# Epic East Canyon trip 1/11



## duneman101 (Nov 6, 2009)

So my trip to East Canyon was EPIC yesterday!!! Got there about 7:00 ish we were the very first people on the lake, it was COLD as sin too, probably like 1 or 2 degrees with a slight wind, i'm guess into the negatives with the breeze. anyways, i got a new fish finder and my buddy thankfully got a 3 man tent the night before. we started by drilling two holes at about 1/3 of the way out, i didn't see any signs of life on the finder so i set up a pole, dropped it to the bottom 23 ft, and walked out to about 2/3 across, drilled another hole (32 ft to the bottom) no life, walked another 30 or so feet towards the far shore drilled another hole and saw no life there either. the sun was finally starting to peak and we were talking about what to do when i notice my pole that was setup on the first hole was knocked over... i ran over to it, to my suprise I had a big ole trout hooked, luckily my pole holder and pole didn't go under because this guy was a tugger pulled him on to the ice and he was right around 19 inches. a keeper for sure. we setup the tent over those holes and drilled another and got setup. the fishing was hot as heck till about 12 then it shut down, we kept marking fish on the finder but no one was interested and we offered everything we had. We both limited and were pretty picky about what we were keeping till around 11, then we both made sure we had a limit for an upcoming trout smoke and kept fishing... wished i hadn't kept my two smaller, because i ended up catching 3 that were bigger, but at least it was fun. I only missed 3 bites yesterday and released 25.5 fish, my buddies results were similar it was awesome. Easily the most fun i've ever had on the ice. lots of deer on the way home too.

Never having been in an ice tent, i would say 100% they are worth their weight in gold, it made life so much nicer, we were watching some older dudes freeze about 50 yards away from us..










my biggest went 22 inches, i sure was proud.










this was our catch for the day, i was on fire, i got the first fish, the biggest fish, and the most fish.










funny story here, i had a bite but when i reached for my pole it stopped then immediatly my buddy got a bite, he set it and started reeling it up, and then my line went all slack so i started reeling and getting a tug or two, my buddy gets this little sucker out of the water and my drag is whining like a dog, my buddy is like whoa stop. this fish had grabbed my bait then grabbed my buddies bait, the little pig... we both had a spirited discussion about who gets to claim him. my bait was in his mouth first, but he was the one that reeled him in, so we both took half credit. it was funny stuff for sure.










My catch all gutted and ready for bags.


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## saturn_guy (Jan 17, 2009)

Glad you had a good trip. However just an FYI thing, once you have a limit on the ice, or a stringer, your day needs to be done. To continue fishing, even if you are releasing everything is not going to score you many points, and could score you a ticket. I'm not being picky, or a jerk, but just trying to help a fellow angler out. 

I've since been corrected.


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

saturn_guy said:


> Glad you had a good trip. However just an FYI thing, once you have a limit on the ice, or a stringer, your day needs to be done. To continue fishing, even if you are releasing everything is not going to score you many points, and could score you a ticket. I'm not being picky, or a jerk, but just trying to help a fellow angler out.


Didn't they change this rule last year? If I remember right, they changed it so as long as you release all fish after a limit has been kept, you're OK. Anyone have a proc handy to check it out?


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## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

No, they did not change the law this year. They didn't change it last year either. They did put language in the Guidebook last year that clarified the law. There has been NO change in the actual law. It has always been legal to continue to fish while in possession of a limit of fish. It hasn't changed. I've been in on several heated discussions of this concept for several years. I finally talked to enough people that I found the right guy at the DWR and had a lengthy conversation with him in 2009. The clarification appeared in the 2010 guidebook and is still in the new one. Both can be viewed online.

Copied from the 2011 Utah Fishing Guidebook 


> You may continue to fish while in possession of a full limit, but you must immediately release any additional fish you catch.


Fishrmn


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## saturn_guy (Jan 17, 2009)

Duneman, I stand corrected and I apologize. Fishrmn, thank you for pointing that out to me.


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## duneman101 (Nov 6, 2009)

saturn_guy said:


> Duneman, I stand corrected and I apologize. Fishrmn, thank you for pointing that out to me.


WHOOOWEE Saturn you had me squirming here for a minute, i've always fished past my limit and released.... I thought for a few minutes, i had been breaking the law all these years.


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## saturn_guy (Jan 17, 2009)

Glad you had a good day though. It's been A while since I have got into trout like that. Hopefully next weekend. And that's a good lookin tent you guys had!


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

Thanks for looking that up Fshrmn. Forgive me for calling it a rule "change" rather than a clarification. It is also important to note that eating one or more fish from your limit the same day does not allow you to keep more fish during that day.


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## duneman101 (Nov 6, 2009)

saturn_guy said:


> Glad you had a good day though. It's been A while since I have got into trout like that. Hopefully next weekend. And that's a good lookin tent you guys had!


Thanks! I am propably gonna go buy one now, they are on sale at sportsmans for 149 right now. it was a breeze to put and and pull down.


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## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

> It is also important to note that eating one or more fish from your limit the same day does not allow you to keep more fish during that day.


Yup. If you've kept your limit, eating one or more doesn't mean you can keep more. (Until tomorrow). If you've got fish at home that don't meet the requirements for the body of water you're fishin', you're in violation. It can get pretty complicated. If you have a Bear Lake Cutthroat at home in the freezer that has all of its' fins intact, including the adipose fin, you cannot legally fish at Bear Lake.

Fishrmn


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

The law was clarified last year.
One reason for the ability to continue to fish after you have a limit in your posession is that places like Pineview have catch and release only rules.
Without the clarification, you would not be able to fish at Pineview at all and be within the law.


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## tacokid789 (Apr 24, 2008)

I was wondering what the .5 in 25.5 meant...lol funny story
Good day! Ec can be hot like that. Too bad the smallies in there won't take like that in the winter....

And yes, tents are worth their weight in gold....as is a flasher.....


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## duneman101 (Nov 6, 2009)

tacokid789 said:


> I was wondering what the .5 in 25.5 meant...lol funny story
> Good day! Ec can be hot like that. Too bad the smallies in there won't take like that in the winter....
> 
> And yes, tents are worth their weight in gold....as is a flasher.....


I know i wish the smallies would come eat too. I was just using a fishing buddy I that i got off of troutwhisperer, it was working pretty good.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

tacokid789 said:


> I was wondering what the .5 in 25.5 meant.


Him and his buddy caught the same fish. The fish took both baits.So him and his buddy both took credit for catching the fish.That where that come in to play.

Sounds like a great time there.I got a couple more weeks left of hunting then I will hit it.leave me some fish please.


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## saturn_guy (Jan 17, 2009)

I bought the quick fish 6 this year when it went on sale at Sportsman. I love it! It takes ice fishing to a whole new level.


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## blueboy22 (Sep 30, 2007)

Great post, very entertaining Thanks for sharing.



saturn_guy said:


> I bought the quick fish 6 this year when it went on sale at Sportsman. I love it! It takes ice fishing to a whole new level.


That would be sweet, I have a quick fish 3 and its just big enough for me really. haha


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## cliff spab (Dec 5, 2010)

wish i could get out there, but nice catch


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