Fishing Forum

[cool][#0000ff]It had been about 2 months since I last fished the Knolls, on Utah Lake. Figured conditions were right for some walleyes...maybe a few chilly cats. I figured wrong. None of those fishies were harmed in the making of this report.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Cold morning. 27 degree air temp when I got there about 7:30 AM. Waited for the sun to hit the water before launching about 8:30. Getting smarter in my old age. Yeah, right.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Water temp was a chilly 43...not much warmer than some of the higher elevation lakes. Utah Lake is shallow and cools off faster. At least it was sunny and calm. Didn't need gloves or my warm hat. And, the water was a pretty green color, with a couple of feet of visibility. Unusual for that pond. I was optimistic. I shouldn't have been.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I came prepared with worms, chub minnows, carp minnows and some white bass meat. During the morning hours, I fished it all...from 4' deep out to over 9 feet deep. Covered over a mile long stretch of shoreline to the west of my launch point. Dragged bait on the bottom, fished it under a bobber and even tried a corky rig for awhile. I got several "pop and drops"...probably from white bass. And, I had one good "runner" briefly, on a chub minnow...but there was nobody home when I picked up the rod to set the hook.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As I had been making big lazy S-turns from deeper to shallower water I had found a few areas that had a few fish suspended and some on the bottom. But, none of them had been active enough to slurp up any of my baits. I suspected that most of the "marks" on my sonar screen were probably carp...which make up over 90 percent of the biomass in Utah Lake. I was right.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]About 11 AM...after almost 3 hours of fishless fishing...I turned around and started working my way slowly back toward my original launch spot. I brought in one of the bait rods and started tossing a tandem jig rig with my second pole. The water had warmed a couple of degrees in the calm and sunny conditions, and I was hopeful that maybe something might be active enough to smack plastic. [/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]For the next three hours I did my darndest to remove a lot of carp from the Utah Lake biomass. I caught at least a grundle and a half. And, those silly carp all TOOK the jigs too. Some took it in their mouths. Some took it with their tails. Some were "dorsal diners". But, all were a lot of fun on my medium light rod and six pound line. Even the poorest fighting carp outclasses the hardest fighting cutthroat of a similar size. I could squint my eyes and "make pretend" they were something besides carp. But, I didn't.[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]Actually, I used this carptastic opportunity to conduct medical exams on the fish, and to perform necessary surgeries, where indicated. In the pictures below, I have recorded some of my diagnoses and treatments, for the benefit of those who also have a medical curiosity about carpkind. WARNING: Some of these pictures are graphic and may offend sensitive viewers.[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]Although the day was calm and sunny...and the snow capped mountains above Provo were loverly...the esthetic experience of the day was marred by the "Obama-Rama" going on all along the west side of the lake. Barack's new militia were out in force, trying out their newly acquired "toys" and burning up vast quantities of the ammo they have been stockpiling. [/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]Hard to describe the noise. It was like a sound mix of a war movie, a shoot-em-up western and a popcorn making convention. A non-stop cacaphony of pops, bangs and the whines of ricocheting bullets. Heard lots of full clips being emptied semi-auto...and several bursts of full auto fire. Scary. Even heard a few HUGE booms that sounded like howitzers. I'll bet those babies would vaporize a bunny or two.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There are almost always plinkers and target shooters somewhere along the west side of the lake...especially on a nice weekend. But that was the worst I had ever witnessed. Part of the increased shooting noise was explained as I drove out. A large "organized" group had set up a wall of targets, behind a hill, and dozens of shooters were doing their best to destroy the targets...and the landscape. Several of their ricochets had traveled over the hill and hit the water within my line of sight. I was thinking I should have worn my flak jacket instead of my fishing vest.[/#0000ff]
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[sly][sly][sly]You're killin' me Pat! Now that's good stuff right there! You might be considered an environmentalist for helping out the poor little June Suckers![]
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Thats good stuff right there TD!!! Looks like you had a little too much fun!!! That is one heck of a "fishing tool" you used on them, kinda dangerous to have since you are in a float tube huh? One slip of that "tool" and we may be fishing you off the bottom!!![][:p] Nice report AGAIN!!!
TS
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Nice job Dr. Tubedude![sly]
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[quote Theekillerbee][sly][sly][sly]You're killin' me Pat! Now that's good stuff right there! You might be considered an environmentalist for helping out the poor little June Suckers![][/quote]

[cool][#0000ff]Thanks. Somehow I suspected that report might appeal to your inner carp killer instincts. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I'm sure you realize that I had the Junies uppermost in my mind as I euthanized carp after carp. I could almost imagine those endangered puckerlips clapping their little fins in appreciation at the demise of each successive "golden bonefish".[/#0000ff]
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[quote trout_slayer]Thats good stuff right there TD!!! Looks like you had a little too much fun!!! That is one heck of a "fishing tool" you used on them, kinda dangerous to have since you are in a float tube huh? One slip of that "tool" and we may be fishing you off the bottom!!![][:p] Nice report AGAIN!!!
TS[/quote]

