Solo Tubing on Deer Creek 10-16-09

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Flygoddess was supposed to join me at the Island on Deer Creek this morning, but a messy migraine kept her home. Bummer. But, I did not get lonely. Seems like every troutaholic in Utah was trying to get in some play after the past storms and before the next ones hit.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I launched (alone) from the beach near the island about 7:30. Talked to an early bank tangler who was ungruntled because he was unable to walk out on the island to fish. Still water separating it from the shore. He had no action and left shortly after I launched.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Air temp 35 and calm. Water temp 54 at launch and warming to 56 by noon. Algae WAY down since last week. Looked promising.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Kicked over to check out my perch honey hole and make sure there were some fish there for later, when I got tired of playing with those silly trout. Saw some on sonar but they were still not awake. No walleyes or other fishies wanted to play either. So I worked out to deeper water for slimers.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Part of what I wanted to accomplish today was to try some new "Hot Bubbles" I had painted up. I save all of my old water marked and stained plastic bubbles...along with any I find along the shore. Every once in a while I paint them up into hot colors to use for attractors when fishing sunken flies. I started with one fly rigged with a clear bubble and one with a hot pink bubble. After the hot pink scored three quick trout to zip for the clear, I changed the clear to a hot orange. Then it was about even until the fish quieted down.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I had barely started catching fish when the armada hit the water. A steady procession of boats, of all sizes and descriptions. And most of them had to do a "cruise by" on the silly looking guy in a float tube with a cart strapped to the back...and who had jumping trout on the end of his line. They either went behind me so close I choked on their exhaust fumes...or ran right over my easy to see lines in front of me. If I hollered at them they either ignored me or made some comment like "You don't own the lake". Tubers get no respect.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]But, I did catch a lot of troutskis. Only problem was that today all the kids came out to play and the adults were somewhere else. Only got one over 14 inches. The rest were chunky growning planters. They weren't over about 13 inches but they smacked my offerings and fought valiantly. All earned their freedom except a couple of greedy ones that swallowed the flies and were bleeding. One silly fish actually swallowed both the fly and the jig I was using to get the fly to the bottom in 42 feet of water. I thought the marks on sonar might be walleyes and the trout thought he could swallow both jig and fly. He did. He won't make that mistake again.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I also caught a couple of perch on flies again. One was at about mid depth in 50 feet of water. The other was on the aforementioned jig and fly rig...on a black and orange "JackOBugger". [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Just about the time I was ready to go pound some perch as an end to a sorta nice morning...some tin can bozo moved in and anchored up on my honey hole. I figured they were trouters and would probably move soon, so i could proceed with my plan. But NOOOOOO. They stayed and they stayed. What's worse is that I saw them bring in a couple of toad perch.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I used all of my ninja skills and sneaked around them and was fishing up the shoreline toward them. Then I got a holler "Hey, we're fishin' there." I apologized and backed off...ninja style. They volunteered that they were fishing for trout but were catching some nice perch. "Man, you should see the size of some of these." they gloated. I gritted my teeth and moved off. Couldn't find any other decent perch to play with so I bagged it and headed home. The lake was still a mirror. Somebody must have broken the wind machine. I am betting it will be back in working order soon.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]One of the other things I wanted to try today was my new Fish Grips I got from Cabelas. $12.95. These bright orange plastic grippers float if you drop them in the water, and they lock when you squeeze the handle hard...like hemostats. They clip easily to a jacket or vest for easy access and they are light but strong. They work on trout and perch. Now I need to get something with some size and teeth to put them to a real test.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[Weekend_Warrior]

What a stinking good idea with the bubbles!! That is brilliant TD! Nice work again up there today.
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[quote Weekend_Warrior]What a stinking good idea with the bubbles!! That is brilliant TD! Nice work again up there today.[/quote]

[cool][#0000ff]Gee, thanks...I think (stink).[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I have actually been recycling or painting new bubbles for a lot of years. The clear plastic stealth mode is best for fishing small flies on high mountain lakes, but sometimes you can get the bubble to double (rhymes) as a lure or attractor by adding some color and rigging it right.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Here is a pic of some before and after.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[Weekend_Warrior]

Silly trouts chasing easter eggs around. [cool]
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[quote Weekend_Warrior]Silly trouts chasing easter eggs around. [cool][/quote]

