01-02-2020, 10:18 PM
[#0000FF]They pretty much hit whatever you are fishing for any of the other species. But if I were to pick a proven winner it would be something small...in fire tiger color...with a small piece of worm or perch meat. But they also hit white and chartreuse pretty good.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]One thing the cataholics used to do on Utah Lake...and I'm betting it would work on Cutler or Bear River...is just soaking a whole minnow or a big piece of meat on the bottom. One guy I knew would drill his hole in a proven area and then set the baited rod up and walk back ways and be patient. He left the bail open, with a loop of line around an empty drink can. That would give both a visual and audible indication of when a fish moved off with the bait. That was in the days when we could only use one rod. It would be a good second rod option today when we can use two rods.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]One thing about the Willard Cats is that they don't hit hard in winter. I have caught several that barely moved the rod tip while they were sampling the baited hook. Expected maybe a bluegill or crappie and had serious weight when I set the hook.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Something to watch out for is that the cold cats will often roll in the line on the way up and might come to the hole tail first. Don't try to pull them up on the ice like that if you have light line. Tough to get them to unwind but a good pair of fish grippers can help.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]If the cats are hugging the bottom they may not show up well on some sonars...just a bump on the bottom. Ditto for the perch at times. They might be keeping their tummies right in the mud and if you don't have good target separation on your finder you won't know they are there. But periodically raising your jig up a bit and watching for a piece of the bottom to follow will clue you in.
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[#0000FF]One thing the cataholics used to do on Utah Lake...and I'm betting it would work on Cutler or Bear River...is just soaking a whole minnow or a big piece of meat on the bottom. One guy I knew would drill his hole in a proven area and then set the baited rod up and walk back ways and be patient. He left the bail open, with a loop of line around an empty drink can. That would give both a visual and audible indication of when a fish moved off with the bait. That was in the days when we could only use one rod. It would be a good second rod option today when we can use two rods.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]One thing about the Willard Cats is that they don't hit hard in winter. I have caught several that barely moved the rod tip while they were sampling the baited hook. Expected maybe a bluegill or crappie and had serious weight when I set the hook.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Something to watch out for is that the cold cats will often roll in the line on the way up and might come to the hole tail first. Don't try to pull them up on the ice like that if you have light line. Tough to get them to unwind but a good pair of fish grippers can help.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]If the cats are hugging the bottom they may not show up well on some sonars...just a bump on the bottom. Ditto for the perch at times. They might be keeping their tummies right in the mud and if you don't have good target separation on your finder you won't know they are there. But periodically raising your jig up a bit and watching for a piece of the bottom to follow will clue you in.
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