Smallmouth in Utah

[senkonate]

Hey guys!

Back in the Jordanelle hey day years, I loved fishing for those 4 and 5 lb. smallies in there. Nothing better. But then it dropped off.

Since then, I haven't been fishing for smallmouth. I miss them.

I just saw Cliff's post about some good smallies in East Canyon. What are the current Utah Lakes with the best chance of catching good size smallmouths? (Besides Lake Powell)

Thanks!
Nate
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[Freakyfisherman]

Starvation has some really nice smallmouth. There are a few decent ones in rockport, echo, deer creek. Pineview has been producing some near trophy size smallies.
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[Ryno]

The Gorge, especially this time of year for bigger specimens. Good luck!
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[bassrods]

People that know of the lakes with the bigger bass will not say on this site, they don't want the lakes fished out of the bigger bass like Jordanelle was..But yes there are one or two that have 5 to 7lber in them..

But thanks to the DWR and the spear fishing Jordanelle is not one of them any more..
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[Therapist]

the major problem with Jordanelle is not spear fishing, it is water fluctuations, lack of forage, and spawning habitat. You cannot have a healthy fish population when the water level goes up and down like an elevator, when there is no structure for the young of the year to hide in, and nothing but each other to eat. Give up on the spear fishing jag. Yes, we do not like to see them get speared, but the effect on the fishery is minimal, concentrate on spawning habitat, forage, and water drawdowns during the spawn !!! Those are the problems you need to look at !!! Leave the spear fisherman alone .

PS: Most of the big fish they spear are well past their most productive spawning years. Unless Utah starts a Save a Lunker program like Texas, removing those big fish probable does more good than harm, as they don't really put much back in the fishery and take more out !!!

[Blackellunge]

I caught a fattie trolling musky baits at PV over 17 inches last year but most of the smallies we have gotten aren't even close to that size and are pretty difficult to locate most times of the year.

I love fishing for them but its not terribly exciting pulling in 8 inchers all day at DC or Jordanelle
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[Fowl-Hook]

Very well articulated facts except the no structure declaration. Jordanelle at all depths has more trees and brush and exposed rock than any lake its size and elevation in Utah. The opportunity to loose hardware is almost endless. Biggest problem I believe is too many Smallmouth that no one harvests, limit and slot should be increased.
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[k2muskie]

Pineview hands down is the top SMB water in northern Utah IMO. Some nice ones in there that we have caught and released largest was 21.50" a fatty.
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[bassrods]

If thats what you be leave..
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[k2muskie]

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Curious Cliff are you really aware of what is actually in the Biomass. Jordy has some serious issues. Gill nets show 80% of the biomass is 12-13 inch Utah Chubs that are 15-20 years old. The second largest biomass is a ton of stunted smallmouth. The third most prevalent was the illegally introduced perch (which when introduced in the early 2000's and have pushed out the smaller chubs and suckers crashing the fishery). This SMB issue at Jordy wasn't caused by your nemesis the spear fishermen as much as you and only you want to believe it was.
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[wormandbobber]

[quote bassrods]People that know of the lakes with the bigger bass will not say on this site, they don't want the lakes fished out of the bigger bass like Jordanelle was..But yes there are one or two that have 5 to 7lber in them....[/quote]

Some really good smallmouth waters in the south: Minersville, Newcastle, Otter Creek, and Piute all are known to put out some whoppers.
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[PBH]

[quote bassrods]If thats what you be leave..[/quote]

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Curious Cliff are you really aware of what is actually in the Biomass....

...This SMB issue at Jordy wasn't caused by your nemesis the spear fishermen as much as you and only you want to believe it was.
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that's the great thing with our society. The only thing that matters is what you want to think. NOBODY has the right to tell anyone else that they are wrong.

if Cliff wants to believe that all the "big" SMB in Jordy were harvested, that's his right. You have no right to tell him he's wrong.


I'm no longer a middle aged, balding, over weight caucasian male. I'm now a young and vibrant person questioning whether or not I'm really a trans-racial Sami-Norwegian or Athabascan. My choice. My right.
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[wormandbobber]

[quote bassrods]If thats what you be leave..[/quote]

Now, that's not very nice. What is he "being" and why does he have to leave?
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[Fishsticker]

[quote k2muskie]Pineview hands down is the top SMB water in northern Utah IMO. Some nice ones in there that we have caught and released largest was 21.50" a fatty.[/quote]

Now that can't be true, spearfishing has been allowed in Pineview for years. [:p]
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[dwayneb]

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[font "Calibri"]Growing up in Michigan we hardly ever went fishing and didn’t catch bass. Lg and smallmouth are abundant nearly everywhere and I can tell you unless you know where the smallies are and can effectively target them your chances of being overly successful are low…Lgmouth are different in the sense the come much shallower and become easy targets for anyone from the shore. Certainly the water levels affect fishing in Utah from year to year especially the survivability of fry and the availability of food. However, I believe the major contributor is down to the legal limits and size. Due to the fact food supply fluctuates with water levels each year more fish are competing for available food sources, this will eventually stunt fish growth. Fish are much like managing deer. Folks who manage their private property target the mature deer based on age, not antler growth. [/font]
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[font "Calibri"]Bass in Utah waters need to be managed in a way that allows for growth. In addition to the limits/size restrictions it seems many of the bass reports I read end with the angler stating “returned to catch another day”. Catch and release is great for many reasons, but can also contribute to overpopulation and stunted growth. [/font]
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[bassrods]

You mite do some checking on the Perch??

Stunted bass?? Yes the Utah stunt it goes on in all Utah waters..But why ??

Have a nice day..
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[Fishrmn]

[quote bassrods]Stunted bass?? Yes the Utah stunt it goes on in all Utah waters..But why ??[/quote]

Because nobody harvests the smaller smallmouth bass. Too many mouths to feed.



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[k2muskie]

[quote bassrods]You mite do some checking on the Perch?? ..[/quote]

I did check and the info I provided came from the DNR Jordanelle management group and their gill net findings. Including I personally contacted the Regional Aquatic Program Manager WRT Jordanelle

I'd recommend you also do some checking and you 'might' just might have your eyes opened and above all you may learn something.

Being target fixated on others causing the down fall of Jordanelle is not helping you at all and maybe if you attempted to change your attitude on things like this folks would be more willing to work with you and really value your opinion and seek your input. Just my .02 []
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[bassrods]

You are right no one wants to take a 6" fish, why would they?? They take the bigger ones..

And that keeps the Utah stunt in full swing..[crazy]

No lake or water way has ever been helped by fishing the bigger fish out..
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[bassrods]

You mite be right...??
(When pigs fly)
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