Fishing Forum

[cool][#0000ff]Believed the forecast for NO WIND on Friday and launched our tubes at the south marina about 6 AM. There was a light northerly breeze. No biggie. Water temp 80 degrees. Air temp only a few degrees cooler.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Quite a few boats hit the water before 6:30 and headed out to different parts of the lake. Would you believe two wakeboard boats going out with the fishermen?[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TubeBabe headed around the point of the entrance and started up the dike to the north. I started by casting small shad crankbaits inside, along the edge of the channel. Had a small raccoon come right down to the water next to me while he foraged in the rocks for anything that might have washed up the night before. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Got a couple of light whacks on the hardbaits and switched to a tandem rig of small white plastics. Began hooking singles and doubles on little smallmouths every cast. Must have caught 30 or 40 of them before I got around the point and moved out into deeper water. Biggest was probably about 10 inches. Most were barely 5 or 6 inches.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Got a line out with a minnow on it once I left the shore area. Tubebabe was also dragging a minnow along the dike, while continuing to cast lures in close. We both got several small cats early and a couple were decent 16 or 17 inchers for the basket. We released several smaller ones. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Neither of us saw any real wiper activity. There was an occasional small wiper hitting the surface, but no boils...unless you count the carp. Enough of them were rolling to almost count as a boil. And, I worked top to bottom with different lures, from 10 feet deep out to 18 feet deep. Not a touch.[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]Not long after we launched, the north breeze changed to a west W. Soon we were bobbing on 2 foot slop. Made life more difficult for us tubers. I was having problems with the seat on my craft and had to keep shifting myself backward to keep from sliding out in the wiggly water.[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]Petty4Life was supposed to join us, for a maiden voyage on his new toon. However, he got down there after we were launched and the W had kicked up. Since his mama din't raise no fools, he wisely postponed his launch until he could do so on calmer water. Toons and wind are not good companions...especially if you want to get any fishing done.[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]We hung in there because the kitties were playing nice. We both went through a lot of minnows and we each probably caught somewhere between 15 to 20 of those frisky whiskerfish. They are getting bigger these days and they are healthy and active. They fight well and eat even better on the table. By the time we got off the water at 11:30, we had both kept a limit of 8. I had one that went over 20 inches and a couple at 18. TubeBabe had some nice ones too.[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]Wouldn't you know it. Just when we were tuckered out from fighting the bouncy-bouncy waves, they layed down. Our last half hour was almost pleasant. TubeBabe went ahead and fished up into the channel while I lingered to play with the shoreline tykes with my light gear. [/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]I started pitching my tandem rig with either two white or a white and smoke sparkle plastic. Didn't matter. Whatever hit the water within 3 feet of the rocks was instantly smacked. Most of the hits were from hyper smallies, but there were also a bunch of wee wipers in the mix. I probably caught another 25 or 30 smallettes and maybe a dozen of the 8" to 10" wipers. Fun on light tackle. Oh yeah, I also caught a fiesty little bluegill. As you can see on the attached pic, he measured out just over 10 inches (Ha!).[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]One more note. As TubeBabe and I were fishing along the rocks, less than 100 feet apart, a large boat that was heading for the marina decided to cut right between us. I did not say anything but could see him coming right for us from a long ways away. I took out my camera and as he got between us I took his picture. You can see TubeBabe on the other side of the boat to the right. When he saw the camera he shut it down so fast he almost took water over the stern. He knew exactly what he was doing and that it was illegal. He was a fisherman so that makes it even worse. I probably won't report him, even though the bow numbers are readable when the pic is enlarged. I will let him sweat it, waiting for a ticket that does not come. Hopefully he will change his ways. Not likely. [/#0000ff]
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Sounds like you two had a ball playing with the fish.
Too bad the wind didn't want to play nice.
Nice to hear the cats are still biting there.
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Sounds like the fish cooperated pretty well. That's always a good B-day present! []

By the way nice 10" gill you got there. Did he yank your tube around?

