big cats on utah lake

[bvpatten]

looking for a good tips on big cats, location, tactics and tackle, had some luck last spring but nothing over 5 pounds. would like to get into some bigger fish this year and any advice would be grateful.
[signature]

[joevanoni]

try lincon beach and fish in the thick reeds
[signature]

[ratnest]

Generally speaking, is fishing the reeds a good tactic on UL. do you bait at the edge of the visible reeds, into the reeds, or out 5, 10, 15 etc feet from the edge of the reeds. and what type of bait, I have heard of using hot dogs, any truth to it?

[SkunkedAgain]

Follow Boatloadofkids to bird island and do what he does. Make lots of noise so he doesn't catch too many big ones. Just kidding. Later J
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Some of the biggest cats of the year are caught well before the water warms even to 60 degrees. And they bite well during the daytime, rather than after dark. In fact, fishing in the afternoon on a warm day is often better than early morning.

Forget fishing in the reeds. With the low water the reeds are either high and dry or at least too shallow to attract any cats. But during high water years the cats ARE in the reeds both during the spawn (Junish) and also through late summer...while they feed on crawdads and small fish using the reeds as shelter.

During low water years you have to look to find the right depths. On any given day, you can start at about 4 or 5 feet and then fish shallower or deeper until you find the zone. When water warms in late afternoon they may move into only 2-3 feet of water. Attached is a pic of a 10# cat TubeBabe caught off Lindon in about 4' of water in early April last year.

Yes, you can catch cats on hotdogs...and just about anything else at one time or another. But the bigger cats in Utah Lake respond a lot better to "natural" food...like minnows, carp meat, white bass (whole or pieces) or other legal fish flesh. And fresher will usually get more action than "stank baits".

You can find catfish almost everywhere around Utah Lake. But my two favorite spots for tubing are Lindon and Lincoln Beach. At Lindon you can do well either around the bubbleup or just drifting or slow trolling bait on the flats either north or south of the harbor. At Lincoln Beach the area between the ends of the boat channel and the mouth of Benjamin Slough usually produce.

If you have a boat, you can fish Bird Island or the areas at the Knolls...which is now off-limits to vehicle access to the public.

Good luck.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]

[Boatloadakids]

Tube Dude is the man for cats. I agree with everything he said. I Iike to fish the edge of the reeds and phrags as well as deeper water. The rocky areas seem to be better when the cats are in full spawn. The only baits I use are white bass and carp meat. Carp meat seems to be the best bait, especially when it is fresh and bloody. I usually have a small kid's bow with a fish arrow in my boat and when the carp clusters start to appear it's easy to pick up a few carp. I cut them up into good sized chunks, put 'em in a plastic bag with as much blood as I can to sweeten the offering. Gross but effective.

Fishin' from the shore is good too, especially at night, if you can tolerate the skeeters. My favorite spots are Bird Island and Lincoln Beach area. I'll be after 'em just as soon as the ice is gone. There is a new state record cat out there somewhere and I intend to find him this year.[]

BLK
[signature]

[lavaman]

"There is a new state record cat out there somewhere and I intend to find him this year.[]"

It will have to be more than 36" (new record set last year here in Cache Valley).

Are they out there to be caught? You better believe it. Love Spring Cattin!

Coyote, practice your knot tying skill!
[signature]

[setthehook]

get in line!!

behind me!!
[signature]

[setthehook]

for sure spring is the best time to catch the monsters!!!! starting at the end of March.
cant wait to fight another toad!!!
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Yeppers. The spring fling...after a long winter under the ice...really gets the bigguns feedin' up before the spawn. But it seems like I often catch my largest of the year in October some years.

But I fish almost exclusively during the daytime. There are a lot of serious cataholics who fish at night, during the hot months, and rack up some bigguns. Of course they also collect lots of skeeter bumps.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]

[chugg]

Well that just means I'll have to cut In front you!
[signature]

[UTmuddguy]

South side of the lake in a foot to foot and half of water is where I've found them.
[signature]

[ratnest]

What is the best method of getting a carp to use for bait. I have fished UL many times, typically with worms, and never have caught a carp, only smaller cats. I fish the pelican bay area typically.

[CoyoteSpinner]

Me thinks the biggest problem you face hitting UL, is your on the wrong end of the state for REEL big cats! (it's not soo soon for smack talk is it? NEVER!)

Good advice from thems that knows. Of course the kind of hooks and riggings can make a difference too. I enjoy watching my bobbers take a dive, but a sliding sinker setup can do the trick.

I like Skunked's idea, do you have a boat with a really loud sound system? You can help motivate BLK with some rocking loud rap, or some such.

I like shrimp. My cats do too, and a little garlic flavor, makes a great saute. Hmmmm, buuuttterrrr,, and WD40 of course. Secret sauce![crazy]

Like TD sez, some will swear, bait aged to perfection, left sunny side up... but cats like fresh food plenty. They enjoyed sucker, not Junies, and there's always chicken bits - liver, hearts/gizzards.

