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[#0000FF] I sometimes fail to heed my own advice. This morning was one of those times. I usually tell folks to leave Deer Creek to the power squadron this time of year. But this morning I had a silly urge to try a quick perch search. Shoulda stood in bed.
Launched at the Island ramp about 6:30 am. Calm with leftover clouds around the fringes...from last night's shower session. Air temp a refreshing 53 and water temp 70. Figured the trout would probably not be in the upper part of the water column. Figured right. Not much besides carp near the surface. Saw a few isolated fishy blips in the 20 foot zone...both on the bottom and over the bottom in deeper water. But they weren't having any of what I offered...various jigs, etc.
Headed for the island. Figured there would at least be a few Deer Creek trophy smallies in residence. There might have been a few in the scattering of sonar marks but they weren't up for playtime. I tried casting close and working out. And I tried vertical jigging over visible fish marks. Nada, zip, zilch. Unless you count a few feeble "rattle rattle" inquiries from some unknown micro species.
Set up with two tandem jig rigs...tipped with crawler. Thought I might find a stray perch or two. I did find one. Had a porky 10 incher almost to the tube before he realized that my interest in him was not likely to be beneficial to him...and he released himself. Facing skunkdom.
Covered a lot of area, vertical jigging with the two tandem jig rigs. Went through several worms lost to ghost munchers. Then I began to hook up with a few under-footer smallies. Probably got a half dozen or so...in depths from 23 feet to over 35 feet. The mid-size sonar marks near the bottom said perch (maybe) but those silly fish turned into bitty bass as I reeled them to the top.
Had one that appeared to have lost the front part of his upper jaw. Bluntnose. Thinking maybe Bassrods set the hook too hard on that trophy.
Up until about 9:30 there were only a few angler boats on the water. But the power squadron had already put in a minor appearance. Saw one trout troller working along the shoreline...not more than 50 feet from the rocks...and a water skier roaring through the narrow gap between the angler and the shore. Why do they think we want to see their fine boat and excellent skiing skills up close and personal?
Then someone must have put a diversion from the highway into the state park parking lot...for big boats only. A steady line poured in and the ramp became a busy place. I had to beach my tube on the gravel between the ramp and the dock and drive my vehicle across the gravel to retrieve my stuff.
Water level is still a bit higher than the low point of last year...so even larger boats can launch easily. So  . And as long as school is not back in session and the water temps are warm the power squadron will rule over the anglers...and the fish.
Talked to a couple of boating anglers who were smart enough to come back in about the same time I did. They both said they had been trolling for trout...deep, with riggers...and neither had caught anything. They both reported seeing plenty of sonar marks in the right spots but no love on anything they dropped down.
There was also a group of bank tanglers who moved around several places between the buildings and the island. They did not stay long anywhere and I never saw any evidence of them catching anything.
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Well, that's a kick in the stomach! I've been getting my stuff ready to go up in the morning with my boat to try for smallies, but it sounds like the fish ain't in the mood, and the crazies are out in force even on a week day. Ya took the wind out of my sails, but I guess I'll thank you for doing the recon mission for me. Maybe I'll go to Strawberry instead then, where at least I can fish among my own kind. There aren't usually many aliens up there.
Maybe the fishing will pick up after this weather system gets done doing its thing.
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Hey Pat glad you survived the crowds, sorry the rewards were few and small. Couple weeks and it will get better. Sounds like more fun than work though. Later J
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[#0000FF]Same ol' same ol'. The fish are somewhere and will be biting for somebody. I just happen to have a knack for chosing the wrong place at the wrong time. But, if my failure helped save you from suffering the same results then 'twern't all in vain.
Probably be better for trout at Da Berry. Heck, you'll probably even catch just as many perch...and maybe even a stray smallie. Couldn't do much worser than I did.
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[#0000FF]Yeah, it will get better. I usually wait for at least a week or so after Labor Day before I hit Deer Creek. But it is usually better for perch in October...if there is enough water. If the perch are looking for 35 to 40 feet of water they won't find much from the Island north. Getting shallow too fast.
Definitely more enjoyable than either of the two projects I left unfinished at home.
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I plan on hitting the lake around 6AM tomorrow to try for top water carp (with bow). You saw plenty? Just curious, will be my first time out trying this, so I will miss a lot more than hit I am sure.
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So when do your Starvation trips get going again? I'm a little tunnel visioned lately trying to get my catfish numbers up, but I need to catch a few more Kokes before it closes and see if I can find a bass or two before the cool down. I haven't caught a bow since April so they will be taking me out of their wills. So many fish and so little time it's hard to try everything I'd like to. Glad I never get bored. Later J
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[#0000FF]The carp I saw were generally one shot tail slappers or low trajectory leapers. Did not see any of the carp clumps or individuals spending time slurping the surface. Gotta be able to see and stalk them for best arrowing.
Howsomever, if you go further toward the Charleston area there are large areas of shallow flats. The carp often cruise those shallows and are easier to see and shoot. Every day is different and your success will depend on direction and speed of the wind. They like it when it is fairly calm and they can hunt by sight...either on the surface or in the shallow water.
