Available Fishing Guide:
Website: Darrell & Dads Family Guide Service
With the holidays over and mama and the kids back at work and school, I decided to make my first trip of the year to Hog Canyon. I was unsure of ice conditions but upon arrival found lots of tracks from other fishermen who'd led the way. I headed to my usual area just 150 yards or so off the launch and drilled my first hole. The ice measured at a solid 6". The water here was just over 5' deep.
I started by jigging a Swedish Pimple tipped with salmon eggs, a combo that's worked well for me in past years on this lake. In the next hour, from about 8:30 to 9:30, I got three of those "blitz" type hits where the fish crashed my offering but did not take, and two other bumps. Taking a cue from the fish, and my own advice offered to many, I grabbed my other jigging rod which was equipped with a small, chartreuse teardrop jig. Tipped with a single salmon egg, this combo drew immediate attention! In only 15 minutes I received three good, solid, deliberate takes which resulted in three fat, winter rainbows on the ice. With two of these fish in excess of 14", I was limited out in accordance with Hog's regs. Talk about a short trip! I'm not used to catching larger fish in Hog Canyon, resulting in a longer stay. Next trip I'll maybe release a fish or two so I can stay a while longer. Good thing I started with the Swedish Pimple and not the small jig, otherwise I may have limited out in a matter of minutes! As it was, I was driving out at 10:00.
All fish were incredibly fat and healthy. They fought very well and did not come to the hole easy by way of 4 lb. test. The recent rehab has done good things for this lake. They measured out at 12.5" - 15". That's impressive considering past years where I'd get five fish in the 8-11" range and very few in excess of 12".
Sorry, no photos. I'm not that high-speed!
Available Fishing Guide:
Website: Darrell & Dads Family Guide Service