Since we wanted to bake a trout for a family dinner, we kept the trout and while cleaning it we pulled out three rainbow trout  between 10 and 14 inches in length.  My immediate thoughts were:  if smaller lake trout will still eat trout more than a foot long, why were we trying to catch larger lake trout with 4 inch tubes?  Why not develop a tube that better mirrors the actual size of the prey lake trout are targeting?

From that humble beginning, the tubes were developed and have been a hit with avid lake trout guides and anglers.  Let’s explore three circumstances and situations that warrant their use when targeting large trout or lake trout.

1.  When forage fish are large.  This might sound obvious but several times we’ve been fishing for lake trout immediately after a stocking truck had planted thousands of 8-inch rainbow trout in a small bay near the boat ramp.  The trout were surfacing and they were easy to see.  Within minutes of the stocking, lake trout of all sizes began roaming the small bay in search of the rainbows.  We threw swimbaits of a similar size and caught several great fish.

2.  When you’ve located huge lake trout on your finder.  At times, the largest lake trout will congregate together in very deep water.  This happens in late spring and will continue through the summer and early fall, at least in Utah.  With the finder on manual sensitivity and by dropping the large tubes directly down the cone angle to the bottom, you will be able to clearly see your bait and attract the interest of the fish nearby.  This is a great way to “anticipate” the bite — watching your screen until a lake trout wanders over and picks up your bait.

3.  When you want to swim your tube.  I’ve had many opportunities to swim my Super  tube through active schools of lake trout.  These large lake trout will generally swim up behind the tube and inhale the entire bait from the rear.  There are times that a large tube will represent a bait fish much better than a hard jerkbait.

These three situations occur frequently on lake trout waters.  It is crucial for you to be observant and notice the size of the forage. Lake trout can be finicky but in the end, they all have to eat.  Wait them out and get ready for a great time on the water.

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Two baits that are considered “bass lures” make up much of my tackle on every trout fishing trip, Gitzits and jerkbaits.  I generally use them throughout the late spring, summer, and fall.  But now, I can add early spring to the timeline. For many who read my articles frequently know that Rapala and Luckycraft jerkbaits make up much of my arsenal along with Gitzits from Canyon Plastics in colors ranging from white to green or even black.

One technique that works well even when fish are reluctant to bite is called a “follow up” technique.  to fish a “follow up” there are two rods on the deck of my boat.  One is a jerkbait rod and the second, a Gitizit rod.  After locating fish on my electronics, and armed with polarized (Cocoon) sunglasses to cut glare, I cast the jerkbait and watch it intently, pausing from time to time to let it suspend in the water column. I am looking for curious trout to come around my lure. With very few exceptions, even if I don’t get a bite, trout will eventually show themselves and approach the lure as it comes back to the boat.

While at our cabin near Flaming Gorge last weekend, I spent a few hours on the water and experienced some pretty slow fishing. I watched several curious rainbows follow and even circle my jerkbait but for some reason they would not bite. Every once in a while a trout would “tick” the lure but did it in a way that made it impossible to set the hook.  After several casts, I realized that something about the size, shape, or color of my presentation wasn’t “selling” the fish on the lure.

I decided to use the “follow-up” technique to catch those lure-shy fish.  A tiny, green Gitzit was tied on my second rod and kept at-the-ready to cast into any area in which there were visible fish that wouldn’t hit the jerkbait.  Within a few seconds of making my first “follow up” cast with the Gitzit, an 18-inch rainbow casually swam over and inhaled the small bait.  I spent the rest of the morning locating schools of fish (suspended in 10 to 15 feet of water) on my fish finder and then attracting the trout using the jerkbait, and catching them with the Gitzit.

On Lake Powell, Lake Mead, or even Lake Havasu, the follow up technique works extremely well right up to and sometimes including the spawn.  Many times, a spawning bass will “hit” the jerkbait but not “smash” the lure.  When I feel the tick I immediately throw out the Gitzit and allow it to settle down right underneath where the jerkbait passed.  At times, the Gitzit settles right on top of the bed and the bass attacks the Gitzit.

