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Lindon...video and cats 3-4-20
#1
I was recently contacted by a group of BYU students who were working on a class video project on Utah Lake.  They were referred to me by the Utah Lake Commission.  I provided them with a grundle of info and pictures but they wanted to risk destroying their video cameras by shooting me in my tube on the lake.  So we all showed up this morning at Lindon a little before 7 am.

I was dressed for the 28 degrees but the younguns weren't.  A couple of the girls only had single layer yoga pants and thin tennies.  Cool...to say the least.  At least Abraham...the video cameraman...was both properly dressed and tough.  He wanted to get shots of me setting up the tube and Utah Lake waking up on a nice sunny morning.  I think he got what he wanted.

After launching in the 40 degree water I motored out to the main lake.  Water temp just over 40 inside the harbor, with average depth a bit over 6 feet all the way out.  But the water was a sickly green color and I saw no fishy marks on sonar inside the harbor.  I'm guessing a combination of cold water and poor water chemistry after ice-off.

Tried pitching plastics around the rocky points of the harbor entrance but nothing wanted to play there either.  So I moved out a bit offshore...and was being tracked by a video drone.  Spooky.  Too bad I couldn't provide a bit of excitement with a fish or two. 

After a fruitless hour of fishing one of my usually productive areas I came back in to shore for some final audio stuff.  Then the crew left about 9:30 and I was free to fish.  (at least reasonable)  Powered over to an area out off the inlet for Battle Creek that is often good early in the year.  Not today.  Saw nothing on sonar and even less on my line.  Then, at about 10 am...in only 4 feet of water...the rod with a whole chub minnow did a quick bob and line started moving off the open spool.  I closed the bail and set the hook into a FISH.  Yee Hawwww!   Turned out to be a healthy 2-footer.  Got it to pose for a couple of pics and put it back in the cold water. 

Only a few minutes later, my new heavy duty Ugly Stick cat rod developed a big bend as a kitty munched my baited flig and tried to abscond with the evidence.  But I brung him up short and invited him aboard for a quick photo session.  My first two Utah Lake cats for the year.  Neither would be worthy of honorable mention in the contest but they bent my sticks and stretched my string.  Good enough for starters.

Fished another hour and a half without so much as another sniff.  A cool breeze was starting to come up again so that I had to put my gloves back on.  So, without any further fishy encouragement I headed for the ramp and boogied. 

A beautiful day for both video and fishing.  But I couldn't help but notice all the debris in the water.  It was mostly pieces of reeds that I assume had been frozen and cut off by the ice and was now just floating free on the lake.  By the way, the marker buoys for the bubbleup are still not in place.  Usually about the first of April for that.

Note:  Some of the pictures show too large for the screen.  Right click on them and click on View Image and you will see the image in the right size.  This system is still squirrely.
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#2
Nice one - when will you be on the Oprah outdoor celebrity show ?
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#3
Should almost be time for some toothy critters to play. Glad you found a couple kitties. Too bad the video crew didn't stay longer
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#4
Never...I hope.  Maybe on Lifestyles of the Broke and Infamous.  It is a class project and not for showing on national television.  They have promised me a copy of the finished product.  But considering the subject matter and the casting (literally) I doubt it would get a good rating anyway.

(03-04-2020, 11:44 PM)fish_fear_me2 Wrote: Should almost be time for some toothy critters to play. Glad you found a couple kitties. Too bad the video crew didn't stay longer
The prespawn bite usually starts once water temps stay over 40-42.  'Bout time.  But you gotta find 'em first.  The walleyes are more likely to be around rocky structure than over catfish country bottom.  But I have caught them on baits and lures meant for cats in the past.  On the other hand, I catch a lot of cats on the plastics and cranks I throw for walleyes.  Sometimes life (and fishing) just ain't got no reason.
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#5
Well done Pat. I'm still trying to figure out all the bells and whistles on this "improved" board so I hope "Quick Reply" is the right reply. I tried Lincoln last week mostly to see if my perpeller still went around. Boat ran like a top so I'm ready to go when the temps warm up a bit. 

Water last week was 40-42 degrees. Tried by first spring and BS inlet -- not even a bump. The blue Bayliner guy's truck was in the parking area but never saw him, suspect he was out at the island working on the eyes.

Glad you got out. Won't be long now.
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#6
Pat: Well the book is pretty good, can't wait to see the movie Big Grin

BLK:  I just park it there to confuse people sometimes, it may or may not be there tomorrow.
               O.C.F.D.
[Image: download.jpg]
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#7
Good goin Pat! Took the boat out last week for a test run. All is well. Fished a little while with no love from the fishes. Good times are coming.
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