Echo 1/20

[Jig-fisher]

1st ice trip for me this year today. I thought I could probably get on Echo and find some safe ice, and I did. I fished the southernish end. Balmy -4 upon arrival at 730 am.

Walked out a bit, drilled a hole, 5-6 inches of clear ice, was in 28 ft of water and saw a mark pass through. So I set up camp in that location. I never moved.

Perch were plentiful and willing off the bottom. Better quality than I thought I would find. I also set a jig at about 12 ft down tipped with chub, dead sticking for cruising trout. This worked as well, catching 4 nice bows between 16 and 17.5 inches.

Biggest perch were 11", kept 16 between 9.5 and 11". I was picky and threw back everything after a while under 10". I estimate I released 50+. One of the perch burped up a 3" minnow, probably perch fry. So I switched over to a minnow type jigging lure with no bait and continued to catch them.

Only 2 other anglers came after me. Surprisingly both women, arriving at different times and fishing by themselves. I helped the 1st drill her holes close by, and gave her some chub pieces for bait and she caught 4 nice trout. The other set up about 50 yards away, and was striking out. She was fishing for perch, so invited her over close to where I was at. She moved close and proceeded to nail the perch. She also caught a brown trout, which was pretty cool. Funny how the perch weren't 50 yards away, but we're where I 1st drilled.

Fun day for sure.

[wiperhunter2]

1st ice trip for me this year today. I thought I could probably get on Echo and find some safe ice, and I did. I fished the southernish end. Balmy -4 upon arrival at 730 am.

Walked out a bit, drilled a hole, 5-6 inches of clear ice, was in 28 ft of water and saw a mark pass through. So I set up camp in that location. I never moved.

Perch were plentiful and willing off the bottom. Better quality than I thought I would find. I also set a jig at about 12 ft down tipped with chub, dead sticking for cruising trout. This worked as well, catching 4 nice bows between 16 and 17.5 inches.

Biggest perch were 11", kept 16 between 9.5 and 11". I was picky and threw back everything after a while under 10". I estimate I released 50+. One of the perch burped up a 3" minnow, probably perch fry. So I switched over to a minnow type jigging lure with no bait and continued to catch them.

Only 2 other anglers came after me. Surprisingly both women, arriving at different times and fishing by themselves. I helped the 1st drill her holes close by, and gave her some chub pieces for bait and she caught 4 nice trout. The other set up about 50 yards away, and was striking out. She was fishing for perch, so invited her over close to where I was at. She moved close and proceeded to nail the perch. She also caught a brown trout, which was pretty cool. Funny how the perch weren't 50 yards away, but we're where I 1st drilled.

Fun day for sure.

Great report Paul, sounds like you hit a good spot right off the bat. Did you walk out, onto the ice, from the ramp?

[BRL1]

Thanks for the report. Was wondering how it was after seeing the groups on there yesterday. Still looked some open water in center.

[Jig-fisher]

1st ice trip for me this year today. I thought I could probably get on Echo and find some safe ice, and I did. I fished the southernish end. Balmy -4 upon arrival at 730 am.

Walked out a bit, drilled a hole, 5-6 inches of clear ice, was in 28 ft of water and saw a mark pass through. So I set up camp in that location. I never moved.

Perch were plentiful and willing off the bottom. Better quality than I thought I would find. I also set a jig at about 12 ft down tipped with chub, dead sticking for cruising trout. This worked as well, catching 4 nice bows between 16 and 17.5 inches.

Biggest perch were 11", kept 16 between 9.5 and 11". I was picky and threw back everything after a while under 10". I estimate I released 50+. One of the perch burped up a 3" minnow, probably perch fry. So I switched over to a minnow type jigging lure with no bait and continued to catch them.

Only 2 other anglers came after me. Surprisingly both women, arriving at different times and fishing by themselves. I helped the 1st drill her holes close by, and gave her some chub pieces for bait and she caught 4 nice trout. The other set up about 50 yards away, and was striking out. She was fishing for perch, so invited her over close to where I was at. She moved close and proceeded to nail the perch. She also caught a brown trout, which was pretty cool. Funny how the perch weren't 50 yards away, but we're where I 1st drilled.

Fun day for sure.

Great report Paul, sounds like you hit a good spot right off the bat. Did you walk out, onto the ice, from the ramp?

I walked out from the new campground. I guess there is a launch area there, but it is not paved.

