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Went out for most likely my last catfish quest before the contest ends next week and got skunked by the cats. However, my TIP of the day, just cause the target fish don't show up is no reason to have a bad fishing trip. Take gear to fish for non target species as well. When the cats wouldn't bite I started casting plastics and picked up a nice 12.25" crappie that weighed in at 1 Lb 1 oz. after a few more casts a nice 15" LMB grabbed it and went airborne and gave me a great fight even though it was a little slower than they were a month ago. That fish was an oz shy of 3 lbs. Well then I got a couple smallies and then another nice 14" LMB grabbed it and gave me quite a fun tussel as it tried to wrap around the anchor rope and fish basket. It weighed in at 2 Lbs. My last battle of the morning was a big black smallie that nailed it and took off sideways like a wiper. It launched out of the water on a shallow horizontal orbit and after about five feet in the air it looked at me and spit the jig right at me. The sudden tension release turned my line loose and it sailed back at me and wrapped around my spare poles. Nice fish, most likely 14-15". Anyway it was a fun morning even if I didn't catch a single catfish. Later J
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Sort of put the wrong picture in so here are a couple different ones. J
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Great pics and story. Looks like the kitties did t like you very much this year. However the other fish seem to like you. I will have to go out there with you sometime. You show me where and how to catch those fish, I'll work on the kitties for you.[fishon][bob  ]
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Yup those fall cats are somewhere else. I need to do some exploring and figure out where they are. Oh well maybe next year. Later J
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Yes there is always next year.[ ]
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[#0000FF]Sounds like a fun trip...even without the kitties coming out to play.
Most people wouldn't understand making bass and crappie your second choice for catchin'. But most of them probably haven't had the pleasure of rasslin' with the kitties like we do.
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Hey Pat,
Yes it was a fun morning... I guess I somewhat doomed my kitty chances when I fished a spot that I knew had a good plan B. Last year I caught a 29" cat out of this same spot this very week, but this year isn't last year... Last year the pond was drained and most likely put all the cats into the deep pools. This year its at full pool and the cats are nowhere to be found for me. Ever since they left the shallows I haven't been able to find the cats, maybe they are still in the shallows and I should be trolling to find them. That was my second thoughts to try Saturday, but when the bass started biting, I sort of forgot my need for a bigger cat for the contest... I do love fighting those cats, it's been a great year of big fish, but it's sort of ruined me on other fish catching because they just don't have the power of a cat... I do like the quick zippy fight of the bass and crappie, but they sure don't have the power... Cats are great when I can make them bite, but I'm a little disappointed with them lately.. Must be where I'm fishing, got to move to a new area, but it's hard to leave the area that I know bass like as well... I like fishing one pole for cats and the other one active for the bass, keeps me busy while I'm letting my bait soak... Well my TIP of the day is don't leave fish for the promise of maybe finding fish somewhere else.... Too often I've left a spot where the fish were biting in hopes of finding better fish otherwise and ended up not catching anything else.. So I guess I followed that rule Saturday... Thanks for the well wish... J
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Now that's how to get it done! I'm jealous.
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[#0000FF]When you're not with the fish you love...love the fish you're with.
AND
A fish on the rod is worth two somewhere else.
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Thanks Mike,
Not like catching the hogs at BL but when I only have a couple hours to hit the pond it beats watching TV... BTW I let them all go after I measured them so they are still swimming in your 32" Cat spot. Hope you're getting some good Mac's now the deer hunt is over... Later J
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So Pat has the extra warm fall seemed to affect the fish patterns you have become familiar with over the years? Seems like to me, they are acting sort of different than the last couple years... I usually do really well this time of year, and its okay this year, but not hot like it has been the last two years... Plus I still have not caught a walleye on the home pond this year, when I usually get a few each fall... Maybe it's just one of those law of averages thing where I've had a couple real good ones and now it's time for an average one to level things out.. Well one of these days I'm going to have to catch up with you on one of your trips and tag along again.. Later J
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Hey Jeff, I'll tell you where all the kitties are......TD and BLK got them all corralled in UL in a secret hole and are gonna wait till 10 minutes before the deadline Saturday, then post all the 35 and 36 inchers........[ ]
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Nice fish. Decided not to go to Hyrum? Looks like a good choice. Trying to decide whether to go to Hyrum or Willard this weekend. Some guys from work are doing really well at Willard. Maybe I'll do both.
