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[cool][#0000ff]What a difference a week makes. Last week with the ice auger. This week with a tube...and not having to do my icebreaker routine. Water temp was 42.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TubeBabe is in Texas for a week, so I flew solo to Lincoln Beach. On the water by 7 AM. Shoulda stood in bed. Fished shallow to deep, small to large, lures, bait, everything. No wallies or whities. A couple of halfhearted bumps. Inexperienced fish. Just didn't know how to get the hook.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Shortly after I got out on the ledges, fellow BFTer fsh4fun05 showed up in "Old Yaller". I watched him play tug of war with some of my pet rocks for awhile, hoping he didn't pull the plug so I would have to walk back in. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We finally moved close enough to chat a bit and exchange picture taking. His camera gave up so I let him use mine to shoot me.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]No action and not much prospects of improvement by 9:30. Decided to get out and move over to the flats south of the launch channel. BFT member fishwriter was waiting for me on the bank, wondering where the heck his BFT hoody was that he won last week. Tried to explain that it was not sent overnight. Sheesh.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Got launched on the flats just after 10 and rigged with a minnow on one rod and casted jigs with the other. At 10:30 I got a customer on the minnow. Surprise. Turned out to be a 22" 4# channel kitty. Lots of fun on the med light spin gear I was using for walleyes.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Went through most of my plastic and jig head combinations, while dragging more minnows. Had a couple of "pop and drop". Hooked another fish at 11:30. This was a 21" 3.3# channel. Also lots of fun. Fought way bigger than he turned out to be.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Kept casting and dragging. Missed my 12:30 fish. Dumb fish didn't know how to hang on. I did get a solid hookup on the 1:30 fish though. Screamed 6# line of the drag on my light Okuma. Almost made it to the brush line along the south shoreline. But, I whupped it after a good 10 minute battle. A chunky 25" 6# mama cat.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I was off the water by 2:15, so we will never know if there was a bigger one waiting at 2:30. Water temp on the flats was 45 degrees when I started at 10 and warmed to 47 degrees as I was leaving. That is no doubt why the kitties are hanging in there. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]To the best of my knowledge, I did not have a walleye hit or hooked today. They are in there but not where I was fishing. It couldn't possibly be that I was not skilled enough to catch them.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Those three cooperative cats made for an endurable day. Always fun to stretch your string on kitties...even when they are not your primary target. Now last year, in that same area, I had several days when I was fishing for cats, but caught several walleyes. Go figure.[/#0000ff]
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Pat, we gotta hook up so you can show me how to fish Lincoln Beach... seems you spend a lot of time there or at Lindon... I've never fished either place. Just the east shore around Provo for me... I'd like to hook up and fish with you.... Where are you located anyway?? Do you live down there or just drive to the lake from the SL area? Congrats on those cats... I've got to get the waders sealed up and then I'll be game for trips... I just sat on my tush all weekend... would much rather have gone fishing with you. Anyway, sounds like the water is at least warm enough to get them stirring... Question on your water temp readings.... are you packing sonar or do you just use a pool thermometer or something? Anyway, glad to hear you had a great trip.... hope it keeps up for you.
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Nice cats . Better than a skunk any day .
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What a beautiful day!! I got my first sun exposure of the year[blush]. I better wear sunscreen next time. Water temp was 43 out in the lake 45 in the shoreline area (most of Lincoln beach) and warmed up to 47 in quite a few spots. I had 4 fish streak and thought I was on fire and then nothing. I did see some big females (walleyes) on the ramp, one 6 1/2 lbs the other two 8 and 10 lbs(that's what he said anyway, both looked about 8 to me). I threw jigs and soaked a minnow with the other pole, all fish were on jigs before 12:30 or so. I didn't see alot of people catching fish, actually only "saw" two fish being reeled in all day.
It looks as though they are moving in to LB. Next time I hope to spend more time catching and less time casting.
P.S. Thanks for the jigheads TD. I caught all 4 on the 1/16 oz. yellow one.
