[cool][#0000ff]What a week. TubeBabe has a full dance card for the next two months so we tried to get her out fishing as often as possible this week. Had a good Monday at Starvation, a decent Wednesday at Willard and finished the trifecta today at Lincoln Beach on Utah Lake.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Launched off the end of the south dike just after 7 AM. Light southerly breeze (as forecast), 52 degrees air temp and 62 degree water temp. Water was a bit murky but developed some green to it later in the morning. Water level is about 3 feet below high mark. Lower than last year at this time.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Looks like the fall pattern is in session. The kitties were on the chew and there were some good sized ones to play with. We found them in 4 to 5 feet of water straight out from the inlet to Benjamin Slough. Started getting tentative pop and drops until the sun hit the water. Then they got more serious. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TubeBabe landed the first 3 catfish...and then I started using a hook and bait...after spotting her the lead. Her first kitty was a 2 footer. Her second was about 30 inches and 10 pounds. Sorry everybody within 10 miles...I know your ears are hurting after the whoopin' and hollerin'. She cain't hep it. She's the kitty queen.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Over the next couple of hours TubeBabe brought in several other kitties...including a six pounder and an 8 pounder. Bent her stick and stretched her string, they did. She was overdue. She released all but 4 of the smaller fish for the smoker.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I got to rassle with a 27 inch daddy cat...which was also released. I also caught about 10 other nice kitties...keeping eight for the smoker. We also both caught a few silly whities...some on large baits (minnows and carp meat) being dragged for cats. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Not much action on lures today...plastic or hardbaits. But, at one point I picked up a tandem tube jig rig...including the deadly R/C Killer and got a whitie on the first cast and a cookie cutter kitty on the next cast to the same spot. Then nothing else the rest of the morning.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]With the water temps still over 60 degrees, the cats hit hard, ran fast and fought hard. Some of the middle sized ones fooled us into thinking we had bigguns. What a problem to have. Yeeee Hawww![/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Only two or three boats hit the lake before we left just after noon. Water had warmed to 64 and there was never more than a ripple all morning. But the breeze did keep changing directions about every 10 minutes.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Figured we would fillet the fish down there and avoid the mess at home. Figured wrong. The fish cleaning station is closed already. Bummer.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Hooray for TubeBabe. I may have caught a few more kitties than she did today but she was definitely top rod in the size department. The big cats have always played nice for her and she really appreciates it. Maybe that will keep her going for the next few weeks as she travels all over the place. Tough duty having to take that Caribbean Cruise with the daughter and granddaugter. And it is a long cast down to the water.[/#0000ff]
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Quote:[#0000ff]I know your ears are hurting after the whoopin' and hollerin'. She cain't hep it. She's the kitty queen.[/#0000ff]
Gosh! Why don't you bring your tape recorder?[crazy]
Don't laugh I really wanted to hear her holler.
If I get any smart alec response from any of you..........[pirate]
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Great Job Pat and TubeBabe!!!! She has some skill, some of thos cats are bigger than Ivan!!! Those are some nice fishies!!! Wont be too long now till the eyes start to play down that way.
Great Report, C ya around,
Shawn M
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Sounds like a great day. From my boat I haven't been able to tell exactly where the Benjamin Slough is, but from your pictures I think I have a better idea.
By the way, what kind of gizmo do you use for weighing your fish while out on the tube?
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[cool][#0000ff]Here's a picture I took today, of what the opening of the slough looks like. It is where the reeds change type and color. The opening is roughly SE of the end of the south dike. The closer you get to it the easier it is to tell that it is a tributary. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Today there were a bunch of birds lined up to munch the baby white bass that are in there in the shallow water. That is what the predators are around for...the bigger fish all have 3" white bass in their tummies.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We carry 5' cloth measuring tapes and digital scales. But in the heat of battle we usually just use the 20" rulers attached to our aprons to do a rough measure. And then, based upon length and overall physical condition of the fish I can estimate within a few ounces one way or another. Those who fish with me will verify that I can often just look at a fish and tell you how long it is and how much it weighs...and then when we get it to the fillet station and check it out on the tape and the digital scale I am usually pretty close. That comes from catching a lot of fish over the years and carefully recording details in a fishing log.[/#0000ff]
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What a fine lookin day it was for ya. Looks fun!!!![cool]
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Nice report n pics nothing like a good cat outtin[cool] thats a big ole nice daddy cat too keep it up until then[fishin]
ps dont forget to pick up your michelob can u left behind j/k[:p]
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"ps dont forget to pick up your michelob can u left behind j/k[:p]"
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[#0000ff]Wasn't me. It was probably the carp. They got no class. Leave their empties (and other stuff) all over the place.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Hard to find any place around Utah Lake that is not covered in trash. Lots of us carry plastic bags on most trips and make an effort to clean up after the slobs. Thankfully, Lincoln Beach is a Utah County Park and is patrolled regularly by the sheriff department and county staff. And they DO bust a lot of violators. But, bad for a lot of anglers is that there is a NO ALCOHOL restriction so that cuts down a bit on the empties...but not all.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Yep. Musta been the carp.[/#0000ff]
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Those are some huge kitties!! Congrats to you and the Mrs.- nicely done as always. Love those pics, keep 'em coming.
