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It's been great reading your reports from Rockport.It sounds like the fast fishing picked up where it left off
last year. I need your help, I plan on taking the my wife
and 4 kids this Saturday afternoon and I have a few "scouting it out" questions to ask (because once I set up camp and drill 6 holes with hand auger I don't want to move)
Where's a good approximate location for?: easy ice access?, offers the most consistent action for perch?(and at what depth?) and a nearby sledding hill would be a plus. Since we won't arrive until noon or so I would also like to know of what the afternoon bite is like? (what time it turns on, at what depth ect?). Also has the wind been bad in the afternoon lately?
In years past I have ice fished Rockport many times,yet with the warmer temps and softer ice I just don't know where's the best location to take my family. Any responses
would be greatly appreciated. Tight Lines Everyone !
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The one time that I fished in the afternoon, I was just South of the ramp in 40' of water. The bite came on at about 2:30pm or so. The ice is safe about 5" thick, but the shore may be open for a few feet. I left a wood plank by the ramp so if it is still there use it to get out on the ice. I have not fished on the west side. There is little or no snow by the water so you may have to drive some place to find it. The wind has not been a major factor for me on my trips to the Rock.
Because of the heavy fishing pressure that has been going on,you may want to go farther to the south and look for where there are very few old holes. The perch fishing may be better out there. The ice is very slick, so be careful and don't let the kids run. There are a lot of old holes punched every where up there.
Good luck, DKS.
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Just a post note to my own thread. We were planning on
going to last weekend's shin dig at the boat ramp,Then
the wife and two of my kids came down with the flu. I know we missed out, it sounded like alot of fun. Looking forward
to next year.
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I was in need of a sledding hill last Saturday, and my daughter and I found one at the 2nd outhouse turn-out. Sadly, it was so warm that day that it was almost entirely melted by 1:00 when we left[  ]. Unless we have some more stormy weather, there probably won't be suitable sledding at Rockport this Saturday. As for the fishing, I would target 33-45 ft. of water then set up. Sonar would be a big help there. Many reports indicate a slow down in the bite as the day wears on but we didn't seem to have much of a drop-off where we were but we also had our perch by 11:00. The State park has the easiest access, but it does seem to slow down to a greater extent after 11:00. Wind hasn't been an issue on my trips up there, but this is Utah, each day is different. Ice is thicker at the state park side compared to the 2nd outhouse area and other west side locations. Good luck.
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You might try what I did last Friday. Got to the edge of the ice as someone was coming off. The three of them had each just caught 20 perch in an hour. My son and I followed their tracks back to their holes and the two of us pulled out 20 each in an hour. That's 100 fish in 2 hours.
Or take a minute when you get there and check out the fish on the ice. Take the binoculars and check things out, then fish the neighborhood, but not too close.[  ]
Chester
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I been fishing the first restroom area past the dam on the west side . Nice to see the new restrooms there . Never had a problem with the edges of ice there . Ice is 5" last weekend Perch are all over that area but I like to fish southeast to the bigger point . Been doing better in 60 ft of water but it helps to have a fishfinder to get on them good . For the trout try worm and fish 25' or shallower . Good luck
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OK you could fish where uncleray and I did last Saturday. Its a small turnout between to mounds only enough room for about 4-5 cars max. it was a little steep going down and a little icy but once on the ice all was fine. We were about 100ft out from shore in about 45ft of water on 5 inches of ice. We limited out in 3 hrs. All the perchies we kept were about 10" and we threw back the little ones. It seemed the bigger ones did not fair as well as the little ones. With their swim blatters coming out their mouths (big ones only) little one dove back into the depts. We even moved close to shore and pulled up a bow on power bait!!!
We might meet you up there this weekend, cuz we planning another outing! If you go look for a little red 2 dr subaru impreza, thats me!
Good luck!
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I fished the bay out from the second outhouse, and the best spot turned out to be almost directly out from the outhouse. I had my fish finder, and the best depth for catching perch was about 50 feet. I don't know if I trust it though. When I was getting a bite, the finder wouldn't show any fish below, and when it beeped, I wouldn't get bites. I guess what I need is a finder that shows which fish are HUNGRY.
As far as the snow is concerned, there wasn't much left. There were patches, but hardly enough for sledding. Besides, most of what was left was pretty icy.
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Sure can do! I've still got your phone number in my cell and will give you a gingle as we come back to town!
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[cool]Hey Pat, I'm good at getting the bones out of the Perch Fillet's, but I don't think I get as much meat off of them as I could. Also, I'm not that fast at it. This may sound strange, but for me Trout are faster and easier to fillet (since practicing your tutorial several times now) than those pesky (but tasty) little Perchkies. I'm kind of short on time tomorrow afternoon after going to Rockport, but sometime soon, I'll have to have you tutor me with that electric knife of yours, and i'll give you some fillets for your efforts. I think I'm going to get an electric knife for my birthday in May.
Tackletangler: I'll be at Rockport on the West side at the second outhouse turnoff on Saturday and will have the hand held on ch. 12-0 if you have any questions and stuff tomorrow, then just give me a buzz.
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Hey O4T,
I am getting pretty handy with the electric fillet myself. If you live close to Orem, I could do a demo for you. Last week, my daughter and I brought back limits from Rockport, and I was able to process them in about an hour. I have a 12v fillet knife that I could bring tomorrow for a demo, are you interested?
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[cool]Thanks for the tips Pat, and kastmaster. Pat, since you live close, I'll have to take you up on the offer sometime soon. Hope you can get out and chase some big wally's soon.
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