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[cool][#0000ff]To some of us, the rumors of walleyes in Jordanelle are reality...not rumor. I am familiar with several reliable reports of isolated catches of walleyes. A couple of weeks ago, a BFTer caught and kept two that were over 24" and very fat. They were spawned out so they are reproducing. Others have been caught in different age classes so there are numbers in the lake.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I was not sure how DWR was treating Jordanelle as a walleye fishery, so I posed the question to Drew Cushing. I asked if it would fall under the illegal introduction rule...mandatory keep and kill...or under the statewide walleye regulations. Drew forwarded my request to Richard Hepworth, biologist for the central region, and here is his response:[/#0000ff]
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In regards to the questions you posted to Drew concerning walleye in Jordanelle. We have collected 2 walleye in our netting one in 2000 and one in 2002. I have heard of a few anglers catching walleye but have never been able to confirm one.
As far as management, I would like to have a catch and kill regulation if they ever show up in significant numbers. As of right now regulations fall under the current state wide limit. I'm not sure what the future holds for walleye in Jordanelle but I do hope they don't take over, only time will tell.
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That seems so odd to me. Why don't they put a catch and kill regulation based on finding those 2 fish + the unconfirmed reports from anglers?
If they're really not in there, then the reg. won't hurt anything. If they are, it could help.
By the time they show up in significant numbers in gillnetting, it'll be far too late for catch and kill regulations to make a difference. Probably already is too late.
My dad caught a little 8 inch walleye in there last year while smallmouth and perch fishing at Rock Cliff from his canoe. They're reproducing all right.
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[cool][#0000ff]There are LOTS of walleyes in Jordanelle. They don't show up much because there is still a lot of natural food...chubs and baby perch. And, the lake is so full of structure (snags) that hardcore walleye fishermen cannot drag their traditional rigs to catch them. Most of the ones taken are caught by accident, fishing lures intended for other species. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Walleyes are like icebergs. The ones that "show" are only a fraction of what lies beneath the surface.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]One year in the future, everybody will suddenly be catching walleyes all over the lake...and there will be few perch being caught. Then DWR will enact a mandatory kill rule.[/#0000ff]
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It dosen't matter anyway, catch and kill mandatory just won't work in jordanelle or in any other lake in the state. because there's not enough people that chase them and for the biggest reason their isint very many limits caught in any lake or res. in the state to begain with. the dwr could raise the state limit to 20 fish a day and thats not even going to hurt one bit.
I've asked this question before so here it goes again.
How Many Of You Guys Catch a Limit Of Walleyes
When You Go Out After Them ????
later
chuck
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Not me! There very picky most of the time and I usually only catch a few if I'm lucky?I can catch them at willard finally,I have a certain worm harness they seem to like[  ]
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Very true. Even if people could catch a limit, that also probably wouldn't make a dent.
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as chuck said ther is no way fishermen can clean eyes from any water in utah with out rotinone or what ever its called. the good news is another close eye lake. another good thing some monster eyes will grow in there just like the smallies. another good thing is that they keep it fuller in spring when perch spawn so weed are not left high and dry. this is great news to me. thanx dude.[ ]
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[cool][#0000ff]Glad to make you happy, but I can't take credit for the walleyes being in there. Lots of theories, including that there were some upstream from Deer Creek when they closed the dam on the Provo River. Could be an entirely "natural" stocking. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I agree though. That lake could produce some hefty eyes. Deep enough, cold enough and with a good spawning river coming in at Rock Cliff. Plenty of tasty chubs and perchies...and the feeding program from the trout hatchery. What more could a wallie want?[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I think that about the only way to fish them though is a vertical presentation or running cranks along some of the cleaner stretches of shoreline. That lake eats a lot of tackle. No shot with a crawler harness.[/#0000ff]
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Sorry to disagree with you about Walleyes in Jordanelle. I caught one of the first ones in Deer Creek, 7+ lbs, and at that time Charlie Thompson, Central Region Fisheries Biologist was very unhappy. You can see the result of that introduction, crash in the perch population and a general decline in the fishery. Don't get me wrong, I love Walleye and pursue them on a regular basis, but under the rules that we live with few live bait options (live minnows out perform dead one's 10 to 1) and not a lot of folks pursuing them, the get out of control and really put a strain on the fishery. The idiots that put them in Jordanelle should be shot if they are ever found, just like the clowns that put burbot into the Gorge. We have only seen one or two, but at TD said, they are there in bigger numbers and they will eventually ruin the balance in the lake.
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In the mid summer/late summer they will be all but impossible to catch as TD says, however the big window of opportunity is now. After the spawn, they take a holiday for several weeks while they move to the flats. In Jordanelle, you have some huge flats in the north end and just off the state park areas. You can work these with traditional rigs and such and should score. You can also use a slipbobber and weedless hook rig w/ a chub minnow (dead of course) in the wood up the river arm. As TD says, the potential for a big one is there. About 6 or so years after they first showed up in Deer Creek, you saw a lot of big ones being taken each year in the late summer/early fall. Look for the same pattern in Jordanelle in about 3-4 years, then the crash. Happened in Starvation, Yuba, Deer Creek, and it will happen in the 'nelle". After that, everything will struggle to survive !!!
