Eli gets a big cat, Provo 8-9-2025 (with video)

[Piscophilic]

About two weeks ago, my friend Ryan approached me about a catfishing trip. He said his son Eli had been getting into fishing and when they saw the KSLOutdoors episode about catfishing at Utah Lake Eli said, “I want to catch something that really fights!”

It took a week or so, but we finally got together last Saturday with Ryan, Sam, Eli and Jon. We got to the Provo Harbor a little after 6 and after catching several white bass for bait we headed north of the harbor. We set up the catching rotation from youngest to oldest, so Eli got the first fish.

It hit about 10 minutes after we started strolling in 8 FOW at 0.7 MPH with chunks of WB. It took almost 10 minutes for Eli to get it into the boat. His arms were tired, but he had a as we told him it was 31.5 inches and 13.5 pounds. He got the fight he wanted!


https://youtu.be/q5swK-OVoYA






We got 4 more cats there, but things were slow, so we moved south of the harbor and kept hunting.






 
The second area was more consistent than the first and we each ended up with 4 or 5 cats each by the time we left a little before noon.


Eli ended up getting another good one at 11 pounds and 31 inches, but Jon got the biggest of the day, 32.5” and 14.5 pounds.





A great morning on the lake with great company and the fun of seeing a first timer get a great fish!

[wiperhunter2]

UL is producing some great cats for you this year Jim, thanks for the report, pics and video. Good on you, getting so many folks on such great fish. What is the largest cat you have ever caught there?

[Piscophilic]

Thanks Curt! 17 lbs and 33.5", (at least until tomorrow  )

[wiperhunter2]

Thanks Curt! 17 lbs and 33.5", (at least until tomorrow  )

Awesome, it's amazing how many big cats there are in UL Back in the 80's Willard use to produce a lot of cats over 10 lbs but I guess those bigger fished died off, a number of years later we started catching small 9" cats, those cat's are getting up to 30" now but there are not a lot that big.

[Piscophilic]

I've seen some of Pat's pictures of "the good old days" for cats at Willard. My observation, and that of others, is that the average size at UL is getting steadily bigger. I don't know how long that will last, but I have said that our current stretch may one day be seen as "the good old days" for UL. I just hope we get some yardlongs showing up before the trend reverses