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Ladies Day at Lindon 4-29-13
#1
[#0000FF][cool]TubeBabe loves her kitties. While watching "Wicked Tuna" on TV last night she commented "I'd rather catch a big catfish". So this morning we put her afloat on Utah Lake with that goal in mind.

This was to be the Babe's first tubing trip this year. She's been busy as the "Galloping Grammy"...flying all over the country visiting grandkids and other family. But, as the smart one in the family, she waited until the water started to warm a bit before donning her waders and going afloat.

Air temp was right at 50 at 6:30 launch time. Water was 55 in the harbor and 56 outside in the main lake. Good color and clarity despite some recent winds. I boogied for the bubbleup to see if maybe some whities and/or wallies might have taken up residence. Nay. Not so.

Worked along a pretty long stretch of the pipeline. Saw little on sonar and only a couple of dink whities on my line. And just as I was moving back in on my usual hot spot some guy in a tin boat rockets in and drops his anchor right on top of my fave spot. Just pretended I wasn't there. But I'm getting used to him and a couple of others of the same ilk. Even a tin boat trumps a float tube.

Finally gave up on finding either size or quantity on light colored fishies. Decided to go for some tugs with the everlovin' kitties. Rigged a couple of bait rods...one with chub minnow and the other with a small whole white bass.

TubeBabe had been fishing baits continuously since we left the harbor. She had a couple of "inquiries" but the fish were inexperienced and didn't know how to hang on. She started working in and out at different depths on the north side of the bubbleup buoy line. I worked the flats to the south of it.

My first cookie cutter kitty slurped up a minnow...and I invited it to swim in my basket. The second was a bit bigger and munched the wee whitie. Had a couple of others. One was a good sized one that took my line in a big circle and ran though some sharp objects. Disconnect. Line all chewed up when I reeled in. Must have been some metal. Maybe an old car. I could visualize that smart old cat going inside and slamming the door on my line.

TubeBabe finally scored her first cat on a piece of carp meat. We always bring a buffet table of several kitty treats. I had to catch a couple more on white bass before she switched up.

Her second cat was the fish of the day. Kept her busy for over 15 minutes. She was lamenting that she thought it might be a big carp. I chuckled to myself at the thought of someone being mad at a carp for giving them a good tussle. But the fishing dieties Smiled upon my child bride and she was clearly more excited when she got to see it for the first time...and that it was a big kitty. Watching her try to get its big ol' head in the net I was reminded of the line from Jaws...with modifications..."You're gonna need a bigger net." But she landed it like a pro and proudly posed for the celebratory pics.

We finished the day by splitting top rod honors. I got the most cats...5...and she got 3. But she got the biggest. It taped out at 29 inches and weighed 10.2 pounds. We usually set a goal and have a contest each year to see who can be the first to get a cat over 10 pounds. Wouldn't cha know it? Her first kitty trip of the year and she nails it. That's my girl.

Water temps were sliding up over 61 degrees by the time we hit the ramp just after noon. But the breezes were coming up and a cold front is on the way. Liable to be a while before temps reach and stay above 65.
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#2
They need to make a new regulation just for you that you have to fish with your eyes closed the whole time or only with your feet. [laugh] nice job!
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#3
Yeah, TubeBabe, way to score for the girls!


Is there no wind there? It has been blowing like crazy here in Idaho all morning. If I'd gone out on a tube, I would have been half way to Wyoming by now!
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#4
Another great day for ya, thanks for sharing the adventure. Later J
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#5
Having fished with TD, I can attest that having him close his eyes will not affect his ability to smoke em. I have never seen him use his feet, but would surmise that it would not create much of a problem either. The man is a fish catching machine, regardless of what attempts are made to impose handicaps. So us lesser mortals will just have to endure the humiliation that he inflicts upon us !!

Hats off to Tube Babe on the double digit kitty !!
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#6
[cool]I can attest that tubebabe has been the galloping grammy, saw her many times on my train this winter.

Way to go and catch a beast of a kitty!!!
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#7
[#4040FF]Hey, when ya get to be my age ya got enough handicaps as it is. Now ya wanna make me fish sightless and handless? Just when I was starting to think I might get the hang of this fishing stuff.

Interesting challenge with the feet though. Maybe we can create a new sport of soccer-fishing. You can't touch the fish with your hands and you gotta kick them through a couple of uprights? Man. That's gonna take some more meds.
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#8
Impressive!
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#9
I have to say ... for my first float tubing trip this year, it was a really fun day for me. Started off slow for me and I was thinking I might have to come up with an excuse for not catching more than one fish ... then I caught the big one! It gave me a heck of a fight, taking me about 15 minutes to get it to the top to see what it was!
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#10
Real nice fish, and way to keep your man humbled a bit on his toes. My wife manages to earn the crown on a regular basis as well, and I love it. Great fun!

Thanks for sharing.
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#11
Way to go Tubebabe!!
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#12
That is a SMOKER of a cat in more ways than one me thinks.

Way to go.
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Live to hunt----- Hunt to live.
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#13
Not to bad for some chilly kitties. Can say it's a good thing you two don't bother with those silly contests, or the Northerners might really have to work at it! [:p]

But fun to have your own challenges, be they personal, or partnered. All's fair in love and kitty games, isnt' that how it goes?
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#14
That's a really great fish TB. Glad you can keep TD humble.
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#15
Nice catch TB. It is still early and chilly but doesnt seem to be hindering you two from loading the baskets. Great report and nice catch. Glad to see some people have their priorities straight when it comes to fishing.
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#16
[#0000FF][cool]Normally we would not have kept a cat that big, but she wanted to bring it in for measuring and weighing. And YOU just try telling that girl she CAN'T do anything she wants with one of her catfish.

Even though we prefer smaller cats both for frying and smoking we prep the big ones to remove virtually all dark flesh and yellow oily areas so that there is no "big fish taste". Just as good as small ones if you cut them in smaller pieces and cook thoroughly.

I finally got my new Masterbuilt smoker broken in so I will be letting the biggun and several of her pals enjoy the "smoky sauna".
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#17
[quote flygoddess]Impressive![/quote]

[#0000FF]Thanks.

Ready for Willard? That's next on my dance card.
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#18
[#0000FF][cool]Neither one of us is much interested in formal competition fishing. I used to fish bass tournaments in California and got turned off on the whole idea of assaulting fish for any reason besides the pure enjoyment of fishing. But we do enjoy friendly challenges betwixt the two of us...or in small groups.

Just a word of warning though. Don't never get in
TubeBabe's way when she is ready to launch and go chasin' kitties. You will get runned over. Even if there is no contest involved she gets serious about it.
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#19
[#0000FF][cool]Hey Brent, you know how it is when fishing with the ladies. You gotta make the trip about them. They are always more agreeable for a few days afterward if they catch fish and have a good time. Even better if they get top rod honors.

But it sometimes pains me when I have to break off the hook point to keep from catching any more fish just so TubeBabe can shine. That's my excuse and I'm stickin' wit it.

Yeah, it is still early in the year. But a lot of the biggest cats are caught before May every year. The fish are all excited about the warming water and they are hungry after a long winter. Like teenagers at a wild party.
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#20
Yep I understand about the top rod honors, usually best for the ladies to win a few more than you do. Glad to see you guys got out and loaded the baskets. Looks like so far you have been whackin em pretty good, I guess I better get out before ya catch em all[:p]
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