Lincoln Beach 9-25-04

[snkunz]

I fished from 6:30 to 10:00 this morning. I fished with jigs most of the time. About ten minutes after I launched I had a fish come up and grab the jig just before I pulled it out of the water. That was the only bite I had all morning.
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[Theekillerbee]

That's too bad the fishing wasn't any better. I'll bet that fish chasing your jig got you pretty excited though. Good luck on your next trip out.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I hit the Lincoln Beach area too, only a ways to the west of the springs. Walleyebob, his friend Brad and I launched about 7 and fished until 12. Water temp was 57 early and warmed to 60 by noon.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Bob and Brad cruised around in their separate boats, checking all the usual hotspots and tossing all the usually productive lures. I went through my arsenal of plastics, spinners and baitbugs with only a couple of bumps. Either beaned a snoozing carp or had a tentative tap from a reluctant white bass. Not sure.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I finally decided that the walleyes weren't going to come out to play so I brought out some perch fillet strips I had been keeping in reserve. Started dragging them behind the tube, weightless and slow. My first customer was an estimated 8-9 pound channel cat. Had it rolling on the surface after a ten minute tussle and the hook pulled loose.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Second chomp was from about a 3 pound walleye. Same deal. Working it in toward the net and it opened its mouth, shook its head and let me have my hook back. Bummer. I could already taste those fillets.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Not long after I put a new piece of bait back in the water, I had a pickup and a short run. I fish with the bail open and let the fish take line. After a few seconds, I flipped the bail closed and let the line come tight. Then, I crossed his eyes and the fight was on. Landed this one. It was a 25" male channel cat that weighed 5.3 pounds. I felt better.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Bob came over to keep me company and lend some immoral support. I didn't get any more hits for an hour or so. Then, I had a hard hit and a brief run, but the fish dropped the bait. I rejuiced with shad oil and sent the bait back out. Several minutes later I got a hard whack and let some line out. This time, when I tightened up there was throbbing weight. I set the hook and got to play with a 21" female channel that weighed 3.8 pounds.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]No more hits in another hour of fishing, so I headed for the beach (rocks) and packed up for the ride home. Couldn't have asked for nicer weather. Flat calm most of the morning. Good company too. Thanks for the guided trip, Bob and Brad.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We did see one decent sized walleye landed from shore, near where we launched. Brad also reported seeing one or two others from the area around the springs. Brad was the only one who caught a white bass and we saw no others landed, although I saw lots of suspicious marks on my sonar. I think they are in a holding pattern, just like the walleyes.[/#0000ff]
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[crossineye]

HEY BUDDY NICE CATS. WELL THIS SEEMS OD THE EYES ARE NOT GETTING WITH THE PROGRAM. ITS CLOSE REAL CLOSE. AND THE WHITES WHAT IS UP WITH THAT? SHOULD BE SCHOOLING UP BY NOW. WELL MAYBE NEXT WEEK. KEN
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]My personal opinion is that it has stayed a bit warm so far. We had a storm last week, but the water needs to drop a few more degrees. Then, the warming of the springs will bring whites and walleyes in tighter.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I was surprised by how active and hard fighting the cats were. In Arizona, when the water temp drops below 65 the kitties slow way down. Arizona wimps. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I remember catching cats through the ice on Willard, Utah Lake and Yuba. And in years past, I have taken some of my bigger cats in the late fall in Utah.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]By the way, just got through eating my way through a plate of "Kittie Krispies" (fried catfish fillet finger strips). Yum.[/#0000ff]
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[Out4Trout]

[cool]Sounds like there was a great dinner at the TubeDude residence tonight!

Pat, even though you didn't get into those wally's or whities, it sounds like you still did pretty well going back to plan b (dragging perch fillets). Question, TD. When you drag the perch fillets like that behind the tube, do you put the meat on a baitbug, roadrunner, or other jighead, or do you just put it on a plain hook? And, if on a plain hook, which size? Also, I think I remember you saying you coat those fillets with salt when you freeze them, is that correct?

Also, about 6 months ago you provided me with a great link to a spot where you could get this shad oil, and also crawfish oil, but ly I didn't save the link. I think it might have been Cabelas, but I don't remember which brand, etc. You mind providing that link again?