Got any plans for a fishin trip the 1st week of August? I was thinking maybe Mantua?
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sorry i didnt make it out on the water with ya. but when i left my house one the east side of ogden the wind was blowing like hell and i was loosing branches out of my tree. still made it to the so marina and you guys where on the bay already so i turned back. ill let ya know when i decide to do another maiden voyage
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Tubedude,
That is quite the picture you took f that boat in between the two of you. You got a gret picture of his bow numbers and the actual picture of the driver. I'll watch for him for you and if I run into to him; I'll give him a little reminder of the 150 feet rule. It's kind of nice to see the power of a camera. Shuts them down quite fast.

Jeff
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[cool][#0000ff]Thanks, Bro. I often take pictures of the boats that crowd me...either under power or just trolling by close enough to whack 'em with a rodtip. It's amazing how many get that far off stare, pretending you aren't even there, as they cruise over your lines or deliberately intrude (when they have the whole lake). For most of them, it is not a matter of the no wake 150 foot thing...just common courtesy and sportsmanship. And, if if I am rude enough to comment on their intrusion, they usually come back with some profanity and suggestions about performing physically impossible acts upon myself. They really resent the fact that I am crowding them with my inflatable.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]On several occasions I have boaters ask "Why are you taking my picture". My response is "I am collecting pictures of #$$%&#*$. I figure you can be #$$%&#* of the month." Sometimes that is good for beginning a deep philosophical discussion of the "gravitational pull" of two bodies, etc. Usually NOT.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Worse things happen every day. Our craft are pretty water-worthy and we can ride out the surf of major bow wakes at close range. But, I have seen more than a few small boats and canoes get dumped by inconsiderate boaters who throw up big water and go by too close.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Just for the record, all of us on BFT appreciate the visible efforts you guys have been making to help keep the waters safer. I think it has made a difference in the awareness of the potential offenders. It may not change their filthy habits, but they realize what they are doing, even if they don't stop. Keep up the good work.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]Have your peeps contact my peeps and we will work something out. Always enjoy playing on Mantua.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]And, if if I am rude enough to comment on their intrusion, they usually come back with some profanity and suggestions about performing physically impossible acts upon myself. [/#0000ff][#0000ff]On several occasions I have boaters ask "Why are you taking my picture". My response is "I am collecting pictures of #$$%&#*$. I figure you can be #$$%&#* of the month." Sometimes that is good for beginning a deep philosophical discussion of the "gravitational pull" of two bodies, etc. Usually NOT.[/#0000ff] [/reply]

Your Killin' me TD. LOL.

