Went and hit Cutler Sunday - started off a bit after midday - typical 'early' start, at the heat of the day[:/]. Launched and took a float south for a change. Toyed with some shallows, and trolling the rocky edges. Saw some schools of black baby blackheads. Swarming little buggers!
Got snagged in a tree - good news was I found my lure, bad news was in sunk into my forefinger while I was 'freeing' it - yup - past the barb. So I'm thinking to try the string trick, or just grab the pliers. Well - small jig, pliers won, finger swollen, but hell I'll survive to fish another day.
Nothing going as far as bass/cats hanging in the shade or the reeds. Thought I might find some foraging on the bitty bites. Worked over to a bridge, and tied up in the shade. Interesting jam session going on. Floating islands, good structure.
Watched a black ferret trot across the bridge, then later came back the other way - stopped to check me out as the swallows dive bombed him. Too quick to get a shot at him.
Of course I started getting into the mudcats. I always find the little mudders! Worm on a spinner harness, ice-jigs with mealworms, mudcat after mudcat! Tried different colors, threw a feather tail jig under a bobber - and - yup - more mudcats. Pitched some shrimp, some carp strips, and yup - more mudcats. I probably pulled in a couple dozen of those pesky lil' critters! A few had some size to them, some were babies - but they just would not leave me alone.
One nice surprise was an 11inch chunky Crappie! Got to thinking they were suspended higher in the water column, as he slammed my silver spinner while reeling in. Vertical jigging wasn't getting it to happen again, so I caught more - you guessed it - mudcats.
Hoping to find a Walleye or Bass lurking in the reeds, I moved position to some good current, and caught - a tree! So freeing my spinner I'm sure I spooked out that 10lb Walleye I was planning to catch. Pitched along more reeds, and watched carp flopping all round. As darkness approached - I headed for home.
So what are those Blackheads? Are they catfish fry? If so a wonder what are they doing near the surface?
Sorry to hear about the hook thing. Barbless hooks help if you are accident prone like me.
[signature]
You hooked a dork fish huh!
[signature]
I guess I'm mixing metaphors - so to speak. Suppose technically they are black-bullheads, typically called mudcats. Some folks think they're garbage fish, other's fill up buckets full of 'em. I'd rather hook into a nice channel cat anyday, but tugs is tugs. Beats just sitting around waiting for a bite, sort of.
I've seen those black swirling clouds before, and they are baby cats. After closer inspection, learned they do have spikes, even at such a young age (maybe .5-1 inch long), and they actually sting - almost like a bee sting.
[center][left]Lunker - I could show you where I got poked by the bitty kitty - it's the next finger over.
[/left]
[mad] Here - I'll hold it up for ya! See ,i!ii [mad]
[/center]
I don't have a 99.9% success rate at landing every fish I hook, so I kinda like the barbs. Though if I sink a few more or start fly-fishing, might give that a second thought. Been poked plenty, but that's the first barb I've sunk. Coulda been worse - buddy's wife works at a hospital, and they've got a few hook-er stories! Says you'd be amazed at the places those things get poked. [shocked]
I found a small, deep water pocket in some of the backwaters today not far from my place. Pulled out a couple of 16" rainbow trout, oodles of 3-4" green sunfish and white crappie, and then caught a nice big crappie right on par with yours.
I took my muckin' boots with to explore, but I was sinking to the tops of my boots before I even got into the water, so I didn't manage to scout out any other hubs of activity...
[signature]
Did you mean black crappie? I didn't think there were any white crappie in Utah. If there are, let a brutha know...
[signature]
Thanks for the correction. It had the spots, not the stripes - black crappie it was. My bad.
[signature]
Trout? In the muddy backwaters? Sweet.
"I'll bet they taste like ass" - quoting a guy at Skyler's late summer last year....
Wonder if they slipped out of the hatchery by the dump? Not a typical finding in the Bear?!?!? Even heard there are/have been Perch out there. For all the mudcats - it's surprising me how diverse a fishery it really is.
