Fishing Forum

[cool][#4040ff]BFTer WeekendWarrior is an admitted troutaholic. But, he is beginning his 12 cast program to taper off. We started today with an introductory course on cat-ology.

We launched to nice calm conditions, no bugs yet and 54 degree water about 7 AM. Started tossing plastics and cranks while dragging a minnow. Only a couple of small whacks (whities) for about the first hour. Then a whole bunch happened all in a hurry. [/#4040ff]
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[#4040ff]First, WW hooked into a monster and battled it to his tube. Since it was that awful gold color, with big scales and no teeth, he elected to provide a hasty gillectomy and released it unharmed.[/#4040ff]
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[#4040ff]Then my bait rod jiggled and the line popped out of the catch...and went zinging out through the guides. BENDO. First kitty of the morning. Measured out about 25 inches and was sent swimming (without surgery). As I was getting the kitty to for the camera, WW wailed that he was heading for shore. One side of his tube was suddenly getting squishy. Turned out to be a poorly seated valve. Got it fixed and aired back up and rejoined the chase.[/#4040ff]
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[#4040ff]There was a light breeze most of the morning. First from one direction and then another. Never troublesome, and provided a nice little "fishing ripple". We felt comfortable kicking further south beyond the rock point at the Knolls, and found more fish on the sonar. [/#4040ff]
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[#4040ff]I cast shallow and got snagged. As I was kicking toward the snag, to try to retrieve my tandem jig rig, a big ol' buglemouth slurped up the second jig and unsnagged the rig for me. Gave me some good exercise for a few moments too. I was so greatful I provide some free surgery (see pic) and sent him back to brag to all his carpy friends.[/#4040ff]
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[#4040ff]I had worked back and forth from 4' to 8', trying to find catfish, walleyes...anything. Finally, I got in the 7-8' zone that seemed to hold the most fish. Saw quite a few on sonar, but most of them had their pectoral fins upraised with the middle ray extended. [/#4040ff]
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[#4040ff]Not many bites, but a few more kitties munched the carp minnows I offered. I ended up keeping 3 nice fat 16" to 17" speckled channel kitties, and released 3 more from 22 to 25". With the water temps still under 60 degrees, it was surprising how hard those cats fought. A couple of the bigger ones made my drag sing a few times.[/#4040ff]
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[#4040ff]WW hung in there, studying for his catology exam, but not doing much "lab work". He missed a few "inquiries"...not being too familiar with the ways of the capricious catfish yet.[/#4040ff]
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[#4040ff]On the way back in, kicking furiously against the flat calm glassy waters, I worked into shallower water and started smacking a bunch of small white bass. In one area I caught one every cast for several casts, including one double on my tandem jig rig. I think I was depressing WW. But, he was a trooper. He kept reminding me (through clenched teeth) "I am just here to observe today." [/#4040ff]
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[#4040ff]He is a GREAT observer.[/#4040ff]
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[#4040ff]Water temp was a balmy 60 degrees when we got out of the water just before 2 PM. And, it was really clearing up nicely. Pale green with visibility of almost 2 feet. Unheard of for Utah Lake.[/#4040ff]

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[#4040ff]Oh yeah, one other note. The Knolls is known for always having a lot of trash...left by a group of folks who NEVER clean up after their weekend and evening "campouts". But today took the cake. When we pulled up to our spot at daybreak, there was a multicolored blanket, a sleeping bag and a pair of boots laying on the ground. Still there when we came back in. Wondering if someone was snoozing and got munched by the Utah Lake giant blue flathead catfish monster.[/#4040ff]
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Great report TD. Next best to being there .... []
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Love those cat reports. I have never caught a cat from a tube on purpose, but I have been meaning to try it out. There are some monster blues in my neck of the woods.

That sounds like some fun fishing (unless you're a carp).
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[cool][#0000ff]Thanks. I am in Utah now, but have fished for cats from tubes all over the country...including big blues and flatheads. There is something primal and exciting about setting the hook on a big ol' biggun' and having the rod tip dive into the water and line rip off the drag. Then you have a long period of rasslin' with a whole lotta tough fish, that takes its time about wanting to come up to your tube and see who it has caught. It is not uncommon to be able to lean back and have them tow you around for awhile...leaving a wake behind you. And be prepared for them to take you around and around a few times. They don't quit easily.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You definitely have to be prepared to deal with the big ones...or else cut your line when you get them close. Big nets and/or lip grippers to control them at tube side. Usually don't have to worry about getting spined by the big fish. The sharp points wear off their spines as they get bigger, but they can chomp you pretty good if you get your fingers inside their jaws.[/#0000ff]
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Great report, but I am jealous big time. I would love to catch big cats, heck I have never caught a channel cat. I plan on trying Brownlee this spring.
Qusetion,how much of a chance is there of popping a tube? Ron
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Yea, how do you hold your cats so they don't punch a hole in your tube with their bony barbs?
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[cool][#0000ff]Any time you catch a fish with sharp spines or gill covers you run the risk of getting damage to either yourself or your craft. Actually, there are probably more holes put in tubes by bluegills and perch than by catfish. Those little buggers are notorious for dropping off your hook as you lift them aboard. And, they always seem to land upside down...spines first...on a vulnerable spot on your tube.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Bullhead cats and smaller channel cats are the ones with the sharpest spines. You should net them well away from your tube, to prevent them from coming in contact with it while thrashing around. Then reach inside the net and get a good "belly grab" on them, with your first two fingers around one of the pectoral spines. (see pics). You can also use lip grippers on larger fish. But, larger fish usually don't have very sharp spines. They get worn down as the fish root among the rocks during feeding and spawning.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Just take your time in grabbing a flopping catfish, to make sure you get a good hold...without getting a hole in either you or your tube. Some folks like to carry a thick towel or rag to grab them. It reduces the slime on your hands and makes it a bit safer. That's the only way my wife (TubeBabe) would even touch a catfish for several years. Now she handles them like a pro.[/#0000ff]
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Thanks for the info on holding. I saw one picture, an old one of yours that had a HUGE cat on a string with your tube. Did that worry you at all that it could get revenge?[laugh]
I am enjoying your posts. Ron
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Thanks for the pics on holding spiny fish, all good ideas. Ok, I see you have a fish basket for the fish you harvest. So does this basket stay far enough away from your tube at all times, especially when you're moving so that the spines don't protrude thru the metal mesh and come in contact with the bare wall of the tube?

