Ute Lake Fishing Report & pictures

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

May 15th, 2012

Shawn Blackerby along with uncle Jeff with fish caught 13th

Danny and Robert from Texas with their limit of Walleye taken on 5/11/12

Water Temp = 63 degrees main lake clear

We finally received about 3/4 inch of rain yesterday and it was sure pleasant.  I have not seen a rain puddle in my parking lot since Oct. 2010.  We have gotten a tenth here and there, but not a good drizzle.  The last week or two I have been on quite a few guiding trips and have pretty much taken limits of Walleye on all of them.  Most of the fish are in the 15 inch range.  We are catching 3-4    12 inchers for every keeper.  I have not seen so many smaller Walleye in the 6 years that I have been here.  We are going to have a bunch of 18-20 inch fish next year.

Walleye--EXCELLENT--Trolling Wally Divers, Reef Runners and Frenzies will capture some Eyes.  Work the edges of the main channel near or in deep water.  Minnows fished near 12-20 feet of water near structure will also get em.  Take extra care when releasing Walleye that are short ---They...

Saturday, May 5, 2012

May 5th, 2012

A nice Walleye taken 5/1/12

A limit of Wallys taken by Darrel Hansen on 5/3/12

A couple of Walleye limits taken by Larry Moses and grandson Cody on 5/4/12

A limit of Walleye taken by me on 5/2/12

A nice batch of fish taken by Jennifer and son Jacob on 5/5/12.

Water temp = 64 degrees,  main lake clear

Fishing is really getting into gear!!!!  Smallies and Walleye are on a terror of a bite. I have been on the water quite a bit this last week and the fish were cooperating.  An early afternoon bite has been present once the wind kicks in.

FISH-ON,

Rob & Maria



Posted by The Tackle Box at 1:55 PM

Water temp = 61 degrees,  main lake clear

My last trip on 4/26/12 we netted 17 Smallies and zero Walleye.  The good news is that I have heard about limits of Walleye, Crappie and Catfish being caught yesterday.  I believe that the fishing has finally turned on.  The next 7-10 days are looking to be in the low 90's with a consistant weather pattern.  Get ready to whack em and stack em!!!!!

Walleye--GOOD to EXCELLENT---Minnows in 15 feet of water will catch a few, but trolling around the north shore of the lake is producing better numbers.  Some of the fish are suspended 10-15 feet down in the middle of the channel.  Bottom bouncing crawlers near the channel edges is also producing a few fish.

White Bass  --FAIR--Trolling around Watson Island has been producing a few fish along with the Ranch House area.  Trolling Bombers and Wally divers is the lure of choice. (Light colored lures).

Catfish--GOOD to EXCELLENT- Stinkbaits & chicken liver in 2-4 feet of water up either river arm.  You want to be in or very near to the brush.

Crappie--GOOD---I have seen a couple of limits come from the Ute arm.  Minnows has been the bait of choice.  Fish in...

Water temp = 58 degrees, the river arms are a degree or two cooler. 

Fishing as a whole is begining to improve, but it is not as good as previous years for this time of year.  I have had 4 fishing trips the last week and we have had to really work to get 3 or 4 Walleye in the boat.  I am hoping that the bite is just being a week or two late this year.  The good thing is that there is a real good Small mouth bite going on.  We have been catching 10-15 of them every trip.

The Texas Walleye Association had two 1-day tourneys last weekend.  Approx. 10 lbs won each tourney.  The fish were mostly males in the 16 inch range,

The Rocky Mountain Team series  also had a two day tourney last weekend.  It took over 22 pounds to win it at the end of day 2.  Smallies were the main catch along with a few large mouth.

This coming weekend is the 12th Annual LOGAN Chuck Wagon Cook Off.  Meals will be served at noon (April 28th) and tickets cost $10.  Tickets can be purchased by calling 403-8320 or 403-7680.

Walleye ---FAIR---Minnows in...

