Kitty Fishing on Friday

[TubeDude]

[cool][font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][#0000ff]Hit Lincoln Beach at 6:30 AM. TubeBabe hooked the first cat at 6:45. It was a 5# healthy male. Jinx. She only caught one more small channel about 2.5#.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I caught 4, from 3.3# to a 25" that weighed 6.5#. Had a another 3.3# and a 5 pound in the mix too...as well as a silly bullhead that smacked a plastic I was tossing for walleyes.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Water temp was a cool 58 at launch, but warmed to 63 before we left just after noon. It was even warmer in the back shallows and carp were rolling like crazy, right up on the bank. Should brung a bow.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The fish were touchy today. We both missed a lot of bites and had several poorly hooked fish get off. Still, not too bad.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I had some help from DWR. They had set some survey nets right where I wanted to fish, at the mouth of Benjamin Slough. Just as I was getting into some cats, a few yards away, they came roaring in with their boat and proceeded to bang around enough to spook every fish within a mile. Game over.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I watched as they carefully released walleyes and cats and then gave a hefty heave ho to the carpinskis. Good show.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We couldn't have asked for a nicer morning. Glass most of the morning. After a light north breeze came up, however, we couldn't buy another bite. Headed in at noon and gave the fish cleaning station a good workout.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Attaching a pic of the high water off the first spring. No shore access there. But, the calm green warming water looks good for the weekend. Go for it.[/#0000ff]
[/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=16026;"][#333366] MORNING GLASS.JPG [/#333366][/url](204 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=16027;"][#333366] TRICKED OUT TUBEBABE.JPG [/#333366][/url](114 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=16028;"][#333366] DWR NET FLOATS.JPG [/#333366][/url](173 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=16029;"][#333366] DWR NET SURVEY.JPG [/#333366][/url](216 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=16030;"][#333366] carp putting.jpg [/#333366][/url](234 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=16031;"][#333366] PLASTIC MUDDER.JPG [/#333366][/url](176 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=16032;"][#333366] BENDO TO BIGGUN.JPG [/#333366][/url](125 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=16033;"][#333366] CHUNKY KITTY.JPG [/#333366][/url](190 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=16034;"][#333366] TWO FOR DA BABE.JPG [/#333366][/url](178 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=16035;"][#333366] 4 FER DA DUDE.JPG [/#333366][/url](192 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=16036;"][#333366] 4 FER DA SMOKER.JPG [/#333366][/url](191 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=16037;"][#333366] FIRST SPRING HIGH WATER.JPG [/#333366][/url](233 KB) [/size][/black][/font]
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[Kraizee_Skot]

[font "Times New Roman"][#ff4040][size 3]Great work on the kitties tubers. Looks like it is starting to pick up. What were they hitting on today?[/size][/#ff4040][/font]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Chub minnows mostly, but TubeBabe's first fish came on white bass meat.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I didn't take any carp meat today, but maybe I should have. One of my cats had a gut full of carp scales. I guess the cats are following the frisky carp around and picking up the debris.[/#0000ff]
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[roadkillmac]

Nice cats! Great pictures also. I have spent a lot of time fishing in Idaho and Kansas and its real nice to be out in nature like that. I miss out on all of that when I fish at home on Long Island. Oh the pain!!
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Hey, there is plenty of good fishing in your part of the country. It is just different. I'm from Idaho myself, and I still get a bit of nostalgia for some of the old trout creeks and ponds. But, when I compare what I think I remember, with the fishing I now have available, I am not sure I would trade.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You need to get up into Connecticut and Vermont. Lots of good tubing up there. Check in on the boards for those states and hook up with some of the folks up there.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Also, for tubing in the sound, there are countless places to launch a tube and fish the smaller species, as well as bluefish and stripers when they are in. Just take the time to go scout out some areas and learn each spot...just like it was a small lake.[/#0000ff]
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[zonker]

Another great report. I liked the bent rod shot and the one of Tubebabe in her tricked out tube. The flying carp shot was a good one, too. Glad you're getting into the fish.

z~
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Thanks, Uncle Z.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You do a pretty good pictorial report your own self.[/#0000ff]
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[flygoddess]

