04-05-2014, 12:23 PM
[#0000ff]It has been over six years since I last fished with Geezer. That was in his boat on Willard. Had a great time then but we have just let time keep moving along without us since then. Figgered that at our age we might not have too many more opportunities.
Started trying to put together a cat-chasing trip to Utah Lake about 3 weeks ago but Mama Nature has been playing "planning ping-pong" with us. Every time we attempted to schedule a trip the mean mama got huffy about it.
Yesterday we saw that the forecast was "doable", even if there was a potential for "breezes". So we both cancelled all of our golf games with Obama, our red carpet appearances, high level business lunches, book signings, etc. and cleared our schedules for fishing.
Launched the "Geezer Maru" at American Fork Harbor about 8ish. 35 degrees air temp with light breezes from the SE. Water temp 46...warming later to 50. Water color not bad, in spite of lots of wind the previous day.
We started along the west side of the lake but the wind picked up enough to make it tough fishing, even with a double anchor. We observed that the steam columns from the Lindon power plant were going straight up so we headed for the more protected east side of the lake. Geezers inboard can move pretty well across the lake...except when heading into building flat-sided chop. Rearranged the contents of the boat and loosened a couple of fillings before we far enough back across the lake to get out of the influence of the SE wind.
We opted to try around the Bubbleup first. The buoys are now in place but there was no water coming up out of the pipe. Threw lures along the pipe for awhile...hoping for walleye or white bass. Got neither. Did get a nice carp scale.
There was still a pretty brisk breeze so we set the anchor and soaked catfish baits...chub minnows and baby white bass. I missed my first of several major munches on the meat.
After trying several fishless spots around the bubbleup we motored north to fish the flats between Lindon Harbor and the bubbleup. We had just about resigned ourselves to the smell of skunk when Geezer's rod doubled over and he brought in what would be our only cat of the day. Yay, Tom. I managed to only tickle a couple more inquiries on my cat rod.
By this time the breezes had laid down enough that we were able to drift and fish just right, without having to use the anchor. That allowed us to drift over more area. Most of our bites came as we were in about 4 1/2 feet of water. And when the sonar alarm sounded at 3' we would motor out deeper for another drift.
We finished our day fishing the flats to the north of Lindon Harbor. While drifting for cats with a bait rod, I was also tossing a tandem jig rig. I finally managed to bring in a dorsal-diner carp...kept for bait. Then I brought in our solo white bass for the day...a healthy 10 incher that went back to grow some more. We still had plenty of baby whities for bait...no thanks to the slow fishing.
I had several more opportunities. I had one BIG kitty on until about halfway in to the boat it simply let go and gave me back my hook and bling beads...but kept the bait. And I missed one or two more that simply ran with the bait and then dropped it.
My final shot came just as we were starting to pack up to head back in...with the increasing breezes and building "pregnant" clouds on the horizons. I let the fish run with the bait until I was sure he had it good. Then I closed the bail and set the hook. Bendo. Briefly. The line went slack and I reeled in a hookless rig...with a cleanly cut heavy leader. Pike? Who knows? That was a good cue to bag it. And we did.
Great day on the water with a good friend. Us old farts didn't solve all the world's problems by our ownselves but we durn shure talked 'em to death. Had a good time talking about old times...good and bad...and speculating on our own mortality. On a day like that it just don't matter how the fishin' was.
[/#0000ff]
[signature]
Started trying to put together a cat-chasing trip to Utah Lake about 3 weeks ago but Mama Nature has been playing "planning ping-pong" with us. Every time we attempted to schedule a trip the mean mama got huffy about it.
Yesterday we saw that the forecast was "doable", even if there was a potential for "breezes". So we both cancelled all of our golf games with Obama, our red carpet appearances, high level business lunches, book signings, etc. and cleared our schedules for fishing.
Launched the "Geezer Maru" at American Fork Harbor about 8ish. 35 degrees air temp with light breezes from the SE. Water temp 46...warming later to 50. Water color not bad, in spite of lots of wind the previous day.
We started along the west side of the lake but the wind picked up enough to make it tough fishing, even with a double anchor. We observed that the steam columns from the Lindon power plant were going straight up so we headed for the more protected east side of the lake. Geezers inboard can move pretty well across the lake...except when heading into building flat-sided chop. Rearranged the contents of the boat and loosened a couple of fillings before we far enough back across the lake to get out of the influence of the SE wind.
We opted to try around the Bubbleup first. The buoys are now in place but there was no water coming up out of the pipe. Threw lures along the pipe for awhile...hoping for walleye or white bass. Got neither. Did get a nice carp scale.
There was still a pretty brisk breeze so we set the anchor and soaked catfish baits...chub minnows and baby white bass. I missed my first of several major munches on the meat.
After trying several fishless spots around the bubbleup we motored north to fish the flats between Lindon Harbor and the bubbleup. We had just about resigned ourselves to the smell of skunk when Geezer's rod doubled over and he brought in what would be our only cat of the day. Yay, Tom. I managed to only tickle a couple more inquiries on my cat rod.
By this time the breezes had laid down enough that we were able to drift and fish just right, without having to use the anchor. That allowed us to drift over more area. Most of our bites came as we were in about 4 1/2 feet of water. And when the sonar alarm sounded at 3' we would motor out deeper for another drift.
We finished our day fishing the flats to the north of Lindon Harbor. While drifting for cats with a bait rod, I was also tossing a tandem jig rig. I finally managed to bring in a dorsal-diner carp...kept for bait. Then I brought in our solo white bass for the day...a healthy 10 incher that went back to grow some more. We still had plenty of baby whities for bait...no thanks to the slow fishing.
I had several more opportunities. I had one BIG kitty on until about halfway in to the boat it simply let go and gave me back my hook and bling beads...but kept the bait. And I missed one or two more that simply ran with the bait and then dropped it.
My final shot came just as we were starting to pack up to head back in...with the increasing breezes and building "pregnant" clouds on the horizons. I let the fish run with the bait until I was sure he had it good. Then I closed the bail and set the hook. Bendo. Briefly. The line went slack and I reeled in a hookless rig...with a cleanly cut heavy leader. Pike? Who knows? That was a good cue to bag it. And we did.
Great day on the water with a good friend. Us old farts didn't solve all the world's problems by our ownselves but we durn shure talked 'em to death. Had a good time talking about old times...good and bad...and speculating on our own mortality. On a day like that it just don't matter how the fishin' was.
[/#0000ff]
[signature]