Got to fish Utah Lake with a buddy this afternoon. Carp meat was the poison of choice, as it has been all year for me. Here's a pic of the biggest today, 26 inches.
[signature]
Nice cat[
]
[signature]
So the next time you go cattin on utah lake the guy you take with you, are you going to let him catch a cat like that? just wondering. That's a good cat. That was a healthy lookin cat compared to the cats that have been caught lately.
? to all. whats up with the leeches on the catfish? are the cats hangin out deep in the mud or are the leeches finding the cats?
Nice fish and next week I am first in water and first to catch fish. [
]
[signature]
Dear Mr Largefry_cattin,
Nice day! Yes you catch big fish before and I catch none. My turn. Now your turn.
[signature]
i've caught one with a bunch of leaches on it too. so has my buddy , both were on big males
[signature]
I still haven't caught any really biguns this year, you guys are stealing them all [
]
[signature]
How come you don't come out with us anymore smallfry_cattin? I wanna see you get into a 15 lb PLUS out there with us!
[signature]
because the last few times you have gone right after work while I'm at home.
[signature]
It must be nice to catch a big one. Hopefully, my turn is coming this Saturday.[:/]
[signature]
It's kinda crazy Kent. Last Saturday I was out there for a full 8 hours and didn't catch a single fish! I still get skunked[crazy] and I've spent a lot of time on that lake now. It's just a numbers game (at least that's what I tell myself to justify the skunks!)
[signature]
A major factor, especially on Utah Lake, is the current weather and the weather for a few days before.
[signature]
Hey kent.
I hope you catch a good one on sat. I would like to ask you if you know why the catfish start to get leeches on them this time of year? whats your thought? I would also like to see what tubedude thinks about it.
have fun playin with the UL kitties.
[signature]
Sorry, but I was ill the day they discussed leeches on catfish at Utah Lake in my high school biology class.[
] The leech is just taking advantage of an opportunity to get a meal and the catfish serves that purpose.
[signature]
[cool][#0000ff]There are small leeches on some catfish all year. But not all catfish get leeches. Some are more active and cruise more above the bottom or live in areas where there are fewer leeches. Some[/#0000ff][#0000ff] cats hang out near muddy bottoms, and because they have smooth skins rather than scales, it is easy for the leeches to attach. They do not damage the fish much nor do they make them harmful for humans to eat. But they don't add much to the appeal either.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
I found a few leeches on the white bass that I caught there on Tuesday.
[signature]
thanks for the info. I understand that the cats hang out on the bottom, sometimes getting deep down in the mud. I can see the cats laying in the rocks, pick up the leeches. I know that leeches also swim and can find the fish and hang on. Interesting to here about leeches on white bass. I dont believe i have seen that. What all this is about is, if you see leeches on the cats, do you always put bait on bottom, or put bait under bobber.
I know that both ways work, but do you get more success with looking at the signs? My son and I love to catch the cats big fish and good fight. Utah lake is close and easy for me to put my boat in. When family comes in and want something to do, we go cat fishing and they love do the great fights. anyways, just good stuff to talk about and learn about.
Thanks
Clarence
[signature]
[cool][#0000ff]Channel cats do not "get down into" the mud. They may rest on it temporarily...or for extended periods during bad weather or during the winter. But as you observe, leeches can swim and will attach to any fish that gets close enough...even white bass and largemouths. It is just that the cats have that smooth scaleless skin under their chins that make easy attachment.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Contrary to popular belief, catfish are not just bottom feeders that eat dead stinky stuff. They hunt all through the water column and even take food at or near the surface...including small rodents and birds. Lots of cats eat hoppers during the summer but people usually do not recognize the rises as catfish. They are usually mistaken for carp. And the cats also feed heavily on the baby carp and white bass from the recent spawns. They hunt in the reeds for them where they are hiding. Like walleyes, cats hunt well after dark and they have little trouble getting full on the little fishies that can't see well.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]On most of my trips I start by fishing the bottom with one rod while casting jigs with the other. I sometimes catch more cats on jigs than on bait being dragged on bottom. But the biggest fish like big chunks of meat. If I am not getting action on my bottom rig...or sometimes even if I am...I will start fishing a jig head with bait a foot or so off the bottom. But, catfish will come a long ways up to get a juicy meal so you can even fish 3 feet of line under the bobber in 6 feet of water and still get fish.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There are a lot of things that help me decide how I am going to fish...and where...on any given day. I seldom fish in wind and nasty weather because cats are generally fair weather fish. They hit good ahead of a storm front but then usually shut down as it comes through. And I seldom fish even the day immediately after a storm goes through. You can catch a few fish but it is much better if you give them a couple of days of calmer weather to settle down and begin feeding actively again.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Another thing I think I have found is that the bigger fish...both male and female...feed more actively at night during the warmer summer months. They often just veg out on the bottom in deeper water during the day and then move shallower to feed after dark. I have seen some real bigguns taken in less than 2 feet of water at night this time of year. And if you are wade fishing and one of those monsters bumps your leg you will come out of the water like a missile from a submarine.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Those are not absolutes but they generally hold true. No matter how much you think you know about any kind of fish they can humble you in a hurry. Just always be prepared with a couple of different plans, in case your first one does not produce. If you are not catching fish it is usually because you are either fishing in the wrong place or not using the right bait or technique. In Utah Lake it is easy to be fishing in the wrong place. The fish move in and out of different depths as the light, temperature and weather changes. They can start out in shallow water and move deeper during the day...or vice versa. Or, they can simply be dormant in the morning and "light up" as the water calms and warms at midday...or vice versa.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]One thing you can always be sure of. Even if you are not catching fish there is somebody somewhere else on the lake who is. It is a matter of first finding the fish and then getting them to vote for your program. If you fish in one place for several hours without a bite....welllllll...that's your problem.[/#0000ff]
[signature]