For the record, my peeps jumped ship and joined your peeps when they found out you offer free filleting services. The benefits I offer just can't match up. []
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TubeDude are you fishing tomorrow? I think the Little Lady and I will try the cats for a bit in the morning. Was the bite better for you there than where we fished last Friday or doesn't it make much difference. We would like a fresh meal of Kitties tomorrow night.Thanks.[cool]
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[cool][#0000ff]Not fishing tomorrow. Not enough horsepower to compete with the "amateurs". Should be a good day though, weather-wise. And, if you get off the water early enough you should avoid the masses.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The bite was steady, both in shallow water and deeper water on Friday. TubeBabe stayed in 9-11 feet of water, near the dike, and had plenty of bites. The fish were smaller though.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I had my best luck out in about 13-14 feet, like the trip we shared. But, last Tuesday, on the mini-floatilla, the fish moved shallow when the breeze kicked up. We were getting hammered in about 11 or 12 feet.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]My suggestion, if you go out of the south marina, is to move north along the dike, bottom bouncing your baits like you did last week. Stay out about 20 feet from the dike but move in and out once in a while. Sometimes the fish are right next to the rocks, as you well know.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you go north, fish the same area I was fishing, only move closer in and directly out from the trees around the inlet. When they turned on in there last Tuesday Flycasting and myself were hooked up constantly. I had two "doubles" to deal with.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Good luck.[/#0000ff]
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Thanks for the Info Pat, We'll let you know how we fare tomorrow. I don't know if Utahsteelheader will be out tomorrow or not but I'm sure they are having a busy weekend up there.Hope to be off the water before the main crowd hits . Sometimes Sunday mornings aren't too bad. I'm going to see if I can find LundDude, he and his wife are suppose to be down for a few days to try the Wipers. They are from Hailey Id. I believe and are going to stay until Weds.I guess he didn't know that this was a big Utah Holiday when they planned the trip earlier. [cool]
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[cool][#0000ff]I doubt that the holiday weekend will make any difference to those kitties. Their calendar probably does not even show the 24th as being a holiday.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The major difference is to the boaters, and how many more of them stack up. The good news,of course, is that a lot of them do not get on the water until later in the morning. But, even on a weekday morning there are PWCs, skiers and wakeboarders running the dikes at daybreak.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Good luck. We will have to hook up again sometime. I think I will let the wipers and the kitties sweat out the heat for a few weeks. I am predicting that after the first weather change in September they will go on a feeding binge again. Time for me to go to higher altitude for some slimy fish with stripes and/or spots. Going to try Huntington next Friday and finish up on E-lake for cutts and minnows.[/#0000ff]
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You need to pick on fish your own size! Nice fish anyways Pat. Makes me yearnin' for another trip to the big bad Wil. I'd be willing to bet that boater is giving himself a gastric ulcer worrying about a ticket coming in the mail!
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[cool][#0000ff]Other than a few late afternoon/evening boils...small ones...there does not seem to be as much wiper action right now. I am guessing that the fish are feeding at night, or at least deeper in the warm water. It is over 80 degrees right now. That is a bit warmer than wipers prefer.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It was priceless seeing the reaction of that guy in the boat when he saw me taking his picture. His mouth dropped open and he hauled back on the throttle. You can see in the pic that the stern of the boat dropped and he almost took a wave over the back.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I'm thinking that until the water temps get back down to about 70 to 75 that the wide open boils will be fewer. But, any boil is better than no boil a'tall.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]And hey, those fish were my size...when I was using light tackle. I'd rather get something than nothing.[/#0000ff]
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The morning started off on a bad note, as the wife and I were traveling east bound on Antelope Drive this morning and crossing over several of our viaducts that you just about go airborn on ( But I always slow for these particular two in a row) our trailer came unbuttoned from the hitch, all I can say is thank god I use safety chains and we were only doing about 30 MPH in a 45MPH zone. The hitch on the trailer nailed the rear bumber of the truck and it will have to be replaced (bumper). We called 911 and two brave Officers showed up in a matter of a few minutes to set up some Flashing lights. Had to dig out the ol'handyman jack to raise it enough to re-hook too my hitch. Everything was down and locked with a security lock through the latch handle. The only thing I could figure happened is when we pulled out of Micky-Dees with a couple of breakfast sandwiches that the drop down and up from the drive to the main road must have been enough to allow it to pop up on the ball. Once I was reconnected to the hitch I did manage to get a wrench on a couple of the nuts on the trailer hitch and tighten them some. I hope that solves the problem. I'm just glad we were only doing 30 MPH instead of the 65 MPH I would have been doing once we got on the Interstate. We finally launched about 6:30 and fished until 11:00, we only boated five Kitties so it was kind of slow for us. Water was fairly calm with no bugs, so that made it tolerable. I think LunkerHunter2's bad luck is starting to rub off on me.[]
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[cool][#0000ff]If we weren't already past the middle of the month, I would be checking to see if there was a Friday the 13'th this past week. Seems like a lot of BFTers had problems with boats, motors, batteries or the weather.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Having a trailer pop loose can really scare the heck out of ya. Like you said, good you were going fairly slow and not doing mach 3 on the freeway. Glad the situation was salvageable and that you were able to get on the water. Bummer about the bumper.[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]Sounds like you scored a meal anyway.[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]How did your friends from Idaho do?[/#0000ff]
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Talked to LundDude on the water, they were trolling for Walleye but hadn't had much luck, they fished late Sat. evening looking for Wiper boils but didn't have much success, I think he said they caught one. I know the little Shad were all over the surface near the outlet when we first arrived but I only saw a couple wipers bust the surface and they looked small. [cool]
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ill let ya know when i decide to do another maiden voyage[/reply]

You can never have too many maidens......or voyages!! [angelic][][cool]
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