02-27-2005, 01:38 AM
[cool][#0000ff]Mikecromaine, Out4Trout, Alan, CBR and my own self did a dawn launch on Utah Lake at Lincoln Beach this morning. Shoulda stood in bed. Nice morning, water like glass, but the water was murky from the several days of north wind. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Water temps are getting into the walleye "whoopie" range. Water was 42 at launch and 45 when O4T and I left about noon. A few more days of warm weather, and another few degrees in the water and things should get better quicker.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Saw several walleye caught right at the mouth of the first spring, along with a couple of small channel cats. The walleyes were taken on plastic and the cats on cut bait. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Our group served up just about every kind of lure and bait ever found to entice walleyes or white bass, with very little success. We all had tentative hits, and a couple of us had fish on briefly. Well, actually, I DID catch a couple of carp. The first was only about a pound, and slurped in the little glider jig I was casting for whities. Fun on the light rod. The second was about 3#, also on light tackle, and I hooked him right in the nostril. First time I ever had a fish try to snort a jig. I invited both carplets home to rest awhile in my freezer. I plan to return them to Utah Lake later, when the water is warmer, and introduce them to my friends the channel cats.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]With the exception of a couple of fish caught by the two "locals" who are always down there (small walleye and small cat), nobody else in the area took any fish at all. There were several boats, our motley group, a couple of other tubers and a YAK. That guy paddled out, eased over an anchor, chucked out a bait on a big surf rod and then sat there reading for the next two hours...with no interruptions.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I marked quite a few fish on my sonar, mostly suspended at mid depth in about 6 or 7 feet of water. Later, while moving back toward the car, I also saw a couple of large groups of fish from the bottom to middepth, but they all had lockjaw. Maybe we can also blame it on the full moon. Works for me.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The launch ramp was clean and open. According to CBR and Mikecromaine, who launched their toons at the ramp, there is at least 2-3 feet of water all the way out from the launch area.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I thought I saw Walleyebob in his boat, just off the springs, when we first got there. However, he hauled down to one of his areas farther west before we could get out for a chat. Saw that boat power over to the west side later. Didn't see any boats working around Bird Island.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Sorry I didn't get any pics of Mike's tricked out toon. We set it up for the rod holders and sonar last Wednesday, and I "donated" an old fibreglass antenna rod I had in my garage. Mike converted it to a flagpole and has a skull and crossbones pirate flag flying from it. The words on the flag are "Fish or cut bait"...or something like that.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Out4Trout is still looking to score his first walleye. He is really good on hooksets now. Hooks the heck out of those rocks. I had to make him leave them all there though, because I just know he would want me to fillet them for him. Mike stretched his string on a few rocks today too. Both those guys were newly spooled up with Excalibur. I think they were impressed with how tough it is. At least I think they got most of their jigs back. On one of them, O4T commented that he had straightened his hook but the line held...on 6#.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]FUN FUN FUN. Ya can't beat fun. It was good getting back out on the water, even if the fish didn't read the script and bite when they were supposed to.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Water temps are getting into the walleye "whoopie" range. Water was 42 at launch and 45 when O4T and I left about noon. A few more days of warm weather, and another few degrees in the water and things should get better quicker.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Saw several walleye caught right at the mouth of the first spring, along with a couple of small channel cats. The walleyes were taken on plastic and the cats on cut bait. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Our group served up just about every kind of lure and bait ever found to entice walleyes or white bass, with very little success. We all had tentative hits, and a couple of us had fish on briefly. Well, actually, I DID catch a couple of carp. The first was only about a pound, and slurped in the little glider jig I was casting for whities. Fun on the light rod. The second was about 3#, also on light tackle, and I hooked him right in the nostril. First time I ever had a fish try to snort a jig. I invited both carplets home to rest awhile in my freezer. I plan to return them to Utah Lake later, when the water is warmer, and introduce them to my friends the channel cats.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]With the exception of a couple of fish caught by the two "locals" who are always down there (small walleye and small cat), nobody else in the area took any fish at all. There were several boats, our motley group, a couple of other tubers and a YAK. That guy paddled out, eased over an anchor, chucked out a bait on a big surf rod and then sat there reading for the next two hours...with no interruptions.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I marked quite a few fish on my sonar, mostly suspended at mid depth in about 6 or 7 feet of water. Later, while moving back toward the car, I also saw a couple of large groups of fish from the bottom to middepth, but they all had lockjaw. Maybe we can also blame it on the full moon. Works for me.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The launch ramp was clean and open. According to CBR and Mikecromaine, who launched their toons at the ramp, there is at least 2-3 feet of water all the way out from the launch area.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I thought I saw Walleyebob in his boat, just off the springs, when we first got there. However, he hauled down to one of his areas farther west before we could get out for a chat. Saw that boat power over to the west side later. Didn't see any boats working around Bird Island.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Sorry I didn't get any pics of Mike's tricked out toon. We set it up for the rod holders and sonar last Wednesday, and I "donated" an old fibreglass antenna rod I had in my garage. Mike converted it to a flagpole and has a skull and crossbones pirate flag flying from it. The words on the flag are "Fish or cut bait"...or something like that.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Out4Trout is still looking to score his first walleye. He is really good on hooksets now. Hooks the heck out of those rocks. I had to make him leave them all there though, because I just know he would want me to fillet them for him. Mike stretched his string on a few rocks today too. Both those guys were newly spooled up with Excalibur. I think they were impressed with how tough it is. At least I think they got most of their jigs back. On one of them, O4T commented that he had straightened his hook but the line held...on 6#.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]FUN FUN FUN. Ya can't beat fun. It was good getting back out on the water, even if the fish didn't read the script and bite when they were supposed to.[/#0000ff]
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]. After that, I'll make up some irish antifreeze.