# Baker = Open Water + Big Brown



## mjschijf (Oct 1, 2007)

It has literally been years since I last posted a fishing report. (Mostly because I haven't done much fishing in the state since last time I posted one).

That all changed with yesterday's outing, and today's report.

I live in Kanab, but took advantage of a long weekend and took off to St. George to visit the folks. On Monday night, I got the fishing itch, but where to go? My last minute planning, along with the fact that I didn't have all day to fish, left me with two realistic options: Baker Reservoir and Quail Creek. I decided on the place I've visited far less over the years: Baker.

Here's the quick rundown, if you aren't too familiar with Baker: It rarely freezes over. It's stocked annually with rainbows, and it has some big brown trout that have a reputation of being tough to catch. I've only fished there a few times, caught a few small rainbows, and had something big (probably a brown) snap my line a couple of years ago. Ever since, I've been wanting to go back.

I arrived at the lake Tuesday morning to find myself pretty much alone (lucky me), and the lake at full capacity and flowing over the wall. Given the dry year, that surprised me.

I scouted out the shoreline for a few minutes before settling on a point that jutted out into the lake and dropped off deep below a big cottonwood tree. I bought a two pole permit the night before, and made sure it was put to use. I baited up my first pole with a dead emerald shiner minnow, cast it out, and set it aside. With my second pole, I tied on a deep-running rainbow trout rapala.

The point I was at allowed me to cover some serious water with the rapala, but about two hours in, I hadn't gotten a bite with either rod. I started reeling in the minnow to check it out, got it about 10 feet from shore, and BAM! I just caught a glimpe of a fish hammer it hard out of nowhere. Somehow, my line went slack and I worried I lost it, but I kept reeling and felt the tug. Fish on! I set the hook, fought it for a bit, and pulled this beauty to shore:




























A gorgeous brown, just over 20 inches. Yeah! It was hooked by the mouth, so I didn't hesitate to release it after snapping a few photos.

I kept fishing for maybe half an hour with no luck, but I didn't care. I had other stuff I had to get done that day, and I was more than happy with the one nice fish.

It's good to be back. Hopefully more reports are to come in the not too distant future.


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## richard rouleau (Apr 12, 2008)

very nice catch there good see the brown makeing a come back in there


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## crimson obsession (Sep 7, 2008)

Beautiful fish 

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk


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## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

Awesome totally AWESOME congrats on a nice Brown and the story behind the pics...Well Done and congrats yet again. Ya just never know what may tug on the ole line...way cool. 8) 8)


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## #18Fan (Jan 3, 2012)

Ya great story for sure. Nice fish!


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## neverdrawn (Jan 3, 2009)

Welcome back, I look forward to having some reports from the south end of the state again. That certainly is a beautiful fish, congrats!


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Nice to see you posting again, Mike. Cool report. It's about time you got one of those browns in there.


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## Mr. Loopy (Dec 20, 2007)

Congrats. This is the time of year to hit Baker. Once the water warms up the green sunfish rule that lake like a plague making it very difficult to get into any brown trout.


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

Mr. Loopy said:


> Once the water warms up the green sunfish rule that lake like a plague making it very difficult to get into any brown trout.


Oh man I might just have to go there now! Greenies are my favorite fish to catch. :mrgreen:


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## castnblast15 (Dec 23, 2011)

Thanks for the report. I was there a couple of weeks ago and only caught one small rainbow. I had heard from the state fishing reports it was a good time to target browns, but I fished for 3 1/2 hours with only the one fish. Good to know there are still some nice browns there.


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## mjschijf (Oct 1, 2007)

castnblast15 said:


> Thanks for the report. I was there a couple of weeks ago and only caught one small rainbow. I had heard from the state fishing reports it was a good time to target browns, but I fished for 3 1/2 hours with only the one fish. Good to know there are still some nice browns there.


This is the best time of year to fish Baker, like Mr. Loopy said. That still doesn't mean those browns are caught easily. I get the sense that they aren't overly abundant, and they aren't dumb, either. Patience is key (I'd go as far as saying several hours on average, per fish). It also seems like you have to be targeting them, with minnows or minnow imitating lures (or both, in my case). When I hooked into the big fish there a couple of years ago that snapped my line, I was using a rubber rainbow trout imitating swimbait. This time around, it's the dead minnow that did the trick. However, both times it was on the retrieve. There seems to be a trend in what those big browns are looking to eat (other fish!). If you fly fish, I'd imagine big streamers would be productive.

Baker is a weird place to me. I've never seen anyone catching a lot fish of there, even the little planter rainbows. To me, that's even more incentive to go after the browns.


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