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[cool][#0000ff]TubeBabe and I hit the Knolls with RiverRat77 about 7 AM. Just a bit of ripple. Air temp 57, water temp 67. Now, that's what I'm talkin' about.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TubeBabe started kicking west after we launched. RR77 and myself moved slowly east, casting lures for whities or wallies. RR77 scored one white bass on a chartreuse crank. I saw quite a few "candidates" on the sonar, but only got a couple of taps on my spinners and plastics.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The carp started thrashing in the shallows early. Wondering if there might be some kitties waiting for handouts in the shallows I rigged one of my "bobberhead jigs) about 3 feet under a bobber, decorated it with a piece of skinless carp meat and chucked it near the shoreline brush line. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]After missing my first "take down", I set the hook in my first kitty...a nice 4.2 pound female. A few feet further down the shoreline, my bobber plunged down again and I rassled in a 4.6 pound male cat. Looking good.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]My third customer whupped my behind. It was a 27" daddy cat that weighed a few ounces over 8 pounds. Absolutely did not want to crawl in my net. Took me around in circles for about 10 minutes.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Neither TubeBabe or RR77 had scored a kitty yet, so I talked to Da Babe on the walkie talkie and told her to fish shallow, under a bobber. RR77 had not brought bobbers so I donated one, along with some of my little sickle hook bobberheads. Both TB and RR scored before things slowed down.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Just as the morning bite was winding down, we were joined by Leaky and Sparky. Sparky brought some life to the whole area, with his doggy exhuberance. Always a joy to watch the man and his furry kid.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Not too long after Leaky got out on the water, I moved to deeper water to soak a minnow. I was rewarded with a pickup and runner that turned out to be a chunky female cat just over 6 pounds. That was about 10 AM and was the last bite I had for the next two hours.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TubeBabe and I hit the beach just after noon. Water temp was up to 71 and the carp were in full frolic. Before packing up my gear, I extracted the bow I had thoughtfully brung and ventilated a few carpinski's for the bait stash in our freezer. I coulda turned the water red, but settled for four. That was all I felt like filleting and slicing, since I had a bunch of cat whackin' to do too.[/#0000ff]
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Pat,
Nice report as always.We ran down there last night for a few hours with a couple of white bass and mudd cats,that was about it.I guess the morning bite is the best.I still need to hook up with you on the boat and chase some kitties..My wheel bearing went out on me a few weeks back havent had time to fix with the turkey hunt going on.Have you had any luck at the bubble up for EYES???..Thanks for your informal reports!! ]
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[cool]Nice report, Pat! What a fun day that must have been. Congrats on that nice 8 pounder. Sounds like that was a fun fight indeed! But, you know that wasn't a daddy channel cat...that there is clearly a BLUE CAT!!! We have them here in Utah ya know.[ ]
I can't wait to get out there soon to wrassle some kitties, but my focus this week is on catching some wipers!! Can't wait for the tourney coming up!
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[cool][#0000ff]The bubble up has been missing in action this year. Two reasons. Much higher water levels and scattered fish. A lot more food and habitat around the whole lake has made the old spots kinda vacant. The springs around Lincoln Beach are a good example.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The morning bite has definitely been best over tha past couple of weeks. Our last three trips were all good until about 10 or so. Then we coulda gone home. Of course we never do. Always waiting for the next magic munch.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]Nope...'Twere a flat headed blue channel. I heerd tell the nettin' boys has been gettin' 'em upwards of a hundred pounds...but they cain't tell nobody.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Hey, I forgot to post one of the pics I took. Several of the cats had "voles" in their stomachs. Those are small mouselike critters. I think maybe some of them got flooded out and drowned or something and the cats are scarfing them up. The one in the picture actually had two, but I tossed one before getting the picture.[/#0000ff]
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[cool]That's an awesome picture! Just shows that they'll eat almost anything, kinda like a big largemouth will eat mice and small birds. What really surprised me was that report that you gave from that presentation by the DWR guy on the cuts at Strawberry eating mice. Wow!
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[cool][#0000ff]Rodents are prime chow for many species. I used to catch big trout as a kid in Idaho by floating a mouse on a small board until it reached a deep hole. Then I would pull the mouse off and watch it try to outswim the big trout that lived there. KABLOOSH.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I don't think the fish at Strawberry deliberately cruise the shallows looking for mice and potguts. But, if they find a swimmer (or a floater) they are probably patterned to gulp it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Up in Montana, quite a few years ago, I was taken fishing for the big "bull trout" on the Flathead river. Our bait gathering equipment included a 22 rifle. Before we got to the water, the guy I was with shot a few ground squirrels. When we got to the water, he skinned out a hind leg off one of those rodents and pinned it on a hook. I laughed until I saw the 10 pound bull trout that ate it. Caught several that day...all on meat.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Anybody who has hung around small ponds and lakes in the evening has usually witnessed bass or pike exploding on baby muskrats, mice, frogs or even small ducks. Most folks don't know that catfish will also eat those same critters alive, if they can get them, but won't pass up a "well aged" dinner of them either.[/#0000ff]
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[font "Times New Roman"][#ff4040][size 3]Great report as always Mr. Dude! Looks like they are startin to pick up. That "blue" sure had an ugly mug on it, kinda reminded me of one of my teachers back in high school. Wonder if they were related. You might also want to save this post for a while. Why you may ask, I'll tell ya. You got The Babe beat today on kitties, therefore this is a keeper post.[cool][/size][/#ff4040][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][#ff4040][size 3]My brother once told me he saw a kitty come up and gobble down a duckling. I of course being the know it all brother didn't believe him, until he took me to the lake and I witnessed it for myself. One of the craziest things I ever saw fishing I tell ya![/size][/#ff4040][/font]
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[cool][#0000ff]I let her beat me about 1 out of 10 trips. This was number 9. Next trip I do not use hooks until she catches a few.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]She is a pretty good cat-whacker, but still does not often outdo the Dude. [/#0000ff]
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Was just wondering if there is any good places on the west side to shore fish or is it all to shallow over there? Also was wondering if there is a good place to camp and fish from shore on Utah lake where the family might be able to play in the water also? Thanks in advance for all your help.
