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Utah Lake - Filled the cooler full of Cat Fish
#1
Saturday morning, we headed down to Provo Boat Harbor at sun up around 7:00 am. As the sun started peaking over the mountains, we got the boat launched and started setting up our gear for catfish.

As we putted out the harbor Fred caught two white bass for bait. I watched my fish finder and the water column was loaded with what was likely schools of white bass. Fred got a cheer from a couple of lady fishermen on shore when he brought one in.

Leaving the harbor we turned north and headed towards the mouth of the first canal that enters the lake. Lowered the electric we started out by putting out some of the frozen white bass I had cut up. Then we started working the reeds with our bass spinners.

Fred caught the first nice cat (22-24 incher) on cut bait and then boated the 2nd one on a little Bett's spin with a soft plastic green and white minnow jig. I got the next one on bait.

The fourth one was invited in when I thought I had a snag in the reeds and handed the reel to Fred and he realized it was another "cookie cutter" cat (22-24 incher).

We had spent about an hour there and wanted to try some deeper water, so we puttered out to 6 feet of water and set out all our rigs with fresh cut white bass. The wind was blowing from the south about 2-3 mph and so it pushed us up toward Powell Slough, just where we wanted to go.

As we came into about 4 feet of water, the fishing really picked up. I landed a 26 to 28 inch cat and the rest came in steadily for the next hour or so. Fred trolled us along the shore in about 3-4 feet of water parallel to the shore.

By 11:30 am we thought we had our limit of 12, but we only had 11. Not realizing the limit was 8 each, we pulled up our gear and headed back to the harbor. Had we stayed another 30 minutes we could have easily filled our limit, however, our cooler was already completely full!

This was definitely our best day fishing for cats. Plus I caught my personal best channel cat. It was pushing 28 inches based off the ruler on the cooler. Great fishing and great company always makes for great memories.

We used 2/0 Mustad circle hooks with 30 pound test mono leader and slip sinkers. A large chunk of fresh white bass was the ticket.

Enjoy the Youtube video I made: https://youtu.be/mkXNkGLedYc

Matthew
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#2
Nice! Looks like you will have a few fillets for the freezer.
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#3
Thanks for a great report and the pictures. I'm glad you filled the cooler and had a great time.
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#4
Piscophilic,

Always fun to share a good fishing report. Nice halibut on your profile pic. Where was that taken? In Oregon or up in Alaska? back in the 80's 90's I commercial fished for halibut and worked on a halibut charter boat a couple summers. One year I got to fillet the winner of the Homer Halibut Derby (347 pound monster!) when one of our boats brought it in.
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#5
That big cat looked good too!

Oregon, I grew up in SW Oregon and actually was a hand on commercial salmon trowlers a couple of summers in my youth. I sure miss the ocean, but I think at least one trip back is in the works next summer.

For now, the big cats will be enough fun for me to survive[Wink]
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#6
Thanks for the detailed report - I have the same Habits blue fishing shirt - Sam's Club!
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#7
I got a sister that lives in Jefferson, OR.
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"OCD = Obsessive Catfish Disorder "
    Or so it says on my license plate holder
                                 
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#8
Wow! I have a sister who lives in Salem. They are practically neighbors[Wink]

I hate to admit it, but I'm a 3rd generation native and I didn't even know where Jefferson was until I googled it. I grew up about 40 miles north of the CA border and about 60 miles in from the coast, so I never spent much time up north.
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#9
I only know where Jefferson is because I had to travel out there in 2018 for my niece's funeral. It's too wet all the time for my taste. Sure was a pretty green everywhere though. But reminded me of the humidity in Georgia, only colder [Wink]
[signature]
"OCD = Obsessive Catfish Disorder "
    Or so it says on my license plate holder
                                 
Cool
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