Deer Creek, Jordanelle, or any other reservoir that is free of ice offers similar opportunities to catch early-spring trout, and even possibly some early spring bass.  But, there are a couple of additional things to remember.  You must first locate fish and then must be able to carefully watch each cast.  Also, after seeing the fish near the jerkbait you must quickly reel in and cast the Gitzit beyond where you spotted the trout, allowing the Gitzit to slowly sink towards the curious fish.

Target south-facing points and bays. The water in these exposed areas warm quicker than others, so (especially in the spring) remember that not all shorelines or bays are created equal.  Also, try to fish near deeper banks with steeper slopes entering the water. Each bay should be fished from the outside point all the way to the back.  Trout or bass can be anywhere from the outer most point to the center of the back, as long as the bay is deep.

I caught an average of 5 fish an hour using the follow-up technique, and without the Gitzit I may not have caught a single fish.  Please consider this proven “plan” on your next fishing adventure.

Follow up baits work great on early spring smallmouth bass.

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“I plan on using red crank baits, chatter baits, jigs, and Senkos next week,” says Mark Lasagne, publisher of Bass Angler Magazine, a popular bass-based magazine published in California.  Lasagne has been a pro for more than a decade and knows the Delta very, very, well.  ”I haven’t fished the Delta for a while but those are the baits I’ll have tied on for sure.”

Anglers fishing the Delta next week and for the month of April would be wise to listen to Lasagne’s advice.  Over the past 10 years, every tournament I’ve entered or have written about that has taken place on the Delta have included comments about the combination of red and black when it comes to popular colors.

Does that mean other colors won’t work?  No, not at all.  It simply means a great starting point for anglers should be some combination of reds and blacks, just to build on history before moving on into uncharted waters.  Some anglers will purposely move away from red simply trying to use a bait that is different, one that will stand out.

Bass Spawn in dirty water too, according to Alton Jones

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“There are areas on Lake Powell,” says Murray, “that get a lot of sun, are fairly shallow, and are protected from most wind.  Areas like that warm much quicker that other water and therefore attract spawning fish much sooner that the rest of the lake.”

I have proven Murray’s theory many times on Lake Powell and can assure you that I have fished bedded bass in March, April, May, and yes, even into June.  But, Lake Powell isn’t an anomaly.  Many waters including Lake Mead, Havasu, and the California Delta host similar “extended spawning periods.”

Let’s take a peek at the California Delta and look for similarities.  The first thing an angler might notice about the Delta is that it is a very big place.  From the Pacific Ocean to the City of Sacramento to the north, and the port of Stockton and the San Joaquin River to the south, almost every type of structure, water depth, current, and exposure to wind can be experienced.  So, what are the elements and conditions that indicate when and for how long the spawn will last?

1. Water temperature is the number one reason bass begin to spawn.
2. Consistent nighttime temperatures above 58 degrees (water temperatures).  And, protection from wind that would mix up the water column and cool the mean temperature of water.
3. Bright skies, and long periods of sun in shallow water.
4. Full and new moon cycles that signal to fish ready to spawn but the activity is interrupted by late winter storms and quickly cooling water.

On the Delta, I have personally experienced fishing for bedded largemouth bass near the end of February.  Then again in March and April, and although not personally experienced, several of my contacts on the Delta tell me they have found bedded fish well into May.

So, how do you manage a long, extended spawn?

The answer is simple: DON’T TARGET BEDDED FISH!  This might sound crazy when you consider that a bass bed on the Delta in the springtime just might net a double-digit monster bass.  The fact is though, that if you only target beds you will eventually be sorely disappointed and in the process you will pass by the REAL targets this time of year – pre and post spawn fish.

If you approach the Delta with the idea that fish MIGHT just be on beds, but for certain they will be either pre or post spawn, it opens up a huge, wide garage doors through which you will be able to pass.  If you ignore pre and post spawn fish and go looking exclusively for beds, it’s just like trying to carry a king sized mattress through a two-foot pocket door.  It really limits your choices.

Take a spinnerbait, a jig, a lipless crankbait, a swim bait and a Senko, and go looking for bass, regardless of whether they’re spawning.

Water clarity is a problem (or opportunity) on the Delta so if you are throwing reaction baits, trying to attract pre spawn fish, it won’t matter

Seven-pounder caught with a jig while staging to spawn

if you can’t see more than a couple of feet under the water.  Lipless cranks have rattles and will attract fish.  Spinnerbaits displace a lot of water and will attract fish.  A well-placed jig will attract strikes from staging bass and even bedded fish.  A Senko has the exact same effect.

