|
|||||||||
Visit our Sponsor!
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Redmond Reservoir For Northerns |
|
By Terry E. Corbridge
A small article in the newspaper about northern pike being in Redmond Reservoir got me started. I checked around, including at some sporting goods stores, and couldn't find anyone who had fished Redmond. I would occasionally see small notes in fishing reports, but nothing significant. For a year I kept telling myself I had to try Redmond. I've wanted to catch a northern pike for a long time. All winter, I read fishing magazines and watched TV programs concerning northern pike. The excitement started to grow. I had to catch a northern. This spring, I could wait no longer. My brother, Gene, agreed to try it with me. He even furnished the van and boat. I put together a tackle box of large spoons, rapalas, spinners and pike lures. The UTAH FISHING map furnished the directions to Redmond. The time had come. Gene picked me up at 6:30 a.m. on June 2 and away we went. We were happily motoring along just south of Nephi when a passing motorist waved us over to the side. You know something bad is happening when they do that. We had been dragging a rim on the boat trailer that had frozen in place. It went through a new tire and the bottom of the rim was flat and red hot. We went to town, rented a trailer and hauled our trailer along with the boat back to town. After spending most of the day in town we were told that parts for the trailer couldn't be obtained. This little setback wasn't going to stop us from getting to Redmond, so off we went, towing a double-decker trailer topped with a boat. We finally made it to Redmond about 8 p.m. The map said that Redmond is just south of town. I expected a turnoff from Hwy 89, just south of town, but that isn't the way it was. (There is no sign.) We wasted plenty of time discovering this. Redmond is a beautiful marshy lake with a primitive boat ramp. It has a large reed area in the middle with open water around it. Based on everything I've read, it looked like a perfect northern pike, bass and bluegill water. It also had many Canadian geese raising their families. Upon arrival, we talked to a couple of local folks fishing by the boat ramp. They said all the bluegill were gone and there were very few bass left. However, they did say there were plenty of northerns, channel cats up to four pounds, and bullhead cats, besides the ever-present carp. They said the cats were primarily on the east side and northerns on the West. They said the only way to catch northern pike was to use a small red/white daredevil or dead fish bait. They said the channel cats were mostly hooked on shrimp. I noticed that one of the fishermen was fishing with a red-and-white daredevil and the other with shrimp. At least they practiced what they preached. I figured I might have a chance. I had purchased some smelt for the trip, but I had only brought large red/white daredevils. I'd never heard of using small daredevils for northerns. The first night, I did some night fishing for catfish using nightcrawlers. All I caught was carp. I can't believe I didn't at least get a bullhead. The next morning we launched the boat. All enthused, we started on a complete trip around the lake, fishing artificials around the reeds. The first surprise was that the deepest water we found was only 6 feet. So much for using the fish locator. Most of the water around the reeds was only 2-3 feet. The water was very murky. The next surprise was that we only stirred up a few carp. Redmond does not have very many carp, even though it looks like perfect carp water. The northerns must be doing their job. After spending about six fishless hours tossing numerous spoons, spinners, crankbaits, rapalas and top water lures around the reeds, we decided to go in for lunch. I put a treble hook into a smelt just behind the gills, ran the steel leader up the side and tied the leader to the tail, I added a large bobber, resulting in the smelt being held head down just above the bottom. As we went toward shore along the northwest side, I dropped the bait in open water and let out line until we hit shore. As we were eating, I thought I saw the bobber twist around and move some. We looked at it through the field glasses, but it was not moving. Prior to going back out, I reeled in the line and had a 14-inch northern. It had completely swallowed the treble hook. We boated out to the same area and anchored. I put out another smelt while Gene tossed artificials. I caught another small northern with the smelt and hooked another but lost it. Gene didn't get a hit. We then moved over to the east side and tried some catfishing — but caught nothing. We did notice the same two locals over there fishing for cats. We went back to the van and fished from shore, I with a smelt and Gene with a slice of smelt on the same hook with a worm. Gene's bobber soon had joined mine, even though we had cast them 30 feet apart. He had a small northern about the same size as my others. He decided to go back to fishing artificials from shore. I stuck with the bobber/smelt combination. He had one hit with a red/white daredevil, and nothing happened to my smelt. We fished briefly from shore the next morning. I caught a 17-inch northern with the smelt. This wasn't anything like we had expected, but at least I have now caught northern pike in Utah. How many fishermen can say that? We went looking for a better place to fish and ended up at Joe's Valley. But that's another story. I hear Redmond northern pike fishing is best in November and December, I may try it again at that time, but not again in the spring. |
Home - Fishing - National Parks - ATV - Photography - Other Topics - Recreational Property
Place your ad here and reach the great outdoors! Listen to the Utah Outdoors radio show, Saturdays from 6-8 a.m. on KSL.Thanks to our Supporters!
Sky Call Communications  Site owned and operated by |
