Rockperchless!

[WalleyeWiper]

Went Rockport from 7-10 this morning. Ended up on the West side right across from the State Park ramp. In the early light there were very skeptical fisherman testing the ice carefully. There was a water layer under a thin layer of ice over about 5" of seemimgly solid ice. After getting out on the ice and checking several spots, ended up fishing 43' of water. Very slow. Only one bite. Got a big fat rainbow to the hole several times before it broke the leader. But no perch around the group were I was fishing. Talked with DKS several times. How did the rest of the Rockport bunch do?[]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]TubeBabe and I got there before daybreak and after checking the slippery downhill access to the west side, we decided to go over to the launch ramp. I am still pampering a tender left knee, so I did not want to risk doing a triple klutz.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Super slick out from the ramp. Drilled four sets of holes in different areas. Almost everywhere out to the middle was from 33' to 36'. Could not find deeper water. Saw a few trout (probably) cruising through at mid depth in a couple of spots, but nothing on the bottom. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Worked through a whole arsenal of jigs and baits, with only one light bite. No hookups and no blood on the ice...even mine.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We had things to do back in town, and my leg was reacting to navigating the slippery ice, so we were outta there by about 9:30. None of the other groups of anglers within sight or earshot were catching anything on the East side either. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We did see three snowshow rabbits and a deer while driving into the launch ramp area.[/#0000ff]
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[Chester]

Fished Rockport from about 6:30 till 12:30. Started catching Perch as soon as it got light. Ended up catching 18 perch and one trout. I was fishing with a jig head tipped with a meal worm. Majority of the bites came in the first two hours. Then it slowed way down to almost nothing and I was never able to catch those last two perch or any more trout.

CBR and bassrods came up from the south end and fished by me about 8:00. Before the day was over we had Fishing Waters, Troll, Pikeman, and Rainbow Joe come through. It was nice to meet/see everyone. It was fun fishing. It was especially fun fishing with bassrods. I have never seen anyone light up quite like he does when he catches a trout! Entertainment at its best!!! Thanks for stopping by. It was fun fishing.

I have been to Rockport twice since ice on. Got into perch and trout both times, but it is by no means fast fishing. As far as I can tell the East side is almost void of fish. The west side holds some fish, but they are not what I would call plentiful. A few people around us were catching fish, but not alot. Not sure I will be making many more trips to Rockport this year. Comments??

I think I'll try Sulphur Creek next before my Wyo license expires, or maybe Strawberry.

later
Chester
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[DKStroutfitter]

It was nict to meet you today WalleyeWiper.
I cought my first Rockport Skunk today. No perch in the area and the trout were not hungry for my jigs. I will try Causey on Monday.
Tubedude it was nice talking to you but I never could reach CBR or the others fishing by him. I was across from the ramp on the West side. I wish that we would use channel 7 instead of 12. I have 10 mile range on 7.
The ice may not be safe much longer with the warm weather. Be careful and test the ice as you go out!
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[CBR]

We arrived at about 6 AM and went out to the former "hot spot" and we might as well been putting out lures in the toilet water. Atleast then we could have caught some good sized *gag* browns. I radio'd to see if anyone was out there around 7 am and TubeDude called and said he decided not to take a chance in the dark on the slick walk down the hill on the west side. Around 7:45 on the radio Chester hollered and we decided moving over there and meet another BFTer and see if the action was better over there.

We packed up, and I moved the car over to the west side by the south restrooms then made my way down to the ice to meet up with Chester, when I arrived he had a grin on his face and a perch on the other end of his line. I asked if he minded if I camped out by him and tried to get something on the ice. He said it would be ok so I did. And boy that is when the fun started, myself, chester, and bassrods had a hot hour or so of catching perch. They were allover the bottom and as soon as we dropped our jig about 10 feet from the bottom the perch would swim up to the jig and smack it before it even hit the bottom.

Once the sun rose the bite slowed, we all were on our way to a limit but we all had to really work to get the next few perch to fill our limits or get close enough to justify a nice perch feast.

