Henry's

[curt69]

Great news . The warm temperatures have started run off early and filled the lake with oxygen . They even shut the airators off . No winter kill this year .
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[flygoddess]

Any projection on the water level this year?
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[curt69]

Looking real good , snow pack is over normal .
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[MMDon]

Should be lots of small fish to catch this year!
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[curt69]

There was already to many fish in the lake . I was only able too ice fish it twice because of high winds . I won't fish in winds over 25 mph , and it was that way almost everyday . The first time I went out I landed over 50 fish . The second time my brother went with me and we landed over 60 . Only one over 4 pounds .
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[MMDon]

[quote curt69]There was already to many fish in the lake . I was only able too ice fish it twice because of high winds . I won't fish in winds over 25 mph , and it was that way almost everyday . The first time I went out I landed over 50 fish . The second time my brother went with me and we landed over 60 . Only one over 4 pounds .[/quote]

That was my point. The best trophy fishing comes after a good winter kill and even drought conditions. It reduces the lakes gamefish population, increases the chub population and makes for some huge fish! Ideal winter and water conditions promotes overpopulation of both people and small fish.
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[curt69]

I agree with you 100% They really need to cut back on the fish they plant this year . There is only so much food in the lake . I wish they would skip putting Cutthroughts in this year .
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[flygoddess]

They planted a lot last Sept, Oct. 755,+ 3" to 6". Musta planned on heavier ICE action.
With the past two years Ice fishing conditions there, maybe they will see the error in their way and go back to closing end of Nov and plant less.
Naw, they know what they are doing![]
They have made their family fishery. Take some of the pressure off Island Park so they can get bigger[laugh]
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[curt69]

Island Park gets very little pressure . Not very many people know how to catch fish there . Last year me and my wife were out to Trudes . Fish and game checked 6 boats , we watched them check them in the same area where we were in . When they got to us , they asked how it was going . We said pretty good . They said your kidding . I said we have 7 in the cooler . Of corse they wanted to check them so I handed them my cooler and they measured them and gave them back . They couldn't believe the fish we had . They said we had more fish than all the boats that they had checked that day put together .We didn't tell them how many we let go .
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[curt69]

Makes alot of since , the lake is low . We might have a winter kill . So lets dump 750,000 fish in the lake . There is only so much oxygen in the water . They should have planted them somewhere else , like the South Fork of the Snake .
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[windriver]

I know I'm not a biologist although it is always fun playing armchair biologist online and watching others do the same...but...

I really don't think overpopulation is the problem. I didn't catch a single skinny fish last year at Henrys, or fish with small bodies and big heads indicative of starving fish. Most of my fish were average with some footballs in the mix. I believe there was a missing year class of fish for whatever reason. Could be ice fishing, could be just cherry picking the very biggest ones during regular season, disease etc...

I caught a lot of 15-18" fish last year. This year we should see significant growth in that year class that was very prevalent. Like I said its fun to play armchair biologist. Only time will tell.

Windriver
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[curt69]

I hope you are right and things are going to get better . We got lucky this year with the early thaw . There could have been alot of winter kill . I still believe less fish means bigger fish .I would rather catch 20 3 pounders than 1 eight to ten pound fish . I get bored sitting all day for 1 or 2 fish . I don't fish Henry's much in the summer , maybe 2 or 3 times . I would rather fish Island Park . The fish fight harder and taste better .
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[flygoddess]

Wind, just because the fish are healthy doesn't mean there are not too many. They are eating, but not as much to grow large. And the missing year is/was a good theory, however it has been going on for a couple years now...but now there are plenty of two year olds, just not as big.
A friend asked me if I thought the trophy's are still there, I do because back before they opened to ice fishing it was a very technical lake. You did not catch your limit easily, you had to work for ONE.
I do blame the ice fishing for whatever the reason.
I also think the new trophy will be 26" to 27". The 30+" are going to be non to very rare.
Again I say, it was NOT broke, so why did they try to fix it.
I may be out in left field, but I saw the size decline as the season got longer...
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[curt69]

You really need to come up during ice fishing season . On a weekend there might be 100 fisherman . On week days 40 . There is more presure on opening weekend than there is the whole ice fishing season .
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[flygoddess]

I hear that Curt, but they have ADDED fish for the extended opening of Henry's and it is NOT getting the pressure to warrant more fish they are planting. Think about it. They are planting in Sept. & October, what does that tell you.
It use to close the end of October, then November.

Plus your missing my point, I don't think it should have been open to ice fishing, so why would I do it[]
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[curt69]

They plant most of the fish in the fall because the pelicans have left by then . Plus they fixed some of the tributaries into the lake to get a better natural spawn that is adding we don't know how many more fish .
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[flygoddess]

Curt you are just saying things I have said way back when, I already know this. There were changes made.....longer season added......non of it has Helped has it.
It was never broke.....but now?
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[flygoddess]

Besides that, the Tributaries were opened a few years ago, they can't regulate that by now?
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[curt69]

I think they need to plant less fish , raise the limit and open ice fishing until April 30 , until they get the number of fish in the lake back in balance . I will bet you money they will extend the ice fishing season before they shorten it .
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[MMDon]

I believe the assumption that the lake is now being managed as a family fishing area is correct. Sadly, it was one of the few trophy fisheries we had in this section of Idaho. I believe this is a huge mistake unless your only goal is more revenue for the state through fishing licenses. Oh wait . . . apparently it is.
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