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As mentioned above for fishing methods - the state needs to allow live minnows for the catching of walleye. In most states they allow minnows but DWR requires you have a receipt with you for when and where they were bought - must be on same day as you are fishing. This helps to control the introduction issue the state is SOOO SCARED of.
I have a close buddy that wins many walleye tournaments and has NEVER won one without using live minnows. I have seen very few big walleye caught on anythign but minnows as where they are allowed few people use anything else.
Topwater in the even on a calm lake when chasing baitfish can be highly productive for big fish but due to not having many cisco in the lakes with wallys present this is not a usual sight in this area.
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How 'bout "yellow jigs" in the Provo river during the spawn? There were many a big spawning walleye taken out of Utah lake by people using treble hooks with a little bit of yellow hackle while fishing the tributaries.
[laugh][laugh][laugh]
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cant crash if water is up in the weeds every spring. just cant. its low water that kills whole yr classes of bait fish not walleyes. other states without drouts never have a problem. explain that? water is the key to life. without water everything dies. im not trying to start a pissin match its just common sence fish cant live with out it. but as far as the perssintations all will work up there. i think the steep sloping banks will be awsome in fall. the weed beds at night in summer with a lited bober and a crawler or rapala. i have oly fished this lake 2 times ever so i dont know where to even start looking. better get a map i guess. lol[cool]
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[quote CROSSINEYES]this is great news to me. thanx dude.[ ][/quote]
Unless they were in fact in the river and found their way into Jordanelle from there I would have to differ with you on this being "great news". I never consider the planting of any species by the bucket biologists to be great news.
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doesnt mater how dont mater who or why. fact is they are there. and for me and other walleye chasers it is great news! now to the average guy like you. i can see your point. they will be eating the easy to catch fish like bass and perch thus cutting you litle click counters #,s. i am happy happy happy!!! i dont care if anyone dont like it. i am happy.[ ]
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Joranelle is a new reservoir. It is full of structure. Give it a few years, and all of the deadfall and sagebrush will rot away. Then there won't be enough hiding places for the young perch, and then there will be a crash.
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CROSSINEYES wrote:[/quote]
now to the average guy like you. i can see your point. they will be eating the easy to catch fish like bass and perch thus cutting you litle click counters #,s. [ ][/quote]
I didn't realize that we had such a talented anlger on here. Ken, will you please share your vast knowledge with me so that I can maybe move up into your esteemed skill level of angling. Or perhaps that is impossible for someone as unworthy as me.
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got money??? lol i wansnt dissing you kent. i mean you fish trout and they are easy so are sturguine. bottom feaders. sink bait and wait. slam a jig or lure. easy to catch. right? now walleye r not easy! even as chuck stated we dont catch eyes every trip we hunt them. and we have been chasing them for 20 plus yrs. alot of yrs we never fished for another type of fish at all in over 100 trips that yr. now on this new body of water ill get skunked a ton learning it and where they hang. that is walleye fishing. knowing im probley gona get skunked as i pull up at dark 30 and then having it happen and going back my next day off to go threw it all again.[  ]
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[cool][#0000ff]Ah yes, the deadly "Walleye Dry Fly". I was first exposed to fishing for walleyes along the lower Provo River in the early 60's. One of the "locals" showed me how to add a small bell sinker to a big treble hook and then to wrap some yellow foam around it so you could see it in the water...and guide it toward a walleye on the gravel beds. The trick then was to get the walleye to hit that "fly" with it's side, and impale itself on the hook. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I once witnessed a group of four snaggers fill the back of a pickup with BIG spawning female walleyes. The only positive in the whole affair was that it was one of the rare occasions when a CO showed up and BUSTED THEM...BIG TIME.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Sadly, I have heard that there is still a hardcore group of meat hunters that rakes walleyes off their upstream beds at night, and that they have spotters with cell phones to warn them if "company" arrives.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Based upon my past experience at both Utah Lake and Deer Creek, I think I may try some springtime trips to the Provo just above Jordanelle this next year. But, I will not be using the "dredging" equipment.[/#0000ff]
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[quote CROSSINEYES]got money??? lol i wansnt dissing you kent. i mean you fish trout and they are easy so are sturguine. bottom feaders. sink bait and wait. slam a jig or lure. easy to catch. right?[/quote]
Ken, if you weren't dissing me, I sure wouldn't want to be complimented by you. I will never apologize for what I enjoy fishing for (although many of the species you listed I rarely if ever fish for them). On the other hand I won't criticize others for what they enjoy fishing for or how they fish, as long as their methods are legal. And I sure as heck won't consider you or anyone else superior just because you choose to fish for a particular species of fish.
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