Many lakes will have a spring die off, or free up of frozen deaddies, and at ice of, they strap on the feedbag. Sure a few are scarfing up with Cutler's rise and fall ( reverse that). Look downwind.

Now and soon to come, you might find carp congregating in pockets where flow first starts. Carp are wary, but they'll take worms, bread, even had them take shrimp, or go carniv on it. There's also bowfishing, as mentioned. Don't think they are stoopid just becus they are ugly.

Lava, you and your palomino!

[Coldfooter]

I have been fishing UL for 50+ years. There is no big secret to dragging a big cat on shore or in a boat. Its simply a matter of being in the right place at the right time and having meaty bait waiting for them as they swim by. Saying that I will add I never let my offering rest on the bottom but instead use a bobber. I like the wind to be able to drift my bait a little. I use standard 8-10 test line and shape 2-0 hooks. I rarely cat fish deeper than in 4 foot day or night. Between ice off - June you might find my bobbers floating no more than 6 foot from the shore line if there are rocks or concrete.
[signature]

[Darkcloud]

+ 100.........I fish the same way as coldfooter, my go to bait for cats is white bass meat. It has never let me down!
[signature]

[Boatloadakids]

ratnest- I just never have had a problem finding carp for bait. It is especially easy after they start their spawn, they almost become a nuisance while fishing for cats. As said above I like to carry a small bow with a fish arrow and I have never had any trouble getting carp. If you can hit a 50 gallon drum at 10 yards with a bow you can have all the carp you need.

I also pick carp up on Bird Island. I usually have a couple of kids with me and I just drop them off on the island with a net and they scoop up some monster carp. I never do this when the birds are nesting and I tell the kids to stay away from the nesting areas. Still, no trouble picking up loads of carp.

Carp meat is my favorite bait with wb a close second. I like what Coldfooter said about being in the right place at the right time with bloody bait. I fish mostly with no weight and I seldom use bobbers even in rocky areas. I lose a lot of hooks but I still like the trigger pull when I fish weightless.

My very favorite way to get after the cats -- and this is a super secret method that I would not want to become common knowledge, is to fish at night (thanks TD) while dragging a whole 4-6 inch long wb along the bottom. I establish a half mile or so track with my Minkota I-pilot and fish at my slowest speed. The bites when they come are vicious and the average cat is bigger than those usually caught during the day. I think some of the bigger cats hang out in deeper water during the day and then slip in closer to shore for a night of debauchery chasing the ladies and snarfing up almost any unsuspecting carbon based critter.

When I first started dragging wb I would hook them through the eyes with a big hook. I was missing a lot of hits and would often find an empty hook with two wb eyes. I think the cats where coming in from behind and ripping the wb off my hooks without touching the hook . I started using a hook behind a hook rig and started getting more hook ups.

I tie a palomar (sp?) knot with a 6-8 inch tail and them tie a second hook, usually a treble, on the end. Works great. I believe the cats come in like a blood hound on my baits and hit from behind. Give me a nice summer night with a full moon and glassy calm water and I can fish for the cats all night and be in heaven.

Again, this is my super-secret method, so don't share it with anyone.

Now, I would just remind Coyote and those other northern type fellows that the state record channel cat was taken from Utah Lake which is in the south part of the state. Look for that record to be broken this year.... yep, by me.[]

Let it begin.

BLK
[signature]

[CoyoteSpinner]

Yeah yeah yeah, put your carp where your mouth is (eeeew!) Talk is cheap, but your actions speak louder than words.

Hey buddy - I'll believe it when I see it. [then I'll humbly shake your hand, pat you on the back, and then go out and try my best to beat ya!! teehee!]

Um - how many years ago was that record set? ME - I think it was all them mutant Kennecott chemicals that deformed and mutated the fishies there! But now that it's cleaned up...

[inline simpsons-fish.jpg]

Honestly - with Cutler's let down this winter, I do worry for my local waters. May be on a "stunt" and need some recovery time. But - alas - I hear they plan to do it again next year. Humpfh.

Maybe if they plant some Walleye and Bass and Crappie - (and Pike/Musky! oh my!) - it'll make up for the losses. (yeah, like THAT's gonna happen, more likely to put cold-water slimers in that warm shallow mud-puddle!)

So waddaya think - March, April? When should we open up this years Kitty Capers? I'm ready now!

[fishinaddiction]

I've had the best luck between 10 pm and 1am for catfish at utah lake. I like to go down there at sunset and try to catch a few white bass as bait. I don't use a sinker or a bobber, I just put a chunck of white bass on a hook and cast it out there.

Make sure you watch your pole at night if your fishing from the shore. If you hook a big one you'll be running into the lake to fetch it.

I had a spot down by the Provo airport I used to catch some big ones at. It's overgrown now and I haven't been able to fish there for years.
[signature]

[lavaman]

I vote we open it up April 1st, and go to Sept 1st.

Surely six months is aplenty...

Or do you want it going almost all year?
[signature]