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Finally, we should get a Saturday with decent conditions for ice fishing. There is a small storm coming in, and a chance of snow Saturday night, but Sunday may also offer good conditions.

I’ll probably try my luck at Rockport. It has recently frozen and should offer good action for trout and perch.

If I had more time I’d go to Strawberry or Fish Lake. Both have been good for larger trout.

Now’s also the time to try for big lake trout through the ice on Flaming Gorge up near Buckboard. Ling fishing should also be good on the FG Wyoming side.

Ice Fishing Tip
DWR has this good article giving basic ice fishing tips. Below are excerpts.

You don’t need a lot of expensive equipment. A short rod and reel; some line, hooks and wax worms or meal worms; and a digging bar or an ice auger are all you need to get started.

Because you can dig two holes close together, ice fishing is a great way to
double your fun by fishing with two poles. Just make sure you have a two-pole
permit before you dip that second line in the water.

Dead Birds Falling From The Sky
Several news reports this week described birds falling dead from the sky, large numbers of fish turning belly up, and other strange phenomenon. What does it all mean? Some wonder if we are seeing the start of an apocalypse or something.

Nope. Natural Geographic has this article explaining the occurrences. In Arkansas, for example, blackbird deaths were apparently caused by New Years Eve fireworks.

Scofield Ice Fishing Tournament will be Saturday.

Flaming Gorge Buckboard Burbot Bash Ice Fishing Derby will be Jan 22.

Bear Lake Cisco Disco will be Jan 22.

- Dave

FishBytes is sponsored by WebbStuf.com, specializing in Utah web development.

We are now in the heart of the ice fishing season and action is good at many waters.

Strawberry is the place if you are after big fish. Some very nice cutts have been taken recently through the ice. The 'Berry can be finicky. Some people enjoy great action, some see slow success.

Fish Lake is frozen and offers good action for splace, rainbows, a few lake trout and tons of small perch.

Rockport has finally developed fishable ice and it should be good for trout and perch.

Pineview is spotty - with fast action if you get over a school of perch. Good reports have come from The Narrows near the dam. Tiger musky follow the perch and are caught occasionally. It is a real thrill to try to land one through the ice.

Utah Lake has been spotty. The harbors are frozen and have been fished hard. Action there has been slow to fair. Some guys report catching large numbers of bluegill in other spots.

Many other waters are frozen and have good fishing. Some reservoirs still have open water or unsafe ice, so use caution.

Deer Creek has unsafe ice on the north end and open water to the south, at last report. It may or may not freeze solid this winter.

Bear Lake State Park Marina is frozen but the rest of the lake has open water. Boats can be launched from the east side. The annual cisco run should begin in a couple weeks. About half the time the lake is frozen for the cisco run, half the time it has open water.

Flaming Gorge has fishable ice down past Buckboard, but the Utah side is mostly open water. Ice fishing has been good on the Wyoming side.

Streams now offer good nymph fishing for whitefish and an occasional trout. There is deep snow in many areas so access will probably be difficult.

DWR Utah Wildlife News
- Give ice fishing a try!
- No trapping change
- More bear hunting permits
- New black bear plan

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