Cutler Cats 4-15

[SkunkedAgain]

Sounds like a great trip Jeff and a double to boot, can't say I've ever heard of anyone doing that with cats, congrats on the big one too. That side scan is really paying off.

Hey Curt,
Yes I've got to say it's nice to have side scan in shallow water, regular fish finders won't do anything in 2-3' of water unless your right on top of the fish and most I'm sure move to the sides of the boat as it goes by, so it's the only way to know if anything is around on Cutler... So yup I'm totally sold on side scan for me...  However, I find I have to know where to start for locations to fish and then the side scan just lets you know if there are any fish around when you get there... Sometimes yes, other times no then I move on to another spot without having to waste a half hour waiting to see anything will bite... It's really helped my fishing because I'm good at picking spots without any fish and then staying too long before I move on... This is one technology I'd have a hard time giving up now I've had it... Later Jeff

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Very nice 
I enjoy hittin Cutler few times a year 
Here's a triple my dad, son and myself got last year

I know I'm the home town boy so I have a big bias, but I really like Cutler too, it's not easy to figure out at first, but with a few trips you learn the good areas, and just when you think you know what is going on, I learn something new that I wish I would have known before... But that's probably true for anywhere you spend a lot of time on... Funny how I learn a lot of the good tips from new to the area fishermen...  Anyway congrats on a big net full, bet that was a circus trying to get all 3 in the net at the same time... I was lucky on mine and had my big net in the boat, so it made that job a lot easier than it would have been with my usual small net... Later J

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Jeff,  is the water deep enough off the Benson Marina launch ?  At least 3 ft ?

Hi Forest,
Water level is fluctuating right now, we get warm and the runoff peaks and the levels get really high, then it cools down and they are trying like crazy to avoid flooding so they are pulling the water through as fast as possible, so it drops as the runoff decreases, but in general it's only 3' during the high water, but with my 18 footer I can run in 1.7' of water and it's a deep V so I'm pretty sure your tin-can will operate just fine in the usual 2.3' depth... Just be careful and most of the bottom is gooey soft mud that isn't too rough on your motors, however I did catch a nasty ding in my prop right off the ramp last fall when it was a foot or 18" lower than it is now... So there are hazards, but most of the time at the current level, they are lower than where you'll hit, unless for some reason it's your unlucky day... 

Hey Forest I know you like the Ballard Bridge launch on the river, that area is booming with a ton of flood waters backed up in that section of the river system... I'd be very careful up there, the high flows and debris that come down stream with it, make that area a little treacherous right now.. I'm fishing out of the Benson marina on the reservoir back waters and it's pretty safe down there at least compared to upstream... I haven't been down to Cache Junction launch this year yet, but it's probably similar to Benson except it will have all the flow from the Bear, Logan, Little Bear and Blacksmith all combined down there... So probably a little more current than usual down on that part of the reservoir... Later Jeff