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I had to give Lincoln one more try in my boat. Arrived at 7 and left about 1:30. Water temp was 65 early and 68 when I left. The drop at the end of the launch cement is a real hazard. I got in and out without any trouble today. The key was to not back the trailer in past the leaf spring brackets on the trailer. It is a matter of inches -- for my trailer.The channel is just over a foot deep. I used my motor trimmed way up and never even stirred up the mud -- go slow and stay right in the middle of channel.
Fishing was good but slow. Started out by the springs and worked the area for over an hour and only extracted one kitty. Moved about a mile east and fished in 4-5 feet of water and picked up about 10 really nice cats, all about 25 to 28 inch long, fat and healthy lookin'. I was hoping the biggest fish would bump my contest score up but no matter how I stretched him I couldn't get more than 28 inches... next time. Caught a couple on wb chunks but they seemed to favor carp meat today.
Good weather predicted for the week so I'm gonna keep boatin' until I get in trouble. Maybe the big ones will start to go on the feed.
Beautiful day but lots of smoke in the valley from the Provo Canyon fire.
BLK
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BLK. hey have you tried to back in at any other angel to get the boat off the trailer. I was wondering if back in at angel off the south corner and maybe avoid the drop off. just a thought. hoping to get down Sunday to give it a try.
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Nice fish BLK, that would have been a bump for the rest of us, only the master has to throw away a 28" score.... Tell ya what I can change that 31" for the new 28" if you like? That way you can use the score... just kidding... Nice fish... Later J
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Thanks for the post! I meant to post yesterday and got bombed back at work.
I was out there on Monday and had about the same results. Nathan and John and I fished closer to the Island, but all the fish were taken in 4.5 to 5.5 feet of "open" water. Had no carp meat, the only one we hooked got off, so most of our fish came on WB or WB/shrimp combo. We fished from 6:60 to 11:30 AM and boated 11 Channels. They included 4 over 25". One at 25.5, 27, 28, and 29 inches. Water temp was 62 when we started and 65 when we left.
All 4 of those would have bumped my score, but the 27 and the 29 were caught by John, the first timer on the boat. When he boated the 29, my eyes got all misty and I had to tell him "I'm just happy that you got such a great fish on your first trip." I was being mostly honest about that[  ] I guess I will get a bump with the 25.5, an inch is better than nothing.
To add insult to injury, I got good pics on the 25.5 and the 28 that I caught, but in the excitement I didn't get the logo in the picture with the 28[  ] At least they are all still out there swimming around for next time. We released all the fish over 24" and John and Nathan kept some smaller ones to eat.
You were right about the big ones still coming[  ]
We found the ramp/channel conditions the same as you did.
Keep up the good work!
Here are a some pics:
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Fished Lincoln for absolutely fhe last time today. Had no trouble launching but did kick a little mud in the channel.
Slow fishin' today. I worked the same area I did yesterday, about a mile east of Lincoln, and did not catch a fish. Had a few pop and drops and one that came unbuttoned but nothing in the live well. Decided that was my last boat trip this year.... then I read Piscophilic's post about Bird Island and my addictive cravings kicked in again. One more time... planning to be at the Island by 6:00 a.m. tomorrow.
The carp were surface-slurping all over today... didn't see a carp yesterday?? Don't know what triggers them to become active... will have my bow with me tomorrow. Have a freezer full of carp but as has been said "fresher is better" for cat bait.
MSM-- I have tried the south slope by the launch. The first time I hung up on the end of the launch I had to unhook my trailer, call sweet wife to bring my 4x4 truck down, pull the trailer out with a long chain, hook it to the 4x4 truck, back the trailer down the bank, load the boat and pull it up the bank. It worked but it was a rough pull-out... not quite enough depth there and some good sized rocks in the water.
I can launch okay if I back in just until the tires drop off the end of the cement and use my 4x4 grunt gear to pull out. If I go 6 inches farther the leaf spring brackets drop over the edge and I can't budge the trailer. I have engineered, manufactured, and installed some angled pieces that angle forward from the spring brackets so I think I can launch safely??...just one more time.
Jeff-- Wanna trade some of those baby carp for some baby white bass?? I have a good supply of wb but I can't find a good place to net some baby carp. Trade ya two for one?? Of course you would have to come down to UL to use the wb... but then you would be fishin' where the big ones live. Think about it.[ ]
BLK
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You are a glutton for punishment. Good luck, don't get stuck.