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TD and TB as always you two are awesome kitty catchers.
great report.
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Nice report, I'll have to try the morning bite instead of the evening.
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[cool][#0000ff]There are quite a few shore anglers who like to hit the Knolls area. You can find some spots that are fairly open to cast and fight fish from "the beach". However, in most of those spots you can have a tough time bringing in a larger fish because of all the flooded reeds and tamarisk bushes. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you don't mind wading, it can be great fishing to wade out to the edge of the "stickups" and to chuck out a bobber to either side. That's where the action is right now...right next to the brush. In most areas the water is no more than about 3 or 4 feet and it is warm enough now that you do not need waders.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There are some other spots where the bank drops off more quickly and there is six feet of water within a few feet of shore. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Lots of spots along the rough dirt road that runs along the lake to set up a tent. It is a busy camping area some weekends, so you have to get there early on Friday to claim the more popular spots. Some of the spots have nice sandy gravel beaches for the kids, but you should have them wear tennies. There is lots of broken glass from the "typical" folks who use the area.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]One other bit of advice. Don't forget either the sunscreen or the bug spray. Skeeters are starting to come out down there.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The attached pics should give you a better idea of the layout and the fishing and camping potential.[/#0000ff]
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Tubedude, do you ever fish anything other than Utah Lake? And do they really have blue cats in there? Also what is the record for a cat in Utah Lake, they dont get up to 100 lbs do they? And do you think the cats are o.k. to eat what with all this talk about PCB's in the carp?
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[cool][#0000ff]I fish 39 waters in Utah...but not all at the same time. I go where the fishin' is best, and sometimes the closest. That just happens to be Utah Lake right now. It has also been Willard Bay, Pineview, Jordanelle and Deer Creek so far this year. Soon to be Mantua, Yuba, Pelican, Starvation and several others.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]THERE ARE NO BLUE CATS IN UTAH. THERE ARE NO BLUE CATS IN UTAH. THERE ARE NO BLUE CATS IN UTAH.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We have had this discussion a bajillion times on BFT. Many anglers catch male channel cats, with their wider heads and darker colors and assume they are a different species. Nope. THERE ARE NO BLUE CATS IN UTAH.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Blue cats do get to be over 100 pounds, but THERE ARE NO BLUE CATS IN UTAH.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The Utah state record channel cat is just over 32 pounds, from Utah Lake in 1978.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Like many people, I am anxiously awaiting the results of pending tests on the PCB levels in fish besides carp from Utah Lake. I am hoping that because the lifestyle and eating habits of cats is different than carp that they will not have the same high levels of PCB in their tissue. But, I am certain that it will be higher than it would be in other lakes, just because Utah Lake was a dumping ground for so many years and no species is going to be entirely immune. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In fact, I would not be surprised to hear that cats had an even HIGHER level of PCB's. Since that is a compound that is stored in the fatty/oily tissues of fish, catfish have a double potential for contamination. First, they are very oily. Second, they are top predators. They eat everything else in the lake...alive or dead. That tends to concentrate indestructible stuff like PCBs over time. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Remember the DDT thing? DDT was a chlorinated hydrocarbon that was very toxic and also accumulated in the oily tissues of fish, animals and birds. Those that ate critters on the lower end of the food chain developed high concentrations over time and either died or developed major health problems. In predatory birds, like pelicans, gulls and eagles, the DDT they accumulated from eating fish from DDT laced waters made them lay eggs with shells too thin to support the mother while she incubated them. The new eggs were crushed before they could hatch.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]No, I do not take the current news topic lightly. But, not sure I will quit fishing Utah Lake if the news is bad. I still like tusslin' with those big kitties. Nothing wrong with C & R. I can always stop at Betos for a burrito on the way home if I get hungry. [/#0000ff]
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Thanks again Tubedude, you are very knowledgable and wise. I would not stop fishing Utah Lake either, although i have caught nothing on my 4 trips out there. I have confidence that will change on my 5th trip. Speaking of birds, are those Eagles i saw at Scofield? When i was there i saw swarms of what looked like Eagles, do they fly around out there?
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[cool][#0000ff]I would have to see them myself to make an educated guess. Depends on the time of year. Eagles show up in a lot of places around Utah on their migration, but seldom stay anywhere in numbers, unless there is a lot of food...like dying salmon in the Alaskan rivers.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If it was in the last month or so, I would question the ID of eagles. Most of them have moved on northward. If you saw a number of large dark colored birds all circling in a defined area, it would more likely be vultures. LOOK ALIVE.[/#0000ff]
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Haha, thats funny, vulters. But I dont think so and they werent crows either. Do eagles ever stay in a certain area instead of migrating. Because the guy I went fishing with at Scofield is positive they are eagles, but I dont exactly trust his judgement of birds that well.
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[cool][#0000ff]They could be eagles. Like I said, timing could be an issue. If it was recently, it is more likely they were golden eagles (not bald eagles). They do set up permanent housekeeping out there during the summer. Lots of rabbits and rodents for their dining pleasure, and rock cliffs for nesting nearby.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Here's a picture of some buzzards circling over me one day, when I had not used my deodorant.[/#0000ff]
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