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Finally got out for a little bit to chase some cats at UL. After watching Tube Dude on the Utah Lake Seminar this year. I wanted to get out there and try for some cats on my boat in some new spots and techniques. Thanks Tube Dude.
We went to the bubble up as I had never been there. Also tried some fligs for the first time. We didn't make it on the water until 5pm. I put a worm on a flig and sent it out towards the end of the pipeline. Didn't take long to get a 24" cat. My wife was reeling in a few white bass at the same time. After lots of white bass taking our worms. I cut one up and sent out the chunks hoping to avoid them. But nope, they liked the taste of themselves more than worms. We couldn't keep the darn things off our hooks. Decided to drift to the North but didn't get anything drifting. Anchored just off the reeds and I landed another 24". My wife hooked a smaller cat, but it got off right at the boat. We went back to the bubble up to try again, but once again it was all white bass. Good time overall. Wish we had made it down earlier in the day for more fishing time.
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It sounds like you found plenty of fish to have a good afternon. Thanks for the story and pictures.
White bass really love themselves, like you saw. Sometimes a larger piece will slow them a bit, but they still try to drag it around and chew on the edges.
Keep up the good work!
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[#0000FF]Nice work. But next time use bigger hooks and bigger chunks of white bass. There are some big ol' kitties that hang around the pipe...eating those white bass...whole.
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[#0000FF]And even bigger white bass eat whole small ones.
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[#0000FF]Most fligs sold commercially are made for walleyes and panfish. Most have hooks smaller than about 1/0. They are fine for fishing crawlers or small strips of cut bait but just aren't big enough to present a larger chunk of bait...and the hooks are usually pretty wimpy.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]I have been making my own for many years and have really gotten into making a wider variety of sizes and colors the past couple of years. If you are at least semi handy with your hands and would like to get into making them, I am attaching a pictorial writeup that shows the basics.
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[#0000FF]In the attached pictorial, there are a couple of the large sizes I make that are not pictured. These are the "Gorilla" fligs and "Kong" fligs...made with bigger foam heads and bigger/heavier hooks. They do work well on Utah Lake for big cats and are even being used effectively for sturgeon.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]If you are serious about making your own, you would be welcome to visit my tackletorium for a show and tell session to help you see the flig making process first hand. Once you have the basic materials it is not that difficult. And even if your first efforts are not beautiful, they will catch fish simply by presenting the bait up off the bottom and adding some bling.
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Pat,
Your write ups are so helpful. Thank you! I believe you have passed on more information about fishing than anyone I have ever met.
Do you have a short write up about fishing a flig and the techniques?
Matthew
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"Do you have a short write up about fishing a flig and the techniques?"
[#0000FF]Not a short one, but hope this one will suffice. Glad you like my stuff. I love the R & D work that goes into putting them together.[/#0000FF]
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Do take advantage of TD's offer; he doesn't live all that far from you and you would get an education you couldn't buy anywhere else. From my limited experience the blue/silver and fire tiger colors are good bets for cats in UL.
How were you catching the whites?
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The older I get the more I would rather be considered a good man than a good fisherman.
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I caught my first cat on a flig Saturday Night. They do work.
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[quote TubeDude][#0000FF]Most fligs sold commercially are made for walleyes and panfish. Most have hooks smaller than about 1/0. They are fine for fishing crawlers or small strips of cut bait but just aren't big enough to present a larger chunk of bait...and the hooks are usually pretty wimpy.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]I have been making my own for many years and have really gotten into making a wider variety of sizes and colors the past couple of years. If you are at least semi handy with your hands and would like to get into making them, I am attaching a pictorial writeup that shows the basics.
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[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]In the attached pictorial, there are a couple of the large sizes I make that are not pictured. These are the "Gorilla" fligs and "Kong" fligs...made with bigger foam heads and bigger/heavier hooks. They do work well on Utah Lake for big cats and are even being used effectively for sturgeon.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]If you are serious about making your own, you would be welcome to visit my tackletorium for a show and tell session to help you see the flig making process first hand. Once you have the basic materials it is not that difficult. And even if your first efforts are not beautiful, they will catch fish simply by presenting the bait up off the bottom and adding some bling.
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Thanks so much for the reply. That's a great write up. Super helpful and thank you for the offer to come watch first hand. I'll have a go at making some and If I have trouble getting some made up I may take you up on it. Much appreciated!
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[quote catchinon]Do take advantage of TD's offer; he doesn't live all that far from you and you would get an education you couldn't buy anywhere else. From my limited experience the blue/silver and fire tiger colors are good bets for cats in UL.
How were you catching the whites?[/quote]
I may just take him up on the offer. Very gracious of him.
We were catching the bass on kast masters, joes flies, tube jigs, and of course the worms and strips of bass. They weren't picky. They would take it all.
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