Lighting up Lincoln Beach 9-10-15

[TubeDude]

[#0000ff]Did a short planning trip to Lincoln Beach this morning. Met BLK on the ramp. We exchanged pleasantries and game plans and split up. He headed for the island. I drove around looking for a spot to launch off the rocks. Found it and got launched by about 7ish.

Water temp was still about 65 at launch. I was hoping for a lower number and maybe some anxious walleyes. Nope. The lack of company from the wallie whacking waders should have tipped me off. When they show up, it is time.

Did the usual. Soaked bait on one rod and pitched plastics on the other. Got plenty of action on both today. No walleyes on plastic but got a dozen or so white bass...up to 12 inches. Most smaller.

Had a few baby white bass. Went through all of them and a good size package of carp meat too. Only missed a couple of "inquiries". The cats were active and never took too long to come calling after I lobbed out a bait for their enjoyment.

I quit counting at a dozen and caught several more after that...until I ran out of bait. Then I started dragging around a "hangershot" rig with a weightless tube jig...sweetened with crawler. Got several more cats on that...including a couple of my largest ones...just over the two footer mark. What a hoot on the medium light rod and six pound line. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][#0000ff][b]And no cleanup mess cause they are all still swimming.
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Made it back to my vehicle about noonish. Water temp had risen a couple of degrees...67. Met up with BLK as he was coming back in. His story was pretty much like mine. Lots of friendly kitties up to about 25 inches. Ran out of bait too.

A nice day, good fishing and a free air show. A couple of ultralight aircraft cruised by fairly close. Looked and sounded like a couple of big damn skeeters.
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[SkunkedAgain]

Hey Pat sounds like good news with the cats biting like that. What size fish is it going to take for you to start entering some in the contest? Thanks for posting its fun to enjoy the trips even if we can't get out there with you. Later J
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[fish_fear_me2]

Sounds like a great day. Maybe the fall kitty fishing will be early. Hoping we get some water this year so we can get a little more depth in the big pond.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]As I have said before, I no longer fish competitively. I entered the cat contest but I don't stay awake all night scheming about how I can win.

Most years I catch a few "contest worthy" fish without even trying. This year my two best big fish spots are unfishable...with water being too low. But I will still get out fishing once in a while and if a biggun comes to play I will take his picture, give him/her a little smooch and send them back to the gene pool.

I don't consider anything under about 30 inches and/or 10# to be worthy of paddling all the way back to shore and setting up a portable photo studio. So if the current trend continues I may not enter ANY fish.

This is the beginning of my multi-species fall fling. I will hit Utah Lake a few more times...but focusing more on walleyes than cats. However, I will usually be dragging a chunk of bait while slinging plastic. Most of my biggest cats from the past have been caught thusly. Kay, Sarah, Sarah. (Que sera, sera)
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Fishing for Utah Lake cats is as good right now as it is likely to get. With water temps at 65 the cats are active, they're feeding and they fight well. As the water cools they will slow down. They will keep biting clear up to iceup, but they are harder to find and you don't catch as many. Also, when you hook the "cool cats" they tend to just roll a lot rather than zing your string.

October has traditionally been the month I have caught most of my bigger cats. The water is getting down into the 50's and big cats are more likely to move around and feed after a warm day has raised the water temp a couple of degrees.

With this extremely low water it is going to be just about impossible for bank tanglers to find water deep enough to hold cats as the water temps keep falling.

If we don't get snow-kissed by El Nino this winter we might all have to put away our fishing gear.
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[Boatloadakids]

I went out for some bank tanglin' this a.m. and picked up this ugly dude. He almost looks like a June cat with all his battle scars...about 28 inches so no help with my contest score. Only had a couple of hours but managed four nice cats. Not much fight in the big male but the ladies made the old drag zing. Fun

Still possible to pick up a few up from shore but the toon/tube will sure make it easier... if we have any water.

BLK
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Nice work.

I got into a school of smaller fish as I was heading back to my vehicle yesterday. I was thinking that they were probably within casting distance of a couple of the rocky points.

That fish looks like he came in second in a knife fight. Those girls treat their menfolk rough.

I was down there a couple of years ago when two big males came up on top and were trying to chew each other up. The breeze was blowing fairly good and they gradually drifted off out out sight...still thrashing and splashing. What ever happened to just taking the ladies out for dinner and dancing?
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[RockyRaab]

I think they're all now on whiskersonly.com...
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]...Or Kitty Madison.
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[Out4Trout]

Sounds like a fantastic morning from the tube, Pat! I need to get back down to the old mud hole and tangle with some kitties. Great report and pics as always..
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