Fishing Forum

[cool][font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][#0000ff]Ironworker and I finally got our social calendars together and worked out a morning on the water. TubeBabe came along too, and CarpPunisher played hookey from church to worship with us at the Cathedral of the Seventh Day [url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=268004#"][green][size 1]Angler[/size][/green][/url].[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TB, IW and myself were on the water shortly after 6:30...us in our tubes and IW in his toon. There was still a lingering swell coming in from the strong north wind that blew last night and the water was murky and only 67 degrees at launch. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We all fished seriously for the next hour. I lost a large bullhead at the tube and then landed the first kitty of the day a few minutes later. That was about 7:30. IW had one good hit, and that was his only shot for the whole day. TubeBabe got a bullhead and then nothing for a long time.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]CarpPunisher arrived and launched his toon about 8:30. He promptly put the hook to a 3.6 pound channel. Looked like he might have brought some luck with him. Nope. That was it for him.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I got a smaller channel cat about 9:30. Then, I got three hefty bullheads between 10 and 11. TubeBabe finally caught a nice little channel cat, about 2 pounds. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]IW did not bring anything to his toon, and he had to leave early, to take care of some family obligations. I told him I would catch a big one after he left. I did.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As CarpPunisher and I started back to the launch area, just after 11, I had a tap on my bait that was just like the previous 3 bullheads. I waited a few seconds, flipped the bail, reeled the line tight, felt some movement on the other end and set the hook. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]WHOA!. That "bullhead" had shoulders. It put the line over its back and hauled off a few yards of line against a tight drag. For a few minutes it pretty well whupped me good. I finally got it up close, as CP came up to witness the finale of the fight. It turned out to be a nice 6 pound daddy cat. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Well, since this was Fathers' Day and all, I felt it was only right to give the big dark male his well-earned release. After a couple of pics and a pucker up, I removed the hook from the corner of his mouth and sent him back to spend the rest of Fathers' Day with the wives and kids.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Just as CP was about ready to beach his toon, TubeBabe radioed that she could see his fish basket floating back in the channel where he had been fishing. His one catfish was trying to make an escape. CP hit the oars and roared off in hot pursuit. He was able to recapture the culprit and invited it home for dinner.[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]The [url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=268004#"][green][size 1]water temp[/size][/green][/url] was up to 73 as we loaded up for home. We timed our departure perfectly. Just as we hit the beach, several PWC came roaring across the area we had been fishing and coasted up onto the shallow area right next to our vehicles. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]On the road home shortly after noon so that I could be a daddy to my kids too.[/#0000ff]

[/size][/black][/font][font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=16820;"][#000000] IRONWORKER.JPG [/#000000][/url](166 KB) [/size][/black][/font][font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=16821;"][#000000] NICE DAY.JPG [/#000000][/url](128 KB) [/size][/black][/font][font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=16822;"][#000000] DADDY CAT.JPG [/#000000][/url](231 KB) [/size][/black][/font][font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=16823;"][#000000] KISS ME BABY.JPG [/#000000][/url](190 KB) [/size][/black][/font][font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=16824;"][#000000] TD'S TAKE HOME.JPG [/#000000][/url](278 KB) [/size][/black][/font][font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=16825;"][#000000] TWO FOR TUBEBABE.JPG [/#000000][/url](138 KB) [/size][/black][/font][font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=16826;"][#000000] HOT PURSUIT.JPG [/#000000][/url](128 KB) [/size][/black][/font][font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=16827;"][#000000] RECAPTURED ESCAPEE.JPG [/#000000][/url](151 KB) [/size][/black][/font][font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=16828;"][#000000] LINCOLN BEACH SUMMER.JPG [/#000000][/url](253 KB) [/size][/black][/font]
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Ironworker really does iron work for a living? My brother in law is one too belongs to Chicago's Ironworker Local number one. My son was trying to get in but took carpentery now.
I haven't caught a bullhead in years, how do they taste between that cats you catch?
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Really nice report and pics. Glad you guys and gals had a good time. Must say though that only a mother could love a face like that daddy cat.

z~
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[cool][#0000ff]Yes, BFT member ironworker really does make his living by welding and working with metals. In addition to all the "practical" stuff he does, he also fabricates some beautiful metal fish and wildlife. He also teaches metal work at one of the local colleges. [url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=180090;#180090"]HERE IS A LINK TO SOME PICS[/url][/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Bullheads can be good or bad, eatingwise. I have had them from some waters that were almost inedible they were so strong tasting. The ones I have caught from two or three waters here in Utah have all been fine tablefare. In fact, there are some folks hereabouts who think they are better than almost any other fish.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Many people prepare them by simply gutting and skinning them and then frying them whole. I am pretty good with a fillet knife, and these fish are big enough to fillet, so that is how I prepare them. Then, I coat and fry them in my dry coating mix and hot peanut oil until they are just about crisp. Great eating.[/#0000ff]
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Wow Ironworker really does a great job making those fish! []I remember doing some while in college in welding and machine shop but not like IW! Thank you for turning my head that way otherwise I wuld had missed the fun too. What else did he make beside those fish? You can tell him I said "wow"[] and I sent my brother in law that site.

I never had caught bullheads early mornings, all afternoons but always got alot after sundown. Fishing for bluegills all day, when they stop and the bullheads take over and we quit fishing for the day. I only catch them at Madison's lakes in Wisconsin and no where else.
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Super report TD, thanks.

Sounds like some fairly tough fishin but you managed some keepers. I liked the pic of Ironworkers setup on his toon...looks just about what I have in mind for mounting a minn kota...I was chatting with my brother and he is upgrading his and offered me his 28lb thrust for FREE...

On another note I know about tough fishin as I was in the Bass tourny here yesterday as a backseater. 1 keeper Bass for me in 7 hours fishin was tough (pic attached). My boating partner caught only 4. A few caught their limit and it was a tie for first place with 8lbs each. The lunker was 3.8lbs which is a good size for here.

I truly realized yesterday when you guys talk about the slower pace of fishing from a toon or tube. I personally felt my partner fished way to fast. I am sure I would have had a better catch rate if he had slowed down or better yet I had been able to fish outta my toon...now I have thoughts of adding livewell after getting setup with motor and a way better fishfinder...but all in good time...

Thanks for the link to those pics from Ironworkwer, wow thats awesome work...


Bassguy64
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[cool][#0000ff]I used to fish tournaments too, from a boat. It got to be more stress than fun so I quit. I discovered a long time ago that tubing could put more fish aboard in the same water, simply because you work it more thoroughly. I never did enjoy "running and gunning". It is a way to quickly catch the active and aggressive fish, but they are usually not the biggest ones. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Being a back seater is the worst. You can't cast up into the "unused" water and you cannot control the boat to work your casts right. You have to settle for whatever the guy running the boat wants for you. If you caught even one decent fish that is good in many tournaments.[/#0000ff]
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