[cool][#0000ff]I helped LloydE get his new Fat Cat tricked out last week and he has been sleeping with it every night since. Thought we better get it broken in so we headed for Starvation early this morning. Should stood in bed awhile.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Launched about 7. Water level has dropped about 6-7 vertical feet since two weeks ago. Air temp was 50 and water temp 63 at launch...66 later when we got out at 1 PM. A leftover full moon hung in the sky to the west.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Only a light breeze on the water and no fish on sonar. We hit it hard...in and out, shallow and deep. Nada, nip, zilch, zero. At 10 AM I had caught two small perch and Lloyd about the same. Then a small school of walleyes went through about 30 feet deep. Lloyd got two nice 20 inchers and I scored a fat 16 incher. That was it for the day on wallies.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We could have gone home then, but Lloyd was glad we didn't. Right at noon he gave the whole lake yodeling lessons as he got beat up by a purty 22 inch Starvation brown. He was glad that he had heeded my advice to carry a bigger net on his new tube.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I caught a few more perch, as did Lloyd. My "third species"...for the HAT TRICK...was a chub. And, what a chub it was. About 13 inches of ugly and tumors (see pic). Wasn't sure I wanted to handle it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]A couple of motor homes and trailers full of "revelers" showed up with their PWCs about the time the walleye started biting. The walleye stopped biting as soon as the power squadron hit the water. But, it was all our fault for fishing in their lake and getting in their way.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As the afternoon easterly breezes started up, we went in and filleted the fish. Then we spent an hour digging out of the 30 weight mud left behind as the lake drops. Looked solid earlier and was fairly level. But, we got some exercise working our way back to solid ground.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Lloyd got his new Fat Cat "blooded" in fine fashion. We didn't catch as many fish as on our last couple of trips, but his three 3-pounders definitely made his day. [/#0000ff]
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Sure is a goofy lookin' chub. Looks like some kind of cyst that is ready to hatch into an alien!
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I know where all the perch you can catch are, unfortunately you need a boat to get there. Looks like a good day regardless, too bad about the brown being killed but it was his right to keep it.
I'm guessing that you guys didn't get into any smallies? I only caught a few last weekend and I worked hard for them.
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Nice Brown. Were the fish deeper ?
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Well done -- my 5 hour meeting lasted 15 minutes![unimpressed]
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Nice catch, and pictures...How deep was the perch???
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[font "Times New Roman"][#000000]I guess you always manage to fish up some weird fish. Last time it was the blugill smallmouth and now the chub. Makes you wonder what is in that Starvation water? [
] What am I talking about, it is the power squadron causing the fish so much stress. [laugh][/#000000][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][#000000]Now that floating setup you have looks very interesting. So it is some bottome type of lure then? What is that part above the colored hook? Also, is that some kind of portable fish cleaning station you guys have? If so, I am already jelous. Looks like something a fisherman needs. I cant recall how many times I have ruined good knoves because I don't have a good platform. Dang.
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[quote fsh4fun05] I'm guessing that you guys didn't get into any smallies? I only caught a few last weekend and I worked hard for them.[/quote]
[cool][#0000ff]First trip this year that we did not catch at least one smallie.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]My guess is that the fast-falling water level has them setting up housekeeping in deeper spots. There was NOTHING in water shallower than about 24'.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]Both the perch and the walleyes were mostly in 30 - 32 feet...about the same as the last trip two weeks ago.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]However, the falling water levels seem to have made most of the fish move somewhere else in the lake. On past trips we could find schools of perch and more walleyes. On this trip we saw very few fish on sonar. We had to work for every hit.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In our tubes we were limited to fishing in the area we launched, but with a boat we could have searched more of the lake.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]Both the perch and walleyes seemed to be oriented to the 30 foot zone...with a few on either side of that.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I fished as shallow as 7 feet and as deep as 40 feet. Did see a few fish in 14-15 feet, but no takers. Did not see anything on sonar over about 35 feet. But, I am betting there are some deeper pockets around the lake that hold more fish.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][quote line_dangler][font "Times New Roman"][#000000]I guess you always manage to fish up some weird fish. Last time it was the blugill smallmouth and now the chub. Makes you wonder what is in that Starvation water? [
] What am I talking about, it is the power squadron causing the fish so much stress. [laugh][/#000000][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][#000000]Now that floating setup you have looks very interesting. So it is some bottome type of lure then? What is that part above the colored hook? Also, is that some kind of portable fish cleaning station you guys have? If so, I am already jelous. Looks like something a fisherman needs. I cant recall how many times I have ruined good knoves because I don't have a good platform. Dang.
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[#0000ff]1. Aha! You remembered my wierd smallie from last trip. That was "special". But, catching the deformed chub on the next trip was just a coincidence. In all my fishing that lake over the years I do not recall catching any other wacky shaped fish. Nothing in the lake that would cause that, but when you have large fish populations...and old fish, like the chubs...there is a greater chance of a few that don't develop naturally or that have abnormal growths.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]2. Noise sensitive fish like walleyes will sometimes move or quit biting if there is too much activity on the water. But, the scarcity of fish on this trip is more likely the result of falling water levels and cooling temperatures. They are just moving out of the shallower arms and into deeper main lake habitat.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]3. The floating rig setup is my own creation. I tie up some weightless PBJs (painted body jigs) on Aberdeen hooks...with a ring eye. Above them I put a corky or some other floating additiion. The one in the picture was a little spinning float used by steelhead and walleye fishermen...custom painted and glittered by me. I fish it on a small "bottom bouncer" type rig from my float tube, with only enough weight to keep it on the bottom while drifting or slow kicking. The leader is about 2' long, and the rig floats up at rest, but dives and spins when I move. Very effective.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]3. The portable fish cleaning station is one I made several years ago and is great for processing fish where there are no public facilities. I shot some pics yesterday of the components, for a separate thread later. But, here they are. (pics below) The whole thing breaks down for easy transport. I keep the board under the tubes and stuff the PVC parts anywhere there is room. I always carry a couple of heavy duty HEFTY contractor bags to use for the fish remains...then I deposit them in a dumpster or trash can on the way out.[/#0000ff]
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Every trip to Starvation this year (five or six I believe) has been different: the water conditions, the weather, the fish behavior, the fishing strategies we have used, etc. I guess that observation is no surprise to anyone. However, it is a reminder to all of us that there isn't any one lure or fishing strategy that will work all of the time on a particular body of water. I think that is one of the fishing challenges that makes fishing an enjoyable pastime for me.
