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I am perplexed why they don't let you use Perch for bait in Bear Lake? They already live in there and it sure would save on going and catching all those Cisco when it colder than ever outside. Little Perch are easy to come by and stay on the hook well. Anyone knows why I would love to hear. I have always wanted to try them there but never have because of the law.
[#ff0000]Game fish or their parts may not be used, except for the following: [/#ff0000] [ol] [li][#ff0000]Dead Bonneville cisco may be used as bait only in Bear Lake. [/#ff0000] [li][#ff0000]Dead yellow perch may be used as bait only in: Deer Creek, Fish Lake, Echo, Gunnison, Hyrum, Johnson, Jordanelle, Newton, Pineview, Rockport, Sevier Bridge (Yuba), Utah Lake, and Willard Bay[/#ff0000] [#ff0000]reservoirs .[/#ff0000][/li][/ol]
Tightline
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The reason why is disease transfer potential from other waters.
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I guess they don't care about the other waters? That seems odd that they would write off a lake as pristine as Fish Lake or Jordanelle? They already have whirling disease at Bear Lake what are they concerned about? Not arguing it just doesn't make sense to me.
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I can't really tell you why you can't use them in Bear Lake. I can tell you that in Fish Lake, the perch are not considered a game fish. They are more or less just like a sucker, or chub.
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You should go to a RAC meeting and propose using perch at Bear Lake. It may be that it has simply never been brought up to the DWR. At least you can get your answer as to why not from the bios. I don't think it's a disease issue. Havn't heard of perch having any problems except maybe tapeworms.
Good Fishing, Kayote
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I think another big reason why they don't want perch used as bait in most waters is the potential for transfer of live perch to those waters. Sadly, that is how some lakes ended up with perch(and other species) in them in the first place. I understand that the idea would be to use only DEAD perch. But some folks get can't live by the rules and they will take live fish. And then, they release the left over fish when it is time to go home. Maybe they are thinking that they will get eaten, but we know that enough survive.
Look at Fish Lake as an example and reason for the paranoid attitude. Fish Lake has had perch in it for a long time but it did not always have perch in it. And if you are enough you will remember that there used to be two premier Lake Trout waters in the state, Flaming Gorge and Fish Lake. But the perch kileed the big laker fishery at Fish Lake. The macks in Fish Lake used to get huge feeding on the chubs. But when the number of perch rose high even enough, the chub population crashed because the perch eat all the baby chubs. With out the chubs the mack just don't get as big. When was the last time you heard any reports of big lakers from Fish Lake like we used to.
I tend to put my faith in the expertise of the DWR. I believe they are correct in managing certains lakes for certain species. Some lakes are better suited for certain kinds of fisheries. I support the concept of not using perch for bait in other lakes. I think Fish Lake is an example of why it is important.
m
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Bear Lake already has perch and has for many years. It wouldn't be any different than the other waters where perch parts are legal for bait. What difference would it make?.
Good Perch Fishing, Kayote
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What you say is true. At Bear Lake it would not make a difference. But, I think what they want is for people to not have the mentality that it is okay to cart undesired species around from lake to lake, even if the fish are dead. They accomplish that by limiting what fish can be used as bait and where. This is one of the few tools they have to prevent illegal introduction of fish into other waters. It is an enforcement issue. If they make possessing perch illegal at all but a few waters then there is no question as to when they can enforce the rule. Otherwise the issue would be, 'when was the perch killed?' That makes it nearly impossible to police. They really have no choice other than to create a broad blanket policy to achieve the goal. Unfortunately a little opportunity has to be given up here and there for the good of all fisheries as a whole.
I used the situation at Fish Lake as an example of what bad can come of putting the wrong fish in the wrong place. That is why I support the DWR in these types of decisions.
m
PS. Kayote, how come we're always at odds?[  ]
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It still doesn't make a lot of sense. By your argument, they shouldn't allow perch as bait anywhere.
Good Fishing, Kayote
PS We're not always at odds bro. We're just both very passionate and opinionated about our favorite pastime. I have more respect for someone that is willing to defend his ideals than someone who is simply apathetic. K
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I agree with most of what you said concerning Fish Lake. I don't agree that there aren't the numbers of big Lakers in there. There is a couple different size groups of Lake Trout in Fish Lake, big and little. There isn't anything in between (26-35"). That is the problem. There are lots of fish over 35", but those fish know the difference between a popgear, kastmaster, or a piece of perch compared to a meal. But, the Lakers don't eat the perch anyway -- they eat the rainbows! I think that is the main reason they continue to stock rainbows in fish lake -- they are good forage for the lake trout (just my own opinion, no evidence to back it up!). Don't get me wrong, the perch have done a ton of harm to Fish Lake. It was a bettery fishery before they got dumped in. But there are still plenty of big Lake Trout in there. The Splake are pretty dang big also -- there was a 15lb Splake caught out of there earlier this summer....just under the state record.
If you wan't another prime example of fisheries that go to shit when people try to use live bait, look at Newcastle Res. The shiners have gotten completely out of control out there!
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Kayote and PBH,
Just a side note here. I have tried to use whole small perch as bait. It didn't work. I think that PBH is right, at Fish Lake I don't think the macks eat the perch or they would be huge. I think the perch are less desirable because of the spines in their fins are they are firm. I didn't try just a chuck of meat though.
