01-09-2018, 07:01 PM
[#0000FF]Cats in Utah Lake definitely bite beneath the ice. But it is hard to target them. Most of the ones caught during winter ice time are taken on baits and lures being fished for white bass or other species. They tend to move around and will be found in the same areas as the other fish, if there is something to eat or the water temps are agreeable.
There have been some big cats hooked through the ice on Utah Lake over the years. And Lincoln Beach is a good area to try because there is deeper water and some places there are warm inflows.
If I were going after cats specifically, I would find a spot that was a little deeper than the surrounding area. Then I would set up with a large jig hook baited with a minnow or a chunk of carp meat or white bass meat. Drop it to the bottom and then raise it up a few inches and prop your rod in a holder that won't allow your rod to take a dive if a big fish hits. Hint...leave the drag loose or stay within easy grabbing distance. Even better is to keep hold of the rod and raise and lower it a few inches periodically.
This is how the walleye fans fish dead sticking for walleyes...and big cats are too dumb to know they aren't supposed to take walleye offerings.
I have never caught a really big cat through the ice at Utah Lake, but I have had a couple of trips to the "Abyss" when there were numbers of "cookie cutter" kitties that hit small jigs with a piece of worm. See the pics below.
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There have been some big cats hooked through the ice on Utah Lake over the years. And Lincoln Beach is a good area to try because there is deeper water and some places there are warm inflows.
If I were going after cats specifically, I would find a spot that was a little deeper than the surrounding area. Then I would set up with a large jig hook baited with a minnow or a chunk of carp meat or white bass meat. Drop it to the bottom and then raise it up a few inches and prop your rod in a holder that won't allow your rod to take a dive if a big fish hits. Hint...leave the drag loose or stay within easy grabbing distance. Even better is to keep hold of the rod and raise and lower it a few inches periodically.
This is how the walleye fans fish dead sticking for walleyes...and big cats are too dumb to know they aren't supposed to take walleye offerings.
I have never caught a really big cat through the ice at Utah Lake, but I have had a couple of trips to the "Abyss" when there were numbers of "cookie cutter" kitties that hit small jigs with a piece of worm. See the pics below.
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[signature]