I have a Crestliner boat that I purchased when it was new. I have enjoyed the boat, and I suspect that I will continue to enjoy it. However, I have found that I enjoy fishing from a float tube more. For me the challenges are greater and the catching rate is greater. I started fishing from the doughnut tubes and didn't like it much. When I purchased a U-shaped tube (Kennebec) I began to enjoy fishing from a float tube. When I learned to add rod holders and a sonar to the tube, from TubeDude, I enjoyed the experience much more. After awhile I purchased a Fish Cat 4 tube. For me, the enjoyment increased again. However, I began to notice that TubeBabe and TubeDude moved around the water better than I did. They were also in the water faster than I was, and they had all kinds of freedom on their tubes that I didn't have in mine. I finally figured out that there were at least three things they had that I didn't have. They had better fins to propel their tubes, they were higher on the water, and they had more conveniences on their tubes than I had. I had already spent more money on float tubes than I wanted to spend, but I finally decided to goup one more step. I purchased a Fat Cat (I would have purchased a Super Fat Cat, but for my weight I determined that a Fat Cat would be just as good.), and I purchased some Mares Avanti fins. Then I took advantage of TubeDude's offer to help me with the rod holders, sonar setup, apron setup, etc. Yesterday I had the opportunity to try it all out. I couldn't have been more pleased-- everything worked out great. I had more room, I was higher on the water, I had all of the conveniences I needed so I could concentrate on fishing, and I could manuever better in the wind.
I could have saved myself a lot of money if I had known earlier what I now know about my personal float tube needs. I now have two float tubes I will need to sell. However, I am happy with the end result.
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I just fished a tourny at Starvation and the majority of our fish (142) came out of 11 to 16 feet of water off underwater breaks dropping into deep water. But the eyes were not in deeper water.
I know a couple of local teams caught some very large weights pulling shallow running cranks in some of the back bays in 4 to 6 feet of water!
Just my observations. Take it for what it's worth.
Find the structure and then start looking for fish.
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[font "Times New Roman"][#000000]That portable station is one of the most beautiful pieces of fishing equipment a man can have. It is good that you will be starting a thread about it. [fishin][/#000000][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][#000000]It is probably good that a few of the fish in any body are "defective." I guess it shows that the fish populations are different enough from each other so they are healthy. I also certainly agree about the skier noise and wakes. It only makes sense. Sound travels much faster and further in water than air. So of course the fish notice it. There have been so many cases I have noticed the differenc in the fish activity. [/#000000][/font]
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[cool]Hey Lloyd, those are great comments on your new setup. I've been wanting some of those fins that TD uses for a longtime now. Question for you. Is the Fatcat any cheaper than the Super Fat Cat? Just curious on that. I know those Super ones go for like $350 or so, don't they? I think that next Spring I'm going to get on or the other...AND better fins. Where did you purchase yours? TD, where would you would you recommend?
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[cool][#0000ff]Fortunately, there are always deals available online...both for float tubes and for fins. Several tubers have scored good deals on both recently. You just have to know what you are looking for and a benchmark price so that you will know when it is the best price.
In a nutshell, the Fat Cat is the same as the Super Fat Cat, only it has foam seats instead of inflated seats. The foam seat models cost less...by about $75 or so. And, you can find them online at times for about $200...NEW. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][url "http://www.totalflyfishing.com/index.php/boats/articles/41/Outcast_Float_Tube_Review"][#63626b]OUTCAST FLOAT TUBE REVIEW [/#63626b]
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Ditto for the fins. List price for top of the line Mares can be upwards of $100...but they are sometimes available in select sizes and colors for only about $30. Lloyd got the yellow because that is all they had available for the price he paid. He was concerned that the bright color would spook the fish. But, he was top rod on our first trip where he used them.
I have used plain black fins for the past three years...again because they did not have them in my favorite blue color when I bought them cheaper on line. The only complaint I have about the black is that carp seem to be attracted to them. I am always getting spooked by carp coming up and rolling against my fins. It doesn't help to tell them I have a headache.
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I purchased my fins from a company called Divers-Supply. They have a terrific sale on right now. Their toll free number is 1-800-999-3483 if you want to talk to them.
Pat answered your other questions better than I could have done.
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What model fins are you using ????
[cool]I am using the Mares Plana Avanti. I am on my second set in 25 years...and the first set is still functional. But, the newer models have a lot more instant adjustability...with easy on and off snaps, etc.
Actually, Mares makes several models of good divers' fins and they all seem to work well for tubers.
As I mentioned, I got the black color, but my wife uses the bright blue and they come in several other colors. I am attaching a pic from Willard Bay that includes my fins.
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[cool]Pat and Lloyd, thanks for your replies. I think I will go with a regular Fat Cat then next Spring. So the pockets are the same size on both? Rings too?
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