Fishbytes is a weekly outdoors report provided by redrockadventure.com. It is posted on our website and sent as an email newsletter (subscribe or unsubscribe). Please forward it to others you think may be interested. View archived past reports.

Thursday Jan 8

Many of our ice fishing waters have become spotty - they can be very good in one spot and slow just a short distance away. It really helps if you use a fish finder to identify areas and depths where fish are active. Hike away from the easy access points and plan to move around, drilling a lot of holes.

Fish Lake is this week's hot spot, with good ice fishing for splake, perch, rainbows and some lake trout. Try fishing the deep-water side of weed beds (found along most shorelines). Use jigs or heavy lures tipped with perch meat or other cutbaits.

Joes Valley offers good but spotty ice fishing. The best reports come from the north end, from anglers using tube jigs tipped with worms or chub meat.

Otter Creek is also good but spotty. Most fish are being caught at depths of only about 6-10 feet, using jigs or lures tipped with meal worms, night crawlers or minnow meat.

Yuba and Mill Meadow offer good perch fishing. Perch are popular targets through the ice because they are relatively easy to catch. Mill Meadow also offers some rainbows.

At Strawberry and Scofield, fishing has been slow for most people. But those who get into the right spots are catching nice fish.

Rockport and Echo are unusually slow. Jordanelle has solid ice around the Provo River inlet, with fair fishing. The rest of the lake has had unsafe ice. Deer Creek ice has been unsafe.

Flaming Gorge has solid ice on the Wyoming side, but open water on the Utah side. Utah boat ramps are open. Fishing is good from ice or boat.

Bear Lake's cisco run is expected to begin about Jan 20. At this writing, the lake is ice-free. Ice or not, the spawn will attract a good number of people who will use minnow nets to scoop up the small fish as they come into shallow water.
- See details about last year's spawn
- Read more about cisco
- Bear Lake Ice Fishing

At Bear Lake, boats can be launched at the Utah State Park marina and Cisco Beach ramps. DWR predicts good action for cutthroat and lake trout on the east side and just south of Gus Rich Point - jigging over weed-beds in 20-30 feet of water.

Green River has good winter fly fishing. Read Steve Schmidt's report.

Deseret News
- Utah resorts offering learn-to-ski packages
- Outdoor notes
- Book review: Need a little bit more adventure in your life? Utah author showcases ultimate travel spots in 'Rough Guide'
- Avalanche awareness
- Snowbasin withdraws backcountry request
- Utah study finds some deer mice are hantavirus 'super spreaders'
- Winter gaining traction
- Timber company drops road deal with Forest Service
- Least chub will get 2nd chance
- Logan company floats hydropower plan
- Expect more snow, rain, but chill should ease
- Ranchers oppose relocation of some Yellowstone bison
- More bang for your buck: 2009 will be the year of the travel deal - if you have the funds
- Rescuers find 2 sets of missing snowmobilers
- Idaho volunteers pull moose from icy lake

Salt Lake Tribune
- Prettyman: Going to the mountains for answers
- A giant of an elk taken in Utah breaks record with its antlers
- Two escape avalanche near Brighton
- World votes for New 7 Wonders of Nature list
- Study: Glen Canyon, Zion lead in Utah park rescues
- Utahns can get lucky with January ski deals
- Reward for eagle poacher
- Firefighters near containment of Colo. wildfire

KUTV
- Scofield Ice Fishing
- Cabo San Lucas ATV

Other
- On the trail of giants in Utah's own Jurassic Park
- Trout limit changes on waterways
- Busy day for search and rescue along the Wasatch Front

Regional
- Conservation groups threaten suit over oil shale
- Groups Fight to Protect Fish, Wildlife, and Wilderness Areas
- Stinky bait helps calculate Utah bear numbers
- Fish and Game Need Help Finding Poachers
- Idaho Fish and Game to host sportsman's breakfast
- Idaho Fish and Game fee increases could hit snag
- Chukar hunting season ends soon
- Three Moose Captured in Idaho Falls by Idaho Fish and Game
- Officials worried about N. Idaho deer populations
- Cougar on the loose
- Volunteers pull moose from icy Idaho lake
- Officials studying E. Idaho duck deaths
- Be a better birder: Know your bird songs
- Ask Zimo: Elk collar might look tight, but it's mostly hair
- Tips offered to catch sturgeon
- Wolf debate lingers into new year
- Odd elk logic
- There may be better days ahead for salmon runs
- Cougar attacks dogs in Gimlet
- Poll: People in Montana and Wyoming say Energy, Environment Can Exist Side by Side
- Artist catches eyes with lifelike glass fish
- Earthquake Swarm: Whole Lotta Shakin' at Yellowstone
- Colorado hunting, fishing licenses extended to March
- Fishing for Avid Anglers: Experience Colorado's Historic 4UR Ranch
- Five tips to help make your next winter fly fishing excursion a success
- Nashua library lecturers reveal secrets to catching 'The Big One'
- Ritter, sportsmen disconnect
- Our state offers a plethora of year-round fishing options
- Denver once again hosts both the Fly Fishing Show and the International Sportsmen's Expo
- Safety is key when out on the ice
- Chinook returning to Sacramento River down
- IN THE OUTDOORS: Trout-virus scare a false alarm
- Fishing business drying up amid stocking ban

I escaped to St George over the holiday and enjoyed exploring backcountry areas, including a Joshua tree forest along Beaver Dam Wash. My blog describes the trip. Here are some of my photos:
- Beaver Dam Wash
- Warner Valley rock art
- Warner Valley dinosaur tracks
- Huge petrified logs

DWR's Starvation Perch Search: THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED because of deteriorating ice conditions. Perch are hard to find in Starvation, so the idea is to saturate the reservoir with anglers to see if we can locate perch hotspots. The search will start at 8:30 am at the State Park boat ramp.

Polar Plunge, Jan 19, Hyrum State Park. This is a Law Enforcement Special Olympic sponsored plunge (jump) into Hyrum Lake.

Cinder Cone Hike, 10-11:30 am Jan 19, Snow Canyon State Park (Ivins, Utah). Learn about volcanoes and the volcanic activity responsible for the lava flows in the park. Hike to the top of the Snow Canyon cinder cone during this 1.5-mile round-trip hike. Space is limited. Registration required.

St. George Winter Bird Festival, Jan 29 - Feb 1. This annual festival is presented by the Red Cliffs Audubon Society and is held at the Tonaquint Nature Center & Park. Daytime activities include: presentations, workshops, kid's activities, field trips and displays. There is an evening programs and banquet with keynote speaker. Designed for beginning and experienced birders. To print a brochure, poster, schedule go to www.sgcity.org/birdfestival or www.redcliffsaudubon.org. More information: Marilyn Davis, Festival Chairman, 435-673-0996.