Echo cat potential

[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]In communicating with Chris Penne...biologist with DWR...on another matter, he passed along some info on Echo that may be of interest to fellow BFTers.
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I'm aware of the catfish contest on BFT and think it might be worth it for someone to try fishing the shallow water warm water up in the inlet bay of Echo Reservoir. We've been stocking catfish in Echo for about six years now and I think there should now be some real dandies in there. We did some gill netting back in 2013 and sampled one catfish that was over 26" long. That fish was obviously from a historical stocking prior to 2010, but I'm thinking there may now be some decent numbers of big catfish that are waiting to be caught. I think these fish are just flying under the radar as not many think of catfish when they think of Echo Reservoir.

I occasionally talk with the resort owner at Echo and she has also said there some real nice catfish that get caught by people fishing up on the inlet side of the reservoir. I've been meaning to make it out there myself and give it a try, but just keep getting sidetracked - too many waters, too little time. Obviously, I can't guarantee great catfishing, but I think this is an area that might be worth exploring. Anyways, feel free to pass this on to anyone you think might be interested.


Chris Penne
Northern Region Assistant Aquatics Program Manager
Aquatic Biologist

Utah Department of Natural Resources
Division of Wildlife Resources
515 East 5300 South
Ogden, Utah 84405
Phone: 801-656-8694
[url "mailto:chrispenne@utah.gov"]chrispenne@utah.gov[/url]
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[HD7000]

I was really hoping to read that they stocked Blue Catfish as some sort of a trial program for the state...but, it will be fun to try and get after some decent channels I guess, Thanks Pat!
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Like many transplanted Utahns I would love to have an opportunity for rasslin' big ol' blues and flatheads. But that ain't likely to happen in Utah...especially in the big muddy pond down south that is home to the beloved Junies.

I'm guessing that a sustained program of planting and monitoring might produce a decent fishery for channels in Echo though. That poor pond has really been through the ups and downs...what with dam work, drought and other damn things. Sure would like to see a lot more of the big perch it used to put out.
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[gaardvark]

With regard to the contest, Echo appears on Google maps to be north of Salt Lake City. So does the North or South have claim to the potential bragging rights at Echo?

Maybe Jeff will weigh in on this?
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]It would be considered north of the "messy dixon" line. Go for it you northern fools. Can't get any big ones anywhere else.

Bwa-ha-ha-ha-haaaaa!
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[albinotrout]

[quote TubeDude][#0000FF]It would be considered north of the "messy dixon" line. Go for it you northern fools. Can't get any big ones anywhere else.

Bwa-ha-ha-ha-haaaaa!
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This can make things interesting now
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[wiperhunter2]

Here a couple of links to a post from years past. The first link is a decent cat caught at Echo, I've heard tell of a few over the 15# mark as well:
http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gfo...ead#unread

I think the Bear river is where the big cats hang out in the Northern part of the state but this 21 lber caught in Willard shows there is potential there as well:
http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gfo...12;#585312
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[Freakyfisherman]

Thanks for the info. I think you just made my decision on where to take the tube tomorrow.
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