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[fishon]
I have a question for anyone out there that might know this. I was training a client and her brother is an avid Fly Fisherman. She told me he was out on the water at Pelican and fish and game stopped him, did the whole license check fish check. Then told him,"If you catch any Muskie in here please don't release them back in." Of course he had to ask,"Muskie in Pelican???" Fish and game said an angler caught a 41in muskie that was about 10 lbs over weight to it's length.
Is this a fish story or has anyone heard the same thing? Wouldn't muskie in Pelican really mess things up or are they already there and I sound like an IDIOT?
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Was there on Saturday with the Jr. BASS toury. Those boys flogged the water all day . If there were muskie there, my guess is some one would have caught one. I doubt very much that there are any muskie in Pelican. Pineview would be the closest water with em and that is a 4-4.5 hour drive. Unless you have an oxygenated live well, you would not be able to transport them. We did see quite a few dead carp, which is very discouraging as there have not been carp in Pelican up until several years ago. Still lots of LMB and Bluegills. Kids had a ball !!!
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Yeah I heard that and was wondering how they would get in there!
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Sounds like another fish story. Somebody must have had a fish break their 8 lb test and figured I must have been a Muskie. Do u mean it was 10 lb over weight for its size or sayin 51 lb. No way a 41 incher would weigh 51lb
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No not 51 in. 10lbs over what a 41 in should weigh. The story came from a guy that seems pretty straight up. No reason to lie.
Said,'Fish and game told him the story about a 41 in Muskie they pulled out of there." Was just wondering if anyone out there had heard this.
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I don't know for sure, but I have a hunch that Cottonwood Reservoir flows into Pelican. If it does then they could have come downstream from Cottonwood. I can't imagine that a few tigers in Pelican would do any harm to the fishery.
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Right I agree but if a large number started getting in there it might suck right? lol
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I heard from a very reliable source that a 40+" Tiger Muskie was caught out of Pelican and that it likely came from Cottonwood Reservior when a lot of water was released in order to make some repairs at Cottonwood.
So it is very likely that there are a few more tiger muskies in Pelican. A few tiger muskies wouldn't hurt fish populations in Pelican.
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That report of what the fish and game said, as far as I know, is true. There is a new shop here in Vernal - Uintah Angler Supply. Have been in there numerous times this summer talking with the owner's dad. They have a poster that says if you catch one out of Pelican, you get a $20 gift certificate. I asked him if that was for real. He told me that a fish & game officer was in there talking with him about that. The guy showed him a pic of it, and said pretty much the officer said the same thing about not releasing them if anyone caught one. But the numbers, or number, of muskie in there are very small. Plus, the numbers won't grow for obvious reasons. Just my 2 cents worth. I really don't think it is anything to worry about. But he also mentioned the fish cop mentioned, I think it's Cottonwood, whatever reservoir that flows in there that is stocked with the muskie.
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[fishon]
Thanks man! I not at all worried. I haven't even got a chance to fish there this year. I heard that and it seemed a little far out there but I guess not. Thank you again guys!
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They drained cottonwood to make repairs on the gate, yes thats where they and a lot of the carp came from. Fish pelican alot lost one about 24'' at the boat, dont fish for bass with steel leader. Sure wish they would have put up a screen or something to catch the fish, the carp will do more damage than the few tigers in there. But yes its a true story.
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[fishon]
CARP...wow sounds like they didn't manager that well at all!
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so what state is Cottonwood in? Wyo?
And I'd presume they are similar Muskellunge, Pike sterile crosses then?
I'd still like to catch one and try my fillet skills. Been told Pike will "play dead" then "come to life" when you go at 'em. Spookey!
yeah - they got teeth!
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cottonwood is in utah. north east of roosevelt and up stream of pelican.
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So I was looking on the map to see where the connection between Cottonwood and Pelican might be and from what I could tell, those fish would have to travel down some small seasonal streams and possibly some irrigation canals to get to Pelican. Is there a direct connection or what ?? I know that the carp have not been in there for very long, only 3-4 years.
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The Ouray Park Canal flows directly from Cottonwood to Pelican. The 41 inch musky mentioned weighed 27 pounds and was released. There are very few musky in Pelican, but they have the potential to get huge with the all you can eat buffet in the lake. Cottonwood and Bullock reservoirs have been producing legal musky for years. The largest I know of from Cottonwood was 49 inches. Talked to a basin angler who got sawed off 3 times in one day this spring bass fishing Pelican. With stomachs full of bass and gills, it's not likely the musky are hungry for plastics. Go big and go get them now because they won't be there long.
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