Just got off Deer Creek ...
Spotted 1 pod of baby catfish close to the bank. I didn't know that there were catfish in that lake.
Interesting.
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Are you sure that they were not those weird looking minnows called Sculpin Minnows? They look somewhat like a catfish.
I caught one out of the Provo River when I was 15 years old back in '87 and I honestly thought it was a catfish! Silly?
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These were just like that picture from the other post. I am pretty sure they were cats. I could be wrong though.
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Sculpin do not school up in pod's like catfish fry do!
catfish fry school up in a a pod some times as big as 10 feet round.. they will stay in them pod's tell they reach about 3 to 4 inch's long.. then they will head off on they'er own..
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What other post? I'd like to see it. I've seen 'balls' of baby mudcats near the Provo dike at Utah Lake. They were being guarded by a nearby mother mudcat that was about 12 inches long. At first I didn't know what they heck it was - it looked and moved like a squid or something. Then I realized it was a ball of 1" catfish. Cool stuff.
If they're in Deer Creek, that's the work of a buckethead bio for sure. Hope that doesn't screw up the balance at Deer Creek.
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I seen a dead catfish floating in deer creek about 6 years ago that was about 12in long. kentofnsl was with me that day. I guess they've been in their for a while now.
later chuck
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[quote utwalleye]I seen a dead catfish floating in deer creek about 6 years ago that was about 12in long. kentofnsl was with me that day. I guess they've been in their for a while now.
later chuck[/quote]
Yep, I remember that like it was last week -- great day of fishing, by far my best day chasing the walleye (thanks to Chuck). Can't remember what I did last week though.[crazy]
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Deer Creek is one of my favorite lakes ... I have fished it for a long time. I have never seen anything like this. I wonder if there is any record of cats being in there?
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If cats were illegally introduced into Deer Creek its doubtful that they could start a population: too cold.[fishin] Darn bucket biologist!
I'm thinking about going to Arizona and bringing back Stripers and planting them in Deer Creek though.[laugh]
Then the Utah DWR can plant excess amounts of trout to feed the hungry Stripers. Sounds like a plan, eh?
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Why would you believe Catfish cant thrive in cold temp waters?
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There is a balance at Deer Creek? I'm not arguing with you, I never fish DC anymore except for once per summer night. Every year it seems like it changes drastically. I've been wrong before, not afraid to admit it, but I can't see how they can manage a fishery with all those species, adding catfish (I'm not justifying bucket whatever) shouldn't even matter.
From what I've seen of your website you do your homework, do you really think it would make an impact on the fishery? If there were catfish in DC I might fish it more often...cats out of clean water [shocked]
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But the kitties do ok over at Echo, not a bunch but they are there. Also with a low as DC has been for the last couple of years I bet the average temp is up several degrees.
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i'll 2nd that on the Catfish and the clean water.
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I too thought about cats in Echo. They can tolerate colder water, but it seems they obviously aren't as prolific as they are in places like Utah Lake.
Because of that, maybe they won't have a significant impact on Deer Creek, but who knows. No, there isn't a good balance at Deer Creek anyway.
When the water is high, up into the weeds on the East end, the perch numbers increase, as do the smallies and even largemouth. When it recedes, there is nowhere for them to hide and the walleye munch on most of them I think. Seems like the smallies there are stunted though, compared to Jordanelle and other places. There are some big bucketmouths in there though. Add another predator like channel cats, who knows what will happen.
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I am sure that they would harm the lake eventually or ... they could set it off balance. It was interesting to see them. I wonder what type they were? Channel or Bullhead. Hmm.
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