Water temp = 60 degrees,  main lake clear

 The last few days have been great weather and the fishing was fair.  Yesterday I had a trip and all we caught were Crappies.  They were 14-16 inches long ---- nice size for Crappie.  The problem is that we were fishing for Walleye and we did not catch a single one.  We caught all of the crappies trolling lures around Romero.  I have heard of some good reports on Walleye, but I have not been able to find them in any numbers.  The fishery is just about ready to turn on fire---typically April 15th has been a date for me when the fish seem to jump into the boat.

Small and Large mouth bass ---FAIR---- I have caught a few Smallies, but they are not on a great bite.  Some large mouth are being caught up the arms in shallow water.

Walleye---SLOW to FAIR-- Minnows fished in 12-18 feet of water near the river channels.

Crappie--FAIR to GOOD--Minnows around the marina in the evening.  Trolling frenzies up around Romero is another place to try.

Catfish---FAIR--fish stink baits up either arm in 2-4 feet of water.  People are hammering them one day, then lucky...

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Steve and Marylyn from Ruidoso with some Walleye.

Water temp 50 degrees, main lake clear, river arms stained.

The last 2 weeks I have been working with a couple of engineers who were surveying the lake.  It seems that every 10 years it is mandated by the state to do a silt survey.  The report should be done by July ----I will give you some info when I get it.  You can still get to the Crappie wall (3-4 feet), but not much further.  As for the Ute arm, you can get to the begginning of the cotton woods, but no further unless you have a very small boat.  Our lake level is around 12 feet low.  Use extreme caution when you first get on the water.  There are numerous areas that have less than 1 foot of water ---- last year you could just about go anywhere without a problem----NOT THIS YEAR!!!

The last week or so the fishing was pretty slow because of a cold front and strong winds,  but the last few days the fishing has picked up quite a bit.  The Ute arm around Rogers park currently has a large school of white bass.  Trolling any white colored lure will catch a bunch.  An occasional crappie is...

Water temp = 45 degrees main lake ---river arms are near 50 degrees in the afternoon.

Main lake slightly clouded due to wind and the river arms stained.

Maria and I went out on Sunday (3-4-12) and caught a half dozen Walleye in 3.5 hours.  We kept a couple 17 inchers and deep fried them ---it has been a couple of months since we had fresh Walleye---I'll never get tired of their tasty, flakey white meat.

Walleye--GOOD---The fish are 18-30 feet deep near the main channel.  Minnows are my choice fished Carolina rigged.

Small & Large mouth bass----FAIR---I have not caught any, but I have heard of both species being caught on crank baits near the shore line (warmer water)

White bass---Poor---I have not caught any of these either.   ( I have not been fishing for them either) They usually are up the lake this time of year --Ranch house area.  Historically trolling white colored cranks will get em.

Crappie--no report

Channel cats---GOOD---My good buddy Johnny Lathem and his wife caught 8 3-5 pounders up the Canadian past the crappie wall in  4 feet of water using stink baits.

NOTE::::Beware of under water obstacles----lower units are not cheap!!!!!

FISH-ON,

Rob...

Water temp = 39 degrees, main lake clear

Fishing pressure remains very light, but you can go catch a few fish if you venture out.  Very few Walleye are being caught ----the ones that are being caught are in 55-60 feet of water.  White bass are on a little better bite----fishing in 55 feet of water using 1 oz.  white slabs.   Fish the north side of the channel between Horseshoe and where the Ute hits the Canadian.

If you are planning a trip make sure you check the wind  report.  It can be rather blustery this time of year,

FISH-On,

Rob & Maria

Monday, November 28, 2011

Nov.28, 2011

Art from ABQ with our limit of Walleye taken 11/28/11.

Charlie from Santa Fe with opur limit of Eyes taken 11/25/11

Lyle with daughter Brandi and son-in-law Mike with Walleye taken 11/23/11.

Fish taken 11/18/11.

Fish are biting if the wind isn't. Water temp = 47 degrees.

Posted by The Tackle Box at 1:21 PM