I'M BACK

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I have been unable to post or reply on any BFT board for almost two weeks. Admin problems with my "permissions". Now I can at least post on the Tubing Board...but still not on the Utah Board.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Also, I have not been tubing for over two months. Just haven't found an ice auger big enough to make the holes for my tube. But, I heard tell there was open water at the Willard Bay south marina so I was all over that today. Whew! What a workout.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The south marina is closed and gated about a half mile from the launch area...until about April. Couldn't wait. Brought my morphed golf cart tube truck and trudged it all the way to the water. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Temps were a chilly 14 degrees when I got to the gate at 8:30. Dedication and dementia are not that far apart sometimes. Put on enough layers and loaded the tube on the cart. Ran it under the gate and headed out. Had to go across a large expanse of crusty snow...thanks to a major winter dump a couple of days ago. The wheels worked fine on the solid surface. It got softer for the return.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Found the marina area still frozen tight Trudged my tube through deep snow drifts around the point and found a shallow gravel area to launch. Had to break down through a foot or more of snow and some ice to get in the water. DUMB.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It was good to see that the water is pouring in to Willard and it is visibly rising. Several feet higher than my last trip to the south marina. The channel was up to 12 feet deep in parts. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I started by throwing a few different plastics, in different colors. Good exercise but no boinks. Decided to drag a minnow while being abused with the lures. Good move. Instant acceptance by a "cookie cutter" Willard Kitty. One of several channel cats from the channel. Got several and kept a couple to take home while cruising and casting my way out of the channel. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I noticed a lot of brushy growth on both points of the outlet of the marina. Gonna be good place to find some crappies when the water is up. Also saw a grundle of seagulls along the ice in many places. Later, as I got nearer the far west edge of he ice...about a half mile out...I saw a whole bunch of geese and heard some ducks in with them. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I did not make it all the way out to the far edge of the open water. By the time I reached 12 feet deep, I quit seeing fish on sonar and quit getting hits. I turned back around and once i got back into 8-10 feet of water the kitties got busy again. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I couldn't keep them off my minnows. I was so busy hooking, releasing, rebaiting and recasting that I did not get much more casting in with plastics or hardbaits. In the 38 degree water, the wipers and walleyes did not seem to be active anyway. But, the cool water did not slow down those everlovin' kitties. You would think it was mid summer the way they smacked the minnows and the way they fought when hooked. YEEEE HAWWW. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Just before noon a cool north breeze came up and really put a chill on things...literally. I had to put on a pair of new neoprene gloves with full fingers, and my face was really cold. I even started getting ice in the guides again. I had been expecting it to be warm...as per the traditionally wrong weather forecast. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I put out minnows on both rods and began moving back toward the channel. Thankfully, the fishing had not turned off. I quickly filled out my 8 fish limit of kitties and put up the rods so I could motate back to the snowy beach. I donated the final two or three minnows to the flock of seagulls that periodically flew out to check and see if I might be edible. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I probably caught over 20 cats. I went through two bags of minnows...one chubs and one carp. I usually pack a "long dozen"...14 - 16 per bag. And, I think I only missed one or two of the fish that "made an inquiry". That's a lot better than I usually do in the summer.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Got out to find that the snow had softened somewhat and that the tube truck wasn't gonna make it on the snow. So, I just hooked up a tow rope to the nose of the tube and used it as a "tube sled". Been there and done that before. The PVC bottom on the Fat Cats glide easily over the snow with little wear and tear. Then, after about the first half of the journey back, I got back to the road ruts. They were melted even more than earlier so I rehooked up the golf cart wheels and made it back to my vehicle in fine style. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It was good to be on the open water again. Not sure I am ready to do that any time soon again. I'm gettin' too old for that stuff.[/#0000ff]
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[mactuna]

Great report and Pics, looked like the Kittys wanted too play.
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[REPETER]

Great report TD! I've been wondering about that place []
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[waljustia]

Who says catfish are a warm water fish!?
Looks like some good cold fun!
It was really nice to have the pole "Ping" with a catfish on it yesterday.... I am glad you got into so many today. It is starting to become my favorite way to catch fish.
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[Out4Trout]

[cool]Man, you are HARDCORE, Pat!! But....I already knew that...LOL...

That's impressive - your hike, the weather, and you nailing the kitties in the superchill water. Nice work, and thanks for the photo essay for the rest of us. Cool stuff indeed.

Hope they get your account stuff fixed real soon like, but if they don't, I'll just spend more time on the tubing board again. I'm gonna have to get out there on Willard with you this year finally, but before the power squadron makes there return out there (as it looks they will with the incoming water...), or at least on a weekday when the squadron isn't in full force.

Just an FYI, the fishing in the pumphouse channel is VERY slow... Ice is still good at 18 inches and edges were okay, BUT....the lake is up about a foot and a half, and I heard it from GOOD sources that a dude went through right next to thepumphouse building today... They said he had redish hair and goatee and a sled with BFT stickers on it... I knew that water on the ice right there looked iffy... I'm glad I watched that ice fishing safety video on here a couple of years ago, cause it helped in getting the hell outta the water and back onto the ice... I lived to fish another day MUCH wiser than I was before...

