Johnsfolly

Jeff - I couldn't say one way or the other on being polluted. It is pretty stained water possibly from the hot springs. The Provo river that comes down from the mountains was running clear above the lake. So the staining wasn't coming from that source.

I was out in Salt Lake City since the 8th for a business conference. I went in two days early to try for catching my first fish in Utah. I had some locations that I found with possible new species in and around Salt Lake. I came in Friday and due to a delayed flight was not going to have enough time to fish. So I did some reconnaisance for three sites. The first was on the Jordan river that starts from Utah Lake and runs through Salt lake. This river and location ahd possible utah suckers, carp and some minnow species. I got there and the water was running very fast and faster than I felt that I could effectively fish. The next spot was a tributary off the Jordan. Again minnow species as well as goldfish caught in that location. It turned out to be a sketchy neighborhood and just a trickle of water. I did not see any fish. The third location was a city park lake that had the standard sunfish assemblage but also a native redside shiner. This park was only 10 to 12 mins from the hotel making it a good opportunity for a lifer shiner. I get to the park and they have drained the lake. The feeder creek was trickling in and I did not see any minnows in the deepest pool that I could find 😒. Friday night I had to reset and figure out at least one spot to catch just one fish in Utah. With help from @Ham I put together a game plan for the next day. My plan was to target a canal that was feed by a hot spring seep then go to a marina on Utah Lake to target panfish like yellow perch, bluegill, etc. With a mixup on my mapping requests, I ended up at the marina first. Regardless of the fishing I could not complain about the location with mountains on both sides of the lake. I tried fishing small jigs and soaking worms around the boat docks for 45 mins or so without any bites. There were a couple of folks fishing near an outfall in the corner of the marina that had some luck. I fished in that corner with a 1/16 oz jig and pearl/chartreuse curly tail grub. After just a couple of jigs I got a solid thump and landed a white bass. Pretty happy with my first Utah fish (this was the 31st state with a caught fish and counting). I fished for another 25 mins without any further bites. I packed up and headed for the hot spring seep. This canal was maybe 1/4 to 1/2 mile long and very clear water. There were lots of folks fishing for bass that you could see cruising the weed edges and the floating mats. I tossed out a couple of bass sized baits and got no response from the bass or the skittish green sunfish. Of course I dropped down to a Tanago (go see @FishnDave post on Micro Lunkers to see the hooks) and bit of worm. I caught a few western mosquitofish on the tanago. The sunfish were very spooky. I moved up to a #18 hook and fished tight to the cover, almost like fishing for bantam sunfish. They would dart out for the bait and you might only have that one chance to get a hook set. I did catch a couple of the small green sunfish. As I was headed back to the car to try one last location, I spotted a cruising green sunfish. I spooked it with one cast, but it turned on the next. Though just a sunfish, I was happy to land this guy (did end up pulling in ca. a pound of weeds as well 😅). I drove to the Provo river later that afternoon. The river reminded me of the upper Current river. Being nostalgic, I fished a jerkbait for brown trout. I didn't catch any. Maybe a Zig Jig might have been a better offering, but I had fun regardless. It was a short fishing trip and I did land that first fish in Utah. I'm sure that if I was was there in the summer I would have had more chances at some common species like trout and some lifers.

They certainly are less frequent where there are a lot of bleeding shiners or common/striped shiners. Maybe they get squeezed out. They are super abundant out this way. Nice Micros Dave! If it's any consulation, they often spurn worm offerings as well 😉. The hook and drop off is a common occurence that is supper frustrating when you only see one or two of the target species and you know that that same fish won't bite the bait again 😠

Can't ask for a better time.

Looks like a great time. Lots of eating with a little fishing mixed in😉

This is a super cool looking fish! https://www.fieldandstream.com/fishing/leucistic-sailfish-caught-in-guatemala/

Post some success photos. With kids any fish is a success😉. I'm taking the wife and youngest to Miami. Going to spend a few days fishing in the glades and keys. Flight leaves in just over an hour😁.

I fish as often that I can and the number of trips has been pretty much the same over the last couple of years. I focus a lot on chasing new species and just don't fish for the common fish that folks on this site are interested in hearing about in reports. Also fishing in the mid-Atlantic just isn't what a lot of folks on here care about either.

I Agree. Would be tough bank fishing.

Interesting read. Would love to see a real commercial use for Asian carp. https://www.ksdk.com/article/life/food/eat-mo-carp-missouri-fish-fry-season/63-9c120516-ac4d-4bbc-8619-b148754c4ea8

Burbot in the news out in Idaho. https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/idaho-fish-and-game-encourages-winter-burbot-fishing-on-kootenai-river

In our lab raised we our test worms in plastic bins. When there was a large number of juvenile worms in the bins the adults would end up near the lid of the bins. Seems that they were getting away from the high numbers of young. Maybe it was due to competition for food, bumping into each other or just not wanting to keep hearing Mom!, Mom!, Mom!...🤣. I could see a situation that if they were not able to move to a more suitable location with less population that they could just stop breeding.

All pluses in my book as well 😁. Though I have seen my share of watersnakes in Feb. Also loved late March and April when the turkey gobbling would echo from the bluffs.

Jeff I was thinking that it may be broodstock release when I saw this article. I haven't fished Antietam crk yet, but unless there are some deep holes I do doubt that this fish grew to that size in that creek. I will have to check to see if Beaver crk flows in the Antietam. Beaver is one of the few springfed creeks in the state.

Congrats on a great trip. I always loved fishing the Current in Feb. Often decent weather and the river mostly to yourself

We used to buy worms for our testing from a supplier that had red worms beneath his rabbit cages. Though they are hermaphrodites two worms do need to get together to breed. Just in case folks wanted to know😉

I think that this technology applies to almost every targeted species. For example, how easy would it be to find a group of paddlefish and then just run perpendicular to that group when snagging. Not only are you likely to snag more fish, but also injure and potentially poorly release others while keeping the big ones.

Great innovations and good looking meal.

Looks delicious Daryk!

I was fortunate to have meetings in England for several projects over the years. When we lived in Northern Ireland we did do a couple of London trips as well.

My dad worked as a business consultant for an influential Asian family and he received a sizable bonus the year that the Steelers played the Cardinals in superbowl XLIII. He took my brother and I to the game. I don't see me ever being able to do that for my kids or grandkids. We did have a great time. I partially repaid him with a couple of tickets for a Chiefs game that were on the 45 yd line 7 rows from the Steelers sideline. Now he did buy the rest of the family tickets so we all could see the game.

I wasn't so sure 🙄 They had me watching until the end and I am not a big Chiefs fan.

I often feel like I need a Rosetta Stone emoji guide🤣 On a business trip to England, I actually did get to see the rosetta stone in the British Museum. I was impressed (nuch better in person than my terrible photo).

The weather out this way has been crappy at best. Every weekend so far except this last one had heavy rains or snow with freezing temps that prevented me from fishing. I finally got out for my first trip of the year on Sat. I was able to tick off two boxes for my 2024 goals on this trip😉. Finally landed and photographed my first rainbow darter in MD. Though not one of my goals I also caught a fantail darter. There are rumors that this species will be split and that this one from the east side of the Appalachians may become a new species from those (I have caught some in MO) on the Mississippi side of the mountain range. I caught a lifer mimic shiner. I actually caught a few of these back on Christmas eve but did not get photos good enought to identify. Though I always hope that every trip is successful in terms of meeting some of my goals like this one, I know that won't be the case. However any trip that you are able to get out and fish is a successful trip.