Jordanelle Rock Cliffs???

[SkinnyLynnie]

A couple of weeks ago, the fishing was fast and furious at the Rock Cliffs area of Jordanelle (even if the fish weren't very big). I'm thinking of going up there again this weekend, but I haven't seen any reports on this board about Rock Cliffs lately. Have all the fish been caught already? I would appreciate information from anyone who has been up there in the last week or so.
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[Coldfooter]

The bitty bows are still active.. And a few decent chew-ables can be had also..
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Yep, still plenty of fish. The trout are coming mostly from shallower water, around 15-20'. You can also catch a few perch in shallower water, but they are not very big. The bigger perch are in water 40 feet or deeper. There are also lots of trout out deeper, but the hordes of bitty bows come cruising through at the 20 foot level. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you go for browns, they have been hitting best early and late in the day. Again, they are usually deeper, often cruising at about the 35 foot level in 40 feet of water.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Rainbows hit anything and everything. Some folks have been using Powerbait on jigs. Others use pieces of crawler, minnow, chub meat, meal worms or waxies.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Last Monday, the perch got very finicky after about 9 AM. You needed to fish a small jig under a heavier jig or spoon, and the best "sweetener" was wax worm. However, there were still plenty that hit a piece of crawler or perch meat.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I'm kinda wondering how much snow piled up on the lake, and how the decreased light levels might affect the fish. Somebody needs to do some R&D.[/#0000ff]
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[Coldfooter]

My Grandladdy and I were up there today. He kept G-pa busy reloading the jigs while he opened a can of whoop butt on the perch before getting bored with em.. Guess he's gotten to use to catching Dah Berry Cuts, lol...
As far as light penetration, never fear.. As it goes snow is merely water and there more than plenty of light eeking through the 1.5-2" of snow at the location we shared Monday..
Bad news,, No Browns in our shanty today. Good news, we we're able to avoid (most) of the bitty bows molesting our perch offerings..
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Excellent. Any size on the perchies? About the same as the last batch?[/#0000ff]
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[archerben55]

How thick was the ice out there?
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[Coldfooter]

Yes, about the same size..
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[Coldfooter]

I'm betting its 8-10"
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[archerben55]

Thanks. I'm going to be hitting it with my brother and cousin tomorrow and I'm just debating about whether or not to take the wheeler.
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[Fishkid]

How are the edges of the ice I am thinking about going up there on monday. I have never ice fished up there what is the best direction to go once you get off of the boat ramp and about how far do you walk.

Thanks,
Fishkid
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]It has been staying cold enough to keep the edges solid and the slush frozen. Plenty sturdy for wheelers and snowmobiles. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Trout have been hitting in water as shallow as 10-12 feet. You can find that a short distance from the ramp. Quite a few folks have been making a left turn a hundred yards or so from the ramp and fishing in the channel off the steep cliffs on the south side. Others have been doing just as well on the north side.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you want to get into the perch, you will have to keep on trekkin' for quite a ways. They seem to be staying deeper than 30 feet, with 40 to 50 feet being better. That means going out to the buoy line and beyond, for the larger fish. That is a pretty good hike. I know, because I did it last Monday. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Once you get deeper than 20 feet, the trout will be both near the bottom and up at mid depth. A good sonar can tell you where to put your jigs for best results.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Early in the morning you can get lots of hits on larger jigs and small spoons. Later in the day they get touchy and you need to downsize. A small jig under a small spoon or larger jig is the ticket. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The trout and the perch will hit crawlers, meal worms, waxworms, pieces of minnow and even pieces cut from some of the giant chubs that sometimes show up. Best finesse bait is a single waxworm on a tiny ice fly, 12" under a small Kastmaster or Swedish Pimple. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Be sure to dose up with sunscreen before going on the ice. The glare (and sunburns) has been brutal. No need to worry about bug spray...yet.[/#0000ff]
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[Fishkid]

Thanks for your help TubeDude.

Thanks,
Fishkid
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[Out4Trout]

[cool]Excellent advice and tips, TD. I think I need to hit Lake X one time this season before it's smallie chasing time. Gonna see if BassAckward wants to hit that place next Saturday. However, the first warm Saturday (meaning at least in the 40's) and I'm breaking out the frost covered float tube and I'm hitting the big brown pond...with the upcoming forcrashes however, it looks like it won't be into the 40's for a few weeks at least...
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