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[cool][#0000ff]My, my. You just plumb fulla questions, ain'tcha. Sorry to get your kitty fetish a festerin'.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I live in Taylorsville area and I "commute". I would have loved to have you accompany me today, but even when TubeBabe is going along, you are always welcome. I'm a social kinda guy when it comes to kitty chasin'. There are several BFTers down in that area that we meet up with right regular. Plan to have some "gorilla flotillas" this year too.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The really good news is that the two or three areas I fish down at Lincoln Beach are almost always productive, at least for cats. Even better, they are best fished from tubes and toons, rather than boats. And, you can't fish it from the bank or by wading. We don't get much competition.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Obviously, there is a system involved, but it is quickly and easily learned. No hocus pocus. Heck, we even got Carp_punisher and fishluvr into some nice cats last year. Might have come close to convertin' the latter from a trout addiction.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There are plenty of good spots around the lake for fishing cats, but none that produce as consistently for me as where I fished today. Have your people contact my people and we will git 'er done.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I always use sonar and I would no longer have a sonar without temp readings. There are a lot of times when finding water with a couple more degrees is the key to catching fish. Or, if you find water that is too cold, you know to boogie. Swimming pool thermometer? Give me a break. That is so old school. But, that is all I had for a long time.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]WHAT? You mean some of my stuff actually works?[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]That little "diphead" jig has accounted for lotsa wallies. The key is the small head on the large hook. Tough to buy them like that. That's one of the main reasons I make all my own. You can fish larger plastics slow enough to appeal to walleye without them diving into the rocks. Saves a lot of "tug of war" with them pet rocks.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Glad you got into them. [/#0000ff]
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You know, I didn't get any snags on that diphead. I did reel up a small rock in front of the orchard, though. How? No idea, should have checked the batterys in the camera, I released it for someone else to catch and didn't even have a pic[unsure]. Glad to hear you got kitties.
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if i knew you guys were heading out i could of gone too...scott called late last night and say he didnt wanna go anymore cuz of waders issues...too badu guys didnt hook into any eyes
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I had 4 ok eyes, I was hoping for something bigger.
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Finally made it back up north after fishing until my legs went numb and my right arm nearly fell off. TD thanks for the jig heads though they didn't bring any luck. There were 7 guys wading that joined me where I met you but nobody caught a fish, most left before me then I finally migrated back towards the boat ramp. Watched a guy in a green boat land about an 8-10 lb walleye then about an hour later he did it again with a slightly smaller one maybe 5 or 6 lbs. He was only about 50 yards in front of me. Said he was using a CC Shad whatever that is...possibly a Cotton Cordel? One other boat caught a small 17-incher and that was all that I could see. They must have been just a little deeper than I could reach in the waders. Love to fish anyway, I'll be back!
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#ff4040]Hey Pat, too bad you didn't get into the eyes. At least you scored some pretty nice kitties though. Would have been out there too, but as Fenwick stated I had some wader issues. Fixed that today, because I took a trip to Cabelas and picked me up some new ones. Hopefully we can hook up sometime out there and chase those eyes.[/#ff4040][/font]
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TubeDude, that tube of yours looks like a floating Cabelas. I'd love to fish with you but not sure I could stand the embarassment of showing up with my K-Mart special rod.
I'm new to BTF but I have learned some good stuff from you and RR77 already. I have been waiting for warmer weather but it sounds like I am just wasting time. I'll be out there this week for sure. I'm lucky enough to be only 15 minutes from LB. I'll try the waders first and get the boat out and ready within the week.
Again, I appreciate all the help you have so willingly offered about the cats. I'm sure there are some 30 pounders in there but do you think there is a 40 pounder lurking in there somewhere?? If so, I may want to rethink my intention of going out in waders!
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Sounds like another wonderful adventure of the infamous one! Nice work on the kitties Pat, I'll bet they are enjoying the enduced hypothermia you are subjecting them to ]
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[laugh]Oh, no, you been out catching my kitty fishies!! I can hardly wait to get home and go find some.
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looks like you exercised a few Kitties of terminal tackle. Do I smell the smoker warnin' up? Glad to see you got into em but it looks like the Blues were playing hard ta get.
