Lindon Love 8-17-12

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Nope. Nuthin' kinky. Unless you count a dirty old man rasslin' with a lot of nekkid fish.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Solo trip to Lindon. Hit it before daylight to try for some baby whities on bitty jigs under the light at the ramp. Got a dozen or so for bait and launched before sunrise...about 6:15. Air temp 68 and water temp 76...warming to almost 79 by noon.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Depth in the harbor averages about 5 feet. Dropping but still doable for most boats. Few fish on sonar going out but bajillions of whitie tykes dimpling the surface as it got lighter.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Stopped at the rock points at the mouth of the harbor and molested a couple of junior whities. Nothing bigger...except the snags. Cranked up the electric motor and started for the bubbleup. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Had some bozo in an approaching boat yell that I was in a no wake zone. Good ol RipNLip. He's such a kidder. He and his boatmates were headed for "Poo River" to try to harvest some white bass for catfish bait. Told him I was going to the bubbleup and he said they might join me later. Don't know how they did since they never showed. Too bad for them...maybe.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Made the run to the buoys fairly quickly with the electric cranked up. Got there as the sun was peeking up over Provo Canyon and painting the low clouds. Always love a nice sunrise.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Water levels were almost 3 feet lower than the last time I fished the bubbleup. Had to look for a few minutes to find any fishy marks on sonar. Found a few then caught a few. Most of the fish I saw were suspended rather than near the bottom. Had to retrieve at mid depth and finesse them to get any action. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]After catching a dozen or so white bass I had a solid thump, followed by heavy head shakes and a couple of short runs. My first of several cats on jigs. Lots of fun on light gear. Even ran some line off the drag.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Worked from the 7th buoy...out on the end...clear to the 3rd buoy...closer to shore. Caught sporadic fish here and there...with occasional brief flurries of instant hits and doubles when I found an active school. But the schools were small and moving. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Best action for white bass...and cats on jigs...was between the third and fourth buoys...right in the middle of the string. Depths in the most productive areas were from about 4 to 6 feet, with the most right at around 5 feet. And many of the hits came as soon as I dropped the jigs into the water. Lots of shallow cruisers. I couldn't let a rod rest with a jig in the water without having a silly white bass trying to take the rod out of the holder.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I released the first few cats I caught on jigs since I hadn't planned on trying to catch any. But then I thought that if they were going to play I might as well bring home a few for the smoker. So I started dragging around one of the little 3" white bass on one rod while fishing whities with the plastics. The cats loved the junior whities and I had a real circus a couple of times trying to bring in a double on white bass while setting the hook in a kitty that was running away with all the line on my bait rig. Tough duty.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I took out a dozen baby white bass and used them all. Only missed a couple of whiff hooksets so I guess I caught about 10 cats on the white bassettes. Kept my 8 for the smoker and released a few more.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Had 8 cats and a couple dozen white bass in the basket by about 10 am. A good thing too. The bite just shut down. So after a half hour of fruitless (and fishless) casting I turned in my masochist card and motored back in to the harbor. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Made it to the ramp just as the power squadron was rolling in. Gee. Sorry I missed all that fun. Well, maybe not all. I did have one ski boat make a wide swing in from the middle of the lake and roar by close enough to get my attention...along with a few saved-up screams from the occupants. Why do they always want tubers to LOOKEE? I ain't easy to impress.[/#0000ff]
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[carToon]

What were you using for the baitfish, and what size?
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[CoyoteSpinner]

Nice lil' fin filled roundup there paaardner.

Good collection of offerings, and nice collecting of some takers! Gotta love a good hot summer bite!

[TubeDude]

[quote carToon]What were you using for the baitfish, and what size?[/quote]

[cool][#0000ff]Those widdle whities are very aggressive and will hit relatively large jigs. But if you want to catch a bunch use small hooks. I use 1/64 oz. jig heads on size 12 hooks...painted and unpainted. Just a pinch of crawler on the hook. A tandem rig got doubles within seconds when I found the schools.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]A small light fly rod with a couple of tiny nymphs works well too. They are in there feeding on midge larvae and adults that fall to the surface. The top of the water looks like it is raining for a while right at first light.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]That same thing happens all around the lake, where ever there is a muddy bottom near shore with midge larvae populations. But they like the protected waters inside harbors a lot. And the predators often show up to feed on the feeders.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Off the mouth of the Spanish Fork River about this time of year I made a trip that started off with dimples and rings, progressed into splashes of larger white bass feeding on small ones and finished with walleyes chasing the white bass. Only managed to catch a couple of walleyes but it was impossible to keep the white bass off. If I dangled the bottom jig of a tandem rig over the water a white bass would leap up and grab it...and pull it down far enough for a second one to get the other jig. And part of the reason it was difficult to get walleyes was because the white bass swarmed the large plastics I was throwing for them. Couldn't believe that 8 or 9 inch whities would hit 5 inch plastics with 2/0 hooks...and get hooked.[/#0000ff]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Thanks. No bigguns but I usually don't fish specifically for the bigger cats. By the end of September and into October I will return to that area with some mongo rigs and rassle some 30 plus inchers. Get a few every year in the fall.[/#0000ff]
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[Trout_lover]

