Utah Lake Walleye

[Hunt4BigBucks]

I want to take my float tube out on Utah lake this spring to catch some eyes'. My question is, how do fishfinders work on that lake. Is there too much surface clutter to see your screen. I'm just wondering if it's worth packing the extra weight of the battery and the fishfinder to the lake. THANKS
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I never go anywhere on the water without my sonar. Even though the average depth is not that great on Utah Lake, there are a lot of things your sonar can tell you that will help you hook more fish. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Much of the lake is just a big mud bottomed bathtub. The best your sonar can do is let you know the depth and also will signal when you are in fish country. Often you can move over a lot of water without seeing fish signals...especially if you have a narrow cone angle. And, if you are too noisy, the fish will not move under you so you don't know there are any around anyway.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In areas like Lincoln Beach, you can make good use of a sonar with builtin temp guage. The sonar will help you find the channels and dropoffs in the rocky areas, and often that is where the fish hang out most. You can fish ten feet away from the holding area and not get bit.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The temperature readings will also help you find the small areas where the hot springs raise the water temp a couple of degrees. At times the fish will congregate in these areas and the fishing will usually be much better, especially in the colder months.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Probably one of the best uses I have for sonar is to locate what depths the fish are using most, and at what level in the water column. While the water was at its lowest level, late last year, it was difficult to find more than 5 feet of water anywhere on the lake. Sometimes the fish would be staying in the deeper water. At other times they were hanging a foot off the bottom in 4 feet of water. Without sonar, I would not have known where to fish and at what level to retrieve.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you use the sonar strictly to find fish marks, you will likely be disappointed. But, if you use it to learn the bottom contours, and find the hot springs, then you will not want to go afloat without it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Stay tuned. There are several of us who plan to do more tubing on Utah Lake this year...for walleyes, whites and cats. We will probably be getting up some floatillas and you will be welcome to join us.[/#0000ff]
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[Hunt4BigBucks]

Thanks for the info TubeDude. I'll have to get my fishfinder on my tube. I'll keep my eyes on the board about the floatillas!![]
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[Hunt4BigBucks]

I actually have a setup for my fishfinder to go on my tube!! But I'll have to look at some of the pictures, maybe I'll find a better idea. I live in Mapleton so I am only 15-20 minutes away from Lincoln Beach!!! Thanks for the Info!![]
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