Ice fishing Utah Lake

[happybob91]

I was curious what experiences people have had ice fishing Utah Lake. I will be able to go ice fishing a bit more on my own as I have all the equipment I need, but couldn't go last year because of time and weather. I'm wanting to try Utah Lake a few times this year if it freezes, and was wondering where to go and what to use in general
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[fish_fear_me2]

Ice fishing Utah Lake can range from really fast to absolutely nothing. Early ice is usually best when the white bass come into the frozen harbors. Around docks can be good for bluegill and crappie. A small jig or ice fly with a bit of wax worm or nightcrawler will usually work. sometimes you almost need a small bobber to detect the light bites. If you can find deep enough water to use a blade bait effectively they can also be hot. Good luck and let us know how you do. Here is a pic from last year
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[happybob91]

Wow that's quite a mess of panfish. So are the harbors the best place to fish? I was also wondering what Lincoln beach is like for ice fishing
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]The big downer for ice fishing this year...again...is the low water levels. We need at least 4-6 feet of water in the harbors to make them comfortable for lots of fish. Less than 1-2 feet in most harbors right now. But some fish will still come in and can be caught in the deeper pockets...by anglers who set up quietly and don't make a lot of noise on the ice.

Lincoln Beach could produce this winter. Spots that are usually 10-12 feet deep...out off the rock shelves...are still 5-6 feet deep. That is enough to keep fish in the area and moving through. But again, you need to drill quietly and not bang stuff around on the ice while fishing. Sitting quietly and being patient will allow fish to move under your holes and sample your offerings.

Since the drought worsened a couple of years ago, the white bass numbers have dropped off a lot. Ditto for both bluegills and crappies. They have had poor spawns and recruitment and the lack of cover has left them vulnerable to the predators...like walleyes and big catfish. But even the big boys are now suffering from diminished food. Another bad water/spawning year and it will be bad for UL.
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[Therapist]

Currently, Utah Lake is a bust. The lake capped last week, Monday and Tuesday evenings. I hit it Wednesday, nada. I went back on Friday, nada. Back again Saturday, nada. Wednesday there was about 2-3 inches, it was down to an inch and a half on Friday and Saturday. You are limited to the docks, DO NOT VENTURE OUT ON THE ICE, YOU WILL FALL THROUGH. You will be standing on the bottom, but it is really cold when you get wet. There is about 24-30 inches of water under the ice.

[fish_fear_me2]

As mentioned the drought is taking a toll on Utah Lake. The water is pretty shallow in most of the productive spots and the poor spawn for 2 years hasnt helped.. Lincoln may be a good bet. When the entire lake caps at the same time it is not as good as when the harbors freeze a week or two before the main lake. All I can say is give a few places a try and see what happens. Might get skunked or might hit it at the right time and the right place. Ya never know unless you go. Besides a day fishing is better than whatever the alternative was.
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[wagdog]

The low water levels have really put the hurt on my favorite species at Utah Lake. Before the most recent drought , I ice fished Utah lake almost exclusively. Most of those trips were truly catching trips...not fishing trips. Bluegill in the 8 inch or larger range were very common. Like others said, you can still get into a few with the shallow water but stealth and patience are key. I really really really hope for an excellent snow-filled winter. It is going to take a lot of precipitation to fill the lake back to normal levels. It may have already been mentioned but if not, remember that you can use cut up perch and white bass to tip your jigs with. Some of the largest bluegill I ever caught at UL were on a jigging spoon with a small strip of white bass meat. Some days that produced more than a wax worm or crawler on a jig. I would fish a soft plastic or spoon to catch a white bass, cut that one up, and use the cut bait to catch the other species in the vicinity.
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