Last Hurrah at Lake Utah 10-10-22

[TubeDude]

BLK and I agreed we owed each other one last shot at Utah Lake…before either it ran out of water or we ran out of time.  Met up at Lincoln Beach…me in my float tube and Lynn in his yak.  Air temp a brisk 43 at launch…warming to 70 at noon departure.  Water temp 59 to 62.  No algae problem and water almost a green color.  Better than Willard.

Couldn’t have asked for a nicer day.  Hardly more than a ripple.   But I got a bit of a late start since I had to rewire the battery connection on my motor.   Shoulda been launched by 7:15 but didn’t get fishing until 8ish.   But it was a purty day…even if the fish might not cooperate.
 
Started out by dragging the usual catfish offerings…white bass meat on one rod and chub on the other.  A couple of light inquiries but no solid takes.  After blanking for an hour I figured maybe I could scare up a walleye by dragging a whirly flig with some worm on it.  I had brought a couple of the rods I have been using at Willard…one rigged with a fire tiger whirly and the other with a blue/silver whirly.  Traded the white bass meat rod for one with a fire tiger whirly and a whole crawler.
 
First fish of the day was one of my biggest.  A feisty 28 incher that slurped the fire tiger whirly and worm and screamed line off the drag.  I suspected it weren’t no white bass and I was right.  After that, I put out the other whirly rod…blue/silver…with a piece of chub meat.  It found favor with the kitties too.

 
When I headed in about noon, I had caught 6 cats…from 25” to 28”…two of the latter.  Only one cat was hooked on one of my heavier catfish sticks with a whole big chub minnow.  Three…including the two 28 inchers…were caught on fire tiger whirlies and worms.  Two were caught on the blue/silver whirlies and chub meat.

 
Didn’t see or hear any boats on the lake.  Kinda spooky.  Did hear some quacker whackers shooting at a couple of places around the lake.  But the only birds flying were some pelicans and some big silver high flying birds from the airport.  Did see some wading walleye warriors out off the orchards.  And noticed that Bird Island is about as high out of the water as I ever remember seeing it.
 
All in all, not a bad way to finish up the year at Utah Lake.  Hope we get some more water this winter so the fish don’t have to start wearing tennies.

[albinotrout]

Always love reading your reports.

[Piscophilic]

Thanks for the report fun and the pictures. I was out of Provo this morning with a bunch of grandkids. We got 4 kitties and a wb. Our kitties also showed a preference for somewhat smaller offerings, but they were all 24-26". Glad you got some solid tugs on the lighter gear!

We saw Richard and Violet headed out, but didn't hear how they fared.

[Boatloadakids]

Beautiful day Pat, and as usual I enjoyed fishing with you. The only thing that could have been better would have been a few more hungry cats. I had several weak bites that hit just hard enough to excite me a bit but no hookup. I ended up with only five cats, two at 27+ and the others toofooters. Still, a good trip with good company and beautiful weather. 

I still plan to give the cats a few more tries before I start winterizing. The big ones will be active soon -- maybe even the 36 inchers.

[TubeDude]

Beautiful day Pat, and as usual I enjoyed fishing with you. The only thing that could have been better would have been a few more hungry cats. I had several weak bites that hit just hard enough to excite me a bit but no hookup. I ended up with only five cats, two at 27+ and the others toofooters. Still, a good trip with good company and beautiful weather. 

I still plan to give the cats a few more tries before I start winterizing. The big ones will be active soon -- maybe even the 36 inchers.

I always enjoy our trips together Lynn.  Been tougher the last two years...beween Covid and our wives' health situations...and our galloping seniority...and this year the water issues. 

Oh yeah, I figured out why your walkie talkie wouldn't work.  You either didn't put batteries in it...or used old batteries...so you wouldn't have to listen to my bad jokes.

Hope your remaining trips are successful...and that 36" finally shows up on the end of your line.   Getting colder soon so the catfish are not gonna be active much longer.  But doubt we will see you out with the wading contingent.  Walleyes don't got whiskers.

[ELM 71]

GLAD for the good outing and the good weather. I still have the patch on my eye and the last surgery is scheduled for the 26th. If that goes qell I should be able to drive again couple weeks after that. But Im most likely done for this year. Anyway good job as usual.

[TubeDude]

GLAD for the good outing and the good weather. I still have the patch on my eye and the last surgery is scheduled for the 26th. If that goes qell I should be able to drive again couple weeks after that. But Im most likely done for this year. Anyway good job as usual.

We missed ya yesterday.  Glad the eye is progressing and hope it heals well.  I may not be done for the year but I am getting wimpier in my old age.  Doubt I'll be breaking out through any ice this year.