Fishing Forum

That was alot of work (and will power to leave the gear behind)
Just wanted to say thanks B
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Hi tubedude im new to this site. I fish utah lake all the time what some of your techniques for the walleye? I have slow success for walleye i allways seem to catch the bass.
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[cool][#0000ff]Welcome aboard Hunter. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you have the skills to catch bass, you should be able to finesse a few walleyes too. You just need some luck to go with the skills. Maybe I should suggest fishing for bass and catching walleyes by accident. There are probably more walleyes caught by folks fishing for other fish than those caught by dedicated wallie chasers.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you just came aboard, you may have missed the post in which I attached a writeup I put together on Utah Lake walleyes. I have converted the hard to open Word Doc into a PDF file. Hopefully you can open it and hopefully it provides some helpful info. It is not the definitive work on the subject but it includes a lot of my past experience.[/#0000ff]
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[cool]Strong work, Pat. Thanks for doing the investigation for the rest of the board. Looking forward to your first U.L. fishing report from '07 soon. My tube is at a friends house in her garage and all of my ice gear is in my trunk. Might have to do a switcheroo here pretty soon, 'cause I'll have a lot more 'eye chasing time this year than ever before and I'm starting to get excited about that part... Hope you (or Tubebabe) catch the first nice 'eye of the year on this board and get some nice pics too...Look forward to hunting some 'eyes, cats, and whities with you guys this year...
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[cool][#0000ff]Thanks, Bro. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Lookin' forward to tubin' with ya again this year. I'll put Search and Rescue on speed dial for the next time you let a big catfish hogtie you by wrapping the line around your legs.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Yeah...gotta whack me some wallies this year. But, I ain't proud. I'll play with the other guys too.[/#0000ff]
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Great job TD. Are you in the market for a paduwan learner? (see star wars), anyway, I am looking forward to meeting up, checking out the tubes and learning a thing or two about Utah's big ole dirty freshwater lake.
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the back is comming along just fine. still a lot of pain, but that will go away as the back heals, they fused ten vertabrae. any way we got two months before the good kitty fishing turns on, and I should be ready to go, so with a little help we can hit the honey hole at Utah lake, keep in touch, we might beable to beg kent into going along, with two poles each the boaat will look like a porkipine
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[cool][#0000ff]If the force (fishin' fever) is with you, you are a worthy knight. We would be pleased to have you join us upon the waters...floating that is. Haven't learned to walk on the soft kind yet.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We generally have several sessions during the year when we announce a where and when get together. But, if you are planning a trip, shoot me a PM with your plans and if we can work it out we will join you.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]"Wookies" always welcome.[/#0000ff]
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Thanks for all the info. I live saratoga springs so i fish behind the pumps and the spill way for some fun cat fishing and once again lots of white bass. but have seen alot of big eyes caught behind the pump house. where is some of your favorite but not secrect places to fish for eyes?
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DID YOU SWING BY A,F? HOWS THAT MUDLINE LOOKING?
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[cool][#0000ff]Sorry...no top secret hotspots...or I would be there instead of in front of my computer.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In all honesty, I know a lot of places that have produced walleyes in the past, but I never know where they will be or what they will be hitting...if anything...on any given trip. Every trip is a biblical journey...SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND (maybe).[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]That area behind the pumphouse has kicked out a lot of wallies over the years, but it can be empty on any given day. Same with the channel in front of the pumps. Sometimes they stack up in there thick, and other times you can't get anything but white bass...if anything.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Over the years I have accumulated a few basic beliefs and ideas in my "mental database". Whenever I go out, I factor in the time of year, water temps, weather conditions, likely forage base, water clarity and few other basic instinct feelings. Then, I point the nose of my vehicle in the direction I think I might have the best shot. Every once in a while I am right, but I get skunked just like everybody else.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The redeeming feature of Utah Lake is that there is almost always something to play with, even if the walleyes don't want to oblige you. I got no pride. I love 'em all. I have a special fondness for big ol' channel cats, and they often take the minnows or crawlers I am dragging around for walleyes...and vice versa. So, if a kitty wants to play tug of war, that's fine with me. Also love to rassle with the whities when they are in and active. Plenty of fun and fine eatin' too. And, I have had plenty of enjoys doing hand to fin combat with ol Mr. Buglemouth. Ugly but fun. No pride at all.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]I did not add AF to my stops because I had a couple of fresh reports. Thick ice, poor fishing, bad edges. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I doubt there is much of a mudline yet. Inlets are all running clear until heavy runoff starts. That can be a producer when it happens.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I also looked at "the ditch", at Lindon. Good flow but clear and cold. Nobody fishing it but it will be on my dance card pretty soon.[/#0000ff]
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Pat, what a great post. Like always, they are very informative and well written. And the pics are amazing! I love seeing Timp in the background. Brings back memories of when I grew up down in that area.

