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I keep hearing about the 100 bass days on Pelican and Bluegill the size of paper plates. Every year I head to Preston Idaho, Bass and Bluegill fishing on Memorial Day weekend. We usually catch several hundred blue gill and a few reasonable size bass on our fly rods. Will Pelican get hot much earlier than Memorial Day? What would a flyfisherman use there? Will I be run over by bass boats if I am in my pontoon?
Thanks Ahead of Time for Your Posts
Windriver
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The earliest I've been able to get out to Pelican has been mid-May. I'm not sure if it would be good any earlier than that. Kayote would know.
As for what a fly fisherman would use, just about anything will work. Small poppers are popular. I usually use a small mosquito pattern, leech patterns, or zonkers.
There are a few pinheads out there with bass boats that will get too close to you, but most of your fishing will be right around the edges, so you'll see them coming. Also, the last few years the water has been so low, that some of the boats have seemed a little too nervous to get close to where the fish are.
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SOUNDS LIKE I NEED TO GET OUT TO PELICAN, I HAVE A BUDDY WHOS UNCLE SWEARS BY IT, HE WOULD NEVER DIVULGE THE INFORMTION TO US AS FAR AS WHERE IT IS....AND IT WASNT ON A MAP WE HAD....TILL I BOUGHT A NEW MAP AND FOUND IT NOT TOO FAR AWAY THAT WE CANT GO CAMP ON A WEEKEND AND GET SOME FISH. ITS NEAR STARVATION ISNT IT? I COULD HIT UP SOME EYES ON MY WAY HOME!!! OHH IM REALLY THINKIN ITS TIME FOR ME TO GO HIT PELICAN.......YEAH BABY!!
LATERS,
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Windriver,
The ice will be off Pelican within a couple days. If you like bass, you can start as soon as the ice comes off. Fish the edges of the reeds tight with a very slow presentation. I like crayfish jigs early in the spring if it's calm and sunny, although rubber worms and the usual assortment of your favorite plastics will work (including those wacky rigged Senkos). If it's windy, use spinnerbaits on the same edges. The bass fishing will steadily improve as it warms and it warms quickly. It will shut down dramatically though if a sharp cold front comes through. Although the bluegill vary when they come in depending on weather, they are usually in the shallows in good numbers by the end of April or the first of May. Shrimpboy is right on the money for fly fishing. If you prefer spin fishing, use very small jigs or your favorite bait like crawlers and meal worms. They will be right up in the shallows among the reeds. You can't miss them. It's sight fishing at it's best. Badfish, Pelican is actually closer to Vernal than Starvation. You want to head south on State road 88 which is about half way between Roosevelt and Vernal on Highway 40. It's about five miles south of the junction. To get the the boat ramp, turn west off of 88 on the Randlett road. Go about two miles till you see the Pelican Lake sign then head south on that road. It's about another 3 miles to the ramp. There are restrooms and primitive camping. The bugs don't get real bad until about June. Just a tip, in the spring and summer, I catch my biggest largemouths at first light and dusk. Another tip, in May try pulling weedless frog topwaters right over the thick weed beds. The greenies will explode on your presentation. Don't forget to wait till you feel the fish before you set the hook. This is much easier said than done, trust me LMAO. I hope this covers it. Good luck to all.
Good Fishing, Kayote
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I heard Pelican had a huge Winter Kill this year and it's probally not worth fishing the whole Spring, Summer or for us die hards that like to float in pea soup, fall. This comes from a vary reliable source and if I was you folks I would not attempt even one outing to this terribly pathetic lake. Now of course this could be an attempt to protect my favorite fishing hole from being overcrowed but I will let you all decide to call my bluff if you wish. Then again I could be telling the truth. 
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i hit pelican every year on mothers day weekend thats about prime spawn for the bluegills and we do well every year 100-150 each on flyrods over there beds. any fly big black and hairy works well i tie a dumb bell head black wooly bugger thats my fav with floating line and throw right into there beds and strip back slow nothing on earth like a 10-12" bluegill turning sideways on ya and you cant move them. or having a 3 lb largemouth pull me around in my tube on a flyrod.
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Anglerdan I agree with you I'm sure there was a huge winter kill this year and that it wouldn't be worth the trip out to Pelican this year.
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It's very windy in Vernal right now. I'd be willing to bet the ice is coming off today.
Kayote
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Hey Kayote,
Do you think in May or June that even I could catch a fish at Pelican?
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Kayote your not helping brother. We are trying to keep people of that lake for there own saftey. You heard about all the freak leech attacks and outbreak of Bluegilitis that broke out last year. I am sure it will be twice as bad this year. Alright I will stop. Just promise me that you do not tell your friends who tell their friends who tell their friends etc.... Happy hunting you all and may we all have mulitiple 100 fish days.
Hunting the lunker that lies beneath.
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I have heard that there is a fungus(or something) in the water at Pelican that can give you a rash or make you itch. Is that an issue only if you have full contact with the water, like swimming, or can even incidental contact, like releasing a fish, be a problem? And how much does water temp and other environmental conditions have to do with it? Does it affect the fish for eating? Or is this all bogus? What is the truth?
m
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Its called swimmers ich. My dad and I have both got it. My dad flooded his waders and got it from the waist down. I got soaked in a bad wind storm and got it all over my arms. It hurts like a s.o.b., plus it takes a couple weeks to go away.