Hit Hyrum today and did quite well playin' with the 'Bows. Nothing big like those catfish you rassled in.
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Now hey - I hobbled over there last night too. Actually hoping for some 'dads, but no luck there. Did hook into a couple perch, and I think I had some slams that musta been trout trying, but no hookups.
Was just down from the campground around sunset. Got lots of rising. Maybe shoulda used a fly-n-bobber!
Pat - that vision of Tubebabe hooping and hollering just makes me chuckle. You need a camera that'll let you snap a little video snippet. Maybe you could make that into a "ringtone" [:p]
Sure appreciate all the details on where, and how. You guys put some serious hurt on them cats. So - begs me the question (know it's a matter of preference and all) what range of cats does your perceptive eye deem a keeper? Both lower and upper range? Just curious. I've yet to "worry" about letting a 10lber go. But I have high hopes!
Another great post, great story, great details.
[cool][#0000ff]So you think I should follow TubeBabe around and videotape her having fun, huh? Well, on that trip I probably wasted at least a third of MY fishing time kicking across the lake to take pictures of her fish and not fishing myself. I don't have a telephoto lens on my camera so I have to be reasonably close to get a good shot. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Do I mind? Yes and no. Of course I go fishing to catch fish, but when I take somebody else (even my wife) I try to make the trip about THEM too. And I get as much enjoys out of having somebody else catching fish as catching them all my own self. That's for true. At least that's what I say when somebody else gets the most or the biggest. Easier to swallow my pride that way.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As far as catch and keep vs C&R, that is a variable thing...with the exception that we almost always release cats over about 4 or 5 pounds. The ones on the upper end of that scale (pun) are still very good eating but we prefer them under about 2 pounds. Thinner fillets that cook faster and more evenly. Also, the larger the cats the more oils they have in their flesh and more red flesh along the sides that should be trimmed off before cooking...to improve taste.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The "two footers" are about 3 - 4 pounds on average. That is the size I used to target for the smoker. They are small enough to cook down to semi-jerky but thick enough to retain some moisture and texture. But, during the past couple of years, with the abundance of the "cookie cutters" under 20 inches I have come to prefer that size for smoking. They smoke more thoroughly in a shorter time and the overall taste and texture come out just right for my preferences.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Some guys claim that the big cats are "nasty" and not good eating. Not true. If you fillet and skin them, remove the red flesh on the sides and then cut the thick fillets into thin steaks or fingers they are absolutely delicious...on the grill, in hot oil or in the smoker. Catfish have dense flesh and need more cooking than most fish. When someone tries to cook a big thick fillet all the way through it usually comes out underdone in the middle and that WILL NOT be the best catfish you ever ate. It DOES need to be thoroughly cooked.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I also believe in releasing the largest fish of all species. They got big because of a combination of genetics, feeding habits and survival instincts. I like to put those traits back into the gene pool. And some big fish have lived many years so it is more difficult to replace them than it is the younguns. As an oldster myself I appreciate any considerations I get from anybody. I have a special empathy for old fishies.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]All that being said, it is almost impossible to specifically target the size catfish you want to catch. I have caught some pretty small kitties on some big ol baits being fished for bigguns. And I have caught some of my biggest daddy cats on small pieces of carp meat or small minnows being fished for cookie cutters. Cats are equal opportunity GUTS. They will accept almost anything you offer if it has the right flavor du jour. But they also slurp up a whole buncha stuff that you would never even expect a catfish to eat. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The only thing guaranteed about catfish is that there are no guarantees. They operate on their own schedules and hang out wherever they feel comfortable...and eat when they wanna eat. We just gotta get lucky and intercept them at the right time and place with the right offerings. The good news is that is not nearly as difficult with kitties as it is with walleyes...or wipers...or trout, etc.[/#0000ff]
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Always such great detailed info Pat. Thanks.
