Lincoln Beach Kitties 6-21-07

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]TubeBabe and I needed further checkouts and tests on our new H3 tubes. Set up a trip to meet jnbsigma and road at Lincoln Beach. Road couldn't make it. I think he kept the wind with him. It was nice all morning.[/#0000ff] [#0000ff]Hardly even a breeze at any time. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Justin showed up and Watkinator (?) his buddy showed up a few minutes later. TubeBabe and I were on the water by 6:30 and the other two guys about a half hour later.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Air temp was 60 and water temp 68 at launch. It would be 85 and 74 when we got out about noon. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I was throwing a variety of hardbaits and plastics, while dragging a minnow on my bait rod. Scored a nice 3# channel on the minnow before 7...our first fish of the morning. Caught several more cats between 18" and 22" before 9 and one more about 10. Ended up with 7 channel cats, 1 mudder and 1 silly misguided white bass. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TubeBabe bagged 3 nice kitties and a mudder. Her largest cat was 23" and 4.8 pounds...tops for the day. The two buddies took turns whackin' channels and mudders, and sharing a basket. They ended up with a half dozen channels and two mudders. Their top channel was 24", but weighed only 4.6#. Longer but not as heavy as TubeBabe's top cat.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Actually, our fishing took a nosedive when the boats hit the water. Never fails. The first boat out of the channel was a Tracker party barge loaded down with old fudds. As soon as it saw us in a group, over by the south shoreline, it made a turn and headed right for us. They pretended to not even see us as they motored at good speed right between me and TubeBabe, only a cast away. Not too long afterward, another Tracker, a smaller one, did the same thing...headed right for us, motored around us a couple of times and then ran right over the two lines I was trailing out behind me. They did not stop to fish. Only ran over our shallow fishing area and spooked the fish. We did not get any more fish after that.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TubeBabe and I agreed that our expensive H3 float tubes have the worst seat setup of any tubes we have ever owned. After two trips out in mine, my back is trashed. The wimpy twist valves cannot be aired up enough, and the back rest stays a bit soft. Then, the valve does not hold air and within a short time the backrest softens and the whole seat back just sags and collapses. I could lean clear over and lay on the back of the tube if I wanted. I did not want.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]tubebabe is not as heavy and she did not have as much problem as I did. But, she is already talking about salvaging the rigid foam seats from her Fat Cat. Even with the PVC extensions I fashioned, she did not have enough back support either.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Overall, we are pleased with the stability and ride of the H3's. But, if you can't fish in one for more than an hour without having to return to shore to add air to the seat back, it is not worth it.[/#0000ff]
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[Saberfish]

[black][size 3]Congrats Pat,[/size][/black]
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[size 3]Nice report and photos of your angling skills. Sorry to hear that the seating system of the H3 is not up to par.[/size]
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[size 3]I'm sure that within a few days, you will have a seating arrangement set up for you and TB that will be more comfortable.[/size]
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[size 3]Bad winds and white caps at UL today, too bad. ha ha[/size]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Yeah, weather was terrible...but we hung in there.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I am sure we will work out the adjustments necessary to get the new rides workable. That is simultaneously the good and the bad about inflatable seats. A lot more adjustable for individual needs, but at the same time a lot more potential for discomfort if you don't have them just right.[/#0000ff]
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[MRCRESTLINER]

Looks like you did well and the weather co-operated. Nice looking rides you two have. We will probably have to do something about getting your avatar replaced. Not sure if I will make it out this weekend or not, but will be headed for Starvation next Thurs. for a few days fishing. [cool]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Thanks. I'm sure we can coordinate our busy executive fishing schedules so that we meetup on the water before summer is over.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I will be hitting Starvation Tuesday. Full report naturally.[/#0000ff]
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[jnbsigma]

Thanks again for an enjoyable morning, TD & TB. For a while, I thought I'd end up just being the designated photographer, but I finally found some friends. Good times and great company! Here's a few more pics.

Perhaps when the power squadron came we shoulda moved up into the weeds in 8" of water. They'd be sure to follow, get stuck, and then we'd have the lake to ourselves again. Maybe next time...
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Glad you guys could make it and that you were able to get into some action. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]That lake and those fish take some learnin'. And, it can be different every trip. You just have to go prepared with different baits and rigs and keep working into different areas until you dial them in.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]They sure do pull good when you score though.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Thanks for the added pictures. Too bad you didn't get the direct hit I made on one of those boats with my surface to surface carp. I wish.[/#0000ff]
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[Playas44]

Glad to see you found some cats to play. Too bad about the boats interferring with your play time.
I wish I had of known you were fishing down there, I fished on the west and didn't have a single boat bother me. One came within about 800 yards, but that was it.

Were you fishing out in open water or close into the brush? Every fish I caught today was right up in the brush. I tried out in the open water, but didn't get a hit.

Good luck on working the kinks out on the new tube.
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[watkinator]

That was my first time playing with the kitties and I already know I'll be back to show a friend of mine how we scored this morning. Thanks for sharing the soft water you guys, it was a very pleasant day to be kickin it.
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[Flycasting]

I bet those kitties will make some nice smoked fillets. [cool]

Too bad about the back rest and seat. [mad]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]That is one of the real positives about fishing the west side...not many boats. It also has some deeper water around the reeds and brush. Down at Lincoln Beach there is seldom more than 3 feet of water next to the reeds, at least on the south end. If you can get around to the rock shelves and the "L" there is some deeper water in close.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I tried working in close but caught only small white bass on jigs. Nothing on meat. Most of our fish came off the flats, in 4 to 5 feet of water...some a little deeper.[/#0000ff]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Yeah, kitties make nice smokin' material...if you can figure out which end to light.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Have you done anything in your smoker yet?[/#0000ff]
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[Flycasting]

Yup. Went and got a limit of kitties about a month or so ago, and smoked em up, and they were awesome. I didn't use a brine or anything... just spiced them up, and smoked them for about 6 hours. Threw the smoked fillets in the oven at 180* for about an hour after that. I think I am gonna skip the oven step next time and replace it with a grill step.

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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I now use a few minutes on major flames over the grill to burn off the excess oil and crispy up the fish a little. It also adds a bit of extra flavor, if you add some wood chips to the grill.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you put them on a grill with wide gaps, just transfer the wire racks from your smoker over to the grill, rather than taking the fish off the racks and then putting them on the grill. They will hold together better.[/#0000ff]
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[Flycasting]

That's what I was thinking too. I was lucky to get a huge grill as a house warming present, and it would hold all 3 racks easily.

Now we just need to go catch some fish.... [angelic]
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