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Kent,
I'll go out on a limb here and say yes. I would 'ALMOST' guarantee you will kill them in May. However, I have fished the Pel countless times and the only time I have ever been skunked you and Tincan were there. Now I'm not pointing any bad juju fingers here, but you can read into that what you want. Say the word when you're coming out and I will try to provide personnal guidance in your pursuit of piscitorial bliss LMAO.
Angler Dan,
No need to make up stories to discourage anglers from fishing Pelican. First remind them of the swimmers itch in the water that is so bad it has sent several people to the hospital, literally (no joking). Next inform them of the yellow grubs (parasite) that inhabit the flesh of both the bluegill and bass. Finally, all should know that during the summer months the biting flies and mosquitos can pack you off. Not to mention the hords of midges that fly up your nose and into your mouth. It is quite a self limiting environment. If you want an angler to never return simply recommend he fish out of his tube in Speedos (no waders needed), leave the bug spray home and then serve him a grub laced fillet to top it off. He will gladly go to Utah Lake in the future, never to return to the bluegill panacea. Hehehe.
Good Bluegill Fishing, Kayote
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Good points Kayote. HAHAHA That should do it. Moral of the story is Pelican is not for the weak of Fish. If you can't stand a horrible rash and a little extra protein in your fillet then Kaysville ponds, Utah Lake and Mantua offer a much safer journey. Plus for those that live in SLC it takes about 3 hours and 50 bucks in gas to get there. So if you have the guts I'll see you on the lake. Hey Kayote let me know what saturday you plan on fishing Pelican and I have a seat on the bass boat available.
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Hey Kayote -- I have also only been skunked once while fishing Pelican and that was while fishing with you -- (shhh -- let's have it be our little secret that I have only fished pelican once). I appreciate the gracious offer to get me into them on my next outing out there.
Didn't you forget the large biting ants? No kidding -- I heard that there are also plenty of them around -- just in case the swimmer's itch, biting flies and mosquitos happen to miss you.
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I just remembered -- you also forgot the common fierce afternoon winds (also no kidding) on Pelican that has capsized more than one boat (then if you are lucky to not drown you get an up close and personal experience with the swimmer's itch). Almost sounds like a fishing place from Hell doesn't it? Except, I have been told -- never experienced it before -- that the fishing can be unbelievable.
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Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the Pigmy rattlesnakes that call Pelican home also. But you don't have to worry much about them, because the mosquitos will drain all the warm blood you have and they won't be able to detect you. Hehehe.
Matador,
All of these things mentioned are true to some degree. The swimmers itch will usually only get to you with a significant soaking. I get my arms and hands wet all the time fishing and have never gotten it there. But, I did get a dose once standing thigh deep at the ramp loading my boat. A little hot water and Ivory cleared it up almost instantly when I got home though. It does not affect the fish. All kidding aside, if any of you have not experienced Pelican fishing you should definitely give it a try. It can be some of the fastest action anywhere in the state. Kids love it because they catch many large fish with very little skill. I have caught several bluegill in the pound and a half size. That doesn't sound big, but trust me a pie plate size gill will leave you wanting for more. It is usually only busy during the big holiday weekends, and even then it is a fairly large lake and I have never felt it to be really crowded like on the Front. Most weekdays you and a handful of other anglers will have the lake to yourself. I love the place.
Good Fishing, Kayote
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If I were to say one thing about pelican it's that Kids love it. My self and a few friends take all the kids there for an anual fishing trip. If you bring to kids you'll have your hands full, baiting, taking off fish, untieing knots. Last year at about 10:am my 4 year old turned to me and said "can we go back to camp for a while, my fingers hurt." from cranking in fish after fish. We Head up Friday in the end of April or beginning of May and find a camp site then fish all day Sat. releaseing all fish due to the worms. Sun mornat day break we start back to Salt lake with a stop at Starvation for some thing without the worms to eat and some crawdads. Strawberry is also a possible for this depending on the wind.
We fish from johnboats, Pontoons, and a drift boat, any thing that floats will get you to fish.
When I get to make a few casts for my self I either pitch a wolly bugger at them or a popper if they work (love surface strikes) on a 3 wt with about a 3x tippet. It's not a pretty casting comby but the light wt fly rod makes it fun and the heavy tippet stands up to the reeds. Or, an ultralight spinner slip bobber rigged with a small jig or bait.
Kayote, Keep us updated on the water level, I finnally own a boat big enough to fish the elusive north shore and there mght not be enough water. It's a 19, I/O so I need a little water, I'd lift the unit and use the electric to fish gills but I,ve never fished the north shore.
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Hey Kent and Kayote ,
Why do I all ways get the blame for bad juju on that trip when I was the only one to hook a fish but lost it at the hole. I'm I invited on that trip in may.
[  ]Tincanfsh
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now in all fairness the grubs really aren't that bad. You can either pop them out with a knife or if you are a daring soul you can just eat them. they are way too small to make any difference in the taste of the fish. I grew up out there and have eaten many of them I am sure, Just bread the fillets and what you don't see can't hurt you right[ ]. Big bluegill can be some of the funnest fishing you will have. They can fight awfully hard for their size and it is not that uncommon to actually break your line off on those little stinkers if they get sideways enough. Back in the day you would have 200 fish days all the time and it is slowly getting back to that. Since it has been a fairly wet winter it could be very good this year. We will have to see,
Jed Burton
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