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We were over to Lincoln Beach last week. Wanted to fish out in front of the first spring where the ice had reached 4 to 5", but couldn't decide if there was enough elbo room so we fished at the mouth of the dikes. Lots of folks catching piles of white bass out in front of the spring just like last year. Some would take coolers and garbage bags full of them back to there trucks and then go back out for more. We've been back by a few times since including yesterday and same scenario, even same people for the most part, so we've been finding other places to fish around west mountain where the ice varies from 3 to 6" and success has been marginal but we have manages some white bass and a lone perch and crappie, and definitely no competition.
Anyway, yesterday at Lincoln Beach between the dikes someone has managed to break up the 5 to 7" thick ice all the way to the end of the channel. Huge slabs pushed up on the ice and under the ice. Can't imagine a boat big enough to try that without breaking something. Does anyone know what happened there? Thought maybe some joker tried to drive their truck out and had to be towed back or something.
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With the ice being broken down the channel it could have possibly have been an air boat. The boat could have broken the ice until the operator could get the boat up speed to run on top of the ice. Duck hunters could still be finding ducks and or geese out there some where or a duck hunter turned fisherman finding fish others can't.
Richard J
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Makes me wonder if it was not BLK trying to hurry ice off.
I hope.[cool]
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O.C.F.D.
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Nope, not me. I'm still in therapy for my cataholicism and making reasonable progress... still some delusional behavior, curious ticks, and arm twitches but doing better. Should be ready to rumble about March.
BLK
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Yes it was an air boat. We saw it there about 3:00 on Saturday. The fishing was much slower on Saturday that it was a week before and the ice was a LOT worse. We broke through many times close to shore and turned back. I would not go out again until it cools off a lot.
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Hey Lynn,
I got a carp last night and almost kept it and cut it up for catfish bait, but was afraid it'd get freezer burned by the time I got to use it up north... Fun fight through an ice hole.... didn't know if I'd ever get that fish in, it gave me a work out and pulled plenty of drag... Was glad I had an 8" hole, it fit but not by much... Those times playing with big kitties paid off on that fish... Well good luck in the therapy, won't be too much longer... Later J
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[#0000FF]Should we join Cataholics Anonymous? That's where we all go and nobody knows who we are. Then we all get drunk together. (Joke) I hear there is a great 12 cast program.
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Any tips on cats through the ice!?
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[#0000FF]Cats in Utah Lake definitely bite beneath the ice. But it is hard to target them. Most of the ones caught during winter ice time are taken on baits and lures being fished for white bass or other species. They tend to move around and will be found in the same areas as the other fish, if there is something to eat or the water temps are agreeable.
There have been some big cats hooked through the ice on Utah Lake over the years. And Lincoln Beach is a good area to try because there is deeper water and some places there are warm inflows.
If I were going after cats specifically, I would find a spot that was a little deeper than the surrounding area. Then I would set up with a large jig hook baited with a minnow or a chunk of carp meat or white bass meat. Drop it to the bottom and then raise it up a few inches and prop your rod in a holder that won't allow your rod to take a dive if a big fish hits. Hint...leave the drag loose or stay within easy grabbing distance. Even better is to keep hold of the rod and raise and lower it a few inches periodically.
This is how the walleye fans fish dead sticking for walleyes...and big cats are too dumb to know they aren't supposed to take walleye offerings.
I have never caught a really big cat through the ice at Utah Lake, but I have had a couple of trips to the "Abyss" when there were numbers of "cookie cutter" kitties that hit small jigs with a piece of worm. See the pics below.
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Pat,
Think Willard would be similar to your UL info on cats? I want to get me a channel cat through the ice this year... I know it's not going to be easy for me, but going to give it a try... Thanks for the tips... may even try them on Cutler too... Thanks Later J
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[#0000FF]Almost everybody who puts in time on Willard ice catches a channel cat sooner or later. Sometimes the kitties are the only ones that show up to play. But like Utah Lake they do not seem to gather in any particular spot and there are seldom more than one or two per hole.
Like Utah Lake, the cats from Willard are usually taken by ice holers who fish various jigs near the bottom for perch, crappies or walleyes...or wipers. I have had the most success on cats fishing a small fire tiger jig head tipped with crawler. But I have also caught them on pieces of small chub minnows or perch meat. They also like Gulp Minnows.
Not sure if the ice is safe on Willard...or if it is, how long it will hold. It gets sloppy around the edges in warmer weather. Best place to get on the ice is usually straight down from the fish cleaning station at the north marina.
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Guess I need to commit a full day and give it a good serious try... I think I get too impatient when I'm not seeing fish and move too much on ponds like Willard and Cutler... Keep thinking I'll find a better spot instead of waiting for the fish to show where I am... Spot selection is tough on such big puddles... Thanks for the tips to help with that... Later J
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[#0000FF]On Willard it is rare to see fish on sonar any place you drill a hole. But if you don't see anything go by within a "reasonable time" then move off a ways.
Hint, fishing along the edges of the channel going out from the north marina can be worthwhile. Sometimes the fish are up on the flat. Other times they will be down in the deeper part of the channel. And if you remember the humps and bumps (Rocky's Reef) those are also good places to search out. Drill several holes around the area and sonar the heck out of it to try to find where the fish are holding. The change in bottom contour can act as a fish magnet in a shallow flat bowl like Willard. If you find the right spot you may catch several species at the same place.
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Thanks Pat I'd wondered about Rocky's reef and the old road beds out there. Glad I got a mark on Rocky's or it would be difficult to find. Probably try there first if the ice gets good enough and I'm not heading other directions. Thanks so much for the intell. Later J
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