On the second day of the Bassmaster Classic last month, I spent the day in Alton Jones’ boat.  Alton was fishing pre spawn and spawning bass.  What did he have tied on?  A Yum Dinger (Senko copy), a flipping tube (essentially a jig), and a buzzbait were his lure choices.  For much of the day, Jones couldn’t actually see the bass or their beds, but he knew he had the right baits to attract and catch pre spawn fish.

It really didn’t matter whether the bass were spawning the goal is to catch the fish, not to specifically catch the bass on their beds.

Remember that you can run into spawning fish almost anywhere on the Delta at anytime in the spring.  If you keep that fact in the back of your head and stay laser-focused on catching “staging” fish, you will be rewarded greatly.  But, if you decide to only fish for bass on beds, you might find the California Delta, Lake Havasu, Lake Mead, or even Lake Powell a very frustrating place to fish this time of year.

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Florida pro Chris Lane held on to his lead, weighed 15.4 pounds of bass, and secured the 2012 champion’s trophy and a check for $500,000 dollars. Lane stuck to his game plan and ran downstream through a lock and began the day in a backwater area that produced fish on the first day of the tournament.  He found spawning bass in very shallow water and caught his five-fish limit by 9:30 a.m.  “I could have tried for 10 or 12 pounds to make sure I kept it close,” he said, “but I didn’t want to do that.  I wanted to go for big fish, the big bag, and I really wanted to win it all.”

After leaving his primary area on the Red River, Lane locked back through to the upper pool (lake) and found another backwater. “I really need to cull at least two of my fish,” Lane said.   In an interview with my media partner, Bob Johnson, Lane commented that he really believed there was a 25-pound limit waiting out there to be caught.  Though he might have been overoptimistic about what Sunday would produce, he caught enough bass to win the tournament by close to four pounds over his closest competition, Greg Vinson.

The weights for the third and final day of the tournament dipped significantly from day two.  The largest weight of the day was turned in by Ott Defoe at 17.7 pounds.  But, the average weights on the last day were down around 12 pounds.  Though a lot of bass were moving onto their spawning beds, many of the larger fish were caught on day two which left many of the anglers struggling to catch the “right” sized fish. Alton Jones weighed 14.3 pounds but couldn’t get that one big bite.  Others like Greg Vinson lost fish at the boat that would have helped him significantly.  “On the second day and today, I lost a couple of monster fish,” Vinson lamented.

The Lane family is no stranger to professional bass angling.  In fact, Chris’ brother Bobby also made the

Super Six and by doing so set a new Bassmaster Classic record.  “Bobby and I have always been supported in our bass fishing by our parents.  This is a family victory.”   Bobby struggled on the final day and finished the tournament in 20^th place after weighing just over 5 pounds for the day.

It is amazing how things work out.  If you have been following my reports this week, you’ll note that in the “pregame” report the photo for the story including Chris Lane and me.  But, as usual, there was a story connected to the photo.  We were standing in line at lunch on at Media Day and I mistakenly called Chris “Bobby”.  He kindly reminded me he was actually “Chris” which began our conversation.  Bob Johnson took the photo and he then decided to sit and have lunch with us.

I asked him how he thought he would do this week and here is his response. “I really feel good about my practice.  I found some good fish but with this cold weather we’re expecting, I’m not sure they will still be there during the tournament.  When the temperature drops so much in a short while, it can really mess up the fish.  But, it’s the same for all the guys … and somebody is going to catch them.”

Well, that somebody was Chris Lane, and the bass fishing world has a very able and exciting new champion.

The Top Six Anglers And Their Weights:

1. Chris Lane – 51.6 pounds
2. Greg Vinson – 47.15 pounds
3. Keith Poche – 45.15 pounds
4. Alton Jones – 45.14 pounds
5. Ott Defoe – 44.14 pounds
6. Timmy Horton – 44.13 pounds

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Many anglers once again headed toward the locks and a very long and cold ride to the areas that produced so well on the first day of competition.  As Alton Jones’ name was read, he leaned over that said, “Don’t worry about bundling up, we’re only going a short distance.”  He took the boat to speed and within a few hundred yards made a sharp turn and ran straight into a very tight and shallow backwater within site of the launch area.

