Perch bash at Bunny Gulch 10-14-15

[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Of my three options this morning, Starvy won out in the weather forecast - fishing potential race. Wind forecast improved overnight so I made a low flying solo shot at Bunny Gulch.

On the water by 7:30. Air temp 45 and water temp just over 59. Still way warm for this time of year. Water level is still up too. Only a few inches lower than two weeks ago. The rock reef out in front of the camp area is still partially underwater...but a truck drove through the wet spot just fine to fish off the rocks.

First of many perch within minutes of launching. Saw quite a few small groups at first. Then got into a couple of areas that were covered with them...from the bottom to within a few feet of the top. Perch stacks. Only problem was trying to get through the dinks to find something big enough to fillet.

Watched sonar as I moved around. Dropped down only when I saw just a few larger marks and no big clouds of dinksters. That helped put some bigger fish in the basket. Got quite a few 9 inchers, a few 10 inchers and one at 11 inches. Lost a "footlong" at the tube when he arranged an early release.

Went through a dozen crawlers pretty fast playing with the bitty biters. Switched to some "PPP" (processed perch pieces) I made up last night and started hooking a bigger class of dinks...along with some basket fish.

Later on I started throwing some Gulp minnows, hoping to catch something toothy. No luck. But did hang some decent perch on them. Also caught the only rainbow of the day on a Gulp minnow. A nice 21" Starvy Steelie. Zinged my string a lot better than those puny perch.

Clear and sunny with light breezes all morning. The standard easterly zephyr started tuning up about noon so I gathered up the few perch I had kept, and the single 'bow, and headed for the barn.
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[fish_fear_me2]

Glad you got out and had good weather to fish. Happy to see a few perch in starvy hopefully in a year or so there will be a bunch in the 11-12 inch class. As always great report and great pics.
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[albinotrout]

Oh boy oh boy oh boy....

Lots of water still. [cool] starvy is looking better and better.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Thanks. I was demazed at all the perchy marks I saw on multiple screens...in many locations. I'm sure it was not the same ones following me around.

This year's 9 and 10 inchers will spawn next spring and will probably grow an inch or two. I kept about 30 perch today and all were egg-laden females. But I doubt I torpedoed the population for the next generation.

I was reckymembering today, as I dropped a few 9 inchers in my basket, that 9 inches used to be the cutoff point for TubeBabe and I for "basket fish". Those healthy 9 inchers can produce worthwhile fillets. But it has been a couple of years since many perch of any size have been showing up so I kinda got outta practice.

Based upon the numbers I witnessed just in one area of the lake today, I am guessing that it will be worthwhile hitting Starvation through the ice again this year...if it freezes over.
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[bigdaddy84094]

Nicely done Pat !
Great pics.
Glad to see the drive over was worth it. The grandson and I are headed out in the morning to try some walleye jigs a friend of mine made for me. If that don't pan out we got a back up plan that involves some cat-a-fun. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Thanx for the report.
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[TopH2O]

I agree it's looking like decent perch fishing through the ice this winter. There are also quite a few "Seegar" walleye around 12 to 13 inches. I caught several of those through the ice in January last winter. The ice will be here soon enough. We'll have to get the gang together for a chowder ice lunch.

Mike
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]I think that day on the ice we had at Rabbit Gulch about 3 years ago probably spoiled us forever. As I recall, you took home close to a limit of BIG porky perch. And I had a good bunch too. That was great catching big perch in less than 20' of water under the ice. I think I made you a believer in my "stank bait" (processed perch).

I was also thinking of you...and that trip in the boat a couple of falls ago...when the perch were stacking up around the bridge. Sure messed up the belief that perch were strictly bottom dwellers. I found several areas yesterday where they were suspended like that.

I did well on walleyes this time last year but haven't scored any on my last few trips. I think their population took a dip about the same time the perch dropped off. But I hear that there are fewer but bigger eyes in most areas.

You betcha. If Starvy caps over and the perch are in we gotta do another chowder gatherin'. Good for the soul...if not the waistline.

