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[cool][#0000ff]Had two reasons to go to Lincoln Beach this morning...besides just fishing. I wanted to "prefish" the area before Wednesday's media flotilla. I also agreed to assist Ocean in getting his new pontoon properly wetted and fishified.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I was just about ready to launch when Ocean rolled up around 7 AM. He unloaded a jigsaw puzzle that looked like it might go together to form a pontoon. Still in plastic bags. I lent some immoral support to get the process started. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I also downloaded a set of booties, a set of fins, a fish net, a fish basket, one of my walkie talkies, a PFD and a bag of minnows. All but the minnows were TubeBabe's. Lucky Ocean, he had some mojo workin' for him. All the fish thought it was TubeBabe fishing, and she is down in Arizona.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]As I kicked out away from shore, on the mirror smooth morning lake surface, I saw bajillions of carpkind clumping together in groups all over the lake. I gotta admit I "force fed" a few of them to get the kinks out of my rod and rod arm. A quick gillectomy and a release unharmed.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Ocean finally got afloat and he also decided to play with the Lincoln Beach barracudas. An 8# edition gave him a pretty good workout on his 6# line. Man, what a way to christen a new toon. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It wasn't long, however, until he whooped into the walkie talkie that he was bendo on something big and fiesty...a nice channel cat. That was better. I told him he was allowed to keep it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]While Ocean stayed close to the launch area and fished a protected and shallow warm cove, I searched a lot of other water, from deep to shallow, trying to find an area that would be good for our group onslaught on Wednesday. I had a few pop and drop hits but nothing permanent until almost 11 AM.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The water temp at launch was right at 59. Once the sun came out and chased the carp deeper, the water began quickly warming. It was 62 by noon and over 65 when we got off the water about 1.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I managed my usual 3# dinner kitty. Ocean scored another couple of chunky channels in the 5 to 6 pound range. As he held the basket of three up for his picture I was afraid I might have to take him to the hospital to have that grin surgically removed from his kisser. Boy is he lucky he was using all that stuff from TubeBabe.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We had been watching some carp frolic in the shallows, and I had brought my bow for just such a possibility. After I loaded up my tube I grabbed the bow and worked into position at the end of the activity. I missed the first shot (of course), but pinned three carp in a row after that...two out of three were head shots.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I was just getting excited about the prospects of ventilating a few more carp when two honyocks came charging up and ran right out into the middle of the fish. The carp scattered and headed out of the cove. I did not get another shot. One of the guys informed me that this was his first year shooting carp with a bow. He didn't need to tell me that.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Going out on a limb here. I am predicting that the spawn is on. Maybe one day of cooling but the rest of the week should see carp swarming wherever there are shallows that warm quickly in the sunshine.[/#0000ff]
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So what do you do with the carp after that?
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[cool]Glad you and Ocean had a good day. Looks like the conditions (weather and water) were prime. I'm a little concerned that you are going to catch all the fish and there won't be any left for me to catch when I get home! Hope you have a great day on Wednesday ... sorry that I am going to miss it.
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[cool][#0000ff]I remove the arrows and release them unharmed. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Seriously, I usually try not to just litter the banks with them. I either take them home for bait or fertilizer or give them to someone who will use them.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I gotta admit, though, that after a few bloody arrow fests the shoreline has been left looking like "the killing fields". Too many dead carp to use and the seagulls usually clean up most of it. I have also seen pelicans and even eagles drop down for dinner on my leavin's.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Hope nobody tries to make me feel bad about harming those poor creatures. Won't work.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]We're keeping your gear active, so it doesn't forget how to catch fish.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Also, it is only going to get better and better from here on out. There will be plenty left for ya when you get back. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]PS...I know where they stocked the lake.[/#0000ff]
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I shot 13 on Saturday, but they were all a foot below the water. Where's the best place to see them on the surface. Everybody tells me " someplace shallow", but I don't know the lake well enough for that to work for me.
Can you tell me where the carp are in shallow water?
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[cool][#0000ff]Don't know how well you know the Lincoln Beach area, but there are lots of protected coves and flooded weedy areas in shallow water both south and west of the boat launch. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]They are doing an earth fill parking area just east of the restrooms right now. The water is way up in that shallow cove and there are lots of flooded weeds in water less than a few inches deep. The carp were rolling in there all morning this morning. That was one of my better hunting areas last year, for two or three months running. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You have to park before you get to the fence and then follow the fence out toward the pump house. You can get around the end of the fence there and go back to the shallows. There is another fence further south that you can cross (is is not posted) to get to many acres of flooded weeds that seldom see arrows.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you go around the point (first spring) and get down on the dirt road, there are many many spots that you can bushwhack your way down to protected spots with wallowing carp. That will hold true all around the south end of the lake. Drive, park and walk. When the carp are on...it is obscene.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Anybody up for a carpathon next Saturday?[/#0000ff]
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[font "Times New Roman"][#ff4040][size 3]Awesome report TD. Glad that Ocean got a good maiden voyage with his new toon.[/size][/#ff4040][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][#ff4040][size 3]Carpathon sounds pretty good to me next Saturday. I was going to go camping next weekend, but they are offering OT at work so I am going to stay home.[/size][/#ff4040][/font]
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I cant believe you!!! How would you feel if someone shot an arrow through you, while you were doing the dirty dance? Cruel man! Cruel! [cool][cool][cool][blush]
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I would have never got that toon on the water without your help.Those kitties were deep fried and delicious ] i will be tooning after work next week sometime.The fish did get more active as the wate got warmer i had several misses on both poles.Thanks pat for the help i had a great time on my first trip out!!![sly]
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You sir are a mean, mean man....maybe that's why I like you! Strong work on sticking some carpage!