For the next two hours, Jones fished hard with three baits, two Gitzits rigged on different rods, and a “Yum Dinger” which is a lure that mirrors the Senko made by Gary Yamamoto. Regardless of the choice of lures, it was as if he were fishing in the Great Salt Lake during a drought.

As the air and water temperatures began to warm, several flocks of Cormorants flew over our small, shallow backwater.   The reaction on the surface of the water was immediate.  Each time the birds passed over our little bayou, fish that were essentially nonexistent before, began slapping the surface as they darted to and fro in the shallow water, avoiding the fish-eating marauders.

“I think the fish are getting more active,” said Jones as he hooked and landed his first bass.  The cormorants had awakened the fish. Over the few hours, Jones caught over 30 fish and weighed 17.8 pounds to propel himself all the way to 3nd place going into the final day.  Jones caught most of his fish on the Yum Dinger and never lost confidence in his Gitzits.  All of his baits eventually caught fish.

Greg Vinson, the second place finisher on day one, backed up his first day’s weight with 15.12 pounds on day two holding on to 2nd place going into the final day.  Keith Poche, the leader after day one stumbled and only weighed 11.80 pounds dropping him to 10^th place overall.

The top Six anglers heading into the final day are as follows:

1. Chris Lane – 35.8 pounds
2. Greg Vinson – 34.80 pounds
3. Alton Jones – 31.11 pounds
4. Bobby Lane – 30.12 pounds
5. Edwin Evers – 30.70 pounds
6. Dustin Wilks – 30.30 pounds.

With temperatures moderating overnight and the bass moving up to their spawning beds, the final day of the 2012 Bassmaster Classic promises to be a real shoot out. The cormorants were a warning sign of the predatory activities of the 25 (after Saturday’s cut) best anglers in the world as they tackle the Red River for one final day.

Alton Jones is a great bass from Day-two of the Classic

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The Red River is a navigable body of water with a series of locks controlling barge traffic up and down the river’s length.  At least 25 of the 59 anglers chose to “lock down” into pool number 4.  Defending Classic Champion, Kevin VanDam was among those who felt water conditions were better in the lower pool.

Although conditions may have been better below the locks, the anglers still had to work for each and every bite.  I was paired with Ish Monroe and he also went downstream to a tiny backwater area, the entrance to which was less than a foot deep.  A boat was already stuck in the mud as we approached the area.  After a 10-minute battle, and using Monroe’s push pole (that he loaned Josh Polfer), he finally cleared the entrance and dropped back into 2-feet of water.

Monroe and I worked our way into the small backwater and were surprised that we had no problem at all getting into the pool (fears that I would weigh his boat down turned out to be unfounded).  After allowing Polfer’s boat to continue beyond a couple of flooded trees, Monroe began casting a swimbait right next to the trees in 2-feet of water.  It took less than five minutes for him to catch a five-fish limit of aggressive though smallish largemouth bass.

Although Monroe caught his limit early, he struggled the rest of the day to improve his weight and the only large fish he hooked broke his line before getting it in the boat.  He ended the day in the middle of the pack, weighing 9 pounds and 10 ounces.

The tournament leaders as of my press deadline were as follows: In first place (with several boats left to weigh in) Keith Poche, 17.13 pounds, followed by Greg Vinson, with 17.12 pounds, Dustin Wilkes at 16.9, David Walker with 16.8, and Ott DeFoe rounding out the top five with 16.6 pounds.

Kevin VanDam weighed 11 pounds even and threw spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and jigs all day long.  Most of the anglers reported catching a lot of fish but failed to get the one big bite. “I think the cold front made the larger fish finicky,” said Ish Monroe. “And, the problem is that tomorrow those big fish will even be harder to catch.”

Day two will see improving weather but the day will start out in the low 40s, and with the prevailing wind it will feel like a mid-30s start to the day.  Although no one who finished day-one lower than 15^th position has ever won the Bassmaster Classic, there are at least 25 anglers within striking distance of the top spot going into day two.  There are a lot of fish yet to be caught and some great stories yet to be told, so stay tuned.

Ish Monroe catches one fish of his 10-pound limit.

