# Kolob on my Tube



## mjschijf (Oct 1, 2007)

Wow! I just typed up a long report and somehow my laptop crapped out and I had to restart it...report lost. :x 
Anyway, I will try to replicate it the best I can.

All of last week, I was trying to decide where to head on Sunday morning. After the deliberation, Kolob Reservoir was the place of choice. I had only been there once before, which was last summer and I got skunked fishing from shore. This time, I was hoping the fall weather would bring better fishing. Plus, I was equipped with some new trout gear, as well as my float tube, so I definitely felt more prepared. My Dad decided he'd accompany me on the trip. Neither of us were interested in getting up too early (no surprise there :lol: ), so by the time we reached the lake it was around 10:30. There was a guy leaving just as we arrived who said he'd been fishing since dawn, and he had a coupe of hits on his lure but wasn't able to land any fish. This worried me a little, as the morning was already getting late. I could see many fish surfacing however, and I felt pretty confident that they would still be hungry.

I launched my tube from the boat ramp, as my Dad got ready to fish from shore. I decided to tie on a Panther Martin spinner at first, kind of just on a hunch. After about 20 minutes, I had what felt like two or three hits on the same cast. I think it was the same fish every time, but despite his best efforts, he wasn't able to get hooked. :lol: I even saw the flash of the fish a few feet away from me just below the surface. Strange that the same fish would hit a spinner more than once. :? I continued working the spinner for a little while longer with no success before I decided to switch gears.

Meanwhile, a couple of guys showed up and one of them started fishing from shore. It seemed no sooner had he started fishing that I heard some loud splashing coming from his direction. I looked over, and he had a fish on that appeared to be giving him a battle and taking him forever to land. After some more loud splashing, he finally landed the fish, and a few seconds later I heard him yell to the other guy down the shore "22 INCHES!!!" :shock: Wow, I was impressed. I don't think I've heard of any fish caught out of there that are bigger. My Dad went over to check it out, and it was a hefty Rainbow. Apparently the guy caught it on a Flatfish lure. I wasn't aware those things actually worked, but I just might have to go buy a couple now. :lol:

Back to me. After a while, my frustration was starting to set in. I had tried a variety of lures, including jigs, a Rapala, spinners, and a couple others with no luck. I decided it was time to switch things up completely and try a fly under a bubble. I have heard of people having success with black Woolly Buggers in the past, so that's what I decided to go with. I tried the fly on with about a 5 foot leader between it and the bubble. Turns out, my fly selection was a pretty good one. Within 10 minutes I had a fish on.








Decent Rainbow. It felt good to get the skunk off my back.

Just a few minutes later, I landed another fish that squirmed out of my hands and got away before I was able to get a picture. :x I'm still getting used to handling trout, as it is quite different from the bass that I have grown accustomed to. It didn't help that I forgot to bring the lap apron that attaches to the float tube. That makes it a little easier to handle the fish, as it is at least a surface to place them on. Oh well though, I learned my lesson.

After this, I continued to get some hits on my Bugger but had a hard time landing the fish. One time, I actually had a fish hooked but it jumped and threw the hook. At least 3 or 4 other times, my bubble went under and I set the hook too hard, pulling the fly right out of the fish's mouth. I noticed that you really have to let them take it. Every time I jerked the rod, the fly would come loose. Another learning experience, hopefully next time I won't lose so many.

The bite seemed to go dead for a while, so I took a minute to take a couple of pictures. Here is Kolob Reservoir for those of you unfamiliar with it:

















The fish seemed to be suddenly disinterested in the Bugger, so I decided to try out a few other flies to no avail. Fish were still surfacing so I even tried a couple of dries. After hucking some lures and having no takers, I knew we'd probably be leaving soon. I figured my best bet for the last half hour of fishing would probably be if I tied the Woolly Bugger back on, since that is the only thing I'd had success with all day. Sure enough, after about 15 minutes my bubble went under. I was pretty happy with what I saw when I had it in hand.
















Pretty little Cutthroat. I was happy to catch a Cutt because from what I've heard, the Rainbows are much more commonly caught in Kolob. Plus, that is my first ever Cutt in Utah! I caught a few Yellowstone Cutts when I was a little kid up at Yellowstone Lake in Wyoming, but none since then.

I continued casting the Bugger as I made my way back to the boat ramp, but had no more luck. I'd say it was a pretty good day overall, despite landing just 3 fish. I would have been somewhat disappointed if it weren't for the Cutt at the end of the day, especially since I lost so many fish on the Woolly Bugger (I think I easily could have landed 6). The Cutthroat was a great way to end the day though. I'm pretty content with how things turned out.

Unfortunately, my Dad took the skunk from shore. I keep telling him that he needs to head out in my float tube some time but he refuses for whatever reason. My Mom and I are thinking about getting him one for Christmas.

