DC on soft water

[brookie]

Fished Deer Creek yesterday. Launched the boat from the main marina right at 7:30 am. There was a kayak and 2 float tubes that launched right behind me. There were a bunch of shore fishermen and a few more boats joined later. Trolled standard kokanee blades and squid. Started off a little slow, but when I found the spot they turned on. Ended at 11:30 with 21 rainbows to the boat - all were returned for another day. It was beautiful weather. The ramp was ice free and there was open water almost to rainbow bay. I knew that the weather was going to  turn cold for the weekend so got in my shot to get out.

[gofish435]

Thanks for the report.  It sounds like you were pretty busy for the time you were on the water.  You were smart to go when you did, it looks like winter is coming back for a while.

I had a couple of my friends also fish there yesterday on their pontoons.  They fished for five hours and landed 34 fish, all rainbows from 12" to 19" long, using flies.  All of their fish went back as well.

[brookie]

Yeah, I think those on the water did better than the shore army.

[FishfulThinkin]

Glad you got the boat in the water John. Now if you can just coax a few Kokanee down the river from Jordy to start a family in DC you'll be set!

[brookie]

Glad you got the boat in the water John. Now if you can just coax a few Kokanee down the river from Jordy to start a family in DC you'll be set!

Wouldn't that be fun. Still was nice to get on the water, prep the poles and equipment, and pretend those rainbows had pointy noses.

[PACMEN]

Fished Deer Creek yesterday. Launched the boat from the main marina right at 7:30 am. There was a kayak and 2 float tubes that launched right behind me. There were a bunch of shore fishermen and a few more boats joined later. Trolled standard kokanee blades and squid. Started off a little slow, but when I found the spot they turned on. Ended at 11:30 with 21 rainbows to the boat - all were returned for another day. It was beautiful weather. The ramp was ice free and there was open water almost to rainbow bay. I knew that the weather was going to  turn cold for the weekend so got in my shot to get out.

We also fished D>C> on Fri.  We got on the water about 9 am and it was non stop reeling till about 10:30 then things slowed down a bit.  Took me an hr before I was able to get my 2nd rod in the water.
The slowest catching for us was along the ice cap edges.  I was a bit surprised at this.
Most of the fish we caught I would put at about 1/2 to 3/4 lb.
Was good to get the boat out and be on the water. I'm not that big on ice fishing anymore.

[duofish]

Glad you got the boat in the water John. Now if you can just coax a few Kokanee down the river from Jordy to start a family in DC you'll be set!

Wouldn't that be fun. Still was nice to get on the water, prep the poles and equipment, and pretend those rainbows had pointy noses.

I was born and raised in Heber. When I was in junior high they had Kokanee in Deer Creek. That would have been in about 1964-1966. Don't know what happened to them. Maybe someone out there could inlighten us.

[wiperhunter2]

I was born and raised in Heber. When I was in junior high they had Kokanee in Deer Creek. That would have been in about 1964-1966. Don't know what happened to them. Maybe someone out there could inlighten us.

Back in those days and even before they tried stocking kokanee in several different lakes in utah, I even read they tried stocking them or some type of trout in utah lake but of course that did not work. They are again trying to stock salmon is several different lakes again, hoping they will take this time and reproduce but some lakes just don't have enough food or good spawning areas to make it a success. I'm not sure if they will continue to stock them in every lake that are being stock in now, if they do it will be like they do with rainbows, a put and take fishery. Jordanelle is one of the bright spots where they have done very good, so it is possible they might again try stocking them in Deer creek but only the DWR can answer that question.

[Therapist]

It is not for the lack of spawning habitat or food, it is water quality/ temperature. Deer Creek stratifies faster and gets warmer than Jordanelle, East Canyon, Strawberry, or other lakes that have successful Kokanee populations. The surface temp at Deer Creek can get into the mid 80's during the heat of the summer. The lake's oxygen level in the deeper cooler water is not sufficient to support Kokanee. Rainbow and Browns are more temp tolerant and will be able to survive in the warmer water where there is sufficient oxygen. You also have algae blooms that affect water quality and lower Oxygen levels, etc. Just not good habitat for Kokanee. Reallly don't see the need to put them in DC anyway. With Rainbow, Browns, SMB, LMB, Walleye, Grn. Sunfish, bullheads, Crappie, and Yellow perch Oh and carp, the lake is pretty much pushed to its limit as far as available species. They also tried Lake Trout in DC and Utah Lake, so they have pretty much tried everything in the book !!

[brookie]

Fished Deer Creek yesterday. Launched the boat from the main marina right at 7:30 am. There was a kayak and 2 float tubes that launched right behind me. There were a bunch of shore fishermen and a few more boats joined later. Trolled standard kokanee blades and squid. Started off a little slow, but when I found the spot they turned on. Ended at 11:30 with 21 rainbows to the boat - all were returned for another day. It was beautiful weather. The ramp was ice free and there was open water almost to rainbow bay. I knew that the weather was going to  turn cold for the weekend so got in my shot to get out.

We also fished D>C> on Fri.  We got on the water about 9 am and it was non stop reeling till about 10:30 then things slowed down a bit.  Took me an hr before I was able to get my 2nd rod in the water.
The slowest catching for us was along the ice cap edges.  I was a bit surprised at this.
Most of the fish we caught I would put at about 1/2 to 3/4 lb.
Was good to get the boat out and be on the water. I'm not that big on ice fishing anymore.

I would concur with the edge of the ice cap. I did catch some trolling along the ice edge, but fewer. Where I really found them was where the ice cap edge met the shore, particularly over on the far side, right in front of the mason rock wall with the pipe sticking out. I circled that corner and picked up doubles several times. Size was about what you experienced. I did get one near 18" in spawning colors - last and biggest of the day.

[PACMEN]

Fished Deer Creek yesterday. Launched the boat from the main marina right at 7:30 am. There was a kayak and 2 float tubes that launched right behind me. There were a bunch of shore fishermen and a few more boats joined later. Trolled standard kokanee blades and squid. Started off a little slow, but when I found the spot they turned on. Ended at 11:30 with 21 rainbows to the boat - all were returned for another day. It was beautiful weather. The ramp was ice free and there was open water almost to rainbow bay. I knew that the weather was going to  turn cold for the weekend so got in my shot to get out.

We also fished D>C> on Fri.  We got on the water about 9 am and it was non stop reeling till about 10:30 then things slowed down a bit.  Took me an hr before I was able to get my 2nd rod in the water.
The slowest catching for us was along the ice cap edges.  I was a bit surprised at this.
Most of the fish we caught I would put at about 1/2 to 3/4 lb.
Was good to get the boat out and be on the water. I'm not that big on ice fishing anymore.

I would concur with the edge of the ice cap. I did catch some trolling along the ice edge, but fewer. Where I really found them was where the ice cap edge met the shore, particularly over on the far side, right in front of the mason rock wall with the pipe sticking out. I circled that corner and picked up doubles several times. Size was about what you experienced. I did get one near 18" in spawning colors - last and biggest of the day.

I saw a boat that stayed right over there.  Must have been you.
Funny our big fish of the day was also the last fish of the day.  He was a 3 lb fish. He's swimming around growing right now.

[Fishin_Fool78]

Nice report. How is the ice looking on DC? Is it almost gone?

[brookie]

Last week it was getting pretty soft although I could see a red ice tent over on the north end of rainbow bay. If the warm weather had continued I think it would be open. Unfortunately the weather turned cold. I haven’t spent the fuel to go back and see.