I'm gonna have to trick the wife and get out there on my tube soon. That sounds like a total blast, and you sure can cover a lot more ground than sitting there off the shore just waiting for Mr. Kittie or Wally to come bight your bait!
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Hey Geoff, I fish cut bait several different ways. I use small bits for "sweetener" on jigs, spoons and spinners. Larger pieces may be fished on plastics or wrapped jigs, or they may even be simply hooked on a jig head...lead or floating.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The way I fished it on Saturday was an adaptation of an old saltwater system called "fly lining"...fishing bait without a sinker. It is used a lot on live bait boats for presenting live anchovies and sardines. I brought it with me to Utah back in the 70's and found that the fishies here like it just fine.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It works well for fishing either whole (dead) minnows or long strips of a fillet from perch, white bass, suckers, carp or other legal bait fish. It is especially effective for cats and walleyes, when they are being finicky. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I use several different kinds of hooks, but plain old Eagle Claw baitholder hooks, like you use for nightcrawlers, work just fine. Just be sure you use good hooks and that they are kept sharp. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Depending on the size and thickness of the minnow or bait strip, you can use anything from a size 6 to a size 2/0 hook. For the perch fillets (from small perch), I used a size 2 hook. I seldom use smaller for cats because you need a good "bite" to hang the bigger fish and keep them on. I still lost a couple when the hook pulled free.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The perch fillets were only about 4" long, on average. I hook them only in one end, leaving the rest to flutter as I periodically "shiver lift" it off the bottom and then let it sink back down. I run the hook first into the flesh side and out the skin, and then back through the skin and out the flesh to help hide the hook a bit. You will not get many snags, and they are easy to work free if you don't set the hook every time your hook finds a rock or stick.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The key to this system is to keep about 30 to 50 feet of line out behind the tube, and keep the bail open on your reel, with your finger holding the line. Move slowly, stopping periodically, then lifting the bait off the bottom and letting it drop slowly back down before moving off again.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Some "takes" are simply light ticks. Some are heavy "chomps". Others are simply "freight train" runs, without any preliminaries. Whenever you feel any change in the "force", release the line from your finger and point the rod at the fish to let them take line without resistance. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Most fish will stop after a few feet, to position the bait and swallow it. When they start moving again, flip your bail and let the line come tight so you can get a good hookset. Then, set the hook hard, twice. Sometimes they get the bait balled up in their mouths and you have to punch the hook through the bait to get it into their mouth.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If the fish are not swallowing the bait, like on Saturday, you just have to guess when to set the hook. You will miss some. On other days, they "gulp and go", and even if you set the hook on the first surge, you will find some fish hooked deep. When that happens, cut the line and tie on another hook. Release the fish if you want, but even if you take it home, you can save the hook when you clean them, and you should retie it anyway. Cats have abrasive teeth and sometimes nick the line with their spines too. I always retie. It has cost me fish when I don't.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I do not add salt or scent to my bait fillets before I freeze them. Salting minnows can help keep them firmer, but most bait strips from legal fish are tough enough to use even after freezing. I add salt and scent only the night before, and allow it to soak in before fishing. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]On the perch fillets I used yesterday, I filleted them off perch on Friday night and took them out fresh, without flavoring on Saturday. I started fishing each one with no additional scent, other than the natural juices of the fresh meat. After a few minutes of no action, I would bring them in and squeeze on a few drops of the shad oil. Several of my hits came within a minute or so of a fresh "anointing".[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I use mostly the Fish Formula scents, in shad or crawdad. I am attaching something from the BassPro online catalog. You can get this stuff several places but BassPro has been my source for several years. And, at $3.99 for a big bottle, it is not a major expense item. I buy a couple of bottles about once a year, for both TubeBabe and myself to keep in our tubes, and for doctoring up bait before a trip.[/#0000ff]
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[b] Fish Formula

This highly effectivefish attractant was created by a Tennessee doctor after many years of scientific research, prototype formulations, and final product field testing. Although it is highly imitated, no other formulation has duplicated the precise formulation of this product! Spray on any lure. 8 oz. Order by scent code.



[url "http://content.basspro.com/emailafriend/index.cfm?hvarTextId=15977"][/url] Order
Qty Our
Price Item
Number Description Size $3.99 38-432-500-17[red]*[/red] GARLIC 8 OZ $3.99 38-432-500-22[red][/red] GAMEFISH 8 OZ $3.99 38-432-500-33[red][/red] CRAWFISH 8 OZ $3.99 38-432-500-55[red][/red] SHAD 8 OZ[/#0000ff][/b]
[#0000ff]Is that what you were looking for? By the way, the Garlic is a "sleeper". It works on many fish. Same with the "Gamefish".[/#0000ff]
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[tomegun]

Hey Pat, I too have spent a lazy afternoon with Bob/Brad catching more rays than fish. Bob has even fished me off the bank. I knew I should have kept those perchies(they were donated to the on shore critters). Sounds like fun.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Sounds like we are both doing our part to reduce the population of perch in Jordanelle. I suspect that they are very delicate because many of the ones I release "unharmed" float to the surface to provide snacks for the seagulls. Might be that I handle them a bit roughly. Heck, if they can't withstand a finger through the gills, they are too wimpy for me anyway.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]By the way, the leftover perchie strips were all that we could get bit on at Willard today. (Maiden voyage of Petty's new float tube...the "Whistler's Mother")[/#0000ff]
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[Out4Trout]

[cool]Thanks a ton, Pat. Very informative. Just told the wife that I'm going tubin' this fall wether she likes it or not, even if it is football season and i have season tickets to that crappy team playing in Provo this year. We reached a crompromise if I watch the baby on a saturday evening while she goes with her friend, then I can go fishin' that day. Sounds fair enough. Hell, I'd do anything to go fishin', and spending quality time with my little princess ain't bad, not that she takes bottles. Can't wait to go after some of those Eye's and Kitties at Lincoln soon!
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]You're a good husband and a good daddy, Geoff, even if you can't help with breast feeding. Too bad about the bottle. Now you're "on tap".[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Also too bad you are locked into season tickets for BY-PU (stink). Even though I went there, I am slow to admit it these days.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you can spring loose Saturday the 9th of October, I think Emuscud has a flotation invitational going for Lincoln Beach. I plan to float my Fat Cat and try to molest some fishies then, so see if you can make it.[/#0000ff]
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[CBR]

I really need to go hit Lincoln Beach. I have never fished that side of the lake, but all I have heard has been good. Guess I better finish modifying the pontoon with my new rod holder and trolling motor and get into it!

Thanks for the reports.
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[Out4Trout]

[cool]Pat, I might be in on that one, but not quite sure yet. I'd say the chances are pretty good. I'll let you and Emuscud know. I can't wait to get out there and chuck some jigs at those bad boys.
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[Utcatman]

Nice cats! i havnt heard anyreports of cats for a while now. i caught some teeny ones out at the bear river bird refuge yesterday.
JOe
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