I feel for ya - reason I asked about the camera 'round your neck b4. Figured I'd wasted some good casting time clicking pix. Specially when you get on a hot bite.
Felt guilty once to take my rod back from my son, when he'd moved from "netting" to "reeling in one I'd hooked" to "hooking his own", but it was my one rig that was "on it"!! Offered to rig his rod, but no.... but we had a good trip anyway. I need to learn more to make "the trip about them". Sometimes I get too focused on wanting to get on the fish myself. Can't break to snack a sammich, or crack a soda....tough times.
Thanks for the kitty-size rundown. About what I figured. But funny how some folks seem to take the attitude that a big fat is ucky and full of mercury. Interesting to hear your take. But I'm with ya - selective harvest, we're participants in the future of the fishery. I just wish MY cookies could double in size to match YOUR notion of cookies! Gotta keep trying....what can I say.
"But funny how some folks seem to take the attitude that a big fat is ucky and full of mercury."
[cool][#0000ff]Your comment is a perfect example of the misunderstandings and misinformation being perpetrated about Utah Lake in general and about catfish in particular.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]THERE IS NO MERCURY PROBLEM with the fish in Utah Lake...NONE OF THEM. However, there have been recent findings that carp and the larger catfish may have PCB concentrations above the "recommended limit"...whatever that is. Both carp and catfish live a while and over time they accumulate the PCB in the oily tissues and in their innards. But if you properly clean and prepare catfish you can eliminate a high percentage of any PCBs that MIGHT get into your dinner. Not much of a problem at all in kitties as young as the cookies.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have yet to be provided with a comprehensive and definitive study on the potential problems of eating Utah Lake fish with existing levels of PCBs. There are families in Utah County that have been eating fish from Utah Lake continuously, for several generations, without exhibiting any symptoms of unusual growth or disease characteristics. But some of them are great at night fishing. They glow in the dark.[/#0000ff]
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Sorry, the reference is actually from someone complaining about Cutler fish, in any shape size or form. I don't buy into it - personally. I would not be surprised if Cutler carries more agricultural runoff than a body like Utah Lake, but - I'm NOT one to be fearful of fish consumption.
I know there's limits, and places like Porcupine that warn you to limit yourself on big-browns. What limited time I have to fish, I don't catch enough to worry about any more toxins than I get from ALL the various farm-raised foods the markets provide me.
In general - I'd consider most any fish I catch wild to be cleaner, fresher, safer to eat than the majority of farm-raised china-produced market fish.
Hyrum Perch for dinner tonight! No 'dads, so
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[cool]NICE!!!! Way to go TD and TB! Boy those photos and that report sure bring back a lot of memories! I've gotta get out to that place at least once in my tube now that I've got the employment situation all straitened out before it gets too cold for my tubin comfort and I start to turn my attention to the hard deck...
Way to put a whoopin on 'em guys! I'm surprised though to hear that the whities weren't bitin' the plastics...
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[cool][#0000ff]Yeah, you have rassled some fine kitties down there your own self. See the pic from the past attached.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We really did not fish for the white bass or we would have fished a different area. We caught a few singles by accident but we didn't go looking for the schools. They are there and they will bite if you find them...but you cain't ketch 'em where they ain't.[/#0000ff]
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[cool]Ha! That was a fun day! I remember that! I didn't get any big ones, but had a blast catchin those "good eater" sized kitties. That was four years ago almost to the day... It was fun fishin' with you and Delores that day. If memory serves me correct, TLSpyder or his brother (can't remember which) was also there and lost a monster cat under his legs and tube - snapped him off...
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Yea that was a great day as I broke off the big fish and had my cars heater coil go out on the way home. Learned two things that day. One get your fins up and out of the way when landing a fish. Two be grateful when your car dies in front of someones house if you don't have a cell phone.[crazy]
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I always enjoy your reports and pictures. This one was no exception. It's good to read of your great success... both you and Delores.
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I always enjoy reading your fishing reports, and studying the pictures you attach to the report. This report was no exception. It was good to see the great success had by you and Delores.
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