Nice pictures as usual. Two questions for you TD. How hooked the flying fish or why is it so high out of the water. I don't see a pole in anyones hand in the boat?
Second question (bare with me cause again I only fly fish) Not being a smart a$$, I carry several rods because it is easier than trying to change the line (reel) on the rod in the middle of the lake (intermediate, sinking, floating)
But, bait or rapala or jig, anyway with a bait casting or a spinning outfit all you change is the lure or bait, so, why so many poles? Just curious, no harm intended.
I mean I still have to change flies, like you with bait or lure.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]First of all, I am sure that you meant "bear" with me...not "bare" with me. TubeBabe might object to us stripping together.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The fish was being heaved out into the water, after being taken out of the survey net. I timed the shot to get the fish in the air. Pretty good, huh? I kinda cheated. I had watched them throw several others over and I was ready at the right time.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You already understand the potential need for different rods when fly fishing. Different presentations, saves changing lines, etc. It is much the same with us "multi-tackle" and multi-species anglers.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]On a typical trip to Utah Lake, I will have at least one med-light spinning rig, with which to throw plastic jigs for walleyes and white bass. I will often also have a light action spinning rig, for fishing smaller plastics, marabou jigs or spinners. Sometimes smaller is better.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I will usually have at least two medium weight spinning setups, with 8 or 10 pound line, for fishing bait for catfish. My fifth rod will be either a med-heavy spinning rig or a stout baitcaster, with 14# line. Of the three outfits rigged for catfish, one may be a "flyline" rig, with just a hook tied directly onto the line, for fishing whole dead minnows as naturally as possible, without any weight. Another may be rigged with a float, to dangle the bait just off the bottom, in shallow snaggy water. The third may be set up with a "corky" rig. This includes a small sliding sinker, a swivel, a floating "Corky" and then the hook. This rig uses a brightly colored small float to suspend the bait just above the bottom, just the reverse of using a bobber to dangle it downward.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In short, because of the several potential species available on any given trip, the varying sizes of the different fish and the differing conditions in different spots, it is easier to have different rigs ready to switch without having to cut off and retie every time there is the desire or need to make different presentations.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Could I get by with just a single rod? Sure. That's all I used to have and I did fine with one "pole" for many species. But, would I enjoy fishing as much with just the one rod again? Probably not. There is both art and science involved in taking and using different rods for different fishing conditions. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]But, you already know that. Either that or you just like to collect a lot of flyrods. I'll bet you seldom use only one and I'll also bet you don't use some of them at all any more.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Not smart a$$ questions at all. Some folks learn how to fish differently, or have different attitudes. Others have limited budgets that do not allow the luxury of owning more than one "outfit" at a time. They must choose carefully, to allow them to cover the widest possible range of potential fishing situations. On some trips, they will do fine. On others they will be totally skunked because they just did not have the right gear to get the job done. Kinda like trying to cast a size 24 dry, on a 16 foot leader, over spooky trout with a 13 weight high density shooting head on a two handed salt water rig. [/#0000ff]
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[flygoddess]

Right on! You are right about the different action of each rod. When I did spin fish[] (many moons ago) I had a custom light weight built for me with down lock instead of the conventional up lock (I kept loosening the reel when I would cast, hens, the down). I even have a micro pole and an ugly stick, so I get it!
Usually, when spin fishing, I would only take the custom (trout and sunfish-bass) and it was all I needed. Changed lures like the flies. Kinda forgot about the other fun ones I bought at the bait days.

As far as the bare, a few tequila's last night[]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I know Jose well. As the country song goes, he can make yer clothes fall off. Gettin' warm enough for all that frivolity out on the salty pond.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I guess the "NEED" for multiple rods and reels is something a lot of anglers still cannot see or appreciate. But then again, you really do have to have a fair amount of experience to appreciate the difference between the different actions in rods, and how that translates into making better casts, better presentations, hooksets and playing the fish with greater enjoyment.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I hate to be a fishing snob, but sometimes it is difficult to give a straight answer to someone when they ask a question that really has no answer...or a different answer than the one they are looking for. My whole style of fishing is finesse. I strive to maintain complete focus on what I am doing and what the fish are doing in response. I keep my senses on full alert for any minor change in "the force" that means I may have an "inquiry". That requires good tackle and good techniques, as well as the right lure or bait.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]When somebody who doesn't know the difference between a chub and a cutt asks what you are using, it is difficult to not scream "IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE, DOOFUS. YOU COULD NEVER CATCH ONE ON WHAT YOU ARE FISHING WITH ANYWAY". [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I'm sorry, but I have spent over 50 years of intense reading, studying, fishing, listening to fellow anglers and working on my own personal crafts and techniques. I still get blanked, but that is fishing. There are more days, however, when I flatter myself that I caught more or bigger fish because I used all of the combined skills and science I know to make it happen, when others are not so "lucky". I resent the hell out of it when they get mad because I won't sell them or give them one of my lures...for them to snag on the bottom. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Sorry if I let loose here. But, fishing is a complete "system". Not just a lure, a fly, a hook and bait or a fishing pole. It all has to come together just the right way. When it does, you might as well die right then, because you are already in heaven. When you get humbled, it is just another reason to dig in and work harder on your knowledge, your technique or your tackle. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Almost better than Jose? [/#0000ff]
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[Kraizee_Skot]

[font "Times New Roman"][#ff4040][size 3]You forgot the carp meat? What happened there? Carp has been pretty good this year. I haven't been using it for awhile, until that day we went out and you and the babe were killin them on carp meat. I usually just use white bass meat. We need to hook up again sometime soon, my float tube is just sitting there begging me to take it out.[/size][/#ff4040][/font]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]We didn't "forget" the carp meat. We just substituted the white bass meat. Sometimes carp meat works good. Other times minnows work better. On our last few trips we fish both until we get a pattern and the carp meat just has not been producing as well. I suspect that it will get better again. As carp spawn and some die, the carp meat is a bigger part of the available diet.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You gotta let me know what your schedule is and when you can go. My schedule is a lot more flexible than yours.[/#0000ff]
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[bassguy64]

Another fine report and great catch for the both of you. I gotta say the views in your pics are awesome.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Thanks. I always take the digital camera on a stretch cord around my neck. Unlike many other anglers I try to record the whole experience on every trip...not just the dead fish pictures at the end. I appreciate the unique beauty of the surroundings on every body of water. If you look for beauty, you will find it. Of course, in a desert state, like Utah, there are plenty of ponds that are sitting in some pretty bleak environment. [/#0000ff]
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