I just got my pontoon, and I would really love to come down and try for some 'eyes with you and Geoffrey. (as long as he doesn't bring his BYU helmet with him!) heheh

I'd love to catch my first walleye over 6", as I'm sure it would be a thrill to say the least.

Thanks again for that post. I enjoyed reading it and learning about the walleye behavior patterns, etc.

Great job!

Derek
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Hey Pat,

A very nice non-fishing report with some great photos attached. I look forward to many more actual fishing reports, once you break out the tube and begin your post-ice adventures of '07.

A quick question: Have you heard anything new about the second, and more thorough, testing of Utah Lake's fish for contaminants? I love fishing that lake, but after last year's chlorine report, I'm a bit hesitant to bring fishies home from there.

That photo of UL's Spanish Fork River inlet made me anxious for some white bass forays. I'm sure you already the know the area well, but I'd be happy to show you a couple of spots not too far from there that produced a lot of big, scrappy whities last fall.
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[cool][#0000ff]Thanks Derek. Of course you are invited to come play with us. I will assign you "helmet patrol"...to keep out the pollution factor. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I think we are all anxious to find some willing wallies.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]Thanks. I appreciate your appreciation.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]No definitive word on the other species yet. We have ongoing conversation at the Utah Anglers Coalition meetings on the PCBs and the mercury findings too. There are several members who are actively involved in trying to get some answers. I'll pass along what I know, when I know it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I think we can be sure that there are PCBs in the other species too. Impossible to avoid it. However, there are some things about carp that probably make them more likely to have the high concentrations. For one thing, they live longer. For another, they probably ingest more mud and aquatic vegetation than the predator species. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Since PCBs concentrate in the fatty tissues of the fish, you can eliminate much of whatever PCBs are in your fish by filleting and skinning them. That gets rid of a high percentage of the internal fat and the fatty tissues between skin and flesh. Some species have fat deposits along the top (dorsal) surface, around fins and spines. Filleting also removes that.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You can further reduce the PCBs in the method of preparation. Grilling cooks out a lot of oil, as does deep frying. Smoking is another way to render the oil from fish.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Whatever happens, I hope they do tests on a large number of fish, of different sizes, from different parts of the lake. That will be the only way to avoid getting a slanted outcome...one way or another.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I think if I had small children I would also be concerned about serving too much Utah Lake fish until the final numbers are in. I don't worry about it myself. I have been enjoying fish from Utah Lake for many years, as have many other folks. I have asked a grundle of people (including medical professionals) if they knew of anybody who ever contracted any "symptoms" that might be attributable to toxic materials in the fish they eat. So far, nothing has surfaced. Always better to be cautions but it is not likely you will glow in the dark or sprout extra appendages from eating fish from Utah Lake.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I heard one person compare eating those fish to drinking out of a glass that you knew somebody else had slobbered in. Not too appetizing but not fatal.[/#0000ff]
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You mentioned that carp live longer than the other species? Just how long do those ugly things live anyway??
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[cool][#0000ff]Not sure how long they average in Utah Lake, but in Europe there have been carp kept in ponds for over 50 years. Same in the orient.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have heard that they can live to 100 years but cannot verify it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I guarantee that the life expectancy of any carp I get a shot at with my bow is drastically reduced.[/#0000ff]
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Thanks for the info I search the web all the time and never can get a upto date fishing report. I really appreciate it. I thought that all inlets to utah lake are closed march 1st -may 1st? I guess if your in the lake it doesn't matter.

Thanks again,I would like to hear more about the reports on the lake.
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[cool][#0000ff]Yep. All water that trickles into Utah Lake is closed March 1, but there are a lot of places around the lake where the walleyes "free spawn" over rock and rubble. They do not build nests. They just look for non-muddy bottom and wait for current/wind. When conditions are right they can be rolling all over the place.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There should be lots of reports soon. I plan to add a few of my own.[/#0000ff]
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