Posts: 36,004
Threads: 296
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
57
[#0000FF][cool]I hit Lindon for a while this morning. Had heard there were some wallies being taken along the outside rocks along the dikes. Although that was confirmed by the new manager (Danny) later, they were not around this morning. Full moon last night and 43 degree water this morning. Good enough excuse for me. I'm easy.
Launched about 7ish. Air temp 34 and water temp both inside the harbor and outside in the lake were only 43. TDC. Lake is still rising due to the flow being shut off at the pumphouse. Harbor almost 6 feet deep in places now.
Got excited as I cruised out of the channel and saw some splashing next to the rocks. Walleyes? Nope. Feathery walleyes...coots. And they wouldn't hit jigs neither.
Electric motored down to the bubbleup. Again, hoping for toothy critters...in vain. But there were a few whities that were willing to play. Got quite a few 10 to 12 inchers. Nothing bigger today. Also got some dinkster 8s.
There was a pretty good flow from the pipe today. See the attached pic. Only one buoy out at the end of the pipe but easy to track the location by watching the boils on the surface.
No big schools of whities today. Just like last trip. One here and one there. No doubles and not even more than one in a row. Few and scattered.
I tried working bigger plastics and some cranks. Nada, zip, zilch, zero. Good exercise though.
White bass bite shut down about 9...as has been customary on the last few trips. So I started dragging a minnow on one rod and a piece of carp meat on a second rod. Caught one white bass on a minnow and had several "pop and drops" on the carp meat that I suspect were white bass too. No cats came calling today.
Didn't see any boats come out of the harbor today and only a handfull of bank tanglers. Didn't see any of them catch anything. I worked around inside the harbor a bit...bouncing jigs off the bottom while watching TV (sonar). Saw very few fishy marks inside the harbor. But I did get a few light hits and did land one "Harbor Whitie" . Small stuff.
As I was packing up my gear, Danny came down to chat with me. He is now the manager and Mark (the former owner) is gone. New owner plans some upgrades soon.
Danny also advised that the street access coming in on Vineyard Road from the north with be completely shut off April 1. Only access to Lindon Harbor will be coming in the back way off Geneva Road onto Vinyard road from the south. He was told that it would be closed until about May 1.
As previously mentioned, Danny advised that some bank tanglers have been getting a few walleyes at night off the outside edge of the west dike. Lots of rocky rubble there to get them excited.
Once the weather stabilizes and water temps come back up the fishing for all species should improve.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]
Posts: 4,335
Threads: 0
Joined: Mar 2008
Reputation:
0
[quote TubeDude][#0000ff] I'm easy.[/#0000ff][/quote]
you had me at this!
[signature]
Posts: 36,004
Threads: 296
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
57
[quote kochanut][quote TubeDude][#0000ff] I'm easy.[/#0000ff][/quote]
you had me at this![/quote]
[#0000FF]But I ain't FREE.
I used to have scruples until I got the vaccination.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]
Posts: 15,494
Threads: 1,313
Joined: Feb 2002
Reputation:
11
You sure it wasn't an antibiotic that you took to get rid of your scruples?[:/]
[signature]
Posts: 36,004
Threads: 296
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
57
[cool][#0000FF]I really don't know for sure. There was an injection, a pill and a suppository. Guess they figured they would get it one way or another.
I musta worked. I ain't had scruples since.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]
Posts: 390
Threads: 0
Joined: Dec 2010
Reputation:
0
Despite the obvious lack of tooth or whisker, looks like a good cold day out on the pond. Getting cabin fever bad.
[signature]
Posts: 656
Threads: 0
Joined: Feb 2012
Reputation:
0
I miss white bass 
Wish we had them in Wyoming.
[signature]
Posts: 401
Threads: 5
Joined: Jan 2013
Reputation:
0
I love the pics looks like you did pretty good
[signature]
Posts: 1,586
Threads: 5
Joined: Mar 2004
Reputation:
1
Glad you made another trip even if the kitties and walleye didnt wanna play. No kitties? sheeesh!!! Noticed the wobble on the first whittie and looks like pink is still in. Do you have any idea how long they are going to keep the gates shut. I am hoping the lake gets up a little but I am surprised that havent started letting a little water out of the roll gates.
[signature]
Posts: 36,004
Threads: 296
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
57
[quote fearfish]I love the pics looks like you did pretty good[/quote]
[cool][#0000FF]I caught a few more white bass than my previous trip..when I only caught six. But they were all larger fish. I probably caught 20-25 yesterday (I don't count fish). That is a poor day when the fish are really "in" but a great day when you gotta work for every fish.[/#0000FF]
[signature]
Posts: 1,430
Threads: 0
Joined: Dec 2011
Reputation:
0
thanks for the road update to access the harbor at lindon, gotta give my shot at UL a few times this spring, i want tolet it warm just a bit more
[signature]
Posts: 36,004
Threads: 296
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
57
[#0000FF][cool]Truth is that I really had little expectation of catching any walleyes at the bubbleup. They sometimes show up for a prespawn session...in years when there is no ice in February. And they are usually around for good post spawn fishing. But when they head for the flows or the rocks for spawning the bubbleup is seldom the best place to get them.