Hi,

What brand of jigs were you using? Also, did you use different sized jigs for the cats or the ones you used for the white bass? Did you cut up the bass bait or put the whole fish on a bigger hook?

Looks like you have to get there at sunrise to beat the waterskiers. Thanks in advance.

Debbie
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[brookieguy1]

Not to answer for TubeDude, but I can about guarantee they were "Pat Brand". He makes all his own terminal tackle, and it's the best there is.
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[a_bow_nut]

[quote brookieguy1]He makes all his own terminal tackle, and it's the best there is.[/quote]

I'll second that. I picked up some of his jig heads that had the red hooks and after one afternoon of catching the bluegill, white bass, and catfish had wore the red coating off of the hook, but that thing was still sharp enough to catch me with no problem.

For the quality you won't beat his prices either.
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[EvilTyeDyeTwin]

So the dude of tubes returns to his beloveded UT lake mistress....I swear you and that lake are like a fat kid with his chocolate....inseparable![url "http://utahwildlife.net/forum/posting.php?mode=smilies&f=2#"][/url][url "http://utahwildlife.net/forum/posting.php?mode=smilies&f=2#"][/url]

Could not get an accurate count on the fish since there are some kiddies blockin the rest of the dinner species from view.[url "http://utahwildlife.net/forum/posting.php?mode=smilies&f=2#"][/url][url "http://utahwildlife.net/forum/posting.php?mode=smilies&f=2#"][/url] Any chance you want to give us all a ball park count on how many whities you got out there? I am sure the "silver bass huggers" will not take a offense.[url "http://utahwildlife.net/forum/posting.php?mode=smilies&f=2&start=50#"][/url]

Thanks for posting as usual.....although you only post on Willard, UT Lake and Starvy these days.......somehow the posts just never get old![url "http://utahwildlife.net/forum/posting.php?mode=smilies&f=2#"][/url]

Keep em coming!
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]The plastic tube jigs I use are mostly Southern Pro Lil Hustlers...1.5" size. My best colors are red/chartreuse (RC Killer), pink/silver, black/chartreuse, chartreuse glitter and chartreuse pearl. White glitter also works well in clear water.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As others have suggested, I make most of my own jig heads and "specialties". I have been using a lot of the wobble jig heads for plastics...both plain and with tiny spinner blades added. See attached pics.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Actually, when the whities are "on the chew", they will hit just about anything and everything. But there are times when size and color CAN make a difference. Even more important at those times is presenting the lure at the right depth and with the right action. You can't ketch 'em where they ain't and sometimes you have to create a "reaction bite". Like all species the white bass can be sulky.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I catch a lot of catfish on the same jigs I fish for white bass and walleyes. There are generally all three species in any area that is serving food. And they will all hit the same stuff.[/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]White bass are a primary food source for almost all species...including other white bass. The small ones can be used whole. Large ones can also be used whole...for big cats and walleyes...but can also be cut into chunks, fillets or strips.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The young white bass seem to be about an inch shorter than they normally are this time of year. Thanks to the late spring and late spawn. I rigged the 3 inchers with a single hook. The larger whole whities can sometimes produce better if you use a double hook rig...like they use for rigging herring for salmon on the coast. See pics.[/#0000ff]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Can't deny it. Got a "thang" for poor old Utah Lake. She has always treated me well so I try to be kindly and say good things about her. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I don't wear a clicker around my neck and I don't put a lot of importance on total numbers. But I can usually make ball park estimates based upon average catch rates, time on the water, etc. As far as the white bass count for yesterday, I probably didn't break a hundred. But I know I got somewhere over fifty...and maybe got close to the century mark. I had brief flurries of doubles by just dropping a rod length of line straight down and hoisting a pair of fish right onto my apron. I also had times of only a fish for every three or four casts. I kept a couple dozen of the first "contestants" because I know how they can shut down. But I continued to whack 'em good for a couple of hours afterward. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Only problem was that the silly kitties got jealous and kept interrupting my whitie session. Takes a lot longer to play "yo-yo" with a 3 or 4 pound kitty than it does an underfooter whitie. More than a few times I had a double white bass catch on one rod and a catfish pulling around on the second rod. Don'tcha just hate it when that happens? I don't. As I sometimes mutter to myself...out loud..."That's what I came fer."[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Glad you appreciate my contributions. I'm letting you guys take care of the troutskis...for now. As the water cools and the fall fling thing happens you will see more pics from me of fish with spots on them.[/#0000ff]
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[ripnlip]

