08-02-2019, 08:46 PM
[#0000FF]I think you are right. The kitties are really on the prowl at UL these days. And while it would be nice to be catching some bigger (contest) fish, I have had all I can handle with some a bit smaller. They are very active and fight long and hard in the warmer waters of summer.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]I was doing some reflecting a couple of days ago, about some of the catfish fishing I have experienced around the country. I have caught lotsa double digit (poundage) cats...channels, blues and flatheads. But I cannot recall any waters I have ever fished that produced more consistent action on decent sized fish. Even Utah Lake in years past was not as good as it seems to be now. Always good...but today it is cat-tastic. I'll settle for that.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]There ARE some over-thirties (inches) in Utah Lake. But they are the final remnants of once abundant year classes that have been whittled down by attrition...death both by natural causes and angler harvest. And, as the old saying goes "They don't get big by being stupid". Most of those hefty fish have had close encounters of the angler kind and have learned from the experience. Some are just products of changing feeding habits and habitat preferences. For whatever reason, they are either not properly pursued by anglers or they choose to shy away from anything their "cattie" senses tell them is not quite right.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]There has been a great increase in the number of folks actively fishing specifically for catfish in recent years. I'd like to think I can take some of the blame or credit for that. But the good side of that is that more people are releasing a high percentage of the cats they catch, so there is not nearly the amount of angler harvest that there would be on many other waters. Ultimately that should lead to more big fish in the ecology. SHOULD.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Glad you and your spouse are getting to spend some quality time on the water together this year. Sounds like she has caught "catfish fever". It ain't terminal (usually) but it may last a lifetime. Some problems are better to have than others.
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[#0000FF]I was doing some reflecting a couple of days ago, about some of the catfish fishing I have experienced around the country. I have caught lotsa double digit (poundage) cats...channels, blues and flatheads. But I cannot recall any waters I have ever fished that produced more consistent action on decent sized fish. Even Utah Lake in years past was not as good as it seems to be now. Always good...but today it is cat-tastic. I'll settle for that.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]There ARE some over-thirties (inches) in Utah Lake. But they are the final remnants of once abundant year classes that have been whittled down by attrition...death both by natural causes and angler harvest. And, as the old saying goes "They don't get big by being stupid". Most of those hefty fish have had close encounters of the angler kind and have learned from the experience. Some are just products of changing feeding habits and habitat preferences. For whatever reason, they are either not properly pursued by anglers or they choose to shy away from anything their "cattie" senses tell them is not quite right.[/#0000FF]
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[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]There has been a great increase in the number of folks actively fishing specifically for catfish in recent years. I'd like to think I can take some of the blame or credit for that. But the good side of that is that more people are releasing a high percentage of the cats they catch, so there is not nearly the amount of angler harvest that there would be on many other waters. Ultimately that should lead to more big fish in the ecology. SHOULD.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Glad you and your spouse are getting to spend some quality time on the water together this year. Sounds like she has caught "catfish fever". It ain't terminal (usually) but it may last a lifetime. Some problems are better to have than others.
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