I pretty much have my pick of when I go fishing. I have my own ideas, but was wondering what some of you with lots of experience could tell me about the best time(s) to fish for cats at UL. I'm still CATchinon.
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[#0000FF]As a general rule, you can catch catfish any time of day or night. The main exception is during the hottest months of summer...after the post spawn feeding period. After that the larger fish sometimes feed better after dark...and after the power squadron leaves the water for the day.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]But there are still some catfish "ex-spurts" who yet believe that catfish bite only at night...on stinky concoctions.
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[#0000FF]For me, there are two arguments against me fishing at night. One is that when the sun goes down, so do my eyelids. And for me, doing an "all-nighter" means not having to get up in the middle of the night to drain my bilge water.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Second are the bugs. Skeeters on Utah Lake are most active at night. And the skeeters these days might not only take your blood but leave you with some nasty illnesses...like West Nile Virus, etc.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]The best time to go is whenever you can get away...and whenever the weather is not too bad to fish.
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I'm with TD on this one: "The best time to go is whenever you can get away...and whenever the weather is not too bad to fish."
I like to go early, especially during the hot months, so I can get off of the water when the sun starts to bake. I agree that cats can be caught any time of the day but they seem to be more "on the feed" in the mornings for me. The night time bugs are really bad a UL and make it almost impossible to fish and breath.
I was at Lincoln yesterday at daylight and again last night -- agree the night fishing last night was a bummer. I was also there this a.m. at daylight and did very well. I caught lots of cats in the mid-twenty range and three ugly beasts that were right at 27 inches. I catch a lot of catfish but I can't break out of the 27 inch mold. Not sure if night fishing would help or not but will continue to try.
The fish I caught today were so beat up I am surprised they survive their torrid love life. They have big ugly holes in there hides that look like they should be fatal. See pics.
Also, a first today: I caught a white bass on a TD Gorilla Flig… a 7/0 hook with a 3 inch carplette -- almost bigger than the wb. Always amazed at the things wb eat and try to eat. Good thing they don't grow much bigger than 8-9 inches.
Water was greenish today but not from algal bloom. I only saw a small amount of the green goo in the launch channel -- much to do about not much.
Ennyhow, fishing is best whenever you can go.
BLK
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Shooting catfish ain’t legal😐. I also agree with TD and BLK. Night time catting can be very good at nighttime. Some of my best catches have been at night.
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So you think last night was just one of those times? It wasn't just us? We quit at midnight; would sticking it out longer have made any difference?
Yeah the heat was pretty awful yesterday. I went out about 6:30 to catch some white bass for bait at night. It was one of those times when your shirt front gets sopping wet from wiping the sweat off your face so often. I thought things would start cooling off sooner. Actually it doesn't until 8.
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Tough fishing at UL at night with all the skeeters and midges and, if on shore, the minks and skunks and other creatures of the night. A head net will help some but not when it is plastered with midges and skeeters. I still like to fish at night but prefer to wait until later in the year when the bugs subside. The wind can help make the bugs tolerable if it is not too strong to fish in. If shore fishing, nothing beats a lighted bobber watched from the front seat of a truck.
Keep on fishin'.
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Night time catting can be very good at nighttime.
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How about night time catting during the daytime?[
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I like the evenings myself, from 7 to 9:30 seems to be best for me... but I think it all comes back to going when you can... good luck with it... Later J
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Not so good in the daytime.🤪
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Following the wisdom of the four magi (to go fishing whenever you can), I went fishing this morning at Lincoln channel and stuck it out till noon. I caught a white bass and a lot of bullheads. Sick of catching them and having my bait stripped, I cut a big chunk of the bass and stuck it on a 6/0 hook. Then the bullheads had fun carrying it around until I jerked it out of their mouths. Finally, I caught a smallish channel at 11:15, on smallish bait. I was busy trying to get the hook out of a bullhead's mouth when my other pole started clattering down the rocks; I caught it just in time. Isn't that the way it always goes? Turn your back and ...
Not a boat in or out. So peaceful without the loud crowd.
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Sounds like a good day to me..... But then again fishing verses work..... Easy to see who wins there... Can't wait for the weekend got to find me a big cat before I'm buried in second crop hay and watering again.. Later J
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3 weeks ago I fished from 7:30 PM to 12:30AM without a bite.
12:30 to 2:30 I caught 7 and missed 2, 2:30 to 3:30 I had 1 lite bite.
I'm not sure anyone can say when the best time to fish is.
Sometimes you can get lucky and be there when the fish are or you have to wait them out.
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I don't know I recall a time in my life where catting at anytime was good.
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Thanks to all for the feedback. My sweet wife doesn't understand why I want to fish at different times of day (she's a SoCal girl, bless her heart). Anyway maybe this will help her understand some of the vagaries of our illustrious enterprise.
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I really like catfishing in in the evening and through the night. A lot of that is because I normally work nights anyways. Easy schedule for me to keep. Not having to load up on sunscreen and ice water is also nice, although there is a fair amount of bug spray involved. I like to use a propane lantern without the glass on it to keep the bugs down, just like a bug zapper. If you wear dark clothes and put a piece of aluminum foil on the back side of the lantern to keep the light off you that helps as well. Nothing like a nice cool night under the moon catching kitties.
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