First Annual Central Utah Bowfishing Open

The Utah Bowfishing Association hosted the First Annual Central Utah Bowfishing Open at Utah Lake.  Blake, Brandon, and Jed all participated.  Blake and Brandon were a two-man team and Jed teamed up with another partner.  Tyson came along with Brandon and Blake with high aspirations of getting some good pictures and video of the event.  Due to some serious equipment failure we were stuck with a crappy point and shoot, but we at least got some pictures.  Congrats to Blake and Brandon for winning the tournament with a total of 83 carp!  I'm not sure how many total carp were shot in the tournament, but there were 13 teams and I have heard around 600 fish were shot.  Not only a fun time, but a good cause in helping to remove this invasive non-native species from a lake that desperately needs the work done.  

Brandon with first fish of the day.  That green garbage can you see filled up quickly.  

Blake with an early prize.
The team stalking in the flats.  This area was so chuck full of carp it was sick.  When we pulled into the bay there were literally hundreds of carp cruising everywhere around us.
Brandon getting ready for one of his "Best of the West" shots.
Putting the stock on in the vegetation.

The garbage can filled up quickly with the first 51 fish.  So they used an ingenious "stringer" system to rig up the carp, hook them to the boat, and pull them back into the launch so the fish could be counted.  I'm almost positive we lost at least 5 fish on the way back.  32 made it back with us.  That made a total of 83 fish.
Blake and Brandon taking her easy on the way back in for check in and official counting.  It was a great "victory lap".  

Here is an impressive pile of 83 carp, the final days take.  The winning take.  Not a bad slab of carp meat, huh?

The guys were able to score some sweet prizes for winning, including a camp chef stove, AMS reel, and cash.  Pictured here with Josh, one of the guys in charge at the event.  

Congrats boys on taking the tourney!  Not bad for a couple of rookies.  Especially with some of the competition there being pros who do it a lot more.  Team Lock Em and Rock Em definitely represented!  Here's to the next one.....

-Tyson  

Willard Spur cleanup and Bow Fishing

The Utah Mud Motor Association and the Utah Airboat Association teamed up to do a clean up project at the Willard Spur.  One of the launch channels had been completely overtaken and clogged with phrag.  The goal was to open this channel and make it safe for boat travel.  

What the channel looked like before the project.  

The workers getting to it.  It's good to see people out there giving back to the resource.  Thanks for doing this guys!
A good dosage of phrag spray coupled with a few hundred runs through the channel and it will be money!
It's looking a lot better, thanks guys!

The day wasn't all work and no play...the crew cruised around in the boats a bit and then went out looking for some carp.  

Blake taking the new rig for a cruise.  New carbs and all.  

The fishing armada.
Jed showing off his first kill.
Jed with another.
Blake got into them as well.
Thanks to Josh Noble for the pictures.  

Mud Fest Utah Lake 2009

The Utah Mud Motor Association hosted the first Mud Fest of the year this weekend at Utah Lake.  It was a great time and Blake, Brandon, and Jed all had their boats down for it.  We had 13 boats cruising around and had a great time ripping around the bay, doing an obstacle course, and doing a little bow fishing.  Wasn't able to get any pictures of the bow fishing this time, but we had a great time.  Thanks to Josh and Tyson for putting on a great event!  

Brandon messing around in the bay.  

Blake ripping in the new rig.  The carbs weren't right on this trip, but have been fixed since.  Oh baby!
Part of the crew that day kicking back, waiting for the course to start.
Brandon ripping on the course.

Again, thanks to Josh and Tyson for putting on a great event.  The weather wasn't great but we all had a great time anyway.  

The OC

Being a stillwater fisherman (or trying to be) and living in northern Utah, one thing is certain:  March and April are brutal waiting for the ice to come off all the honey holes!  This year we decided to expand our horizons a bit and hit a southern Utah stillwater we have never hit before.  We got some good information from sources who had wet a line on it last week and hit the road.  We were on the water at first light and it didn't take us long to get into the fish.  We had 4 fish on the line within 20 minutes or so and thought we were in for one of those epic ice-off days.  But someone must have inadvertently hit the switch, because it turned off quickly!  We didn't have as  much as a hit working many bays and shorelines for the next 4 hours.  We decided it was time to kick back to the truck and eat lunch.  Tyler was able to pick a couple more fish up on the kick back and a few hits here and there got our hopes back up.

After reaching shore we decided that we'd give another stillwater just up the road a shot as we had never been there either.  We arrived and talked to an old timer who was very willing to give us the low down on how things were going.  We were optimistic getting back into the water.  Fishing started slow but when we found the fish it turned on hot and fast.  Blake was having a hard time keeping fish off the line while Tyler was hanging out with his family on the shore.  We all were able to get some good action at our second location.  The olive stillwater bug seemed to be the ticket!  It was great to see some new water and that definitely won't be the last time we visit these places.  Nothing of trophy size was caught but some of these fish were plump footballs for sure. 

Tyson picks up the first fish of the day.  

Tyler picking one up on our way back to the truck for the day.

Tyler with another decent bow.
Close up of a nice bow.

It was a great day boys.  Unfortunately it wasn't nearly enough so that just means we have to get out and get er done again ASAP!  

-Tyson 

Getting Lost

Blake, Tyson, and Tyler were able to get out for the first "spring" fishing day on local small stream.  The fishing was slow but the day was incredible.  After a long winter and dealing with inversions it is nice to get out and breath some clean, blue air!  Didn't get any pictures of fish but got this one of Blake working some pocket water.  The brush was thick and it made it tough, but a great day nonetheless.  

-Tyson  

Snow Falling

Utah, for the first time, had a spring snow goose hunt this year.  I was lucky enough to have a couple opportunities to get out and chase these incredible birds.  We were able to have some good action and put some birds on the ground.  It was a truly amazing experience to have that many birds flying around and working our decoys.  Even though we didn't even a fraction of the birds we saw and worked out spreads, it was totally worth it.  Thanks to those that helped make the hunts a great time!  

From a nice hunt up north with some great company.  This was a blast.  

And nothing like a little neck collar action!  This one is going to see the old taxidermist as soon as I can get it to him!  He'll make a nice addition to the collection on the wall.  ; ) 

Many people are critical of the snow goose hunt, and there were definitely a lot of people out there who need to figure it out a little bit, but we had a blast and are glad we took part in it.  Not bad for the maiden voyage!  I can only imagine how it is in places that see millions of birds.  

-Blake  

End of another great year.

Well, it's the end of another great year and we wanted to put up a couple pictures from the last two weeks.  We closed out the year in style, although without a camera, so you have to settle for just getting a couple to end the year.  

Bring on the snow goose hunt....

-Blake