Was great also spending time on the water with FishingWaters, his son, his dog (thanks for the pull up the hill!), Pikeman, Rainbow Joe, Bassrods, Chester and the hoards of other anglers on the water.

I myself managed to limit out by 11 and a few bows here and there, then I moved in shallow so I would have less chance of hooking a perch that I would have to stuff back down the hole only to die a cold lonely death. Only 1 bite in shallow, I didn't mark fish in the 20 feet of water I was in as regularly until bassrods joined me and brought them in.

Not a bad day, not super fast fishing like last year and the schools of perch were much smaller than last.

Still I can't wait to eat the beer battered perch filets tonight.

Sorry about the misfortune TD. We really need to get together and hit the ice for a good day of fishing.
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[CBR]

I switched to 7-0 several times throughout the morning and called for ya with no response. Wierd. Sorry to have missed you at the port today.

WalleyeWiper, sorry you had a poor day as well, if I was able to reach you on the radio I would have yelled to get you over by us, we didn't have a fast stellar day but it wasn't aweful.
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[CROSSINEYES]

GLAD YOU GUYS GOT SOME FISH. IVE HIT IT HARD FOR 9YRS AND ALWAYS DO BETTER ON THE WEST SIDE. HOW CLOSE WERE YOU GUYS TO THE BIG ROCK OUTCROPPING NORTH OF THE REST ROOM? OFF THAT BIG POINT IS ALWAYS GOOD!!
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[CBR]

We were a bit south and in the middle pretty much. Pikeman was over there with his son and didn't have much luck until they moved out by us.
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[CROSSINEYES]

HUGH? HOW DEEP WERE YOU FISHING?
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[CBR]

40-42 ft.
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[bassrods]

TD...I know you have molds for all sorts of special jigs, but we need a real special one right now...cause I found the magic bait.

The reason you didn't catch any trout today was becasuse you were not using the right bait.

I kept a nice fat 18 inch trout with a big belly, so after I got home I decided to fillet him out...and check out the stomach contents ... cause this fish was really heavy for it's size.

First let me tell you what I didn't find in the stomach contents. I didn't find...zooplankton, crawfish, worms, insects, mosquito's, mayflies, wax worms, meal worm, cheese balls, marshmallows, or even minnows...what I did find was a gullet bulging full of rocks.

Black rocks the same shape and size of marbles...resembling the same size and shape of a large fresh water snail. And lo and behold... I have discovered a conspiracy.

Yes fishing BFT'rs....we are in the mist of a clandestine operation.
In years past...unscrupleous fishermen would pack their catches with rocks or lead in order to make their fish heavier for the record books...so my theory is as follows:

The Rainbow trout...raised and nutured in the conclaves of DWR hatcheries have been brainwashed and trained in subversion tactics.

They have been instructed to perform a self sacrificing manueuver to manipulate the scales of unwitting fishermen. This deception is carried out by these well trained, hand reared, specialized Commando Rainbow Trout (a new species) that have been planted in Rockport. This is an experiment that is being watched carefully by TPTB. A 9 inch Rockport Trout will weigh 2 lbs...and if this conspiracy is successful ... unsusecting trout around the state will be forced to comply and eat rocks.

So...TD...your mission if you choose to accept it ... will be to develop for BFT a prototype rocklure or rockfly...not to be with a flying rock...which is used to test the thickness of the ice of said waters. You will be contacted again...

This transmission will self-destruct in 30 seconds...

.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Clifford, my friend, I can't figure out whether you are onto something...or just "on" something. [/#0000ff]
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[Bigcat]

TD-
I know someone who can help you get that knee ice worthy again. You said you'd help me repair my fly rod and I can help your knee. Shoot me a PM if your interested!
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[Hellsangler69]

Thanks for the report . Wish I could of been on the ice on a day like today .I'll be hitting the Rock in the morning . Just curious if you could still see perch on your flasher and they just stopped feeding ? Or did they just move on ? I think it is more of a fishing game to get them now compared to the easy pickin's it has been on that water . I like to search for fish anyway . I did get a flasher for Xmas (present to self ), so I be on a learning curve this weekend with it .
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