Cat Chat

[Boatloadakids]

Like i was saying... the first 30 incher will come by the end of April. Sorry, I missed the one Jeff posted up. Way to go Jeff! Now we just need one+ from the south. This week for sure!

[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks guys, pretty surprising that I was the first this year, but I'm sure I won't be the last. Last night was a perfect night to catch fish, but I forgot my bait and since it was 7:30 when I left home, I didn't have time to go back. So I dug worms with my fingernails and hoped to catch a carp. No such luck, but I did get six cats, best was a pretty 26"er. The rest were nice cookie cutters 20-23".   Wish I would have had my carp, I think there was a good pod of cats in the area last night. Anyway thanks again and good luck it will be a good week coming up. Later Jeff

[Tin-Can]

Like i was saying... the first 30 incher will come by the end of April. Sorry, I missed the one Jeff posted up. Way to go Jeff! Now we just need one+ from the south. This week for sure!

Hey Lynn, think the first 30 incher for the south will come this week ? Maybe Saturday TCM and I will make a day trip down to UL, probably Lindon.  Maybe I can "poach" that 30 incher to get myself on  the board.   And, if not, maybe pack away a mess of WB for bait on later trips.   

[Ahi1953]

Very nice First 30 Jeff. Things still slow down here on the lower Bear. Warmer night time temps should help.
Caught some bait yesterday. 

[Boatloadakids]

Nothin' like fresh bait, good catch John. I wanted some fresh white bass today and I can usually pick up a couple in the launch at Lincoln if I can get there before the boats start launching. Two boats had launched just before i arrived.  No problem, the area just outside the channel is always good for a few whities. Threw a flashy spinner in all directions and couldn't find a fish. Gave up and got ready to head for deeper water when an Osprey flew over my head with a wb clutched in its claws. He screached something at me as he flew by that sounded like rookee... rookee. 
Good to see the Ospreys back at their nesting sites. When they hit the water they always come up with a fish. Always fun to watch.

[Anglinarcher]

How have everyone been doing?  Everyday I get off the wind blows 50 mph and it rains, snows, ...... Kind of hard to catch much with that.  

[Tin-Can]

I finally broke my Bear River skunk yesterday............OK, OK, ...... it was only a medium size Carp, but now I have fresh bait. Wanted / planned to go back to Willard yesterday but when I left the house to get the boat, saw lots of dark clouds in the north west and was a bit windy. So just grabbed a couple of Cat poles (not to be with Polecats), the worms left over from last Saturday, and my BFT bump board (that I have not been able to use yet). Started out all the way at the bottom of the BRBR near the bridges. Worked my way back up the river at 3 or 4 spots.........nada, nada, nada, nada.  Made my last stop with my last 3 or 4 worms, baited up one pole with a worm ball on a big hook. Walked about 100 yards down the bank from where I parked. Cast out, and sat down on the bank figuring to only stay about 30 min.
10 minutes into that 30, rod which was just laying on the bank with drag loose, started egding toward the water like fish was trying to sneak away with it. Got it back in my hand, lifted the tip, HOOK SET !  Got to hear my first reel drag squeel and feel my first tugs of the season.  Landed the Carp, then had to walk back to my truck to get my stuff for performing the filleting work.
Not the best day ever, but a whole heck of a better day than being at work

[catchinon]

I keep hitting Lincoln Beach as often as the weather/wind is good. Tuesday I saw the temperature hit 61° at 3 when I left. I guess it paid dividends because I got 6 channels between 8:15 and 10:00 yesterday. Ben and I got together down near the end of the orchards/Mulberry Beach and shortly after that Lynn joined us. They had each caught what looked to be a bumper or two. My biggest was about 26.5". Might have been 27" but I threw him back before I noticed my yardstick was moved away from the spot where the noses go. Ah well, I'll get one sooner or later. Just trying to stay in the hunt. It looks like Friday and Saturday will be nice calm days and I hope to get out either or both. Hope a bunch of you are able to join us. I think Pisco is going to make it one of those days; it'll be good to have him and Juli back out on the water. PM me if you want to meet up and we can watch out for each other. I cut it a little close yesterday when the wind came up about 12:45. Should have left at noon when the other guys did. Anyway, I got some experience with rougher water and I learned that I can't run very fast with the waves beating on my bow. Every day I write out a card with the wind and weather forecast hour-by-hour. Now I just have to trust it and stick close to the channel when things get a little iffy. Plenty of cats to be caught right there, too.

I got a double including a 26"er when I was about even with the orchard sheds and out about 900 to 1000 yards and in 11' of water. Yes, I finally remembered to bring my rangefinder and I'm beginning to get the lay of the water. Missed several hard strikes right through there at around 9-10:00. I don't know if one can pinpoint particular spots to fish another day, but I'm going to try. Can't hurt to know.

Go South!

