminds me of when my dad and his old buddy would come home regularly with really nice walleye from there. I guess i missed the heyday, lol. That was early 80's and we were living in Levan at the time.
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[4poundonly]

Dang those must be some old photos love the jeep wagoneer had one back in the day got me everywhere. nice fish too bad its over for now take care[cool]
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[TubeDude]

"The perch in comparison to the pike are amazing to me!"

[cool][#0000ff]The "other fish" in the pics are WALLEYES. The pike was a 36"er that weighed about 16 pounds. The walleyes were between 5 and 8 pounds.[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]Here are a couple more pics from the past. The first is a tubing pic...taken just before Thanksgiving one year. Mix of small northern pike and several of the HOG perch of those days.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The second pic is a mix of walleyes and perch taken ice fishing. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The third is a group of 4 rainbows (from over 20 caught) that all weighed over 4#...from just about this time of year in '05.[/#0000ff]
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