Good fishin' to ya!
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[submoa]

Great report. how long before we can put in boats there do you think?
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[dubob]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]Pineview on the back seat of my snowmobile would have been way easier - don't cha think? [] [] [][/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]Regardless, you done good.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[2fishon]

You're killing me! I put the ice fishing gear away today. I spent a good half hour staring longingly at the super fat cat hanging on the wall of my garage. My stomach is rumbling thinking about fresh catfish fillets.
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[idahopanfish]

Great to hear from you TD and glad you got out of the water Out4trout, Iv'e went through once before myself.
Help respect the ice mor now.
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[TubeDude]

"Man, you are HARDCORE, Pat!! But....I already knew that...LOL.."

[cool]. [#0000ff]I may be hardcore, but not hardheaded. When the ice gets iffy, I stay off it...or just break through it with my tube.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Let me know when you are ready to join me on Willard...after the cap comes off for good. It will be a lot of good fishing before the major infestation of PS hits. And, even after it gets busy there are places where a peace-lovin' tuber can find some fish without frustration.[/#0000ff]
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[TubeDude]

[quote submoa]Great report. how long before we can put in boats there do you think?[/quote]

[cool][#0000ff]Well, my first open water tubing on Willard usually happens by about the second week of March. But, the north marina usually opens up a bit before that...at least far enough out into the lake for some kitties and early walleye or wipers.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The north marina will likely open for a ways in the next few days, with the warm temps we are going to be getting through the coming week. After that it is a matter of getting some strong winds to break up the rotting ice and stack it all along the dikes.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Actually, you could launch at the south marina right now. Only gotta solve a few little problems. First is getting through the heavy metal gate. Second is launching through the cap of ice still remaining at the ramp. Third is getting your tow vehicle back up the snow covered ramp. Fourth is paying the ticket you are likely to get for violating the CLOSED sign.[/#0000ff]
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[TubeDude]

[quote dubob][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]Pineview on the back seat of my snowmobile would have been way easier - don't cha think? [] [] [][/size][/#800000][/font] quote]

[cool][#0000ff]Nah. I have never done much good trolling on the ice. But, it would have been WAY easier towing my tube up to the marina with your machine. Might have been a problem explaining things to the rangers though.[/#0000ff]
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[TubeDude]

[quote 2fishon]You're killing me! I put the ice fishing gear away today. I spent a good half hour staring longingly at the super fat cat hanging on the wall of my garage. My stomach is rumbling thinking about fresh catfish fillets.[/quote]

[cool][#0000ff]I put up my ice gear about two weeks ago. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you wanna try for some cats on Utah Lake, the Provo River is open for a few hundred yards out from the end of the Jetty. I launched at the little ramp inside the river channel on Friday for about an hour of depth and temp checkouts...and a couple of white bass. Didn't get a chance to really work to find the kitties...but I will soon. The water temp there was about the same 39 degrees inside the river and a couple of degrees cooler outside.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I did not post a report because I could not get on ANY board then. But, here are a few pics to whet your tubing appetite.[/#0000ff]
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[Therapist]

HEY TD !! Your special skills can find another outlet on Utah Lake !! From the Dump Ditch north of Lindon Harbor, all the way up to the waste inflow is open. I just haven't had the time to give it a try !! Tons of water coming in the Dump Ditch, bet the white bass are stacked up there. Hope your posting problems are being fixed !!

[Smokerdog]

Great post as usual TD. Wish we had more of them cats down here in Sanpete. Made me hungry just thinking about um. Also great lil fishin rig you got. Seen a couple of tubers down on 9 Mile the other day on that north end. It won't be to long before it opens up.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I know all about the ditch. Used to be one of my favorite early shots...for whities, wallies and kitties. But, it is a CHALLENGE trying to launch anywhere other than at Lindon Boat Harbor and I have made a personal vow to never fish out of there again. Bad dealings with the owner. Cashed my check for an annual pass but would not give me one...or refund the money.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I am a patient man. Have to be at my age. I know that there will soon be unlimited launch spots around the lake and I have a few more favorites that are more easily accessible.[/#0000ff]
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[TubeDude]

[quote Smokerdog]Great post as usual TD. Wish we had more of them cats down here in Sanpete. Made me hungry just thinking about um. Also great lil fishin rig you got. Seen a couple of tubers down on 9 Mile the other day on that north end. It won't be to long before it opens up.[/quote]

[cool][#0000ff]Thanks. Glad you like my tricked out tube.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Too bad there aren't more cats nearby. Have you gone over to the Huntington Reservoir near Huntington...not the tiger trout pond on the Skyline? Some big kitties in there. Yuba is also coming on again but will probably never have the numbers of Utah Lake or Wlllard.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I am guessing there are a few guys along the Wasatch Front that would gladly trade you a couple of trout holes in your area for at least a piece of one of our kittie waters. Seems like we always want what we can't have.[/#0000ff]
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[swedishfish]

Nice report TD. If that doesn't make a person excited for spring then I don't know what will.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Thanks Ryan.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]When are you planning to come out of hibernation?[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Won't be long until the Lincoln Beach kitties will be calling.[/#0000ff]
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[swedishfish]

The hibernation is over and I am ready to go. I've got a lot of fish to catch to make up for last year. Let me know the next time you need some company and I'll see if I can sneak away.
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