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Well Forest they went somewhere, so that must be what is up.... Don't think BLK needs them this year, he is pretty untouchable... He has thrown more fish over 28" back than I've probably ever caught in a lifetime this year... He sure seems to have them figured out.... Keep waiting for Pat to get the trophy bug again, but he doesn't seem to be as prone to such things as I am... He's caught the monsters before so they aren't a big deal to him... but I sure like to land big cats.... We need to figure out an award burger night out or something where we can present the prizes... Well next week we'll talk that... Later J
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That sounds like a good choice... I see winter coming next week, so I probably better get my pumps drained and trailer winterized this week so the cold don't ruin everything.. Maybe I waited too long to take my FIL to Hyrum, unless Saturday isn't too bad... Where did the fall go, can't believe it's almost November... We'll be talking ice fishing before too long... Good luck where ever you decide to go Rod.... later J
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"So Pat has the extra warm fall seemed to affect the fish patterns you have become familiar with over the years?"
[#0000FF]Seems like every year is different...in one way or another. Hard to say what is "normal".
The main things that affect fish location and activity levels are: Water temps, food availability, weather patterns. Add to that water levels and there ain't much more to consider.
This October has been the warmest on record...according to the Salt Lake weather folks. That has kept the water temps high enough to keep the kitties (and other species) acting as if it was still late summer. Sometimes good...sometimes not so much.
But the lower water levels in our favorite spots has had a much greater impact. My top three areas on Utah Lake...for large catfish...are all either high and dry or less than a foot deep. Tough to find and catch big catfish under those conditions. There are still some big cats and they are somewhere. But it's tough when you are limited (float tube) in your ability to search them out. I have simply resigned myself to the fact that Mama Nature is off her meds and until she gets back on we gotta deal with it.
Walleye? I pride myself on being able to honestly claim that I have caught as many walleye as most serious walleye fans over the years. This year? No walleyes from Starvation or Willard. Only one small one from Utah Lake. By this time last year I had caught multiple walleyes from four different lakes.
Like everybody else, I am hoping that we get lotsa moisture this winter...even if I do have to use my snow blower more than once...like last year. If we don't...well, I don't wanna think about it.
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Thanks Pat, I agree with the need for water this year... I think next year may be mighty tough fishing if we stay in the drought for another year...
So many variables its really hard to predict fish activity isn't it? Guess you just try your best guess and see how it turns out... I've gotten out of keeping my fishing log up since it's hard to find time with the current method I'm using but I need to get after it again so I can capture the unusual fall for later reference... Well till next time, may your bait supply always be short at the end of the trip.. Later J
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Nice fish! Thanks for sharing the pictures and the story[  ]
Is there a decent crappie population up there? That one looked great!
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The crappie are pretty hit and miss up there, but the ones I catch are usually always good sized.. But I also use a 3" jig so the little ones can't get it in their mouth... We seen a lot of crappie minnows in the mouths of the bass in August, but how many of them make it is hard to tell. Once in a while you can find a good spot and catch some crappie, but its usually a surprise when it happens. I can't plan on going to catch crappie and then do it... Usually its one crappie every trip or two... I sure wish I could count on a good crappie trip, but haven't been able to do that since I was a kid and the old cars along the edge were full of crappie... Also every time there is a good bunch of crappie, the crowds find out and roll in like vultures and fish them till their gone... Part of the reason I keep pushing for a 10 fish crappie limit instead of the 5 gallon bucket like they always take... If there was a 10 fish limit and folks only took the 12"ers then you'd have plenty of fish to eat and over population of crappie will never be an issue with the smallies keeping them in check... I'll get off my soap box... Later J
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I've found the fish are acting very differently this year. Not only has it been warmer, but some of my favorite spots in Idaho have higher water than usual due to the heavy rains we saw this spring overflowing the reservoirs. Thank goodness for plastics. I usually catch some huge largemouth burning lipless cranks and squarebills in the fall, but this year the drop shot has saved me. The smallmouth are different too. I usually kill them up at Oneida on jerkbaits this time of year, but despite the incredibly clear water this fall, I've had to go with swimbaits and dropshots to get them. I've had pretty decent numbers, I've just had to really slow down. The walleye have been less active too, I finally caught my first of the year on Saturday.
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