Here are some pictures I took of of the nearby landscape on the way home, including Zion in the distance.

































































Although it wasn't as successful of a fishing day as some of you guys had this weekend, I still had a lot of fun. It was a beautiful, sunny day, with not much wind. I even got hot with my sweatshirt on while out in my float tube. Pretty warm for late October at Kolob.

All things considered, it was an awesome day. Now, it's time to start deliberating where next weekend's adventures will take me.


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Oh, man! Those Zion pics are making me itch! It's been way too long.

Kolob looks like a really nice place. I'm going to try it next year.

Sorry your luck wasn't as good as it was trying to be. :lol: Sometimes that wrist action just doesn't cut it, eh? You weren't just letting your bugger hang were you? I would hope that you were at least retrieving it slowly or even dragging it around. 

Too bad your Dad got the skunkerino.

I bet you were just glad to get somewhere with a good view.

Thanks for posting. Sorry the first time glitched. That's happened to me before and it's not fun.


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## mjschijf (Oct 1, 2007)

LOAH said:


> Oh, man! Those Zion pics are making me itch! It's been way too long.
> 
> Kolob looks like a really nice place. I'm going to try it next year.
> 
> ...


Haha yeah I was slowly retrieving the bugger most of the time. That's when I got all the hits. I did try dragging it around but that didn't work for me for whatever reason.

Zion is an awesome place, huh? Unfortunately, living less than an hour from Zion almost my whole life has made me take for granted how awesome it really is. I really have to remind myself every time I go up there that it's one of the prettiest areas in the country. I guess that's bound to happen when you see the same area so many times.

Part of me wants to go back to Kolob before the roads up there become unaccessible in the winter. There are some other places I have in mind though before winter hits hard. I am pretty irked that those fish that were trying to get caught but I couldn't abide. :lol: Next time, I will get them for sure.


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## RnF (Sep 25, 2007)

Awesome report. I have always wanted to hit that lake up, just haven't yet. You should get up there as soon as the snow melts off. I have heard there is some great spring fishing there. And yes, nice trout swim those waters.

Thanks for sharing.


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## spencer_larsen (Jul 24, 2008)

I was wondering if anyone has noticed the fire hydrants that were put on the side of the road almost right to the reservoir. from what i understand the county is suppose maintain year round access to fire hydrants so shouldn't the have to plow the road almost clear to the reservoir to maintain access to those fire hydrants?


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## mjschijf (Oct 1, 2007)

spencer_larsen said:


> I was wondering if anyone has noticed the fire hydrants that were put on the side of the road almost right to the reservoir. from what i understand the county is suppose maintain year round access to fire hydrants so shouldn't the have to plow the road almost clear to the reservoir to maintain access to those fire hydrants?


I do vaguely remember seeing those fire hydrants, but sorry, I'm not sure what the answer is to your question. I was pretty sure that they didn't maintain that road up there during the winter, but I could be wrong.


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## Poo Pie (Nov 23, 2007)

Great post Mr. Schijf


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## Nueces (Jul 22, 2008)

Sounds like a great time and the black fly did the trick. Very scenic pics you posted. Thanks for sharing.


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## Christopher30 (Nov 9, 2007)

mjschijf said:


> I do vaguely remember seeing those fire hydrants, but sorry, I'm not sure what the answer is to your question. I was pretty sure that they didn't maintain that road up there during the winter, but I could be wrong.
> 
> 
> spencer_larsen said:
> ...


 They don't maintain it in the winter, the only access is with an atv, snowmobile etc. I've never in all my days of being up there ice fished it, i'll bet it would be great since it's relatively inaccessable....


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## nkunz (Sep 25, 2007)

I have never been to Kolob. But, I plan to be in St. George Nov. 10-13 so I hope to make it up there one of those days. If anyone has a suggestion as to where to fish or what to use please give me a pm. I could use all the help I can get. Thanks. Also if anyone is headed that way during that time maybe I could tag along.


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## mjschijf (Oct 1, 2007)

nkunz said:


> I have never been to Kolob. But, I plan to be in St. George Nov. 10-13 so I hope to make it up there one of those days. If anyone has a suggestion as to where to fish or what to use please give me a pm. I could use all the help I can get. Thanks. Also if anyone is headed that way during that time maybe I could tag along.


I'm not sure if you read my whole report, but the only thing that worked for me was black Woolly Buggers. I would definitely give them a try. I was fishing them about 4-5 feet below a clear bubble. Just cast it out and reel in very slowly. A guy from shore caught a 22 inch Rainbow on a Flatfish lure, so you might want to bring along one or two of those as well.

As far as where on the lake to fish, I'm not sure if it really matters. I was out in open water in my float tube when I was there, and fish were surfacing all over the place it seemed. Along with that, you might want to bring along some dry flies as well. I have only fished Kolob twice now and got skunked the first time, so I'm probably not the best one to get advice from. I know that Christopher30 has fished there a ton though, so try shooting him a PM or maybe he will see this and take it from here.

Just remember that Kolob is artificial flies and lures only, and you aren't supposed to have any bait in your possession. Let us know how you do if you go out there. Good luck!


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