Corn is Coming in 2019, I Think
Among the proposed changes in the fishing regulations under consideration by the RAC (Regional Advisory Councils) around the state this month is one that would allow corn to be used as bait in all Utah waters. For a few years, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) has conducted an experiment to see if corn used as bait would cause problems by increasing anglers’ litter (which is already serious) or any other potential negative effects on fishing.
Next, they surveyed water managers and anglers that were responsible for or fished in the eight reservoirs used in the “corn experiment” to see how it went. And, it appears that the verdict is coming in and from all the reports I’ve heard: The Wildlife Board will most likely recommend that corn be allowed as bait.
Even though Flaming Gorge, one of my personal favorite reservoirs in which to wet a line, is one of those eight waters in the experiment, it wasn’t until last weekend that I actually took the challenge, purchased a can of corn and used it as bait. What follows is an account of the first time I’ve used corn since the early 1960s.
My Experiment
My son, Mark, and his family spent time (for Labor Day) with my wife, Jeri, and I at our cabin near Flaming Gorge. Knowing that I would need to find some trout for then to catch, I began (the day before they arrived) to search for schools of fish within shouting distance of Lucerne Bay or Swim Beach. Early in the morning, after spending a couple of frustrating hours jigging (unsuccessfully) for lake trout, I probed the outer edges of some small “cuts” or “coves” looking for signs of rainbow activity.
Within minutes, I located a large school that seemed to be actively feeding but could only get a few fish to commit to my tube jigs or spinners. I tried white and green for the tubes, and threw Jake’s Spin-A-Lures and even a couple of rainbow-colored spoons. The results, although acceptable (four or five fish an hour), were not what I expected based on what was showing on my fish finders.
So, when my son, Mark, and his son, Carter got in my boat to go fishing, I decided to give-in and use kernels of corn to “tip” our already “tipped” tube jigs. As many of you know, at times during the year, I like to put a tiny piece of night crawler on the hook of tube jigs. Though I catch hundreds of trout without using night crawlers, it seems to be a short cut to exciting the schools of trout and increasing the catch rate.
The Results
The results were simply amazing. Within seconds of dropping our “tipped” tubes to the bottom, fish were trying to eat the corn without taking the hook. It was the funniest thing. We knew we had trout under our boat, the screens on my finders were almost black with fish. However, instead of gobbling up the baits, the trout acted as if they were “sampling” hors d’œuvres at a garden party.
What’s more, the trout were so finicky they refused to eat our offerings without the single kernel or corn attached.
In the end, we caught some great rainbows but struggled to do so by having to continually “re-tip” our already delectable offerings of scented tube jigs and night crawlers with corn. The corn “sold” the presentation, it was as simple as that.
Am I excited that corn will most likely be legal to use next year? The jury is still out. Yes, I know fish like the smell, taste, and texture of corn. And, as additions to other baits and lures already in use (our tube jigs for example) corn appears to attract and hold fish. However, I am now hearing from kokanee anglers that won’t be caught in a boat without a kernel of corn on each treble hook of their jigging spoons. What’s the world coming to?
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