Fishing Forum

[cool][#0000ff]Before I moved to Arizona, back in '84, I used to fish American Fork Harbor a lot. Many good trips and some of my biggest fish from Utah Lake came outta that little nook. Always tubed it right up until it froze each year and then drilled it when it capped. But it has been a whole lotta years since I fished it last and I figured it would be a good spot to make my last tubin' trip of 2010.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Didn't wanna be a fanatic about it...with the cold night and all. Waited until almost 9 AM to launch. That's late for this kid. But there was still lots of ice in the parking lot and on the ramp. Just about did a triple klutz a couple of times. Also lots of skim ice floating around. The next couple of cold nights might just recap the whole harbor.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Air temp in the low 20's at launch. Water temp only 35. Body temp cooled rapidly but I hung in there for the usual 3 hours or so until frigid digits (cold toes) suggested I would be more comfy out of the water.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]AFBH can be very good or very bad. Seldom in between. You either catch lots of fish or nothing. It was great for a few days right after it capped the first time this year but has been slow since. Today was slow. I covered the entire harbor slowly and methodically...using a wide variety of baits and lures. I managed about a dozen white bass and none of them was bigger than 10 inches or so. But, at least I did not smell skunk.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Hardly saw anything on sonar today. Even around the docks. The fish are elsewhere for the time being. Maybe they will come back in after the harbor refreezes in the upcoming deep freeze.[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]There was a steady procession of "dock dunkers" who drove up, walked out on the docks and worked them over for whatever they could find. Nobody found anything that I could see. Most did not stay very long. One small group of "aggressive jiggers" became agitated when I caught several small whities in a row...out in the middle of the channel. They began to heave casts in my direction...almost hitting my tube. They got even more upset when they saw me releasing the fish I caught.[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]A couple of boats with duck hunters motored back in after the skies cleared and the birds quit flying. Both indicated they had some decent shooting for a while. There was one large flock of high flying geese that went overhead but I did not see any other flyers.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Now I guess I am ready to put up my faithful float tube and break out the ice fishing gear. But the way this wierd winter has been going it might be ice free again in a couple of weeks.[/#0000ff]
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Looks quite cold, and based on previous posts I'd say it was. Guess you'll have some time to fabricate the next generation of tool toting pvc goodness.
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[cool][#0000ff]PVC goodies? Well, yes I do have to make a few things. But they will be for ice fishing. I have my ice sled all rigged out with rod holders too...and I have "quick draw" individual rod holders...made from PVC.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have some new designs in mind and several fishing buddies who want me to help them make some for themselves.[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]Here are some examples.[/#0000ff]

[inline "PERCHSICLES AND ROD RACK.jpg"]

[inline "SEVEN UP.jpg"]

[inline "4-TUBE ICE ROD HOLDER.jpg"]

[inline SPINNING.jpg]
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cats through the ice I see!!! So is it alot of work to entice a bite for the cats through ice??
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Good pictures Pat! Fishkillr and I dock dunked at AF a while back. We kinda looked like the guys in your pic. Grumpy faces and no fish. The fish were thick around the docks when that cold snap hit at the end of November and as soon as the temps started to warm up, the fish left the harbors.
Beautiful scenery in those shots. Hopefully the storm blowing in towards the end of the week will produce some safe ice for those of us who are um...gravity enhanced.
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Nice going TD !!! Love those pictures.
Im off for two weeks but sick. Hoping to do some fishing soon. Will post if i get so lucky to do so.

Peter
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[quote jeremypeace]cats through the ice I see!!! So is it alot of work to entice a bite for the cats through ice??[/quote]

[cool][#0000ff]The hardest part of catching cats through the ice is finding them. They feed actively (but more slowly) all winter...so if you can find them they will usually bite. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Here in Utah there are quite a few kitties caught through the ice at Willard. Not as many at Utah Lake...where the fish in the pic were taken. That trip was to a spot GPSed by a fishing buddy who found a deep thermal spring while boating. It had fish around it all year during open water so we returned on the hard deck and found some kitties enjoying the warmer water. It was at 23 feet deep and Utah lake is rarely more than 12' deep. A very interesting trip. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=560246#p560246"]HERE IS A LINK[/url] to the trip report, back in January of 2010.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]Sorry you are sick. Get well soon...and get back on the water. I thought you were hibernating for the winter.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Happy New Year[/#0000ff]
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Hey Tube Dude! I remember a post you did a couple years back that showed how to build one of those "PVC rod holders" do you happen to have a link to it? I put together one of your safety ropes last year a love it! I also fished with one of your jig heads the other day and need to get ahold of some, probably take a lesson down the road.

Thanks for all your great advice,

Eric
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Hey northernfisher those rod holders TD designs are the way to go, What is the safety rope you're talking about?
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The safety rope is a twenty foot rope is a twenty foot rope with a loop tied in the center and carabiners on each end that can be used for pulling the sled behind with minimal effort. I just found the rod holder post so I'm gonna have to get on them.
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[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=385854;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread"]ICE SLED ROD RACK[/url]

[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=243643;#243643"]PVC ICE ROD STUFF[/url]

[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=385812;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread"]TRIPOD ROD HOLDER[/url]

[cool][#0000ff]Hey, I thought this was a float tubin' board. But then again, fishing from a float tube is a lot like ice fishing...when you are making vertical presentations.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Let me know when you wanna do a "show and tell" on jig making.[/#0000ff]
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[quote idahopanfish]Hey northernfisher those rod holders TD designs are the way to go, What is the safety rope you're talking about?[/quote]

[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=561389#561389"]UTILITY ROPE[/url]
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Lol K will do and thanks! I just searched for your rod holders and this is what it came up with. []
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