You may have to cruise around a bit, looking for a prime area. You will recognize it by the splashing of airborne carp or the "nervous" water caused by them moving around in the shallows. But, as others have warned, Deer Creek carp are not the easy pushovers of Utah Lake. They see well in the clearer water and many have been molested by archers or spear fishermen before.
Good luck. There are some tanks in there.
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Now that is a rare report. No fish in the basket is not something I hear from ya often. I agree one of the worst places to try and fish during the power season is Deer Creek. I dont understand why they like to be in the vicinity of fishing boats or bank tanglers but they do seem to get some perverse pleasure out of seeing if they can swamp you with their wake. Glad you got out any who.
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[#0000FF]I have become semi turned off by Starvation. The downward plunge of the perch population, combined with the increase in the power squadron population, has really taken the shine off that lake for me.
In years past I launched knowing that I could always harvest a goodly number of chunky perch. Past reports and picture archives show many days of catching over a hundred nice perch and culling to 20 or 30 footlongs or better. In the process of fishing for perch it was common to add several nice teen incher walleyes to the bag. They both hung out in the same areas and hit the same jigs. The "Starvation Steelhead" (rainbows) were almost a nuisance...almost. They were a ton of fun and I could always count on taking home a few of them if I really wanted them.
It has been over 3 years since I last caught a decent number of decent sized perch from Starvation. My best perch fishing in recent times has been a couple of late fall trips to Willard. Willard? A perch fishery? Better than Starvation these days.
Bottom line? I just can't get excited about driving two hours each way for substandard fishing. Add in the increased number of jet skis and other members of the power squadron...even during the week...and it simply don't make no sense nohow.
But, like Deer Creek, it will improve when the water cools and most of the nut jobs go home. So, I will likely do a few trips between mid September and Thanksgiving. I'm a slow learner. [/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Thanks Brent. Fishing is always good...even if the catching ain't.
Yeah, I enjoy being able to dine on the fruits of my fishing labors. But it doesn't take a big kill to make a good trip. I post a lot of dead fish pics...with baskets full of "renewable resource" species. But I go home more often with only a little slime on my hands. Less time at the sink too.
On another note, I hope you have your track shoes or hiking boots ready for fishing Utah Lake this fall. Fish will be wearing tennies if the water gets any lower. I stopped at the bubbleup on my way back from Deer Creek...and shot the attached pic.
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Wow!!!! If my balance was better could probably walk clear to the end of the pipe and never get my knees wet. We really need a significant water year. Half the boat ramps are now unusable and some of the best fishing spots are mud flats. I really hope we get a big snow pack this year.
I know you release many more fish than you keep and you practice a selective harvest but it is still a rare day when you cant get at least a few of the targeted species to play.
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[#0000FF]Gotta have a few bad days to help keep ya humble. Also makes ya more appreciative of the good ones.
The fishing this summer has definitely honed my humility. Now I'm ready for better days.
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I have noticed the water is really low everywhere except the uintas. Only problem is I don't enjoy catching trout all the time.[:/]. I hope we get a good winter this year with lots of snow to fix the problem.
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One place that is a lot higher than it has been is Jordanelle.
DC is about where it was last year (although last year was one of the lowest dips in a long time).
How much of a factor is the extra retention in Jordanelle? UL is a much bigger lake, but Jordanelle is up 50' from last year.
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[#484848]I'm not sure I get it? The weber is as high as it's ever been at this time of year, Could it be that our population growth and water demands, are exceeding our western water supply resources?[/#484848]
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[quote WaveWolf][#484848]I'm not sure I get it? The weber is as high as it's ever been at this time of year, Could it be that our population growth and water demands, are exceeding our western water supply resources?[/#484848]
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[#484848][/#484848][/quote]
Very possible.
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[quote MasterDaad]One place that is a lot higher than it has been is Jordanelle.
DC is about where it was last year (although last year was one of the lowest dips in a long time).
How much of a factor is the extra retention in Jordanelle? UL is a much bigger lake, but Jordanelle is up 50' from last year.[/quote]
[#0000FF]Jordanelle is currently above its lowest point last fall but is only slightly higher than when I fished it on August 20th last year. I have reference points along the shoreline near the quarry that I use for reference.
I gave up trying to figure out the reasoning used by the water users along the Provo River drainage to decide where to hold the water and when to release how much. In years of snowpack shortfall they have to do a lot of juggling to try to make it all come out right. And the downstream anglers do not have much of a say in the matter.
My guess is that Jordanelle will drop even lower than last year before any kind of runoff refill.
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You sure about that?
Jordanelle has been much lower by my recollection and according to the data here the lake was at ~6120 mid August last year and it is off the chart >6140 this year.
[url "http://www.usbr.gov/uc/crsp/charts/displaysites.jsp"]http://www.usbr.gov/...rts/displaysites.jsp[/url]
Maybe that data is wrong but I don't think so.
Humm... don't think that link works directly to the Jordanelle pool level data. But you can get to it by starting here:
http://www.usbr.gov/uc/crsp/GetSiteInfo
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Jordanelle is a good bit higher than last year, when they drew it waaaaaay down. However, it is still much lower than historical depths for this time of year.
More to the point of the thread, Jordanelle has been kicking out a few Jumbo perch of late.
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