Sand Hollow

[Gone Forever]

Large mouth bass are on fire.
Carolina rigs in the shallows morning, deep diving crank baits in the afternoon. DT 10 thru 20 in 20 to 30 fow.

[Cowboypirate]

Dang could be a fun fall trip

[Gone Forever]

Dang could be a fun fall trip

It is turning out to be.  Fished Sand Hollow yesterday, there was a triathlon, and the swimming part had the launch closed to boats.  Perfect for my son and I with our inflatable Kayak and SUP.  Maiden voyage for my just devised inflatable kayak rig.  I combined a kayak with a pontoon frame so I could row instead of paddle.  Also for my milk crate rig.  I will get pictures tomorrow.

Morning, 8 am, water crystal clear out to 12' or so. You could see bass on structure spots on the moss flats and a carolina rig with a short motor oil swim tail worm was the trick. This worked up until late morning when the fish moved deeper and we switched to deep diving crank baits in the 20' to 30' depths.  Deep Rapalas and Deep Bagley's in bass and bluegill patterns. Fish were all in the deeper holes between rocky shallow pinnacles. 


Today I venture to Gunlock, got on the water later after fishing lower Sand Wash for a while.  Upper had some promise but all I could catch were small sunnies on a work and bobber.  Gunlock had had massive thunderstorms yesterday afternoon and into last night, water was dirty and just beginning to see moss coming up off the bottom.  Water level is completely down to where all the brush by the inlet is just pasture 5' above the waterline.  Deepest water I recorded was 34'.
Fishing was terrible, all day changing colors, styles, depths, marking many, many fish, presenting all I could to them including bait to no avail.  5 hours of fishing and one small bluegill from next to the dock.
Going back to Sand Hollow in the morning.  Hope it is as good as yesterday.

[MrShane]

I’m really happy they closed the launch for those swimmers.
I’m sure the swimmers helped pay for that ramp privilege with all the boat registration fees they have paid for.

[Gone Forever]

I’m really happy they closed the launch for those swimmers.
I’m sure the swimmers helped pay for that ramp privilege with all the boat registration fees they have paid for.

I'm sure they payed plenty for their 8 hours of clogging things up.  There were tv cameras, Red bull had a couple of tents set up, they were at it until about 2pm.  Probably 200 cars paid to get in plus the sponsors and venders.  
I will say the last thing I saw happening was a sweep of the whole area picking up trash, some of it weeks old by the looks of it.

Anyway, back to fishing, hit Sand Hollow again. No clouds in the AM like 2 days ago, but a breeze and ripple. Water temp 78 on surface.  Went right to the deep diving cranks like before and they didn't dissapoint.  Several chunky 2lb fish then a better one. Things slowed down so I started cast dropshoting with wacky rigged worms MO with chartruse, deep water.  30' with hooks about 5' up from weight.  Thats where the finder said they were, 5' up and they were.

[wiperhunter2]

I’m really happy they closed the launch for those swimmers.
I’m sure the swimmers helped pay for that ramp privilege with all the boat registration fees they have paid for.

I'm sure they payed plenty for their 8 hours of clogging things up.  There were tv cameras, Red bull had a couple of tents set up, they were at it until about 2pm.  Probably 200 cars paid to get in plus the sponsors and venders.  
I will say the last thing I saw happening was a sweep of the whole area picking up trash, some of it weeks old by the looks of it.

Anyway, back to fishing, hit Sand Hollow again. No clouds in the AM like 2 days ago, but a breeze and ripple. Water temp 78 on surface.  Went right to the deep diving cranks like before and they didn't dissapoint.  Several chunky 2lb fish then a better one. Things slowed down so I started cast dropshoting with wacky rigged worms MO with chartruse, deep water.  30' with hooks about 5' up from weight.  Thats where the finder said they were, 5' up and they were.

Great detailed reports, thanks for sharing them with us. Are all those bass Large mouth bass?

[Troutster]

A five foot drop shot rig! Totally cool. Most I’ve done is 18”. Thanks for the report and the details.

[Gone Forever]

I’m really happy they closed the launch for those swimmers.
I’m sure the swimmers helped pay for that ramp privilege with all the boat registration fees they have paid for.

I'm sure they payed plenty for their 8 hours of clogging things up.  There were tv cameras, Red bull had a couple of tents set up, they were at it until about 2pm.  Probably 200 cars paid to get in plus the sponsors and venders.  
I will say the last thing I saw happening was a sweep of the whole area picking up trash, some of it weeks old by the looks of it.

Anyway, back to fishing, hit Sand Hollow again. No clouds in the AM like 2 days ago, but a breeze and ripple. Water temp 78 on surface.  Went right to the deep diving cranks like before and they didn't dissapoint.  Several chunky 2lb fish then a better one. Things slowed down so I started cast dropshoting with wacky rigged worms MO with chartruse, deep water.  30' with hooks about 5' up from weight.  Thats where the finder said they were, 5' up and they were.

Great detailed reports, thanks for sharing them with us. Are all those bass Large mouth bass?

Yes.  All largemouth.  The entire Virgin River drainage is mandatory kill on all Smallmouth Bass.  So Sand Hollow has Bass, Bluegill and Green Sunfish.  Crappie are reported but I have never caught one there.  Upstream in Quail Creek I have.

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A five foot drop shot rig!  Totally cool. Most I’ve done is 18”.  Thanks for the report and the details.

Me too.  But the finder was saying they were 5' off the bottom in 30FOW.  25' down and not easy to present to without big weights, clip on's or riggers.  So, I improvised. Reel pain when fish is next to the boat and you still have 5' of line to the weight, but we do what we have to do.  Then we untangle the mess...