Got off of work at about 2 today, so I had an afternoon to kill, so I decided to head out to Cutler to see if I couldn't get something to bite. Went to a spot that produced a few bass here and there for me last year, but hadn't really tried it yet this year. After about 2 minutes of fishing I had my first bite. It got off almost as quick as it got on, but I did manage to get a look at it and see that I had a LMB on for a few seconds. A couple more casts to the same place produced a nice smallie which ran the scales at almost 2 lbs, ok, not huge, but definitely good table fare. That wasn't the story of the day though, a few more casts to about 15 feet away from the first spot gave me the biggest LMB of my life, weighing in at 4 lbs 8 oz. I tell you, the fight in those things sure puts the trout I've caught to shame. That was most of the excitement for the day, but not all. Caught one crappie that tipped the scale at 1 lb 2 oz. Probably the biggest I've caught, but couldn't tell you for sure. Anyway, I was by myself and only had my phone to take pictures with, so hopefully you can get a sense of scale.
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Beautiful fish, I hope the big female LM made it back to the water to live another day!! The other two there eaters!! Nice fish.
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Nice to see something other than carp and catfish come out of that hole. Nice fish![cool]
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thets one TIRED looking smallmouth there
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Wow, those are some nice looking fish. Looks like I should save some gas and stay closer to home more often.
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Ha! Took me a second to get the tired comment, but looks like I found someone with my own sense of humor.
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Nice Karl, you make me miss Cache Valley and the convenience of Cutler
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Great job! That is one nice LMB and beautiful Crappie. Makes me want to run over to Cutler!
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They're calling to ya bud! We oughta head out there after work someday soon! I second the comment that it's nice to see more than the C&C (carp and cats) showing up from that fishery. Have heard various stories of the crappie, basses, and even walleye lurking out there. Got no personal proof! But would like to.
What kind of presentation / bait were you offering? Did you catch kitties too, or just find the exotic species? That's really an impressive big body of water out there.
I'd planned to drop in a Cache Junction last week, but found the gates locked. Anyone knows what's up there? Temporary, seasonal, getting somethin' fixed? Didn't see any construction equpt. Had hoped to explore around the bridges.
Personally I feel it is a personal decision whether to harvest or release, as long as one stays within the legal limits. I follow the notion of selective harvest. But I can agree with the concept of keeping the big breeders going in a fishery.
There's a sportman's access - doesn't have a boat launch, but always looks like lots of birds and such out there. Wondering if anyone has fished that area? Seems like it'd be a good spot for a canoe float.
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Nice fishies Karl! Coyote I have fished that area for many years. No it's not good!lol Just kidding! Yes you could fish all that by canoe or small boat. Especially now where the water is high. Spring fishin is the best in that area. Just watch out for the MONSTER GATORS!
Smiles Always!
MA
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I went out and fished the bridge at cache junction last night and the boat ramp was open.
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Nice! Good news - thanks for that. Hmmm - long weekend, what to do, what to do.
Probably better go FISHING!
do people really eat fish out of cutler??? i guess if you like the taste sewage...
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Ah but smoked sewage, with cajun blackening spice, NOW you're talkin good eats! Mmmm kitties....
There may be agro-runoff in there (as with most all our rivers, lakes, reservoirs) but I believe it's brown because of all the damned carp flipping, flopping and churning it all up. Not any untreated sewage.
Had a 50gal fishtank - with a carp (Koy) in it, along with SilverBarbs. Always messy, cloudy water. Took the Koy out, and the water settled and cleared - even w/o the cleaning it desperately needed. The SIlverBarbs were schooling fish, and patrolled constantly, but the Koy dug in the gravel. Point being - the fish made a big difference to the environment.
I'm not saying I want to drink the water straight out of there (but nor would I out of clear-looking Logan river - g*g*g*giardia), but I haven't noticed any foul flavors in the fish I've caught/consumed. Heck - the trout from warm Wellsville pond probably taste scummier than the cats from Cutler.
Thanks to Fishnma for confirming - there's a good variety of fish out there to be found. I'm due for more exploring! Might even take my son's little inflatable...since I don't have a canoe.
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Both the bass were caught on a green curly tail jig with a yellow tail and a white 1/4 oz jig head tossed 15 to 20 feet out and retrieved so it would bounce the bottom. The crappie was on a smaller white jig using a slide bobber. All three fish were caught while I was standing on the hood of an old car that was pushed halfway into the water. If you know where that is, I've given away my secret spot, if not, looks like you have some exploring to to. I caught another smallmouth today at cache junction using a silver rattle trap, so it seems like anywhere there is some good structure, you can find a few of the flashier fish.
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Don't you hate it when they turn the sprinklers on? Get's the ol Jeep muddy!
Smiley!
MA
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Cutler water clarity is greatly due to the river bed. Even the Logan River looks that way before it gets to Cutler. Is there bad things in the water? Yes! But water clarity has nothing to do with the taste of a fish. A pig can roll in poop all day long and it will not taste like poop. It is the kind of fish and what it eats the make it taste the way that it does. I have eaten catfish and walleyes out of both Cutler and Lake Powell and I could not tell the difference in the quality of the meat or the taste.
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Nice to hear. And good point, it's what goes in 'em. Why kokes are pink on the inside. Shrimpies...
And why no one eats the mud-belly cats, they eat mud so they taste like mud right?
Now the channels are chasing other sources of food, off the bottom.
Plus begs to the whole food-chain thing. Top carnivores'll build up the toxins (e.g., Big Browns for the Pig), plankton eaters - not so much to worry.
Hmm a car, a challenge. Seen a couple car-cases up the bear, but don't think I've noticed one along Cutler. Seen some duck-blinds and other structures built up. Just hate getting to where I'm churning mud....
Know the cars at Hyrum hold some bass and perchlets.
I need to try some more bank-tangling, Maybe even below the damn - see what the river holds. The Queen of Eyes's got me tempted!
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Oh contraire, Fishinma, a jeep is only truly itself when it is covered in mud!
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