We could probably create a hefty list of lakes that have been ruined to some degree by the introduction of fish that shouldn't have been there. I think that DWR has done a pretty good job of providing some diversity in the types of fishing opportunities we have. I wish people would stop putting fish where they don't belong. As was mentioned, I think going to an RAC meeting and voicing your ideas there is a far superior plan to stocking a water illegally for your own selfish interests.
m
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I just wanted to make it very clear that I have never and will never illegally plant a live fish to another water. I do not condone it and would report it imediately if I ever saw it. I am also not a big fan of perch period. I would much rather see a number of different food based fish in a lake other than perch. I was simply questioning why they basically let you use live perch in almost every water where they already exist and then don't let you use them in Bear Lake where they have been for many years?
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Oh Boy. I hope I didn't give anyone the impression that I was accusing them of illegal activity. I am not. I am simply stating that it happens, and I don't like it, and that I support the DWR's policy if it maintains a healthy fishery.
BTW, fishing with live fish as bait anywhere is not legal.
R657-13-12
1.
a. Fishing is permitted with any bait, except corn, hominy or live fish.
b. .....
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I don't think most people would want to use whole perch as bait. Perch eyeballs are killer perch bait and tipping a jig with a little piece of perch meat for predators I think are the intended uses. Illegal stocking is a big problem in Utah, and perch are just one of the fish moved regularly. Walleye and largemouth moving is a big problem in the basin. People also like to move around green sunfish, bluegill, black bullhead and channel cats. Last time I read a California proclamation they allowed the use of live sunfish on the lower Colorado river near Yuma. They didn't even specify the species. Heck, sunfish could mean redear, pumkinseed, crappie, green sunfish, bluegill, or dang near anything. Hmmmm.
Good Fishing, Kayote
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That's funny you mentioned Newcastle. Everytime I'm out there it seems like I'm fishing for stripers instead of smallies.
This lake used to be a trophy trout fishery without the regs. now it's a shinner infested mud puddle that can't keep any trout alive. The bass are doing good but I like the way it was before the shinners over populated the lake.
I think the only reason they incurage the use of dead perch is to thin the numbers out.
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OK, I read the profile. I guess disease is the final word. Sorry for second guessing da man. LMAO Thanks for the input
Foot in Mouth, Kayote
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[cool]Hey, Special K, if you have never fished the lower Colorado, you oughta put it on your list for physical abuse. Below the Laguna Dam, the big old flathead cats move in to feed on various small fishes at night, and a magnum bluegill is the favorite bait for them. Those are the primary sunfish species used in that area, and some of the ones we catch for bait would be trophies in many waters...up to a pound. But, the SERIOUS flathead fanatics fish for small carp...up to about two or three pounds...and use those for bait. There are a lot of big flatties taken out of there each year over 50 pounds. There was one over 70 taken last year.
On the subject of using whole dead perch...lemme share a little secret. In the olden days on Yuba...when there were lots of gorilla perch...one of the best ways to catch the big perch was to bring one up and then pull a couple of the little ones out of it's throat, if it had been feeding on them. they were usually about three or four inches. We would hook a fresh munched perchkin through the head, on a glitter-painted jig head and send it back down to the bottom. Big perch, walleyes and even a few cats through the ice on these whole perch.
The same tactic worked a couple of times on Deer Creek too. And, some of the best catches of big perch and walleyes I have ever had were on my prism tape doctored "perch urchins"... big 3/8 oz. Kastmasters with green stripes and chartreuse eyes...and a slice of perch meat. Hardly ever caught anything small on them.
Jordanelle is now producing some prodigious smallies and most of them are feeding on small perch with gusto. I know of more than one smallie fan that first catches puny perch and then sends them down in deeper water...whole...with a plain hook or a jighead. There were quite a few fish over 20" wrestled up on this rig before they shut down last year.
Wherever there are perch, you can figure they figure into the food chain..both as predators and prey. Once they get big enough, they eat each other too. Double whammy.
Having fished all over the country, I am continually amazed at some of the "UNIQUE" and creative regulations in the Utah proclamation. There are more than a few that are found nowhere else in the USA. It's like they say in some bureaucratic companies..."AIN'T NO GOOD REASON FOR IT. IT'S JUST POLICY."
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Well, I stand corrected. I give the whole perch another try. Maybe I'll chew on them a little myself to give'em that broken in look.
m
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Can't you also use dead white bass for bait at Utah Lake as well? Just wondering, because I know you used to be able to.
Kevin
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[cool]That is a vastly overlooked bait in Utah Lake. It is legal and very effective. You can fish whole dead small whities...no weight...for both big cats and walleyes. Or, you can cut different sizes and shapes of strips, depending on how you want to fish.
For cats, scale and fillet the white bass, and cut out the rib cage. Leave the skin on. You can use a whole fillet...hooked with a hook in the front and a trapper hook in the other end. Or, you can cut it into chunks or strips. The bigger the bait, the bigger the fish in most cases.
For tipping jigs, lay the fillet skin side up and using a SHARP knife, cross-cut either even 1/4 to 1/3 inch strips...or cut little triangles...to hook in the wide part and let the skinny end wiggle more on the hook.
I keep a few small fish on each trip to freeze for my next trip. Fillet and skin them and freeze two to six fillets in a small plastic bag, with just a bit of water added and the air squeezed out ot prevent freezer burn. Thaw them out the night before you go, and then cut them to the desired size. Then sprinkle them with non-iodized salt and squirt them with fish attractant...crawdad, shad or shrimp. Put the sweetened bits back in the bag and keep them in the refrigerator. Put them in a small insulated bottle (soup-sized Thermos) with some ice cubes to keep them fresh as long as possible while you are fishing. Squirt on a little more juice once in awhile if you are casting and retrieving.
You can do this with perch meat, for those waters where perch is legal, and with white bass or other legal baits...like chubs, carp or suckers. It beats the heck out of having to waste the first part of your next fishing trip fishing for bait...and the salt and flavoring actually makes the pieces more effective than fresh caught in many cases.
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