Skunked @ East Canyon - Where's a kid friendly fish spot?

[rockgremlin]

So I loaded up my 3 boys and we rolled up to East Canyon res. The guy at the guard shack told us that the best fishing was down by where the stream flows into the reservoir. So we parked the car, untangled the fishing lines, rationed the poles out to each boy, and set off down the asphalt path southeast which quickly turned into a rocky dirt path. After zig-zagging down a few switchbacks we realized the quickest way down was the straight short-cut route down through the sagebrush and scrub-brush. My youngest slipped and landed ass first into the dirt, dropping his cheap made-in-China-Scooby-Doo-push-button-to-release-bail fishing pole, which shattered the reel. We spent a good 20 mins. piecing that back together, and on we went.

The reservoir looked really mossy where the creek empties into it. The moss seemed to relent further west along the bank. So we hiked over to the stream, hopped across, and resumed hiking west around the reservoir until the moss cleared up somewhat. We sat down, rigged lines, and here were the results:


- All of us caught our limits..........our limit of moss that is.
- We also found the shoe-stealing mud around the East end of the reservoir to be especially exciting. Spent a good 27 minutes trying to find shoes that had disappeared into mud.


I am firmly convinced there are no fish in that stupid reservoir. We used: Salmon eggs with bubble, Salmon eggs with sinker, Powerbait with bubble, Powerbait with sinker, and rooster tail spinner (which was quickly abandoned because all it did was harvest a 3-month supply of the nappiest moss ever conceived on every cast).


So here I am cyber-begging for some good advice. Where can I take 3 little boys - in the mountains, no in-town fish ponds, please - that we can catch something...anything. It's gotta be shore fishing. I'm not rich enough to afford a boat.


Thanks!

[accadacca]

I fished at east canyon a month ago and we only caught a few really small babies. I tend to fish where it is really deep. So we were at the other end of the reservoir on a rocky back. I would try Jordanelle and even closer to that would be Silver Lake up BCC near Brighton. I also fish up at Tibble Fork a few times a year. The best luck I've had this year was up at Fish Lake in a rental 14' rental tin can. We slayed them with pop gear...

[rockgremlin]

Is the fishing at Silver Lake any good? It looks like it might be fished out b'cuz it's so small and so close to a paved parking lot.

[LOAH]

Silver Lake is basically a community pond and fishes about the same. If I were you, I'd take my kid up to the Uintas and hit the chain of ponds between Pass and Mirror Lakes. The bigger ponds will have some holdover fish in them and some of them can get pretty nice. The action should be great with some worms, spinners, and jigs.

[accadacca]

You better listen to LOAH. He is obviously the man!

The Uintas aren't that far and are where its at!

[JONBOYLEMON]

Whatever you do, dont go to Scofield!!!!!!!! Its a moss party!!!!

Yep, Uintas would be worth the trip!!!!!

Headed there myself again soon was there last weekend but we were doing a 20 mile Scout hike so we didnt want to pack gear. I have my eye on some lakes above Trial in the near future!

[nelsonccc]

I've always found that when I want my kids to definately catch fish to go to small stream and fly fish. I give them my 1oz Orvis (which makes a 6" fish feel like Moby Dick) and have at it.
They love it. Here are a couple from this summer up near Panguitch.