[cool][#0000ff]Hatchery pets got no class. But, bigger trouts go for real bunny stuff...like zonkers.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Did you ever see those bunny fur jigs I make?[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]On some lakes you gotta be careful when you use those brightly colored bubbles. Up on Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir, in Idaho, the big rainbows WUV chartreuse. If you have a chartreuse bubble ahead of a fly the bows will munch the bubble and cut your line. Kinda wierd to have to rig a bubble with wire leader and a treble.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[beggin4bass]

[#0000ff][/#0000ff]Pat I have been using those gripers for 2 or more years. I have used them on 11.6 # Cats & big Cuts. And they only weigh 4 ozs. The only thing I don't like is the fish's mouth has to be open to get them in the mouth to grip.[/b]
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Thanks for the input. I suspected they would work fine on larger fish. I conducted a few experiments of my own and they really seem tough for their light weight.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Uhhhhh, doesn't the fishes' mouths have to be open for other lip grippers too? I have at least three other kinds and you have to either wait for them to open or force them open to get a grip. The point/gripper on those is a bit large for their size though. Is that what you were referring to? Since they are made of plastic I guess they had to sacrifice compactness for strength.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[sinergy]

Looks like fun but I don't know how you stay so clam with all those people crossing your lines. You would think they would have some common sense and give you some space.
[signature]

[Tube_Ike]

I always like reading your reports. Maybe we can play a trip on the 30th either to deer creek or Lincoln beach. what do you say?
[signature]

[catfish-logic]

If you don't mind me asking:

What maximum depth do perch swim to?
And rainbow trout, brown trout, cutthroat trout ,walleye and channel catfish. I've always wanted to know from an old timer.[cool]

How deep do you swim?

And by the way those pesky boaters get close to you because they think your an attractive bikini wearing babe. Alot of people, believe it or not, do not wear their corrective lenses when they go fishing, fearing they will loose them when they head out to the lake.
When they get close to you they see a guy clothed in a fishing vest in a float tube.[sly]
[signature]

[chinook]

I don't mean to hijack you post to talk about something else, but I wanted to let you know that Jordenelle water is at the magical 55 degrees! I went up there Wed. night in the wind and rain and killed the slimmers.

Me and my float buddy Larry caught 27 between us and had a ball. I hate to say, but the rainbows there are amazing. I know some will not believe me when I say that they average 17 to 19 inches! And man, they fight good. I forgot the camera again. Got to take it with me and post some pics.

Anyway, I tried the old standby orange flies and they came to play. I put on a orange zonker and had a blast. Instead of colored bubbles, I tied a chartruse crystal fly above the zonker and that seemed to attract the fish. Not one hit the attracter. All hit the orange. My buddy put orange power bait on his pole and trolled with much success. It was way fun. We had the whole lake to ourselves. Fished from 4pm to dark. I have got to get back up there.

I still need to fish with you sometime. I keep saying that but we will hook up one of these days.

Thanks for the great pics and all the stories you tell. I know that Deercreek has good perch but I am sure that you will visit lake X soon as well.

See you soon.
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[quote sinergy]Looks like fun but I don't know how you stay so calm with all those people crossing your lines. You would think they would have some common sense and give you some space.[/quote]

[cool][#0000ff]Well, if it's any consolation, I do NOT remain calm. I get totally "fishticated" (my word), but in my advanced years I have learned that it is better to seeth upon the water than to pay fines and do jail time for exacting vengeance upon the heathens. That really messes up my fishing time and funds.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]"Common sense"? It does not coexist in the same body or mind of a person who wastes good time and money on a silly sport like fishing.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Seriously, I have given up trying to "educate" those who cannot or will not be enlightened. The bad manners and stupid behavior is usually so totally ingrained in them that my efforts are wasted.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Kinda like the old saying: "You can't teach a pig to sing. It only wastes your time and aggravates the pig." (substitute a stronger word for aggravates)[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Nope. I definitely AIN'T "Saint TubeDude". In my younger years I was prone to a lot more verbal (and physical) response to the idiots. Today I have mellowed out a bit. Not only because I am a better person...just more cautious. Too many of the other guys are "carrying" these days and too many are just looking for an excuse to pop a cap on someone to try out their toys. Holes in me or my float tube can just ruin my whole day.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[quote Tube_Ike]I always like reading your reports. Maybe we can play a trip on the 30th either to deer creek or Lincoln beach. what do you say?[/quote]