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Thanks for the report.  Was wondering how it was after seeing the groups on there yesterday.  Still looked some open water in center.

It is capped now. But I would stay off those newly capped areas for a couple of days at least.

[2knots]

Nice job Paul, grand day for sure

[Jig-fisher]

Nice job Paul, grand day for sure

Thanks Alan.

[Cowboypirate]

Great report. I have heard from somewhere sources of good but spotty where perch bite on Echo. I also heard a skunk report form Lost Creek but they went up late. Glad you got some lunch meat on the deck

[wiperhunter2]

We talked about walking out from that area a couple of years ago but we never tried it but my guess is there is much less traffic coming from that area. They talked about putting in a concrete ramp there but they never did it.

[2knots]

One of the ladies you helped

[Jig-fisher]

One of the ladies you helped

Yes, that was one of them.

[MWScott72]

Sounds like a good time! Nice to hear that the perch are making a comeback at Echo. A few bows in the mix is never a bad thing either.

[SkunkedAgain]

Nice job Paul, that's a very nice haul and sounds like you made her day, maybe season.... way to be a good Samaritan.... Nice to hear another pond is fishing well this year... Thanks Jeff

[BYUHunter]

One of the ladies you helped

No good deed goes unpunished. You save her day of fishing, and she goes and blasts the spot all over the internet.

[Jig-fisher]

Nice job Paul, that's a very nice haul and sounds like you made her day, maybe season.... way to be a good Samaritan.... Nice to hear another pond is fishing well this year... Thanks Jeff

Thanks Jeff. She was very kind and appreciative. I like to help people if I can, and chub always works well at Echo. I'm glad she had a good day.

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One of the ladies you helped

No good deed goes unpunished. You save her day of fishing, and she goes and blasts the spot all over the internet.

It doesn't bother me. Echo can withstand the pressure and maybe some others can get in on some good action. She was really kind and appreciative.

If you post on the main page here, you do the same thing anyway. Lots of non-members check this site regularly. As of now this post has been viewed around 400 times.

[Jig-fisher]

Great report. I have heard from somewhere sources of good but spotty where perch bite on Echo. I also heard a skunk report form Lost Creek but they went up late. Glad you got some lunch meat on the deck

Well I guess I lucked out and hit a good spot. Did you end up getting out?

[Dunn13]

We talked about walking out from that area a couple of years ago but we never tried it but my guess is there is much less traffic coming from that area. They talked about putting in a concrete ramp there but they never did it.

Are they charging $20 to park at the Dry Hollow campground in the winter?

[wiperhunter2]

We talked about walking out from that area a couple of years ago but we never tried it but my guess is there is much less traffic coming from that area. They talked about putting in a concrete ramp there but they never did it.

Are they charging $20 to park at the Dry Hollow campground in the winter?

Not if you have a state parks pass but I really have no idea what they charge to park there in the Winter. I kind of doubt it's $20 though.

[SkunkedAgain]

Last year I seen the state parks were trying to charge the summer rate in the winter, but they must have gotten some push back, because I noticed this year even Willard had cut the rate in half for winter users... It's probably park specific, but I think they went back to a reduced winter rates on a couple spots I've been too this winter... but like mentioned when you have the annual pass you don't pay too much attention to the day rate. I probably should because I don't think ive been going enough to justify the annual pass the last few years... but it is nice not having to fill out an envelope each trip... Later jeff

[Dunn13]

Last year I seen the state parks were trying to charge the summer rate in the winter, but they must have gotten some push back, because I noticed this year even Willard had cut the rate in half for winter users...  It's probably park specific, but I think they went back to a reduced winter rates on a couple spots I've been too this winter... but like mentioned when you have the annual pass you don't pay too much attention to the day rate.  I probably should because I don't think ive been going enough to justify the annual pass the last few years... but it is nice not having to fill out an envelope each trip... Later jeff

That was my thought as well. I hate having to find the envelopes, pen, cash, and fill them out so an annual pass is much easier. I see they have an option to buy the day pass online now but you have to do it the same day your are using it. If I'm leaving at 6:00 am I don't want to have to mess with that either.

The Echo state park site says it's $20 for a day pass but when you click to buy the day pass it says $10 since it's "off-season", and only good for the day of purchase.

[SkunkedAgain]

Sounds good, thanks for reporting that info back it's good to know... I think I tried that on line at Bear Lake last year and ended up paying full rate, so good to know they only charge half off season now. Thanks Jeff