One Cat Wonder - Utah Lake

[Justaguywaworm]

After two and half hour rain delay the BYU Football game was over with after 10 minutes of play.  That's when me and my son Riley decided to head to AF Harbor for the evening cat bite.  Had a busy summer and have not been to the Lake all summer.  With the 100+ degree weather I expected the power squadron to be out in full force.  But when we arrived to AF Harbor the ramp was closed due to low water levels and not a single soul was insight. Not a single boat on the entire lake.  I guess all the boat ramps must be closed. The lake was a milky brown glass with no breeze the air Temp at 6:30 p.m was still 100 the water temp was 80.  We headed out to the deep cool waters which don't really exist.  

Earlier this summer I had been commissioned from Tube Dude to test out his perch green torpedo whirly flig - Now I fish with pretty heavy tackle, after about 10 minutes I got a hit so hard on that Torpedo whirly flig...  It ripped my swivel wide open and I lost my set up.  Sorry Tube Dude.  I guess it worked? Next time when I fish that flig I just need to fish with extra heavy tackle in order to land the big boys.  

Over all beautiful evening.  We did land one good fighter.  Check out the drone action of the adventure.  

https://youtu.be/SH18aJKhiVo

[TubeDude]

After two and half hour rain delay the BYU Football game was over with after 10 minutes of play.  That's when me and my son Riley decided to head to AF Harbor for the evening cat bite.  Had a busy summer and have not been to the Lake all summer.  With the 100+ degree weather I expected the power squadron to be out in full force.  But when we arrived to AF Harbor the ramp was closed due to low water levels and not a single soul was insight. Not a single boat on the entire lake.  I guess all the boat ramps must be closed. The lake was a milky brown glass with no breeze the air Temp at 6:30 p.m was still 100 the water temp was 80.  We headed out to the deep cool waters which don't really exist.  

Earlier this summer I had been commissioned from Tube Dude to test out his perch green torpedo whirly flig - Now I fish with pretty heavy tackle, after about 10 minutes I got a hit so hard on that Torpedo whirly flig...  It ripped my swivel wide open and I lost my set up.  Sorry Tube Dude.  I guess it worked? Next time when I fish that flig I just need to fish with extra heavy tackle in order to land the big boys.  

Over all beautiful evening.  We did land one good fighter.  Check out the drone action of the adventure.  

https://youtu.be/SH18aJKhiVo

[video=youtube]http://https://youtu.be/SH18aJKhiVo[/video]

Glad you got some tugs.  Sorry you lost the biggun.  That should learn ya to use better tackle...or technique.  Fish don't break lines or swivels...fishermen do. 

Did you guys get back up to Henry's?

[SkunkedAgain]

Sounds like a fun fish... I've been having a similar issue the last couple trips myself, except it's probably because I let my leader line get too old... I've had 3 break offs lately and all have been good fighters, but at the times the line has broken they really weren't pulling too hard, but they have all been on my orange 10 lb catfish leaders... Think I'll have to retire the rest of that spool, it must have out lived it's strength... and before I get the knot questions all breaks were half way between the ends... so the knots weren't the problem, just five year old line... It seems to be strong enough to land 23" fish, but anything bigger seems to break off, so time to change my leader on all the catfish rods... Two of those fish were really strong, I'd sure liked to have landed them, guess I should have been smart enough to change leader before I lost that many fish, but first fish I thought it was because of a tangle up with my nephew, the next trip when I lost two I didn't have any other leader with me at the time... But before I go again I need to buy some new leader.... or go all the way with braid to the hook... Later J

[TubeDude]

Sounds like a fun fish... I've been having a similar issue the last couple trips myself, except it's probably because I let my leader line get too old... I've had 3 break offs lately and all have been good fighters, but at the times the line has broken they really weren't pulling too hard, but they have all been on my orange 10 lb catfish leaders... Think I'll have to retire the rest of that spool, it must have out lived it's strength... and before I get the knot questions all breaks were half way between the ends... so the knots weren't the problem, just five year old line... It seems to be strong enough to land 23" fish, but anything bigger seems to break off, so time to change my leader on all the catfish rods... Two of those fish were really strong, I'd sure liked to have landed them, guess I should have been smart enough to change leader before I lost that many fish, but first fish I thought it was because of a tangle up with my nephew, the next trip when I lost two I didn't have any other leader with me at the time... But before I go again I need to buy some new leader.... or go all the way with braid to the hook... Later J

Catfish are not line shy.  And using old leader is false economy.  The leader is your last connection between you and the fish.  So it should be capable of handling the biggest fish you MIGHT catch.   And if you are leaving the same leader on your rod for multiple trips it is no wonder you are getting break offs.  The combination of UV, heat, water soaking and drying, stress of pulling against snags or fish...all degrade the line.  Your "10# line" could be no more than 3# line.

I always use a 15# leader at Willard and 25# at Utah Lake.  I use a good abrasion resistant line (Excalibur) with good knot strength.  And I have NEVER had a fish break my line.  I know a few cat chasers that do not even use leaders...tieing their hooks directly to 30# - 50# braid.  And they get plenty of fish with no breakoffs.

[SkunkedAgain]

Guilty as charged, I do not change my leader each trip, in fact I'm still on the same leader I set up in May... Only fished two or three trips, but it has been on my rod for that long... I better change them out, but when I'm running Santee rigs and such it's a pain to re-rig that often, but when it costs you a fish you end up re-rigging anyway... Later Jeff

[Justaguywaworm]

After two and half hour rain delay the BYU Football game was over with after 10 minutes of play.  That's when me and my son Riley decided to head to AF Harbor for the evening cat bite.  Had a busy summer and have not been to the Lake all summer.  With the 100+ degree weather I expected the power squadron to be out in full force.  But when we arrived to AF Harbor the ramp was closed due to low water levels and not a single soul was insight. Not a single boat on the entire lake.  I guess all the boat ramps must be closed. The lake was a milky brown glass with no breeze the air Temp at 6:30 p.m was still 100 the water temp was 80.  We headed out to the deep cool waters which don't really exist.  

Earlier this summer I had been commissioned from Tube Dude to test out his perch green torpedo whirly flig - Now I fish with pretty heavy tackle, after about 10 minutes I got a hit so hard on that Torpedo whirly flig...  It ripped my swivel wide open and I lost my set up.  Sorry Tube Dude.  I guess it worked? Next time when I fish that flig I just need to fish with extra heavy tackle in order to land the big boys.  

Over all beautiful evening.  We did land one good fighter.  Check out the drone action of the adventure.  

https://youtu.be/SH18aJKhiVo

[video=youtube]http://https://youtu.be/SH18aJKhiVo[/video]

Glad you got some tugs.  Sorry you lost the biggun.  That should learn ya to use better tackle...or technique.  Fish don't break lines or swivels...fishermen do. 

Did you guys get back up to Henry's?

We fished Henry's over the 4th of July weekend and it was real real slow nobody was catching anything water temp was super hot.  We finally did get into some Fish and they were all Chub! Utah Chub!  I have never caught a chub on Henry's, but we got 7+ on a black leech. The fishing has been bad all summer.  Some of the regulars started going to Hebgen because it's been so slow.  Once the Chub get to a certain size and population it's all down hill from there.  The Yellowstone Cuts and Hybrids can't consume the adult chubs.   Will go back in October, hopefully by then the water will be nice and cool.