My primary target was catfish. Got a new smoker I want to try out. I caught my first cat in early March last year...when the water was only 38 degrees. But I didn't really start getting any numbers until after the first of April when water temps were going over the 50 degree mark. I did catch a single (unwed) kitty last week at Lincoln Beach...in water about the same temp as yesterday at Lindon. But it is always a search this time of year. They can be sulking in deeper water or moving into very shallow water to get the benefits of sun-warmed temps in late afternoons.
I too am surprised they aren't letting any water out of the gates at the pumphouse. I was unable to talk to anybody (on a Sunday) when I took those pics a couple of weeks ago of the dike across the river. So I don't know exactly what they are doing or how long they will keep the water shut off.
As you recall, they dumped a lot of water at the end of last year before beginning the project and that left the lake low. I am glad to see it coming back up and I hope they don't drop it that low again. Not good for the fishies...or the fisherpersons.
Most years there is at least one gate open by the first of March and the full contact fishing for walleyes sessions are in full swing...literally.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]
Posts: 36,004
Threads: 296
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
57
[#0000FF][cool]April is a magic month at Lindon. White bass start massing up in several spots, before they spawn in May. Catfish get more active in the warming waters. Crappie are spawning in the reeds. And walleyes are going into their post-spawn feeding frenzy. Oh yeah, the carp start coming inside the harbor for early orgies in the protected and warmer inside waters.
The bad news...this year...is that the usual access routes to Lindon will be closed for the entire month. Here again are the two maps I posted last week showing the way to get to the harbor by coming in the back way on Vineyard Road.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]
Posts: 1,586
Threads: 5
Joined: Mar 2004
Reputation:
1
I agree about the water levels. I would love to see them bring the lake up a bit. Been a long time since I saw it as low as last fall. I was just surprised that all the gates closed completely, as you said they usually have atleast 1 partially open by now. Spring is coming so fishing should improve soon.
[signature]
Posts: 14,246
Threads: 176
Joined: Jan 2011
Reputation:
15
TD got an unrelated question, was wondering what are your favorite attachments that make your tube a great fishing platform... I just got my motor on my toon and have been adding a few attachments and wanted a check to see if I missed anything... So far I have the fish finder, net holder, 5 rod holders (storage), 2 active fishing rod holders, fish basket attach point, anchor attach point and a home made down rigger attach point. I used your boat fender idea to keep me afloat after all the extra added weight.. Didn't have the skills or tools to build my battery mount out of aluminum so I just used wood and added too much weight, but it works. The 27# thrust electric skoots the craft at a trolling speed at the first position so I think my battery should last for a couple hours at least. Anyway just wondering if I missed anything important? Thanks J
[signature]
Posts: 5,277
Threads: 0
Joined: Aug 2009
Reputation:
0
Dig around in the float tube forum and you will find more bling and accessories for your tube than you could float with a Goodyear Blip!
[signature]
Posts: 14,246
Threads: 176
Joined: Jan 2011
Reputation:
15
That's kind of what I'm afraid of. I tend to over pack for things so I'm looking for just the key important stuff. But thanks for the tip. J
[signature]
Posts: 36,004
Threads: 296
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
57
[#0000FF]Sounds like you got most of the essentials. And function trumps glamor every time. Doesn't matter what it looks like if it works for you. Always time to keep messin' with it and coming up with new bling. I been at it for a looooooong time and I still ain't through.
Here's a picture of MY TUBE (not Utube) at the end of the day yesterday. Amazingly, that thing still floats.
You would be welcome to bring your newly tricked out ride to my place someday and I might be able to make some helpful suggestions.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]
Posts: 14,246
Threads: 176
Joined: Jan 2011
Reputation:
15
Thanks TD, I'd like to drop by some day and maybe have you show me how to catch a whitie while I'm there.. I know your time and practice have proven what is most important, that's why I figured you could suggest the important stuff rather than just bling. I'll get a picture one of the next few days and post it up.. Mine reflects more of my farming background than my engineer, since I used what I had, not what might be the best way to do it. I am still amazed you can get so many features on a tube. My toon is a little easier with something solid to tie to, but I'm way impressed you can do what you do with so little structure to work with.. thanks for the thoughts... J
[signature]
Posts: 36,004
Threads: 296
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
57
[#0000FF][cool]Hey, I'm an old Idaho farm boy myself. Learned how to make do with whatcha got. But my dad was an electrical contractor and I got schooled in playing with various tools and materials in general construction. I don't have an engineering degree...which can sometimes be a handicap...but I do have a pretty good mechanical aptitude.
I first started "decorating" my old round float tubes back in the 1970s. In those days the tubes had very few D rings and/or pockets. I had to lash my earliest rod holders down with some kind of ropes. And some of my earliest multi-rod holders were made with a combination of wood and PVC pipe.
My first "fish finder" was an early model flasher that I just sat on top of my round tube...and had to be careful not to knock it in the water. The 12 volt battery was made from wiring two 6 volt lantern batteries in series. They were heavy and did not last very long. Then I went through a few 12 volt motorcycle batteries...with the danger for acid spills and not being designed for deep cycle.
Thankfully, modern tubes have more D rings, better materials and better designs. And sonars and batteries have advanced greatly in functions and technology. Along with all that I have become more skilled in fabricating goodies from PVC so that I can fashion almost anything I need...or to meet the whims of fellow tubers and tooners.
Yeah, life is much better in Tuberville these days.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]
|