[cool][#0000ff]I'm sure we can hatch up a plan for someplace good. We can watch the reports and make plans by PM.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]But, I guess you know that you have already doomed the trip. Mama Nature reads these boards and if you give her too much time to plan she can really come up with some doozy weather.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I just love it when somebody plays "straight man" and sets me up for some rim shot humorous responses. Poor old LloydE. He is always asking on the walkie talkies "How deep are you?" when I catch a fish. My first response is usually "I'm sitting right on top of the water." After which I always give him the REAL answer...depth I am fishing.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]How deep do I swim? I don't...anymore. Ear problems. Used to be a diver and 150' was about my top...or bottom.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Perch? I have caught them 80' deep in Starvation and 60' in Deer Creek. Over 50' in Jordanelle. In the Great Lakes they are caught over 100' deep.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Everybody knows that macks go DEEEEEP. In Lake Tahoe I have fished them over 200 feet down. They regularly go over 100 feet at Da Gorge. Rainbows can go very deep too, in search of food or more desirable temps or water chemistry. Ditto for cutts and browns. There are lakes in the western states where both species have been taken between 50 and 100 feet deep. But most prefer to stay as shallow as possible when there are suitable temps and plenty to eat.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Walleye in Utah definitely head for deep water in the winter. Over 100 feet in Starvation and recorded on camera in Deer Creek at about 80 feet.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Surprisingly, channel cats will also forage at great depths during the winter. We have had several taken from deeper Utah reservoirs the past couple of winters that were over 40 feet deep when hooked. Since channel cats feed even during the winter you might expect them to follow their food sources. So, if they are eating small perch, and you are fishing for small perch on the bottom of Echo or Yuba, then you have a chance to catch the occasional deep kitty.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I am not so naive as to believe that the "close encouters of the boating kind" are all the result of poor vision. It is actually just the opposite. Time after time I watch a boat veer from its established course to head directly for me. Then they deliberately choose a trolling path that brings them right over my trailing lines or in between me and the shoreline to which I am casting.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Nope. Not bad vision. Just bad manners. Same mentality as drivers who deliberately cut you off on the road...or other aggravating actions.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]You wouldn't wanna see me in a bikini...or speedo. Looks like a pair of pliers with a bandaid. Definitely not the visual that would attract onlookers...even myopic boaters.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Thanks for the update. I plan to hit Rock Cliff a few more times in the next month. That is, in between trips to Huntington, Scofield, Yuba, Pineview, Willard, Utah Lake and maybe even a last hurrah at Starvation.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Got a lot of tubing to do before I have to use my auger to cut a hole big enough to go afloat.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[catfish-logic]

Thanks for the answer. I always wanted to know the depth of various fish species as a "confidence booster".

About the poor eyesight.........


I know its not its general stupidity. They are either naive or just plain stupid.

Bothers me too. Had it happen while bank tangling. Erf! Oooof! Itched! Umph! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr![pirate]

Here is my solution if they ever snag your line that you say you drag behind your tube. When it happens laugh real loud, serious, just laugh real loud. But laugh like Dracula.
Then tilt your head from side to side as fast as you can.
Then start blinking your eyes rapidly.

Then take your hand and place it under your armpit and make those stupid fart noises..........

That'l get 'em.[crazy]

Or if you don't to embarrass yourself here is one you could pull. When they snag your line or come too close for comfort. Look up in the sky like your looking for something "interesting" thats flying through the air. You get the picture. If a tuber did that to me I would get the idea.

Be careful though.
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]If I was concerned about embarassing myself or looking foolish, I would not be a float tuber. We don't exactly inspire "shock and awe" while paddling around like a duck stuck in reverse. Add a bunch of other wierd paraphernalia on my tricked out tube and you got a real travelling (slowly) side show.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]But, as I mentioned on the tubing board, I am working on a new PVC (what else) contrivance. I am fabbing a small version of a water balloon slingshot that I can snap in place, pointing straight out from the back of my tube. Instead of water balloons, I will launch small clear plastic bags full of yellow liquid. It may be only food coloring in water...or it could be tuber bilgewater. Only the boaters will know for sure after they have "received" one. Of course this thing will not stop a charging boat, but it will give me immense personal satisfaction when I score a hit. Not lethal but diabolical.[/#0000ff]
[signature]