08-27-2011, 08:38 AM
Seems lots of folks are looking for cool family retreats. I usually change gears this time of year and instead of fishing Nevada or Utah I head over to Flagstaff on the weekends with free camping in the woods or cheap camping in the camp grounds. This year was no exception. Check out Upper Lake Mary for some fun fishing. Expect to catch Pike, Yellow Perch, Crappie, Walleye and Bass, no trout chicken fingers in Upper Lake Mary but they are in the other area lakes. For the Pike take all of your old beat up bass spinnerbaits buy cheap white replacement skirts and hold on strikes are violent and if your not using braid you better have a black steel leader on. Took my 4 year old out and he scored his first pike @ 4 lbs. Word of caution to those who haven't fish for pike think freshwater barracuda ie. lots of teeth and bad attitudes my kinda fish.
And whoever got skunked on Sand Hollow better keep your hook in the water longer next time, with patience you can catch solid bass out of 8" of water there. If your fishing from shore during the heat hit the red rocks with drop shots. Watermelon or Oxblood red with red flake Robo Worms or Yamamoto Cut tails are good choices as well as several customs they are killer colors on Sand Hollow tho. Or if you want to play in the backend of the lake look for matted weed mats quietly cast to them with wacky rigged senkos, the brighter the better, those fish get a lot of pressure due to being shallow, so throw something different than the locals.
Also check out Gunlock, its BACK, its been 3 years since they mostly drained it then restocked it from Sand Hollow's bass and bluegill stocks. Its a bit smaller than Sand Hollow, but also less traffic and I have often had the lake to myself on a monday or tuesday. You can kick the entire lake within the day. Last trip eclipsed 60 bass,my 4 year old crossed 15, nothing over 2 1/2 lbs but constant action. Tournaments are back on Gunlock as well so watch out for them on the weekends. Did I mention there are small mouth bass in there now? For years rumors, but can say they are there for sure.
If you need cooler weather and want to fish bass try Upper Enterprise Res, Enterprise or another quiet favorite Newcastle. I truly think Newcastle could throw a Utah state record smallie. They are loaded in there and gorge on Utah Chubs. It's not a big res like Jordanelle, but the smallmouth are easy to pattern on standard smallmouth techniques gitzits/tubes, drop shottin worms, small 3-5" grubs on jig heads, and if its windy bronze colored rattle traps across the mini-points plus you can nearly walk the whole lake if your bored. And if you hear a ripping sound through the air its peregrine falcons picking off swallows above the lake, just for something different, but watch out for snakes they are there and I'm not talking about garter snakes.
I attached a couple pics of my boy's first pike then the aftermath of a second day on the water. Next year he's on his own no more free rides.
Well I hadn't posted in awhile too busy fishing/working but got home early tonight and saw the family related posts and they got me going. Be nice to those who have kids when they are fishing, they might teach you something. Jerks motivate me to fish harder and stick the fish on either side of them then move on without word or glance, where as friendlies get the lures out of my box and invites on fishin trips. As for the noise the fish are use to it especially at Floyd Lamb I have caught several larger bass pitching the reeds while families crowded in on me feeding ducks and skipping rocks. The worst noise of all water skiers and jet skis I have repeatedly found activate the fish, especially on calm days, when the wave action creates mud/color lines in the water near shore. Hit them especially on Havasu, they are money literally. Oh well no rant, just a thought adapt to the conditions your fishing be it noise, weather, or bad partners and you will find the right combination especially the more often you encounter them, otherwise your taking yourself out of the game.
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And whoever got skunked on Sand Hollow better keep your hook in the water longer next time, with patience you can catch solid bass out of 8" of water there. If your fishing from shore during the heat hit the red rocks with drop shots. Watermelon or Oxblood red with red flake Robo Worms or Yamamoto Cut tails are good choices as well as several customs they are killer colors on Sand Hollow tho. Or if you want to play in the backend of the lake look for matted weed mats quietly cast to them with wacky rigged senkos, the brighter the better, those fish get a lot of pressure due to being shallow, so throw something different than the locals.
Also check out Gunlock, its BACK, its been 3 years since they mostly drained it then restocked it from Sand Hollow's bass and bluegill stocks. Its a bit smaller than Sand Hollow, but also less traffic and I have often had the lake to myself on a monday or tuesday. You can kick the entire lake within the day. Last trip eclipsed 60 bass,my 4 year old crossed 15, nothing over 2 1/2 lbs but constant action. Tournaments are back on Gunlock as well so watch out for them on the weekends. Did I mention there are small mouth bass in there now? For years rumors, but can say they are there for sure.
If you need cooler weather and want to fish bass try Upper Enterprise Res, Enterprise or another quiet favorite Newcastle. I truly think Newcastle could throw a Utah state record smallie. They are loaded in there and gorge on Utah Chubs. It's not a big res like Jordanelle, but the smallmouth are easy to pattern on standard smallmouth techniques gitzits/tubes, drop shottin worms, small 3-5" grubs on jig heads, and if its windy bronze colored rattle traps across the mini-points plus you can nearly walk the whole lake if your bored. And if you hear a ripping sound through the air its peregrine falcons picking off swallows above the lake, just for something different, but watch out for snakes they are there and I'm not talking about garter snakes.
I attached a couple pics of my boy's first pike then the aftermath of a second day on the water. Next year he's on his own no more free rides.
Well I hadn't posted in awhile too busy fishing/working but got home early tonight and saw the family related posts and they got me going. Be nice to those who have kids when they are fishing, they might teach you something. Jerks motivate me to fish harder and stick the fish on either side of them then move on without word or glance, where as friendlies get the lures out of my box and invites on fishin trips. As for the noise the fish are use to it especially at Floyd Lamb I have caught several larger bass pitching the reeds while families crowded in on me feeding ducks and skipping rocks. The worst noise of all water skiers and jet skis I have repeatedly found activate the fish, especially on calm days, when the wave action creates mud/color lines in the water near shore. Hit them especially on Havasu, they are money literally. Oh well no rant, just a thought adapt to the conditions your fishing be it noise, weather, or bad partners and you will find the right combination especially the more often you encounter them, otherwise your taking yourself out of the game.
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Attached are a few more reasons why he'll be on his own next year, aside from getting to big to fit in the back of my Outcast tube. He has gotten the hang of drop shotting, swimming grubs, bouncing jigs, spinner baits, but no trebles yet. Had to get him a longer rod he kept whacking me in the head with the little "Cars" rod.