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Most anglers in this year’s event are focusing on “power fishing” baits.  Although many have their own secret colors, shapes, or sizes,  flipping and pitching “creature baits” as well as using spinnerbaits and even small crankbaits seem to be the approaches of choice in the shallow off-colored water.

I will be paired with Ish Monroe, a California native and good friend who was seriously disappointed that he drew me for the first day of competition.  ”Man what a deal,” said Monroe after hearing the news. “The one time I was hoping to draw a guy who is a tiny and skinny, I get you Don (all 6-foot 4-inches and 230 pounds).”  Monroe is fishing in a very shallow backwater section just off the main channel of the Red River and has to pass through an area less than a foot deep in order to access his fish.  He says he has found some good fish but is very uncertain that he can even find them. “I actually put a different set of batteries in my boat just to lighten it up so I could get all the way back to my fish … but yesterday I really had to struggle to get close.”

We’ll see tomorrow if conditions will allow Monroe to get into his fish.

Some anglers may try to make long runs either north or south to get away from the rest of the field and have the opportunity to target less pressured fish. “If some of the anglers run a long way,” says Davy Hite, “they will be trying to avoid other anglers but risk not having a lot of time to put fish in the boat.  If you travel far enough to have to pass through some locks, you will be robbed of precious fishing time when you arrive at your destination.  So, with a short fishing window if the fish aren’t ready to bite you may simply run out of time.  This the risk guys have to take when fishing an event like the Classic.”

The 2009 Bassmaster Classic was held in the same venue and anglers that fished that event see some similarities and some stark differences when comparing the two years.  ”One of my best areas in ’09,” said Aaron Martens, I had to fight the shallow water to get back to the fish.  But, now, I can go in the area on plane, and what’s more, you can fish all day long in that area and only weigh 10 pounds of bass.”

Estimates are that 55 pounds of bass will win the 2012 Classic.  That equates to roughly 17 to 18 pounds a day.  With changing weather conditions that are expected to drop air temperatures by as much as 20 degrees over the next 24 hours, and wind which has been gusting to 25 miles per hour all day today, the pros, the media, and the fans, can’t wait  to see who will figure out the fish , catch 15 of them over the three-day event and become the 2012 winner of Bassmaster Classic walking away with a cool $500,000 dollars.

Chris Lane Tells writer, Don Allphin how he plans to win the 2012 Bassmaster Classic

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The latest business squarely in the sights of the June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program for possible extermination is the CLAS Ropes Course . Ben Allen operates a canoeing and river touring business on the lower Provo River as part of his leadership and team building exercises taught on the river’s edge in west Provo, Utah.

“We have provided people with the opportunity to canoe and to take sightseeing and educational tours along the lower Provo in conjunction with our ropes course for 18 years,” says Allen. “But, when the June Sucker Recovery people decided to change where the Provo River flows into Utah Lake, they told me I will soon be out business (at least as far as access to the Provo River is concerned). The water venues produce close to $100,000 dollars a year for our family.”

The June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program (JSRIP) recently held an Open House to describe in detail the plan to stop the flow of the Provo River and then to create an artificial delta that they hope will be provide better spawning habitat for the June sucker.  It is estimated that the cost to taxpayers of the new project will top 20 million dollars just for starters.  According to program documents the project could begin as soon as 2013.

This project follows the creation of the Hobble Creek Delta project, a three million dollar investment that, according to officials is seeing some success.  One assessment reported finding eight juvenile suckers using the newly built delta.  Wow!  Three million dollars spent for eight suckers that successfully negotiated their way passed the hundreds of waiting pelicans, cormorants, and grebes to end up being discovered by members of the June sucker recovery team.  Needless to say, questions still remain as to the long-term potential of the Hobble Creek Delta since too few suckers are currently using the area to accurately predict future success.

The controversial June Sucker Recovery Program has been a disaster from the very beginning.  I once attended a meeting in which the chief biologist working on the project reported that the “true reason the sucker couldn’t be recovered is that there are 49 million carp in the 26 mile long lake and they are destroying the natural habitat.”  Upon closer inspection of their method for determining the “nasty” carp population, they were forced to lower their estimates to around 7 million carp.  Incidents like these and the shear insanity of saving a fish species that no one recognizes, few in any people have ever encountered, and in all reality is a fairly recent hybrid species — not even a true, native, June sucker, leaves people scratching their heads in wonderment of our government’s mandate to “save such fish” to the tune of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars.

