Annual ice fishing tourney at Scofield Reservoir

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The annual ice fishing Tournament took place on Saturday at Scofield from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. There were approximately 300 entries. The event is sponsored by the Division of Wildlife Resources and the Utah State Parks. The day was cold and the fish were small, but the crowd had an enjoyable time.
Brent Stettler Conservation Outreach Manager Division of Wildlife Resources reported, “The fishing success was slow. The top five rainbow trout measured 13 5/8, 13.5, 13.5, 12 7/8, 12 3/8 inches. The three winners of the chub contest caught the following number of chubs: 83, 62, 58.”
Jonathon Hunt, state parks manager for Scofield, Huntington and Millsite cooked hamburgers for the crowd.
If you would like to learn more about ice fishing, you can learn the basics of ice fishing at a free clinic on Jan. 8. Staying warm and comfortable on the ice, the type of fishing gear you’ll need, and how to get on the ice and drill a hole, are among the basics you’ll learn.
After learning the basics, experienced ice anglers and biologists with the Division of Wildlife Resources will share tips and tricks that will help you catch fish at four of the state’s best ice fishing waters: Bear Lake, Pineview Reservoir, Scofield Reservoir and Fish Lake.
The free Jan. 8 clinic is sponsored by Utah’s Blue Ribbon Fisheries Advisory Council. It runs from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Department of Natural Resources, 1594 W. North Temple in Salt Lake City.
Paul Birdsey, cold water sport fisheries coordinator for the DWR, says the clinic is open to anyone who has an interest in ice fishing. “If you’re a beginning angler,” Birdsey says, “the clinic will give you the confidence you need to gather your gear and hit the ice.”
Birdsey says tips to catch fish at the four waters should benefit all anglers, no matter your skill level. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginning or an advanced ice angler,” he says. “The tips you receive should help you catch more fish.”
If you have questions about the clinic, call the DWR’s Salt Lake City office at 801-538-4700.
Ice fishing success hinges on three things: Putting your bait or lure at the depth the fish are and then not moving it much are the keys to catching fish through the ice. And using some simple devices that will help you know when you have a fish on the end of your line is a big help too. Fish become lethargic when they’re under the ice. Fish will often stay at a certain water depth all winter long and they aren’t as willing to move fast to catch their food.
Whether you’re searching for fish or trying to catch fish after you’ve found them, don’t move your bait or lure much. Keep it still. If you decide to give your bait or lure a little action, move it up and down only an inch or two. And move it slowly. If you move your bait or lure too much or too fast, the fish might decide it’s not worth their effort to catch what you’re offering them. The best thing to do is find the depth where the fish are. Then drop your bait or lure right in front of the fish so it’s easy for them to bite it.
The depth at which you’ll find fish varies depending on the species you’re after. No matter which water you’re fishing in Utah, you’ll probably find the following fish at the following depths: Yellow perch-Either right on the bottom of the water you’re fishing, or no more than six inches above the bottom.
Splake- Close to the bottom. Trout, kokanee salmon-Suspended at various depths. The depth at which trout and salmon can be found ranges from just under the ice to as much as 15 feet below the ice. Once you find the depth at which trout or salmon are suspended in a water there’s a good chance you’ll find them at that same depth throughout the winter.
To catch trout and salmon, fish your bait or lure just under the surface. If you don’t get a bite, lower your bait or lure a few feet. Try that depth for awhile. If the fish still aren’t biting, continue lowering your bait or lure a few feet at a time. If you’re using the right bait or lure, and you’re still not catching fish, you’ll know trout and salmon are not using that part of the lake at that time.
Bluegill, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass-Near brush, bulrushes, rocks and weeds. Look for vegetation that’s sticking up through the ice or ridges that extend down into the water. To find the depth where the fish are, start by dropping your bait or lure all the way to the bottom of the water you’re fishing. Then raise your bait or lure 6 to 12 inches at a time until you find the fish.
Burbot, walleye, tiger muskie, Northern pike-Near the bottom of the water you’re fishing. Each of these fish likes to pick baits or lures up, swim a ways with them, and then drop them. Fishing with the bail on your reel open, or using a device called a tip up, are good ways to let the fish run with your bait or lure before you set the hook.
If you’re not sure which depth to try, ask others who are catching fish near you. Most anglers are very willing to tell you the depth at which they’re catching fish.
Remember fish aren’t everywhere in a lake. If you drill a hole and fish for 30 minutes without getting any bites, move to a new spot. Once you find a spot that has fish keep coming back. More often than not, an ice fishing hotspot will stay hot throughout the winter.
Not only do fish move less under the ice, they also don’t bite as aggressively. And that can make it challenging to know when a fish is striking your bait or lure. If you’re relying on your fishing rod to tell you when a fish is on the end of your line, you might not know when it’s time to set the hook. Use a bobber.
Measure the amount of line that will put your bait or lure at the depth you want to fish. Then attach your bobber at that point on your line. The bobber will sit on top of the water with your line dangling under it. When you see the bobber move, you’ll know it’s time to raise your fishing rod and set the hook.
You can also try a tip up. It is a device that takes the place of your fishing rod. When a fish takes your bait, a mechanism on the tip up sends a small flag up,
letting you know a fish is on the end of your line. Using a tip up makes it easier to fish in two holes and you can drill two holes a ways apart and still know when a fish is biting the line in either hole.