PS...got some new fluttery bladed perch goodies that need some official testing. A couple of them worked well for me yesterday.
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[Piscophilic]

Glad to hear you got up to Starvy and it was more worthwhile this time. That Steelie looks great! I still can't get over how nice those fish get. Back in Oregon you have to tag any over 20" as a real Steelhead.

Good Job!

Sounds like you re-scheduled your UL trip to you were thinking about until next week. Looks like the water should have cooled a bit by then. Timing is everything, unless you can only go when life lets you, and then going is everything.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Yeah, Jim, I used to fish for the "half pounders" in the Klamath and Eel Rivers in California. They were young steelheads...similar to the "jack" salmon that run up into fresh water a couple of years early. Small but fiesty.

I have caught a lot of "half pounders" and summer run steelies that were about the same size as those rainbows in Starvation. Can't help but make the comparison. They hit hard, fight hard and love to take to the air. Plus, the develop nice red flesh and are great eating.

I had thought about squeezing in another trip to Utah Lake tomorrow but I think I will wait until the next round of storms and low temps bring the water temps down a few more degrees. I've had lots of fun with the kitties this year. Now it's time to get semi serious about some walleyes.
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[#0000FF][#000000][size 3]"Timing is everything, unless you can only go when life lets you, and then going is everything."[/size][/#000000]

I kinda like Zig Ziglar's old saying: "If you wait 'til all the lights are on green, you will never leave the house."
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[fsh4fun05]

So those guys catching those 10" perch weren't full of it after all []
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Nope. Never said they were. Just said that I had a tough time finding them. But, as usual, it took a combination of searching and some minor changes in tactics, tackle and technique.

I believe there are bigger perch in those big schools but they just can't beat the littler ones to the jigs. Where I found fewer fish most of the bites I got were slower coming but bigger fish.

Saw lots of bigger marks on my sonar in all the schools. But wasn't sure of species. Coulda been well-fed walleyes, trout feeding on the same invertebrates...or much bigger perch. My sonar does not have a program to display species.
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[fsh4fun05]

I have been trying to convince you for years to put a high power outboard on that tube to search out bigger fish. We found some bigger perch outside of Indian Bay but that's a long ways from Rabbit Gulch.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]I'm still trying to figure out the motor mount for a new Verado on my tube. The console is also a bit of a problem. Oh yeah, and then there's the downriggers. Everytime I try screwing them into my deck my tube deflates. [/#0000FF][#0000FF][#0000FF][b]Details, details.

[/#0000FF]I have a couple of spots out of Indian Bay I used to fish a lot...and catch good perch and walleye. Even caught a few of those pesky smallmouth. Ugh.

I keep going back to Bunny Gulch for tubing because there are so many different options of bottom contour, structure, depth, weeds, etc...all within reach of my limited propulsion system. And it is rare that there isn't at least something to play with a poor old tuber.
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[TyeDyeTwins]

Great report, almost makes me wanna chase perch tomorrow evening. Can you remind me what beaches might be free to access and fish, if there are any?
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[SBennett]

Pat,
Your report makes me feel all warm and tingly inside.
I am supposed to leave for Fish Lake tomorrow. I kinda wish I would not have read this post.
Decisions,decisions........
Thanks, Shane
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]There are a few spots you can reach perch water from shore out off the end of the camping area at Indian Bay. Not so much at Rabbit Gulch. Most of the fish I found there were a long ways from shore on the north (far) side of the channel.

Should be some perch available from the end of the island at Deer Creek. Have done well for them there in the past. You also know a couple of other spots there that can produce.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Fishing at Starvy should bet even better in the next couple of weeks...as the water cools a bit. By November "our" spot should produce again.

Do I recall your mentioning of a new boat...with a new IPilot? Does it have a safeguard against getting your second rod line wrapped up in that motor?
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[WaveWolf]

Good chowder fixins. Maybe they are on the road to recovery.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Yep. Plenty of good healthy fillets on the batch I brought home.

Definitely my best perch session in a couple of years.

We can hope.
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[k2muskie]

I sure hope we have a winter with good long lasting ice. Nice on the Perch. Only to get bigger IMO...
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