To add insult to injury, the chances of successfully recovering the June sucker is a stunning one percent.  That’s correct; our government will potentially spend hundreds of millions of dollars with a ONE percent chance of success.  Citing a “Memorandum To Interested Parties” published first by the Budd-Falen Law Firm in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and written by Karen Budd Falen: “As of May, 2010, there are [have been] 1374 species listed as threatened or endangered … and only 21 have been recovered.”  Since its publication, close to 400 additional species are in the process of being listed at a per-species cost (just to be listed) of between $500,000 and 750,000 dollars.

In a nutshell, the proposed Provo River Delta project will seriously damage at least one business on the lower Provo River, damage or destroy parts of several long-standing farms, disrupt the existing river flow and possibly destroy the public’s ability to fish one of the most popular sections of the river, and will permanently alter crucial spawning habitat for walleyes, white bass, largemouth bass, crappies, and bluegills all in the name of preserving a hybridized “trash fish “.

Ben Allen of CLAS Ropes Course simply wants to continue to operate his business through a very tough economy. “I don’t believe it’s wrong to try to save a species.  And, I’m sure there are those who have some great ideas on how to do that.  But at what cost do we proceed?  How can our government continue to spend money like a drunken sailor on projects such as the Provo River Delta that have never been proven to be successful while destroying people’s economic lives in the process?”  Great question Ben.

To learn more about this boondoggle, email me at don@donallphin.com

June Sucker Recovery – A New Threat To Business

Benjamin Allen, the well respected owner of the CLAS Ropes Course, is the latest business squarely in the sights of the June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program.  Allen operates a canoeing and river touring business on the lower Provo River as part of his leadership and team building exercises taught on his ropes course located on West Center Street.

“We have provided people with the opportunity to canoe and to take sightseeing and educational tours along the lower Provo in conjunction with our ropes course for 18 years,” says Allen. “But, when the June Sucker Recovery people decided to change where the Provo River flows into Utah Lake, they told me I will soon be out business (at least as far as access to the Provo River is concerned). That portion of our business produces close to $100,000 dollars a year for our family.”

The June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program (JSRIP) recently held an Open House to describe in detail the plan to stop the flow of the Provo River very near the recently-completed Lakeshore Drive Bridge, and then to create an artificial delta that their biologists believe will be provide better spawning habitat for the June sucker.  It is estimated that the cost to taxpayers of the new project will top 20 million dollars.  According to program documents the project could begin as soon as 2013.

This follows the creation of the Hobble Creek Delta project, a three million dollar investment that, according to officials is seeing some limited success.  One assessment I saw recently reported finding eight juvenile suckers using the newly built delta.  Questions still remain as to the long-term potential of the Hobble Creek Delta since too few suckers are currently using the area to accurately predict future success.

The controversial June Sucker Recovery Program has never received positive public support since few could understand why the government is committed (by law) to preserve, in this case, a (hybridized) non-game fish species at a potential cost over time of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars.

To add insult to injury, the chances of successfully recovering the June sucker is a stunning one percent.  That’s correct; our government will potentially spend hundreds of millions of dollars with a ONE percent chance of success.  Citing a “Memorandum To Interested Parties” published first by the Budd-Falen Law Firm in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and written by Karen Budd Falen: “As of May, 2010, there are [have been] 1374 species listed as threatened or endangered … and only 21 have been recovered.”  Since its publication, close to 300 additional species are in the process of being listed at a per-species cost (just to be listed) of close to $750,000 dollars.

In a nutshell, the current Provo River Delta project will seriously damage at least one business on the lower Provo River, destroy parts of several long-standing farms, disrupt the existing river flow and thus alter and possibly destroy the public’s ability to fish one of the most popular sections of the river, and will permanently alter crucial spawning habitat for walleyes, white bass, largemouth bass, crappies, and bluegills, all in the name of preserving the June sucker.

Benjamin Allen of CLAS Ropes Course simply wants to continue to operate his business through a very tough economy. “I don’t believe it’s wrong to try to save a species.  And, I’m sure there are those who have some great ideas on how to do that.  But at what cost do we proceed?  How can our government continue to spend money like a drunken sailor on projects such as the Provo River Delta that have never been proven to be successful while destroying people’s economic lives in the process?”