[center][shocked][shocked]So where are the Tiger Musky!!!![shocked][shocked]
[/center]
I had thought about donning the waders, but figured I'd end up loosing a boot in the mud before I got anywheres. There are some murky shores no doubt!
So no channel cats in your backwaters? I need to find a biggun, or Lava will have me eating carp!
No escapees next to the dump. That facility was actually for the study of diseases (I don't even think it's in use now). Rather, the trout are from the privately held trout farm up in between Smithfield and Amalga.
P.S. Yes, they taste just like mud.
[signature]
Did they have identification from the trout farm or are you guessing? You could get them in a lot of trouble if they didn't contain their fish and there are many possible sources for those trout on a high run off year like this one. I've caught trout and white fish on Cutler in years past. It's rare but it happens. They don't do very well in warm muddy water so I suspect they don't grow very old out there. Don't know if you've fished the Logan river through Young Ward but that used to be a great trout fishery down to where it starts backing up from the reservoir we caught browns and even an occasional cutthroat. Sometimes they were pretty nice fish. Just don't want to see someone get in trouble that doesn't deserve it. J
[signature]
I've visited the trout farm, and have seen numerous trout in a downstream canal on the SW corner of the property. 1 + 1 = 2 ?
[signature]
That's too bad do you think they know they have a hole? That's a big loss for them. It does add some interest to the catch though. Later J
[signature]
With all the connectivity - I'm sure somewhere out in Cutler there's all kinds of beasties to be found. Doesn't the little Bear drop in at the north end? It's got browns for sure - would expect other Trout too, but as said - don't think they'd fair well in the muddier warm slower water. Maybe upstream moreso.
Logan river connects too, so if they want to - the rainbows from there could find their way to get some carp fighting action!
So where do you guys think the big Channels are hiding these days? I've got about a week to top Lava's lunker, or I'll be eating carp! (smoked first at least) and buying the boy lunch. Would rather see him eat crow personally!!!
I'm almost thinking I need a night-venture - if I can fend off the bugs! If I camp Willard this weekend - might have to try some midnight madness!
Yup little bear, blacksmith, Logan, cub river, spring creek and the bear (think oneita narrows) all come together plus all the little ones too like summit, cherry creek and etc. So there are many places that fish can come from just conditions that limits what survives. The mountain fish I've caught have not been the most healthy or strong I turned them back but suspect they didn't live to old age.
As far as cats go they should be getting active in the river soon. You know the spots just try them in the morning from 7 to noon and use really big hooks and load on lots of bait. It usually keeps the mudcats away plus if you have some bloody rotten liver it will catch the channels, it's not much fun to use but it will work. Also if you really want them float the bear from Ballard Bridge to your Crappie hole and anchor up in three or four holes or convergences along the way and soak some bait for an hour or so in each. You will catch fish and may even find your walleye. Good luck. J
[signature]
Good thing we didn't bet on the biggest Crappie.
[signature]
[quote lavaman]Good thing we didn't bet on the biggest Crappie.[/quote]
'specially since you've never caught one - right?
Or if you did it got off before you landed it (0.1% that's why they call them papermouths). [pirate]
Thanks for the tips Skunky-J.
So you're telling me I have to actually get up and out EARLY for a change! Thought I already had a challenge on my hands (haha).
Do you wrap livers in mesh or stockings? I've never been able to keep that gooey mess on a hook.
It's true I've never caught a Crappie.
But it's also true I've never *targeted* that species. I may have to do that soon.
[signature]
Just giving you carp buddy (and a 22" or bigger one at that!)
I've mostly found them by surprise (and a pleasant one). They're better than bluegills. We'll have to target them under the ice when the hard-deck gets here. Maybe Ben can show us how to pull a toothy musky up through an ice-hole while we're at it!
Tiger Muskie on 6 lb. test. There's a rush- ice or not.
[signature]
tiger muskie on a ice pole would be a rush!!!! hell a TM would be a rush for me no matter the conditions..
[signature]