[SkunkedAgain]

Craig a gps (even one on your phone)will give you a better location than the range finder, but not sure the same spot will always be good, but if it gives you confidence, then you'll probably catch fish. Sounds like you guys have quite the fleet fishing down there. Sounds fun. Gets more difficult to catch bumpers when you have the big fish you already have on the board. But good luck. J

[Tin-Can]

I keep hitting Lincoln Beach as often as the weather/wind is good. Tuesday I saw the temperature hit 61° at 3 when I left. I guess it paid dividends because I got 6 channels between 8:15 and 10:00 yesterday. Ben and I got together down near the end of the orchards/Mulberry Beach and shortly after that Lynn joined us. They had each caught what looked to be a bumper or two. My biggest was about 26.5". Might have been 27" but I threw him back before I noticed my yardstick was moved away from the spot where the noses go. Ah well, I'll get one sooner or later. Just trying to stay in the hunt. It looks like Friday and Saturday will be nice calm days and I hope to get out either or both. Hope a bunch of you are able to join us. I think Pisco is going to make it one of those days; it'll be good to have him and Juli back out on the water. PM me if you want to meet up and we can watch out for each other. I cut it a little close yesterday when the wind came up about 12:45. Should have left at noon when the other guys did. Anyway, I got some experience with rougher water and I learned that I can't run very fast with the waves beating on my bow. Every day I write out a card with the wind and weather forecast hour-by-hour. Now I just have to trust it and stick close to the channel when things get a little iffy. Plenty of cats to be caught right there, too.

I got a double including a 26"er when I was about even with the orchard sheds and out about 900 to 1000 yards and in 11' of water. Yes, I finally remembered to bring my rangefinder and I'm beginning to get the lay of the water. Missed several hard strikes right through there at around 9-10:00. I don't know if one can pinpoint particular spots to fish another day, but I'm going to try. Can't hurt to know.

Go South!

Hey Craig, something to remember, maybe a couple somethings:  
It isn't always possible to have the wind at your back. But hitting waves bow on is always better than getting broadsided. Thats what rolls boats over fast. If you are lucky enough to need to head in the direction that puts the wind at your back, that's great. And if you can head directly bow into the wind (and waves) just maintain enough forward speed to keep the bow slightly up so the waves hopefully break under the bow. If you are traveling at too high a speed and you mis-judge the timing between wave cap and trough, especially at UL due to it being shallow,  your bow may well drop of the cap of the last wave, pointed down the trough, just in time for the next wave to break over the bow causing all kinds of possible mayhem. If the waves are white capping at 3 feet or more, and the water depth is possibly only 6 or 7 feet, there is a good possibility of raming your bow into whatever surface is under that water. Sand, mud, rocks, whatever. And that will bring your motion to a very sudden and jaring stop, bow down where the fluid element (lake water) around you just may give you the chance to learn how well your life jacket works.  
There is a saying in the Navy, kind of an equal to wishing someone good luck, God Speed, or Bon Voyage,  " May you always have fair winds and following seas"  (winds at your back)   
Be careful out there on that big pond, it can go from dead calm to treacherous in a very quick minute.  

[Jig-fisher]

The lower Bear has been downright disappointing so far this year. It has been really tough to find any fish with any size. My last 3 tries before today have been humbling with 3 total fish to show for it. The biggest of those 3 was 22.5". I thought today was going to turn out the same. Fished 3 different spots with only 1 small nibble at the second spot. Tried one last spot and FINALLY got smacked. (Wind was blowing hard and nearly lost my hat so you get the bald version.)

[Boatloadakids]

Nice fish Jig! Saw that one on the contest page... 31 inches! Warmer weather coming so maybe we will start to see more of the big boys.

[Jig-fisher]

Thanks. I am hoping they wake up a bit more. The water is still pretty cold. I have been jealous of the numbers of nice cats that you southern boys have been posting. I was almost to the point of pulling my boat down there to give it a shot. Maybe I'll hold off for a bit...

[Tin-Can]

Thanks. I am hoping they wake up a bit more. The water is still pretty cold. I have been jealous of the numbers of nice cats that you southern boys have been posting. I was almost to the point of pulling my boat down there to give it a shot. Maybe I'll hold off for a bit...

Nice going Paul.  Maybe with the warming trend coming, the BR Cats will come out more. Wife and I are planning to go give Lindon a shot tomorrow. At least pick up some WB to save for bait later this summer out of LB.

[Jig-fisher]

Good luck! The weather should be nice.

[Tin-Can]

The lower Bear has been downright disappointing so far this year. It has been really tough to find any fish with any size. My last 3 tries before today have been humbling with 3 total fish to show for it. The biggest of those 3 was 22.5". I thought today was going to turn out the same. Fished 3 different spots with only 1 small nibble at the second spot. Tried one last spot and FINALLY got smacked. (Wind was blowing hard and nearly lost my hat so you get the bald version.)

 yea, now I can see the photos, that a couple of hands full....................did you get your hat back 

[catchinon]

Working on it. 

[Ahi1953]

Nice Paul 31 inch I cant find anything over 28 this year.

[Jig-fisher]

John, I know what you are talking about. Biggest I had found before catching that big one was a 26". Sometimes all it takes is one bite. If I remember right, last year you caught two of your biggest in one day. It is still REALLY early in the contest. It's just getting started.

[Tin-Can]

Updated standings should be posted tonite