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Finally made it up to Benson yesterday. Beautiful day.
Didn't catch any contest worthy Cats, in fact, barely caught any Cats at all. But was able to re-record the safe depth route from marina up into the river inflow area.
Found several holes 8 to 16 feet deep . Caught one carp that provided some fresh bait for the day, 2 small Channel Cats, and so many Mud Cats we lost count.
Was a nice, enjoyable, quiet, sunny Father's Day with my best fishin buddy.
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In our ( cookie and I) quest this year to catch every game fish in Utah, mud cats have oddly eluded me. I know, I know, you dont want em and they tangle up your line all day. You do want em and they seem to be off on a far space adventure. Sound like benson might need to make my list in conjunction with a trip to the Aggie creamery for some ice cream
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If you are going specifically for Mud Cats and you have a small boat, best spot I've found at Benson is just before you get to the highway bridge, there is a hole about 14 to 17 ft deep. Drop a #1 bait hook with about half a worm anywhere around that hole and it won't take long for a Mudder to suck it up. On light line and light pole, some of those Mudders can put up a fair tug-fest.
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Hey Forest looks like a fun trip... wish I could get back out there... try going a little further north than where your map shows you turned up the river, there is another channel of the river that hits the main body of the reservoir... Fish at the point where the channel hits the main body, that area is called Snow White and has been known to yield some fair kitties over the years.... Glad you made a trip up... Later J
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Only I would plan a trip just for mudders. Tubedude might kick me off the forum for that. Goto go hit the Unitahs this weekend, cause I have not got stuck enough this spring, then cookie was promised a run for wipers. Will try out your honey hole next - txs for sharing
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Jeff, We did go quite a ways further down that channel on the map I attached, I just didn't take a photo of the GPS screen at that point. We stopped in a spot that was just north of your house in an area where 3 channels converged. That spot was 15-18 feet deep. That's where I caught my 2 small Kitties and the wife caught her 1 Carp.
We didn't sit over the bridge hole until just before we were ready to leave. Because we got there a bit later than we wanted to, we didn't have time to go too far up river.
Oldest son and I are planning to make another trip up that way next week, probably Wednesday.
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Did you try the lake itself this trip? Or just the river channel? Last time I was out the lake had more fish than the river, but that's been a month or so and I know they move this time of year. Runoff had been a factor, but now the farmers are pumping faster than the run off, I imagine the fish are relocating... Sure miss being able to get out and chase them... I really need a tug... Later J
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We tried several spots around the lake that have been productive in the past. Then went up in the river channel.
But except for the holes we found that I have charted before, everywhere else was pretty shallow and water temp in the low 70's.
We came out one channel closest to the north end of your house that looked promising. DEEP at one end, and looked like a shortcut back to the main body. Got to the end of that channel, in what looked like open lake and ran up on a mud bar.
Fortunately it was just a mud hump that hit the bottom of my prop. Was going slow with motor tilted up in shallow drive, so it kind of brought us to a slow down, kicked up mud, then we were over it. But had to work out of that area for a good 100 yards or so with only 1.2 - 1.4 fow.
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Forest, I know that spot well... Just when I think I know where to drive to get through there the channel switches... I'm assuming you made the right hand curve between the islands and didn't keep going straight? If so you can get through there okay, if you go straight you have to work pretty hard to get out of there... Last year there was a deeper zone right on the north side of that channel along the logs that I could get through most of the time, but I haven't been out this year yet.. Later Jeff
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