Cat Chat

[Tin-Can]

It's good to be able to get back on the forum and start getting caught back up with the reports. Cookie sends her love and txs for the kind thoughts. She is recovering fast but we both know after two of these events  that life will be changing for us. Working on what that means....

But the good news, she says she is ready to go out and work on improving our score on the board. Will do a cautious trial run in the next couple days. Maybe we will see ya John/Forest on the banks as she is determined to pull a 30 out of the refugee

Cookie & CBP :  We were out there today. No luck as far as fish go.  Did get a fair photo of a Crane that was stalking something.




Not too long after that photo we saw that it caught something. Looked like maybe a small field mouse, or Vole. So it did better than we did.......  

TCM has to watch the grandson tomorrow even though we are both federal employees and are off for the Memorial Day Holiday. But I will be back up at the river with my boat. Water level from the hunt club down river to the bottom gates / bridges is up quite a bit.  But the water level at the Reeder bridge and thru that channel is way down and almost stopped. 

Hope you both can get out tomorrow and have good luck. 

[Tin-Can]

Well, I did make it back to the Bear River today with the boat.  Didn't catch anything. But it was calm, quiet, peaceful and I was on the water, so I can't complain. 
On my way out today about 2:30, I think I figured out why I didn't catch anything. 
EVERY accessible spot along the river from the boat ramp to the Reeder bridge had at least 1 or 2 bank tanglers. Some spots had what looked like entire families. Beach umbrellas, ice chests, even a few portable grills, and lots of lines in the water.  

          
0844 a.m. launch                  0934 a.m. CALM                     1005 a.m. Chart                   Memorial Day Honors

upload photo image

[catchinon]

So since this is for cheers and jeers, let me be the first to cheer for the South catching up to within .5 points of the North! And for jeers: nanny-nanny-nanny we're on a roll and we're gonna pass you right up. Why, we have people like Richard and Vi and BLK and Pisco who have just started to roll. Can you hear those big feet clompin' behind you, North?

[Jig-fisher]

Well if any year is lining up for a South win in the contest, this might be it.  The river flows have been really odd this year and really low.  When I drove over the river up by Tremonton on Friday, it was flowing at mid to late summer levels.  Meaning it was barely flowing at all.  Last year there was a lot of water flowing clear through mid summer, including all the canals and side channels.  This year they have already shut the water off to one of the major canals.  The north still has some good fish on the board, not a single fish under 30" in the top 10.  But I am really impressed with the numbers of 30+ fish from the south.  You guys are killing it!  Still have til Oct 15th, give us your best shot!

[catchinon]

"Still have til Oct 15th, give us your best shot!"

I was wondering about that. Jeff mentioned when he changed the start to March 15 that we might go to Oct. 31. Anyone know which it is, officially?

[Tin-Can]

"Still have til Oct 15th, give us your best shot!"

I was wondering about that. Jeff mentioned when he changed the start to March 15 that we might go to Oct. 31. Anyone know which it is, officially?

    See #14 in the Rules   goes to 31 Oct

[SkunkedAgain]

Due to late start and etc we decided to go till Halloween or Oct 31st this year. Also need to say sorry for poor coverage lately I’m not getting much time to go online. Oh did want to clarify a math error and team north is about 5 points ahead on the top ten, but team south has a bigger lead on the top twenty. 306 to 301.5 or something like that. Sorry closed my spreadsheet. Anyway hopefully I’ll get more time to update things. Sure appreciate Forest keeping things going for us this year and great job on catching a ton of big fish so far. Keep it up. Later Jeff

[catchinon]

Double your pleasure, double your fun. You probably noticed that the latest contest entries are from two couple on the South Team. Congrats to all of them and especially Julie, Pisco's wife, for adding more inches to our team score with a 31"er.

[Tin-Can]

Most recent standings are posted in the Cat Contest Standings thread. The North still holds on to top 10 lead by their finger nails. 2.5 points over South. But the South has jumped way out ahead in the top 20 with a 12.5 point lead. Lots of 29" plus Cats coming out of the South Team area. And Catrat posted up a PB 30" really ugly Cat to join that 30+ club. 
Good going.   