[cool][#0000ff]I appreciate your appreciation. Also appreciate your concern for my tubing safety. I can assure you that I have a healthy respect for sharp pointy things while I am afloat upon the waters. I have never sustained damage to myself or my craft by mishandling sharp instruments, but I have witnessed minor tragedies among fellow floaters.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]That is one of the reasons I do not deliberately fish for pike or muskies from a float tube. Too many opportunities (teeth) for damage to craft or person.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Actually, I have had fish puncture the air chambers on my tubes, but they were usually lowly perch, sunfish or white bass that got a spine into my tube after falling off the hook or while flopping around when not being properly controlled. Those pinhole spine punctures typically create a slow leak that allows you plenty of time to get back to shore, while still afloat...if you are able to throw up a roostertail with your fins.[/#0000ff]
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Dr. FrankinFish I presume, LMAO Good job Pat.
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[quote AFDan52] Dr. FrankinFish I presume, LMAO Good job Pat.[/quote]

[cool][#4040ff]As I was performing my "medical exams" and "surgeries" I was thinking that my actions were more along the lines of Dr. Josef Mengele...of Nazi war crimes fame.[/#4040ff]
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[#4040ff]Take two carp and don't call me in the morning.[/#4040ff]
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Wow.. That looks like fun Good work Senior TD !
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Love it!!!! I assume you kept some chunks for kitties next year or is that too long for storage?? I know you have posted this before, but it would be good refresher. Thinking about going to the desert for some minnows. How to I keep em good for next year? Again, too long term storage? I assume the kittie bite is now dead. [frown] What would be the earliest time frame for those guys in UL?
Question - has PETA contacted ya yet? [laugh][laugh][angelic]
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Oh thats good stuff. Made me laugh and my dogs are looking around for whats so funny.
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[quote Leaky33] Love it!!!! I assume you kept some chunks for kitties next year or is that too long for storage?? I know you have posted this before, but it would be good refresher. Thinking about going to the desert for some minnows. How to I keep em good for next year? Again, too long term storage? I assume the kittie bite is now dead. [frown] What would be the earliest time frame for those guys in UL?
Question - has PETA contacted ya yet? [laugh][laugh][angelic][/quote]

[cool][#0000ff]I still have a vast quantity of carp meat in my freezer. Well, maybe "half vast". Plus, I know where and how to get more any time I need it. If you prepare and store it right, it will be good for a couple of years.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Unless you are going to go looking for duckies, along with the minnows, I might suggest you wait and make your minnow run in the spring. The minnows will hold up okay, but no need tieing up freezer space for bait you won't be using for awhile. In case you missed it when I posted this a couple of weeks ago, I am attaching my writeup on freezing minnows.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You can still catch kitties now, even through the ice, but it is harder to find them and harder still to find active ones. They slow WAAAAAAAY down, but do keep biting. They will be in the deepest holes and around warm water spring inlets. If you know where those are, you got a shot. Not nearly as much fun as floating a bobber next to the reeds during the summer. Right?[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I start fishing for cats as soon as the ice comes off. The last two years I have caught cats in February. But, the best fishing usually starts about May. Prime inshore bobber soaking generally starts in June and runs through sometime in early fall. A lot depends on water level, water temps and food supply.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]Neener, neener, neener. My carp "minnows" are bigger than yours.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Don't worry about the dogs. They are smart enough to know that humans are not always rational anyway. However, they can be curious about what prompts our wierd behavior. They hate to miss anything.[/#0000ff]
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Thanks Bud.
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Are you practicing carving for this coming thursday ?
nice job on taking out some carp. I headed out to lincoln this week after some eyes and a carp or two for some bait this winter burbot fishing. later chuck
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Pat-
I am shocked you would post something like this. This is a new low for you. I know you have some pre-med experience. However, obviously, you never got to the course on "Closing" the incision. After you're done doing "Research" your s'posed to close em up. Now they're not going to make it more than a couple days before they go kaput, and all your research will be in vain!

I have done some work on carp in the past, my particular field of research gravitates toward "Heart burn". but I remember to "Close em up" with some fish line stitches before I send them on their health improved way so they can tell their buddies about the free health care assistance provided at the surface of the water. Well, now that I think about it.. maybe I forgot to close one or two of em up before too. MEMORY! it gets the best of us sometimes!

I think the most valid experiment was seeing if a fillet knife could penetrate the brain through the eye. Judging by the picture, I would say.. Yes, definitely you can access the brain thru the eye. Think of the years of research benefit that now can precede because of your pilot research!

Even with the lack of closed incisions, this trip should definitely be deemed a success. Many valid "points" were learned and shared. Thanks for the info!
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[cool][#0000ff]Carp got lousy HMO plans. "Opening" is covered. "Closing" ain't.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Appreciate your thoughts on the issue.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]By the way, I almost titled the last pic "CAUSE OF DEATH...AUTOPSY".[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Hey...you will be happy to know that the spiders have left the bushes. Still lots of trash...and still folks who do not obey the POSTED signs. See pics.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]How did you do on wallies? Fishing off the rocks and springs on that side of the lake would have been my first choice, but I just had to give the knolls a try first. I still might give it a shot in the next week or so. That area has traditionally been better for all species at this time of year. More structure, more depth and warmer water. [/#0000ff]
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Man, that garbage is terrible. Last time I was there, me and the scouts filled 2 garbage bags off that one bush you photo'd.

I am glad the spiders are gone, I hope they never return!
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So.....doesn't that count as a skunk? It's a narrow miss to have carp save you from getting skunk smell on your tube. [cool][cool][:p][:p]
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