Panfish from shore

[BHuij]

I've had really rotten luck with warm water species since I first got interested in expanding my horizons away from strictly trout fishing.

My wife and I really want to make a big old pot of fish chowder, and I think the best fish candidates are crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, and perch. I have a general knowledge of where I can find these fish, but I've never had good luck fishing for any of them.

We have no boat, tubes, toons, or anything of the sort, so we're shore only. Where's the best place (preferably close to the Provo/Orem area) to load up on panfish (even if they're small)?

Edit: I DO have a Deeper sonar unit that I can toss out from shore to help locate fish.

Thanks in advance.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Most of the year you will do as well or better fishing panfish from shore as from a boat. They like to hang out inside harbors, under docks and around the rocks creating harbors. That's Utah Lake. At Deer Creek there are usually perch, small smallmouths and even some crappies within easy reach of shorebound anglers. Ditto for Jordanelle...minus the crappies.

Two big problems. Most of the lakes are very low and the harbors are too shallow to attract the panfish. Secondly, a lot of them move out to deeper water in the cold months, although some come back in under the ice later.

The one potential is fishing for white bass at Lincoln Beach. They come in within casting distance this time of year, but the white bass population is way down and nobody is catching very many...even the pros who usually whack them pretty good. Also, there are only a few places they come in well at all and that can vary from day to day.

Hope we get a lot of snow in the mountains to put water in our fish ponds. Then, starting about April or May you will have a lot more choices for getting some chowder fixins. Just watch the reports and time it right.
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[Jedidiah]

I have one of those Deepers too, and I have to say it really shines on the ice. We walk around with my cell phone clipped to my coat in a waterproof sleeve, dropping it in holes until it goes ding, then drop an icefishing jig down and watch the fish rise up and nail it on the flasher display. It will show a mealworm on a 1/64 oz shad darter jighead on the flasher, if you put it in dual mode it will show the flasher and the finder at the same time, giving you a good idea of the size of fish below. Showing the floating weeds is great too, it allows you to get right on the edge of the weeds.
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