[SkunkedAgain]

I don’t remember ever seeing this many big cats coming in scattered around everyone getting in on the action. Fun year. Congrats everyone for an incredible start to the season. Probably won’t see as many entries during the second half, but they’ll be big ones. Good luck everyone. Later Jeff

[Jig-fisher]

I have not been out to the Bear for a couple of weeks.  With my new to me boat I have been out to Willard a couple of times.  The last was last week where I targeted cats up in the reeds for a little bit.  Just 2 takers, but both over 20".  

I did hit the Bear yesterday afternoon.  I had caught a sucker out of the Malad before heading out for fresh bait.  I got a big Zippo at the first spot I tried with only a half-hearted tug at one point.  The next spot was better and landed 3 fish.  Nothing to brag about as they measured 20", 24" and then a 26".  Still fun but nothing like the numbers and size you southern fishers are pulling in.  I may have to make a run down there soon.

[Tin-Can]

Well, I've been out on the Bear at least once a week. And my last 2 trips were not very productive. I beat the skunk but just by one Utah Golden Bugle Mouth each time.  And I still have quite a bit of cut up UGBM for bait, so I released both of them. They were big, full of eggs, and caught off spawning beds. Maybe they will provide a bunch of babies to be netted for bait . 
The water level in the main body of the river is up quite a bit. The weather forecast for the next couple days is, warm, sunny, lite variable breezes.  So TCM and I will hit the water with the boat at least once this weekend.

[Ahi1953]

The lower Bear River is really tough this year. Like Paul most of the fish I've found the last few trips have been in the low to mid 20's. It has been hard to get a fish over 27 inches.
Water levels have gone from very low to over the bank in places. Also notice while looking for minnows that the shad are not in the river this year. last few year I would be netting large numbers in the cast net. 
 

[Tin-Can]

Not been much activity here on the Cat Chat recently.  With the hot weather past few weeks, there hasn't been a great amount of Cat catchin goin on.  But the last 2 days, late afternoon - early evening from about 6:30 to 8:30 I have had my best 2 trips to the Bear River this year. Last week or 2, all the irrigation gates from the main river body have been closed. Water level in the main body of the river has remained at about 90% full. But all the feeder channels are getting very low to just about dry. 

So Wednesday 15th, I decided to make a trip up to the river later in the day.  Got my lines wet about 5:45 p.m. and at about 7:05 one line started moving sideways, but with no wind. Picked up the rod and slowly lifted while tightening up the drag, YESSIR...fight on! At 7:10 netted and landed my PB Cat (25.0 ") so far this year.  Re-baited that hook, cast out to same general spot, and at 7:30 had a second taker. Not as big, but decent.  That was it for the next hour and packed up and headed home. 

Yesterday 16 July went back to same spot, a bit later in the evening. Put out 2 lines about 7:15 p.m.  and shortly  after, John arrived. We talked a few minutes and he moved on to set up a bit down river.  About 7:55 he came back to where I was, and seconds after he got there, one of my poles bent over, and drag started singing.  That became my new PB for this year,  27.5 " bad attitude male. John helped me do the CPR thing and he returned to his spot.  At 8:20 second pole bent down and fight on again. Netted and landed my NEW PB for this year.  11 lb. 8 oz. big headed  daddy cat. 

  

[BRL1]

Nice cats.  I need life to straighten out just a little so I can make some time to get out there.

[Jig-fisher]

Not been much activity here on the Cat Chat recently.  With the hot weather past few weeks, there hasn't been a great amount of Cat catchin goin on.  But the last 2 days, late afternoon - early evening from about 6:30 to 8:30 I have had my best 2 trips to the Bear River this year. Last week or 2, all the irrigation gates from the main river body have been closed. Water level in the main body of the river has remained at about 90% full. But all the feeder channels are getting very low to just about dry. 

