Lincoln Beach Bounce 10-2-07

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]We had originally planned to hit Lindon on Wednesday morning. The forecast for stout breezes on Wednesday made us decide to try it on Tuesday afternoon. There were only supposed to be light SW breezes. And, sure enough, when we arrived about 1 PM, there was a bumpy chop blowing into Lindon from the SW. The water was also pretty murky from all of the recent high winds. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We decided to continue on to Lincoln Beach, reasoning that at least the breeze would be "offshore" and would not have time to build any bumpy ripples. WRONG!!! It was almost calm when we got to Lincoln Beach, just before 2. But, even before we got launched there was a building "breeze" from the NE...the direction we had just come from. I sometimes think there is a wind generator in the middle of Utah Lake and that it blows outward in all directions. No matter where we go to fish, there seems to be onshore wind.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We were on the water by 2:30. Water was murky at Lincoln Beach too, but not quite as bad as Lindon. Water temp was just over 57. Getting better for walleyes but slowing down the kittyfish.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have never done well fishing Lincoln Beach in a north wind. For some reason, it slows down the fishing but it also makes it difficult to stay in a "zone". It is almost impossible to work baits or lures like I prefer to fish them with the wind blowing me from north to south. It is always best when calm or with a slight south breeze. I hate doing the "Lincoln Beach Bounce". [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Yesterday there were quite a few fish on our sonar screens but they were mostly suspended and definitely in a neutral or negative mode. I threw all kinds of spinners, hardbaits and plastics...and fished them at all depths and varying speeds. I got a few taps and a few harder whacks, but brought in only a few bitty whities. I did lose one nice walleye, after the wind died about 6 PM. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Most of our fish came on bait. TubeBabe caught twin 23 inch channel cats...one 4.6 pounds and the other 5.1 pounds. She caught the first one (on carp meat) not long after we got started and we thought it was going to be a good day. But, it was a couple of hours before she caught her second one (on minnows). And she finally caught a 9" whitie just before we got off the water about 7.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I had several pop and drop on minnows...with a couple of them being chopped in half without hookups. But, it was only after the wind finally died...about an hour before sunset...that I started getting serious action. I lost one large cat about halfway to the tube. Then, I also lost a fat and healthy walleye about 10 feet from the tube...hooked on a purple and chartreuse jig. It performed the old walleye open-mouthed headshake at the surface and gave me back my jig.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I set the hook again on a fish that kept picking up and dropping the minnow, hoping for a walleye. Nope. Mudder. Small but very chunky. They have been eating well.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Finally, the line popped loose from the clip and began streaming from my reel with some speed and power. BENDO. The cat did not fight as hard in the cooling water as they do in warmer summer temps, but it stretched my string and zinged some line of the drag a couple of times. Turned out to be a 25" fat mama that weighed just over 7 pounds. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We kept our three chunky kitties for the smoker. In spite of the PCB advisory, we believe that our methods of completely de-fatting the cats, extended brining and long smoking renders them much safer for consumption. Been enjoying them for years and still do not glow in the dark or have any extra appendages. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]BFT member Ocean was casting lures from the bank when we came back in. He had only caught one white bass. Good to see you again Cesar.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Only a couple of boats on the lake. One seemed to be just checking out the motor and went back in after making a few stops, starts and speed runs. Also appeared to be some DWR netting efforts going on over in front of Benjamin Slough. But, the midweek trip and cooler waters seemed to help reduce the power squadron.[/#0000ff]
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[mactuna]

Nice report Pat.
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[Out4aFloat]

Good to hear that you found some action. I was down there from 8:30 till about noon and never landed a fish. I marked a lot of fish like you guys that were suspended. But never could get them to hit. I did however find two locations that I could throw out my jig tipped with chub meat. And as long as I let it settle to the bottom something would pick it up. It would only pull enough to really take the slack out of the line then drop it. Mostly wouldn't even pull my line out of my rubber band with an open bail on the other poll. I would let it take my line for 20-40 yards before I tried to set the hook, NOTHING! What do you suppose was playing with my mind so hard? Like I said I found two locations where this would happen to me. Didn't matter how many times I threw my hook there, it would be picked up within seconds. I tried throwing all different sizes colors and words at them but they kept on playing with me. I finally had to to leave the "hot" action, if I wanted to keep my sanity.

Here are a couple pics of my windy morning.
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[swedishfish]

It sounds like, despite the wind, you still had a pretty good trip. Looks like TubeBabe has kept her streak alive, has there been a trip yet where she's caught fewer cats than you? Looks like she has that down Pat/pat. Enjoy all that PCB laden smokey goodness!

At what temp does the walleye fishing really turn on?
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]That silly lake can really be fickle...both with the weather and the fish. It is extremely rare that the forecast weather remotely resembles reality. There have been too many times when I have gone there to enjoy zero forecast winds only to get blown off the lake. Or, I plan on Lincoln Beach because there are light southerly breezes forecast and I encounter strong NORTH winds.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I am guessing that you probably encountered a large school of the small young-of-the-year white bass. Even the larger fish will often play with bait and pick it up and drop it several times without getting the hook. The little ones are aggressive, but just not big enough to gulp the bait. But, if you want some for bait, rig a double hook dropshot rig with size 10 or 12 hooks, and tip them with a tiny piece of worm or fish flesh. If you find a large school of them you can load up on prime walleye and catfish bait. I fish them whole, on large hooks, after cutting slashes in their sides to release more "flavor" into the water. But, you do not always catch just the bigger fish on the small whities. I once slowly reeled in one of those baits, while getting numerous pecks...expecting maybe a crawdad or something. NOPE. It was another little whitie, hanging on to a fin of it's dead cousin.[/#0000ff]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Hey, there have been plenty of trips where TubeBabe has not been top rod on catfish. When I fish more or less exclusively for cats, I usually do much better. Yesterday I started off by kicking over toward the first spring, to try for some walleyes. Got blown off the spot and couldn't fish it. She caught her first cat while I was "surfin" back to the south side of the dike. She caught her second cat while I was throwing plastics for the tight-lipped whities and wallies over off the reed line. I usually allow her to catch the first one or two, just so she won't feel bad when I start fishing and whack her. Yesterday I got a late start but I did catch the biggest.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]PCB's??? I don't suppose you notice that there are no recent pictures of me on BFT...and that I always keep my hat pulled well down in front. That extra eye in the middle of my forehead scares some folks so I try to be discreet about it.[/#0000ff]
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[LloydE]

Excellent report and pictures. When do you think the walleye fishing will pick up? Do you have anything planned this Fall for walleye fishing at Yuba and/or Utah Lake?
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I will be out of town from Oct. 9th through the 15th. After that I will be spending a lot of time in pursuit of the wascally wallies...at Utah Lake, Yuba and Willard. Of course you are always welcome to come along for immoral support.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]By mid October they should be getting active enough to make it worth the effort.[/#0000ff]
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[Kraizee_Skot]

[font "Lucida Console"][#ff4040][]Who says they aren't worth the effort already?[/#ff4040][/font]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I know that a few guys who target them have been catching fish. I have not made any special walleye trips yet. Too many other places to go and other species to fish for.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]And, as you well know, it is easy to run out of time getting bogged down in other things when you would rather be fishing.[/#0000ff]
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[Kraizee_Skot]

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[b][#0000ff][size 1]And, as you well know, it is easy to run out of time getting bogged down in other things when you would rather be fishing.[/size][/#0000ff]

[font "Lucida Console"][#ff4040][size 2]Oh soo true!! I have yet to get out, but I will be prowling UL soon though.[/size][/#ff4040][/font][/size][/#0000ff][/b]
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