Road at Lindon 5-21-13

[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]BFTer "road" and I found that the road is still closed at Lindon. I made it okay but he was a bit late for our meetup because I had heard that the closure would be over by May 1. It ain't and I didn't think to warn him.

First time we have fished together in over two years. His fault. If he hadn't rolled his truck in Idaho a couple of years ago...and if he had mended faster...oh well. It was good to "hook up" again.

Air temp at 6am was 45 and water temp 59. It has cooled down with the past few days cold snap but should jump back up again by the weekend.

I launched before road got there and promptly dinged a couple of crappie-ettes. Right next to shore inside the harbor. Then a couple of bluegills that were as big as the crappies. Third species was small white bass. The ardently desired walleyes failed to show at the points of the harbor channel entrance so I headed south to the bubbleup.

An early south breeze made the surface slightly bumpy, but no biggie. Got to the buoys and made a few pitches with large plastics...again searching for ol' wallie. Not home. Did get some tentative taps that I assumed were whities. I was righty. Switched to smaller plastics and got a few of those. Nothing big but did get one double. Not a lot of them showing up along the pipe yet.

I started dragging bait on one rod while pitching jigs in to the pipe. Silly kitties wouldn't let me focus on jig fishing. As soon as my minnow settled down the line would pop free from the clip and go streaming off the open bailed reel. Then I had to frantically reel in the jigs, put up that rod and deal with the kitty. Tough duty but somebody's gotta do it.

I had close to a limit of 8 cookie cutter (21") cats in my basket by 8:30 and began releasing them. By the time Marty and I finally got together I had kept 8 and release about that many more. I handed off some of my unused minnows. He had one nice cat and a big ugly carp he had kept for "dissection and distribution"...catfish bait. I motored back to the harbor for some more inside prospecting while Marty stayed outside to play with the kitties.

By the time we both got off the water...about noonish...I had caught a UL "grand slime"...5 species, including crappie, bluegills, white bass, channel cat and bullhead. If I hadn't of farmed off a couple of carp I would have had 6. And if I hadn't lost the one walleye I hooked it would have been 7. Woulda coulda shoulda.

Marty finished up strong his own self. He scored a limit of kitties for the smoker too.

Another good day on the water for the old fudds. Seems like old times. Been too long.

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[BigEZ]

I saw this notice on the Lindon Harbor website before heading down Sunday morning. "ALERT: The East and North access is now open. The signs indicating the road is closed are incorrect and you can proceed around them."

I crossed through the closed road both ways and was waved through by a railroad worker on the way out. I'm not sure anyone is going to stop you on purpose, unless they are four cars long, painted the colors of the flag and unable to stop.
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[FishMcFisherson]

Nicely done.

A couple questions. 1. What's the biggets channel cat you've caught out of UL?
2. What is the definition of "Cookie Cutter"?
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]1. 24#

2. Cookie cutter...all about the same size...as if they were all made by the same cookie cutter.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]The road may be open at times but when I tried it there was heavy equipment all across the road...completely blocking it from any access.

Before they entered the major phase the road was open one lane for local traffic...even with the signs up.
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[BigEZ]

I hope they finish it soon. Seems like it's been closed for several months.

I also am very anxious to get my son on the whities this year and that is the place I plan to take him when they get active. I think he'll love it.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Lindon is usually a good place to take kids for whities. Not sure how it will be this year. Still too cool for them to mob the banks but hopefully that will change soon.

I did some prospecting both inside and outside and found a few fish. But nothing like it is in full battle rattle. Of course that is when you will make a lot of new friends too.
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[Justice_beaver]

What bait were you using for the catfish and other ones? I used to do a lot of fishing when i was a boy scout but haven't in 10 or so years and just started again this year so I have no idea what I'm doing or even the correct form to use a certain lure. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Oh ya and I don't have a boat [reply][/reply]
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Plain old nightcrawlers will catch plenty of cats. They will also catch bullheads, white bass and even an occasional walleye.

When I am targeting channel cats I usually fish chub minnows, white bass or carp meat. Those are all food items eaten regularly by larger cats. The fresher the better.

Some folks swear by chicken livers. Others prefer shrimp. They all work...some better than others at times.

For the white bass and even catfish you can cast small jigs...tipped with nightcrawler. Fish around the outside edges of the harbors when the fish are swarming in to spawn...usually about this time of year, but slow this year.

Sometimes fishing bait or lures under a bobber works best...both for catching fish and for keeping your lure or hook out of snags.

Watch this forum for reports and keep trying new places and new tactics until you get more knowledgeable. The research is fun.
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[WingNutt]

What depth are the kitties right now?

Hitting it tomorrow afternoon with the wife and kids.Hope I have as good of luck as you do.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Cats are being caught at any depth from 1 foot to over 6 feet all around the lake. They tend to go shallower when the weather calms a bit and the water temps go above 60 to 65. But if the wind blows and/or the nighttime temps drop below 50 the cats move back out into deeper water.

On Tuesday I caught my first few in 5-6 feet of water. But Road was fishing in about 3 feet and he was catching them too.

Conditions can be very different in different parts of the lake. Much depends on wind direction and sun exposure. If there is a south breeze on a warm day you can find cats in fairly shallow water later in the day...soaking up the extra 3 to 5 degrees of water temp. But if a cold north wind comes in on a front the water temps can drop several degrees in a hurry. And fishing at places like Lincoln Beach during a north wind is seldom productive.

I like Lindon area because it is usually less exposed to anything except SW and NW winds.

A good plan if you start early is to begin in about 5 feet and make big S turns while you slowly drag a bait around. Go from 3 feet out to over 6 feet and then back. Pay attention to where you are getting the bites. Then fish that zone until they move shallower or deeper.

If you are going in the afternoon, start just south of the Lindon dikes in about 3 feet and cast a bobber with about 2 feet of line in closer to the exposed reeds. Some big cats are coming in shallow now. Tis that time of year.

Good luck.
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[road]

Sorry for the late reply TD. Have had out of town company. Fishboys sez to tell ya hi and to get your butt up to Silver Plume for some real fishing.

That's only if ya like cold water fish if you get my drift.

Now about being late.....Has it ever happened before? I think not, sheesh it's like who can sleep the night before you go fishing. Not this guy.

Well after I got home I weighed those bigger fish. The Golden Eye Toothless wonder went 11lbs 3 oz. , the big kitty 8 lbs 13 oz , it had a keeper white bass in it's belly, and was still pigging out on my bait. The rest were 4 lbs and under.

Was really great fishing with ya again after all this time. Just like the good ole days. Good fishing, good friends, and good weather. What more can a man ask for.

Here's a pic of those fish.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Better never late...or however that goes.

It was great being back on the water witcha again. Thought about you a lot of times during your "recovery period". Glad you are functional again.

Was also pleased that you found some willing customers. Tugs makes a fishing day much more enjoyable.

I ain't out playin' with the amateurs this weekend either. Getting plenty done but not fishing.

Looks like Mama Nature gonna play rough again next week. Oh well.
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[road]

As I recall we figured out how to play back. It just seemed that we were feeding our own ego. As the fishing would be great, but the catching not so much. Not to mention the howling ole wind LOL Oh yeah I remember. Think I can manage to wait for more friendly weather.
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