So Wednesday 15th, I decided to make a trip up to the river later in the day.  Got my lines wet about 5:45 p.m. and at about 7:05 one line started moving sideways, but with no wind. Picked up the rod and slowly lifted while tightening up the drag, YESSIR...fight on! At 7:10 netted and landed my PB Cat (25.0 ") so far this year.  Re-baited that hook, cast out to same general spot, and at 7:30 had a second taker. Not as big, but decent.  That was it for the next hour and packed up and headed home. 

Yesterday 16 July went back to same spot, a bit later in the evening. Put out 2 lines about 7:15 p.m.  and shortly  after, John arrived. We talked a few minutes and he moved on to set up a bit down river.  About 7:55 he came back to where I was, and seconds after he got there, one of my poles bent over, and drag started singing.  That became my new PB for this year,  27.5 " bad attitude male. John helped me do the CPR thing and he returned to his spot.  At 8:20 second pole bent down and fight on again. Netted and landed my NEW PB for this year.  11 lb. 8 oz. big headed  daddy cat. 

  

Nice job Forest.  I went out this morning and caught a few.  1st time I had been out for a while.  River wasn't hardly moving at all.

[Tin-Can]

Not been much activity here on the Cat Chat recently.  With the hot weather past few weeks, there hasn't been a great amount of Cat catchin goin on.  But the last 2 days, late afternoon - early evening from about 6:30 to 8:30 I have had my best 2 trips to the Bear River this year. Last week or 2, all the irrigation gates from the main river body have been closed. Water level in the main body of the river has remained at about 90% full. But all the feeder channels are getting very low to just about dry. 

So Wednesday 15th, I decided to make a trip up to the river later in the day.  Got my lines wet about 5:45 p.m. and at about 7:05 one line started moving sideways, but with no wind. Picked up the rod and slowly lifted while tightening up the drag, YESSIR...fight on! At 7:10 netted and landed my PB Cat (25.0 ") so far this year.  Re-baited that hook, cast out to same general spot, and at 7:30 had a second taker. Not as big, but decent.  That was it for the next hour and packed up and headed home. 

Yesterday 16 July went back to same spot, a bit later in the evening. Put out 2 lines about 7:15 p.m.  and shortly  after, John arrived. We talked a few minutes and he moved on to set up a bit down river.  About 7:55 he came back to where I was, and seconds after he got there, one of my poles bent over, and drag started singing.  That became my new PB for this year,  27.5 " bad attitude male. John helped me do the CPR thing and he returned to his spot.  At 8:20 second pole bent down and fight on again. Netted and landed my NEW PB for this year.  11 lb. 8 oz. big headed  daddy cat. 

  

Nice job Forest.  I went out this morning and caught a few.  1st time I had been out for a while.  River wasn't hardly moving at all.

  Just got home from an attempt to get the wife on some more cats. She needs at least 1 to finish her 3 brackets.  But no luck for either of us. I guess that's what happens when I have 2 good days in a row, then skip a day.  The river main body is still up fairly good from about the hunt club to the bottom bridges and gates.  Saw your report from your early morning trip.
Today was a nice breeze, kept the skeeters down, but I won't do after dark or before daylight. Too many skeeter bites and I react badly. 

[Ahi1953]

Things are looking up for the lower part of the Bear River.  The dinner bell is ringing, Shad and small carp minnows have finally showed up.  Of  course we can't use the shad. The carp minnows are on the small side but 2 or 3 of them on a 8/0 hook works well, or you can down size to a  5/0 or 6/0 hook. For minnows try a cast net at the boat ramp south of the maintenance building, or set traps around gates.  All the gates are closed at the tour loop,so you'll need to fish the main river. I guess you could try the side channels but I like a little current or flow. Evening seems to be best. Most of the action has been at the gates. Wish we could fish it after sunset. Hopefully the 30+ inch fish will move in. lots of 27 and 28 inchers willing to play.   

[Jig-fisher]

Nice fish John and some good Intel/info.  I want to get out again this week before I go back to work on Monday.

[Tin-Can]

Paul, that's where I have caught my last 5 or 6 contest worthy bumper cats. May try again this late afternoon. For me best time, best catches, and fewest skeeters    was between about 6 to 8 p.m.