Dang it, TD... wanted to make it down there, but we had to get Mom to dialysis. We caught a grundle for the short time we were on the water. Sounds like you had a good trip as well. Love having the UL standby to fish so close to home.

Maybe we'll catch you again late Sept, Oct before we head south to shoot some deer.

Always good to see you.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Hey, it was a lovely day to be on the water together...again...even if we couldn't see each other.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have had a pretty quiet fishing schedule for the past couple of months but I plan to be spending a lot more time afishin' during the next few months. Stay in touch and maybe we can "hook up".[/#0000ff]
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[Roghet]

[font "Arial"][#000000][size 3] I dun saiddit befurr, and ah’ll sez it agin – I gotta figger out how ya gits dem cats by da bubble up! [cool]
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A[font "Arial"][#005000][size 3]fter speakin’ to ya we[/size][/#005000][/font][font "Arial"][#005000][size 3] decided to go out as a fami[/size][/#005000][/font][font "Arial"][#005000][size 3]ly on Wed[/size][/#005000][/font][font "Arial"][#005000][size 3],[/size][/#005000][/font][font "Arial"][#005000][size 3] with confidence[/size][/#005000][/font][font "Arial"][#005000][size 3]. Bright and early of course - on the water by 10 AM. Right when the fish are waking up. [:p]

After [/size][/#005000][/font][font "Arial"][#000000][size 3][#005000]so many lack luster trips for her, (FINALLY!!!!!) I got my wife on a school of bass! After her first 30 or so she said “This is almost boring.”[/#005000][#005000] [][/#005000] [#005028]Other boats were in the area, anchored up, all catching a few here and there. We had to move around to find any fish bunched up. After some solid catching for a couple hours we headed South for some kitties.

We first tried at the edges of those sparse reeds in 3' of water. Not even an inquiry to our offering. So we headed farther to some thick phragmites. Not much in the area with water any deeper than about 2'. As in earlier trips this year, that was mudderville.

I got plenty to learn still about channelcatology! [cool]

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[GALEX]

Really informative post. Thx.

Is early morning the key on UT Lake right now?
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Channel cats bite all day in most areas. I catch them early because that is when I fish...to avoid the power squadron and the afternoon "breezes". But there is virtually no time of the day that will not produce cats...if you find them. They will move around with changes in depth, temperatures, water activity, wind, food availability, etc. But if you can find an area with something they like to eat you can usually get bit.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]This has been a year of lower water levels than the past two or three years. So the fish are not always where you might have found them in other years. Just keep looking and casting until you find the fish and what they want for the day. That can be different from day to day too so go prepared with at least two or three options...crawlers, carp meat, white bass meat, minnows, etc.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Not long after Labor Day the weather patterns will change and nights will get cooler. As the lake water starts cooling the cats really go on the chew. Some of the best catches of the year...and some of the biggest cats...are caught in the fall.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you can brave the bugs, this is a good time to fish at night. A lot of the bigger fish become more nocturnal feeders during the warmest water months. And they will come into pretty shallow water at night looking for crawdads, small fish and dead fish that have washed into shore. During the daytime the bigger fish often hang out in deeper water and do not feed actively until it gets darker.[/#0000ff]
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[fish_fear_me2]

Anothor great post Pat and another respectable basket of fish. I really do need to get my tube out soon. With my scheduled therapy every day make it more difficult to get out for more than a sneak hour here or there. I usually only fish one rod at a time , I know I am missing out but then I cant imagine the mess I would have with one pole and double whities and a 24 in cat tugging me around on the other. I need lessons from the master before I start that stuff. As always great post. thanks
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Thanks Brent. No need for lessons. It is a learn by doing thing. You win some and lose some. Have had a couple of sessions at the Knolls when I had two ten pound cats on at the same time. Now that's entertainment.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Get out when you can and enjoy any time you get on the water. Some days are better than others.[/#0000ff]
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