Hey guys, I've been fishing on the west side of utah lake for over a couple of weeks and I haven't caught a single channel catfish. And I'm using bobbers and slip sinker rigs. I been using worms, cut bait, livers, shrimp, and sure shot punch bait. Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong. And also I'm just a teenager and I can't drive to different fishing spots.
[signature]
[cool][#0000ff]We fished off the Knolls on Monday. I did not get a catfish to bite in water less than 5' deep. And most of the ones I caught were in at least 7' deep...a long way from shore. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The females we kept had eggs that were a long way from being ripe and ready to spawn. I don't think the cats are ready to come into shallower water yet. There have been a few caught in shallow water where it is protected and warms up faster. But around a good part of the lake the fish are staying out in deeper water.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Most of our channel cats came on minnows but a few on carp meat. I don't think it matters as much what kind of bait you are using but you do need to find where the fish are hanging out.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Oh yeah, another thing is that about the only thing in the stomachs of the cats we kept were the minnows they ate while we were fishing for them. They either don't have much to eat or they are not feeding actively. Blame the up and down weather for that. It usually shuts them down for a day or two after a front goes through.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The water temps have been dropping below 60 degrees still. Until they reach and stay above about 65 degrees the catfish will not set up permanent residence in the rocks and reeds in shallower water.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Don't jump off your tackle box yet.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
Last year I caught My biggest fish around this time a channel cat. This year I havnt caught a single channel cat. I caught bullheads, perch, white bass, and crappie but still no channel. Im a bank tangler also. It goes along with td's report that they must not really be in the shallows yet. I usually fish saratoga springs marina, american fork harbor, and the private saratoga springs harbor.
[signature]
You're not doing anything wrong. The fish just haven't bit ya yet.
I have my best shore fishing for cats the last few years, staring about mid-June on. I've caught them before that. I even caught one on my bluegill rig just south of the Pelican Bay harbor, about this time of year.
Keep it up. Fish warm places, in and between the reeds, and keep moving around. You'll get them.
You will.
[signature]
The channels are for sure in the more shallow water. If theres one fish i know, its the cats. I went out today and was catching them near Lindon in a few feet of water. I even had the audacity to use a fixed bobber (dont usually do that) and my minnow was only about 2 feet below the bobber. We caught several big females. They are becomming more active and theyre close to shore. I would give it a week or so longer with all this hot weather, and you'll be catching them all day.
PM SENT
[signature]
try the jordan anywhwere in town and youll get em on worms or WB meat. ive caught probly 10 channel cats this year on the jordan that had size to them.
tightlines
[signature]