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[cool]Nice report as usual, Pat. Glad you finally got Cesar out there to float for the kitties. Good thing he was using TB's gear, 'cause it's blessed with good luck. That woman knows how to slay the big K's at Utah Lake, that's for sure.
Good luck at your media day on Wed. Hope you get into a nice 15 pounder to tow you around the lake in that tube! Wish I could make it out, but the wife would kill me since she is still pretty sore from giving me a new little fishin' buddy yesterday. I'll send ya a pic to resize and post for me sometime Tues or Wed. Mom and baby are doing well, but the little guy has to be under the lights right now for his Jaundice that his big sister, mom and I had when we were born too.
I hope to assult some wiskerfishies in about 10 days. Hope the weather is still good that day. See ya on the big brown pond!
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[font "Times New Roman"][#ff4040][size 3]Congrats on the new addition to your family O4T![/size][/#ff4040][/font]
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[cool][#0000ff]Hey Geoff, congrats on the new "keeper". Glad mother and child are well. Hope Dad can recover too and hit the water soon.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We know you will be with us in spirit as we flog the kitties tomorrow.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]Now waitaminnit Rob. I have scruples. At least I did until I got vaccinated.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I want you to know that the only carp I shot yesterday were young horny males, cruising around the fringes of the "gathering", looking for some action (kinda like college guys). I did not get any shots at the big egg-spewing females. Probably woulda shot them if I had a chance, but they got spooked by my "helpers".[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Let this be a lesson to ya. Spawning (making love) is natural and not harmful to guys...but being obsessed with it and going crazy (thrashing and splashing) can be very hazardous to your health. In fact, it can get you killed.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In truth, most of the commotion of spawning carp is caused by wild and crazy males. Several of them find a female ready to spawn and then they crowd around her and thrash against her to force her to let the eggs go...so they can do their thing too. The females just kinda swim along and dump their eggs, while the guy carp act all crazy. If it wasn't for those wacko males, we would probably never know there was any spawning activity going on at all.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Let's hear it for the male carp. Us bow fishermen would have a much tougher time if it weren't for their signals.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]How would I feel about getting "shot in the act"? That's a rhetorical question. Not about to go "fooling around" and give TubeBabe an excuse to let me find out. She would probably not use a bow anyway. Maybe an RPG.[/#0000ff]
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Definitly not trying to make you feel bad! Just wondering what I should do with them once I get them. I know that fishing proclamation says not to leave fish on the shore, so I was wondering if it is appropriate to cut them up and throw them in the water or just find a dumpster or what. I think I, personally, would feel better about not just leaving them out to rot and add carp carcases to the already overly trashy Utah Lake shore. Anyone have suggestions?
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Bury as many as you can manage in your garden (assuming you have one). Just make sure that they are buried deep enough that the cats don't dig them up.
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[cool][#0000ff]Most of us know about the wording of the proclamation...that we are not supposed to leave fish carcasses laying on the shore. That makes good sense, both from a health and esthetics standpoint.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have had this discussion with COs in the field and have pretty much been left with this opinion. 1. The main reason for the ruling is to discourage the discarding of either game fish or non-game fish, in areas where others might be offended by the sight and smell of the rotting carcasses. 2. Discarded carcasses attract flies and other obnoxious bugs, as well as skunks or other undesirable critters. 3. Wholesale annihilation of carp, and the leaving of the unused carcasses can be overlooked IF THEY ARE NOT DUMPED IN AN AREA COMMONLY USED BY OTHERS.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In other words, killing carp is a positive. Leaving them where others have to deal with the remains is a bad thing. Leaving them along a remote stretch of shoreline, or to fertilize a farmer's field (with the farmer's permission) is not a bad thing.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you are checked by a CO, while shooting carp, you will need to have your fishing license. If you are just leaving the mangled carp where you kill them, the CO may or may not ticket you. Most will not, unless you are leaving them where other people will be affected by them. Since it is clearly stated in the proclamation that you cannot litter with dead fish, it becomes a matter of interpretation by each individual officer.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If it makes you feel any better, the forces of nature do not leave dead carp laying around forever. There is a pretty efficient cleanup crew around Utah Lake, in the form of birds, bugs, rodents, weasels, skunks, mink and other fish eating critters. It may take them a few days to dispose of your slaughter, but it will all go back into the food chain.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Those who have gardens can round up the killed carp and plant them. Dig a deep trench a foot or so away from prize plants and then lay the carp end to end and cover them. Too shallow and the neighborhood cats and dogs will dig them up. That will make you popular with the neighbors that own the dogs that have rolled in your rotten carp.[/#0000ff]
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I want to make sure that you understand that I am not finding fault with you in any way whatsoever. I am only trying to educate myself with what to do with the carpy little nasties once I, err, uh, collect? them and what the common etiquette is regarding their disposal. You have provided very useful information, I just want to make sure that you and anyone else who reads this doesn't think that I am in anyway accusing anyone at all of disposing of carp in any kind of an irresponsible manner, I simply want to avoid screwing up and pissing anyone off or breaking the law. Your last post clarifies this all very well and I appreciate the information. So, altogether now, "DEATH TO THE CARP! LONG LIVE THE BASS! (or cats, or trout, or pretty well anything other than carp)"
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