Pon

[quote TubeDude][cool][#0000ff]Any time you catch a fish with sharp spines or gill covers you run the risk of getting damage to either yourself or your craft. Actually, there are probably more holes put in tubes by bluegills and perch than by catfish. Those little buggers are notorious for dropping off your hook as you lift them aboard. And, they always seem to land upside down...spines first...on a vulnerable spot on your tube.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Bullhead cats and smaller channel cats are the ones with the sharpest spines. You should net them well away from your tube, to prevent them from coming in contact with it while thrashing around. Then reach inside the net and get a good "belly grab" on them, with your first two fingers around one of the pectoral spines. (see pics). You can also use lip grippers on larger fish. But, larger fish usually don't have very sharp spines. They get worn down as the fish root among the rocks during feeding and spawning.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Just take your time in grabbing a flopping catfish, to make sure you get a good hold...without getting a hole in either you or your tube. Some folks like to carry a thick towel or rag to grab them. It reduces the slime on your hands and makes it a bit safer. That's the only way my wife (TubeBabe) would even touch a catfish for several years. Now she handles them like a pro.[/#0000ff][/quote]
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[cool][#0000ff]I have several pictures in my archives of big cats hanging off my tubes over the years. I do not worry about them puncturing either me or my tube so much as I am concerned about them wrapping around my legs or tangling in my transducer, etc.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]First, the spines on large cats wear down to where they are just like blunt rods...not sharp spines. Second, I usually use a pair of heavy side cutters to cut off the spines anyway...especially if I am putting them in a basket. Those big rigid spines can get caught in a wire mesh net and rip it up.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Generally, if I decide to keep a big cat...too big to put in my basket...I put it on a stringer where it stays only long enough to drag it into shore and put it in a cooler. I don't like getting jerked around by anybody...catfish included...and they CAN jerk you around. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The truth is that about the only BIG catfish I keep are Flatheads. Flatheads are delicious, no matter how big they get. Just like eating fried butter...especially the belly strips. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Big channel cats usually go free. They are okay to eat, but smaller ones are better. About the biggest I keep are the 24" to 26" size...5 to 7 pounders...for the smoker. Their fillets are just the right thickness to take a good brining and to smoke up to almost jerky.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#4040ff]By attaching the foam "noodle" around the neck of the basket, I create a "bumper" which keeps the basket from coming into contact with the tube. And, the part of the basket, with the fish, stays down below the waterline...and the tube. The only time you run a risk of getting spine punctures in your tube is when you hoist the basket of fish to show off and a spiny fish gets your tube. If you gotta show off, keep the basket out away from your air chambers.[/#4040ff]
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[#4040ff]As you can see in the pics, the basket is loosely tethered to the tube, and floats around away from the tube most of the time. But, it is easy to reach when you need to make a "deposit".[/#4040ff]
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Why did you kill that carp like that????????/
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[cool][#0000ff]Sorry. That picture was for the benefit of fellow Utah anglers who are more familiar with Utah Lake. It is seriously overrun with carp...over 90 percent of the total biomass. There is a major Utah Lake Restoration project underway which includes mass seining of carp to help reduce the numbers. Thus the title of the pic and thus the gory kill rather than a "release unharmed".[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I enjoy playing with the lowly carp and on many waters I would have simply released it to go about its business. But, on Utah Lake, most of us kill every carp we can. They have been largely responsible for radically changing the fishery and are on the public enemies list.[/#0000ff]
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ahhhhhhhhhhhh I seeeeeeee
Thank you for the explanation. Yeah carp can realy
take over sometimes. There was a goby fish that
I caught in michigan that I was told to kill,so I did[:/].
well anyways, once again thank you for the explanation.
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[cool]Here is a link to some more information on the Utah Lake Restoration project.

[url "http://www.ci.slc.ut.us/utilities/NewsEvents/news2008/news6272008.htm"]http://www.ci.slc.ut.us/utilities/NewsEvents/news2008/news6272008.htm[/url]
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Plus you are just feeding our State bird right?[]
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[cool][#0000ff]Hey, those poor seagulls can't always find enough garbage...or crickets...to fill their little tummies.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Actually, the state "bird" is the mosquito.[/#0000ff]
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And the state flower is the Orange Cone.
Speaking of Mosquitos....while in Idaho we hit some of the small ponds and the surrounding land is swamp city...breeding ground!!!!!
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