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Hey BLK I'd be glad to trade Ya some carp for WB and I may have to get lined up with you and Pat to make a Utah Lake trip this fall. I'd love to try those big eyes I see come out of there each fall. So have you taken a toon trip yet? Guess I'll have to cough up the $60 and license my toon but it's under protest. I'll go catch some more carplets so I have some trading goods and then we'll talk times and locations if it works for you guys. Good luck today. J
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Pisco I haven't seen your update on the contest board, can you add it there and we'll get your score updated. I'm afraid we can't count the 28" but I'll put it in the setline column for you as a reminder of what you would have been. Some of your tapes are really hard to read as well on your buddies fish so take plenty of pixs and check them before you let the fish go. Anyway that was one great trip. Nice job. Later J
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Thanks for the reminder. I just posted the 25.5.
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Thanks I'll get it added.... You can try the 28"er and see if Yote will give you credit, but I know he has disallowed some with similar situations, at least when they could be game winning fish, he needs to stick with the rules pretty close, even if it is mostly for bragging rights... but I'll add it to honorable mention column... Thanks J
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Oh that has got to HURT [pirate] a good contest bump and no contest placard. I did that last year on the first one I ever caught at Benson Marina and it was 27". Was so jazzed about getting one first trip, I forgot the 2014 contest placard............ but those were all some great looking cats the 2 of you boated. Glad to see more BFT members that wear their life jackets.
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Jeff-- I fished with TD today and had a great time. Caught lots of cats out at Bird Island... all in the 23-26 inch range. Lost two, both 36 inchers, that came unbuttoned before I got to see them.
I'm sure TD will be posting up one of his detailed reports soon. He stayed in by the springs and caught everything but a walleye. He is looking for the walleye bite to get beter as the water cools. He is planning additional trips after big cats and walleyes and whatever bites for later this month and next. I invited myself to join him and I know you would be welcome too. Bait will be furnished.
I have made one trip in my toon. I am very good at making tight figure 8 turns mostly. Also learned that pushing a toon with an electric is like pushing a rope. And... most of all... never drink a 32 oz. Diet Coke before you go out in a toon. I will sneak down to Lincoln when no one is around to watch and work on managing the toon. I'll figger it out.
Launched my boat today with no problems. Kicked up just a bit of mud in the channel but no harm done. One more??
The run to Bird Island is usually in about 8-10 feet of water... today I only saw 6 feet in one or two places and most of it was just over 5 feet deep. Lots of cats but just no big ones.... yet.
This month and next should produce some big cats... just gotta keep after 'em.
Best to ya,
BLK
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BLK that sounds like a great day. I'll have to try to get down there next month. On your toon steering you might like what I did to mine. I put my motor out in front of me so I face it and it steers much better. Everyone in the toon commune call me names and tell me to steer with my fins but this works and I can take some name calling. I'll try to attach a picture to show it. Anyway you're going to be able to walk out and pick up the fish before long if the water keeps dropping, then I'm sure we'll see your 36"er. Thanks for the info. J
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Hmmmm... Very impressive. Looks like it would be much easier to steer that way... Dunno, I see the toon thing as a temporary measure to get me thru this dry year.[crazy] We will have a big snow year this winter and the tub will be full next year and I can use the old boat all year.[cool] If the drought continues I will prevail upon TD to help me rig something similar to what you have.
I may be thru with the boat for this year. I'm bank tangling tomorrow and then g-kids' football games Sat. and stormy weather early next wk. It may be toon time for sure. I'm ready to give it a go anyway. It might be fun to be towed around by a big 30+ incher.[ ]
BLK
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The big cats will definitely tow you around in a toon, I think you'll like it. You can finess fish so much better and I think I'd choose it over my boat 7 out of ten trips. When I take company or need the down riggers or need to cover a big distance then the boat wins but for quick and precision strikes the toon is great!!! Well good luck from the bank. If I get my hay up I'll try to get out as well but got tractor problems tonight so that's going to hurt my time schedule tomorrow. Hope I can get this finished before the storm rolls in. Later J
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I find it easier to be pulled around by my motor and use the fins to steer with. Also the fins help when you just want to finesse it and sit in a small area.
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