10/16/2007

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

Curtain Call For Warm Water Fish

Don't miss it: some of the year's best warm water fishing is happening now.

Warm water fishing is excellent at Jordanelle Reservoir. - Photo courtesy of Scott Root As the year progresses, open water fishing for warm water fish closes down. But just like in a good play, the cast (in this case, the warm water fish) always comes out for a final curtain call or two.

And when that curtain call happens, the fishing can be fast and furious.

In northern Utah, the curtain calls are usually in October while in southern Utah, they might stretch into November.

Look near the surface and in the shallows

As the weather cools the surface of the water in the fall, bass, walleye, bluegill and other warm water predators move back into the shallows to feed on minnows, the last of the summer insects, crayfish and other prey.

This gives anglers one last opportunity for some fast fishing for warm water fish.

"By the end of the summer, the surface waters on many of our lakes and reservoirs are a bit too warm," says Ron Stewart, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) regional conservation outreach manager. "Fish usually respond by going deeper to reach cooler waters. And that makes it more difficult for anglers to find them.

"In the fall, the surface waters cool again," Stewart says. "That allows these fish to come back up to the surface and makes them more accessible to anglers.

"These fish are generally quite aggressive as they search for food. You can often find them in the shallow water, searching for their prey.

"The combination of an aggressive predator, in close to shore, is an opportunity for anglers of all ages."

Tips:

	Baits, lures and flies can all work well during the fall.
	Look for signs of fish activity along the shoreline. This includes viewing fish as they cruise along the banks, fish jumping, swirls where a fish is feeding or seeing minnows scatter among the shallows (when minnows do this, it often looks like someone threw a handful of sand into the water).
	If possible, try and match what the fish are feeding on. Then cast your line out into the general area where the fish are, or out in front of the fish.

"Make sure you get out and take advantage of this great fall fishing," Stewart says. "It's often a play worthy of a standing ovation."

Best waters

Utah has many good warm water fisheries. And right now, several of them are providing great fishing.

"The warm weather this fall has produced some great warm water fishing at several waters. As long as the weather doesn't get outrageous [as far as getting cold and stormy], it should stay good," says Drew Cushing, warm water fisheries coordinator for the DWR.

"October is a great month to fish for warm water fish. They're feeding aggressively right now as they try to put on an extra layer of fat before the winter."

Cushing says the following waters are providing some of the best warm water fishing in Utah right now. To stay updated on fishing throughout the fall, visit the DWR's fishing reports page at wildlife.utah.gov/fishing/reports.php:

Northern Utah

Water	Fishing is best for:
Mantua Reservoir	Largemouth bass, bluegill

Pineview Reservoir	Black crappie, smallmouth bass

Willard Bay	Wiper

Rockport	Yellow perch

Central Utah

Water	Fishing is best for:
Utah Lake	White bass

Jordanelle Reservoir	Smallmouth bass, yellow perch

Yuba Reservoir	Walleye

Northeastern Utah

Water	Fishing is best for:
Pelican Lake	Largemouth bass, bluegill

Starvation Reservoir	Walleye, yellow perch

Red Fleet Reservoir	Bluegill, largemouth bass

Steinaker Reservoir	Bluegill, largemouth bass

Southeastern Utah

Water	Fishing is best for:
Lake Powell	Striped bass

Recapture Reservoir	Largemouth bass, Northern pike

Huntington Reservoir	Largemouth bass

Southwestern Utah

Water	Fishing is best for:
Newcastle Reservoir	Wiper, smallmouth bass

Sand Hollow Reservoir	Largemouth bass, bluegill

Gunlock Reservoir	Largemouth bass

Quail Creek Reservoir	Black crappie

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