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[cool][#0000ff]Bad form to reply to your own post, but actually I will just put up one to reply to those who need one. Don't need to run up my post count. I say plenty already.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]fishwriter: It was good to meet you. Look forward to seeing you in your new hoody. The CC shad was probably Cordell. Crank baits can really be effective on the walleyes when you find the right bottom formation. They seem to like cracks and gullies in the rocks, and when you can drag a wigglin' hardbait through there just right, it can be deadly. It can also be expensive if you fish them in the wrong spot, the wrong way. Those rocks down there eat lures. Sorry you didn't score, but every day is a new day down there. Heck, it changes from hour to hour as the fish move around.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Kraizee Skot: Glad you got some new waders. Keep in touch and we will gang up on 'em. I need to get some boot foot waders too, so I can fish in the wind. The walleyes don't mind the wind, but float tubers don't like it so pretty good.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]8incher: Glad to have you aboard and happy to add to your addiction. The best time to go fishing is whenever you can get out the door. A 40 pound channel in Utah Lake? If you listen to some of the locals there are hundred pounders. Balderdash. I think the lake factors and genetics probably limit the ultimate size of the channel cats in Utah Lake to somewhere between 30-35 pounds. And, contrary to what "some folks" might tell you, THERE ARE NO BLUE CATS OR FLATHEADS IN UTAH LAKE.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Thekillerbee: "induced hypothermia". Sounds like a good name for a rock group. I'll have you know that those cats are scheduled for release. Some will have a "release in the grease" tomorrow night. Others will be set free to do as they wish in my freezer, until their own introduction to the deep fryer.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TubeBabe: Don't worry sweetie. I was just gettin' 'em warmed up for you. There'll be plenty more after you get back. I know you would rather catch kitties than those pesky walleyes, so I will try to keep them off your line for you (the walleyes).[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Coldfooter: A bit early in the season to be smokin' 'em yet. Gotta git my fill of fresh "kitty krispies" (crispy fried catfish finger strips) afore I go to smokin' up the surplus. The water wasn't cold enough to turn any of them blue on this trip.[/#0000ff]
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Tubedude, you make me laugh. Seriously, Wendy must have thought I was nuts sitting at the computer this morning laughing at your comments about the pool thermometer... [cool] Just cracked me up because I'm all about old school... can't really afford to be new school yet. Or being from Magna/West Valley City, I suppose you could say I'm ghetto rigged. LOL. Anyway, I'd really like to accompany you on a trip or several this year if you don't mind. I'll try not to ask too many impertinent questions or be as big a pest as the helicopter sized skeeters on the Utah County community pond. [pirate] Just gotta patch the waders.... if you guys are gettin into cats already, then that just tells me I'm a bit behind schedule already... I need to get my act together... am I serious about this or not? [cool] Once I get all my preparations done for Clash of the Kitties, then I'll let you know and we'll have to go inflict some whisker damage. Ha Ha Ha... all in good fun of course.
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[cool][#0000ff]We will have plenty of cat-chasin' excursions this year. For the time being, just breathe through your nose and be patient. I ain't through chasin' walleyes yet. Any cats I bag for the next month or so will be purely accidental. Stupid cats don't know enough to leave my walleye bait alone.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The month of May begins the "magic time" for BIG catfish. That's when the big ol daddy cats come in close to shoreline structure and start lookin' for fat egg-laden mama cats. May and June are probably the two best months to score a cat over 20 pounds. But, there will be lots of 10 plus caught before and after that.[/#0000ff]
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[#505000]You know Pat this report made me a little misty eyed. A basket full of cats is a beautiful thing. Just yesterday (Sunday) I broke out all the rest of my hockey puck freezer cats (Who says freezer fish go to waste!! Not on my watch!!) and smoked em up and wondered how I was going to make it another month or two without. To see some cats showing up I am going to have to dust off the ol'toon and show you how it's really done. [ ] Espcecially since I've had all winter to tinker with my tackle makin' hobbies. [/#505000]
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[#505000]Since the ice fishing has sucked so bad this year I didn't do a who lot else but tinker with tackle. I gots me a Utah Lake itch!!![/#505000]
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[cool]Very nice report, Pat! Those pics of the kitties bring back some great memories from last Summer/Fall. Congrats on a great day! I can't wait to get out and chase them, but like you said the 'eyes (my arch nemisis) will be my primary target too. Did my last ice fishing trip on Saturday at Lake X (26 perchies and one 'bow). It was fun, but your pictures and report makes it definitely time to go tubin to satisfy my quest for the 10-pound kittie and 6 pound 'eye (my goals for Utah Lake this year) already!
Gotta stay close to home this weekend (but that's o.k., 'cause the forcrash doesn't look too encouraging to drag the tube out anyway), but after that I will be chasing 'eyes till it's about time for my new son to get here in May (then I'm outta commission for about a month). I think I'm going to go do my research on the tubin board's "best of..." board so I will know what gear will enhance my kicking abilities this year (i.e. better flippers, neoprene boot thingies, etc.). My slow-poke Sportsmans Wharehouse special flippers strapped on to river boots just ain't gonna cut it anymore...time to get serious about covering more water more efficiently...
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