|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Visit our Sponsor!
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spring bows at Otter Creek (3/16/03)By Dave Webb In years past, action has been hot for big rainbows at Otter Creek Reservoir during the first weeks after ice-off, and so I was excited when I headed to that fishin’ hole on March 8. Excited even though the early reports I’d heard were discouraging. DWR said the action was only fair and most individuals submitting reports said they found slow fishing. But that didn’t deter me; I figured I’d be the one to show the world how to catch them. Yea, right! We did find good fishing but we had to work for it. We arrived about noon, launched the boat and cruised around the reservoir to check out conditions and formulate a battle plan. The reservoir level was low and the water was dirty from early runoff. On much of the upper lake the water was just 5-10 feet deep. A dozen or so people were fishing from shore and after cruising for an hour or so I had yet to see a fish caught. We tried to troll in a couple areas but the attempt was futile. Very few fish were showing up on the fish finder. But that wasn’t surprising because the water was so shallow. The boat was obviously startling any fish and they would simply move away, out of the view of the fish finder. I started to wonder if I’d get skunked this trip. Finally, we decided to work the deep water in front of the dam. We turned off the gas engine and used the electric trolling motor to move slowly along a rocky shoreline that sloped sharply into deep water. We cast lures up close to shore and worked them back toward the boat, much like I do when fishing for smallmouth bass in the spring. We immediately started seeing good numbers of fish on the graph, and immediately started getting hits. Action was very fast during the first half-hour we worked the area. Then it slowed a bit. The rainbows were chunky 16-20 inchers. One broke my line — the first trout to break me off in years. The fish didn’t seem to be picky; they hit various small lures — a green Vibrax spinner with black dots, a black Panther Martin with chartreuse dots, small Rapalas, jigs... As usual, my best lure was a Lil’ Jakes, gold with red spots. It’s a rainbow killer. I’m working to improve my lifestyle so I can slow down and relish my trips. But, as this one shows, I’m not there yet. I drive for three hours, fishing for 2-3 hours during the middle of the afternoon, then rush off somewhere else. I often miss the most productive fishing hours, during the early morning and late afternoon/evening. I’m not complaining. I get out often and enjoy my trips. On this one I saw two golden eagles, dozens of deer and a huge flock of ducks and geese, so big that it completely filled the sky. It was incredible. The water level is coming up at Otter Creek and I expect fishing will be good through the spring and summer. Fishing from a float tube should be productive, particularly in the shallow water on the upper end. Float tubes don’t scare the fish and they let you work an area slowly and methodically. |
Here's a report from Terry Bridwell:I fished Otter Creek Res. this Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning (March 12-13) before the wind came up. I was car camping at the north west end of the lake, fishing from my pontoon boat. This was my first time on the lake and the lack of other boats and shore fishermen had me concerned. I caught probably 10 rainbows with the largest around two and a half pounds on Wednesday. I was using tube jigs and found the fish in water from several feet to 18 feet or so deep. Thursday morning I managed to land four more. The wind really began blowing right after I pulled out the boat at 12 noon. I had to work for the fish I caught, but it was a great trip. The rainbows were chunky small headed fish.
|
Home - Fishing - National Parks - ATV - Photography - Other Topics - Recreational Property
Place your ad here and reach the great outdoors! Listen to the Utah Outdoors radio show, Saturdays from 6-8 a.m. on KSL.Thanks to our Supporters!
Sky Call Communications  Site owned and operated by |