For more information on the Provo River Delta Project email me at: don@donallphin.com and I’ll send you the links to the appropriate websites.

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It's never too cold for trout

Bass fishing is my passion, there is no question about it.  But, if I can use bass tackle and catch other species of fish — I’m there in a heartbeat.  About  decade ago I discovered a method for locating and targeting large cutthroat and rainbow trout on Strawberry Reservoir, a trophy trout fishery in north central Utah.  Cutthroat trout were planted in the reservoir to curb the ever-growing chub population and of course, as most things with underfunded and overly arrogant DWR (Division of  wildlife Resources) biologists, for the first few years the cutthroats found they liked eating triploid, sterile rainbows more than they liked eating chubs –go figure.

It was during those first years that the cuts were growing that I took a chance on fishing for trout just like I fish for bass.  Now, before you trollers decide this article isn’t for you, just hear  me out.  For many years I watched as those who love to troll on Strawberry would put all sorts of contraptions on the ends of their stiff trolling rods and target the rainbows.  I always thought it was too much trouble to use such methods but one particular lure they used caught my eye.  A long, lifelike rendition of a minnow swimming through the water column at whatever level the down rigger was running seemed to catch a lot of fish.  Rapalas were the most popular of those lures and I, usually fishing for trout with cheese and marshmallows or casting a fly and a bubble, was fascinated that the trout would eat such a large presentation.

So, as I furthered my career writing about and fishing for bass, I took the opportunity to try out some of my bass fishing lures on the trout.  I did not troll, but treated the reservoir just as I would a bass lake.  I studied the points, the bays, the small coves, the structure whether is was grass, weeds, flooded sage brush, rocks, or sand.  I noticed the beaver dams, their trails in and out of the water and I quickly determined that if trout were bass, just exactly where they would want to live.  I studies their ambush points, behind rocks and in front of grass beds.  I explored the backs of coves and bay in shallow water while I imagined a giant bass lurking under the grass mats in the smaller coves and bays.

Finally, after several hours of this kind on intense study, I pulled out a rod with a 5-inch jerkbait (a suspending minnow just like a Rapala) and began throwing my lure to the exact spots I would if I were fishing for bass.  Whamm!  The first cast was interrupted by a huge strike by an overly-aggressive cutthroat.  The fish had been waiting in the exact kind of ambush area I would have expected a bass to be hiding.  And, that first strike changed my entire life when it came to fishing on trout waters in the late summer and throughout the fall.

So,  from experiment to science, I love my trips to Strawberry starting after Labor Day and continuing through November.  I fish for trout just like I fish for bass.  I move in and out of small coves and bays, or target long gentle sloping points that jut out into the main lake.  I fish all parts of Strawberry but concentrate on areas that have grass beds, rocky points, or a combination of the two.

If I were searching for trout during this time and didn’t want to fish for them as if they were bass, here are a few suggestions.

1.  Live on the fish finder.  Look for fish in the classic depths — 19 to 35 feet.  Look for the fish around point mainly or along vertical walls (in the narrows) where fish might want to suspend while waiting for forage to swim by.

2.  Try to get the old days out of your mind.  So many anglers want to fish yesterday’s fish.  This year, with all the new water, this and almost every other reservoir in Utah is essentially a new lake.  Your old spot may now be 10 to 15 feet deeper and the fish have moved away.

3.  Don’t be afraid to experiment with your presentations.  Far too many anglers fish with the same tired lures for decades.  The truth is that flatfish may still work but the advances in tackle development over the years has made those baits rather basic at best and down right ancient and useless at worst.  Go smaller and go larger — don’t be afraid to try new things.

4.  Pick your poison.  If you want to fish for rainbows, look for 35 feet of water in the backs of coves and bays.  They won’t school up and concentrate until the water cools some.  If you want giant cutthroats go to the points, the rocks or the edges of grass mats and be prepared to only catch a handful of big fish each day.  Be satisfied with a few huge fish instead of a dozen slot fish.

I dearly love Strawberry this time of year.  I enjoy the challenge of figuring out where the fish are living and what they want to eat.  And, the more I explore, the more I research, the more I am convinced that cutthroat trout are just a skinnier version of a big old bass, wanting to ambush their prey and chase down and eat whatever minnow they seek.

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