Lincoln Beach Tubing 6-12-06

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]It was supposed to get windy this morning. There was also a big full moon in the sky as TubeBabe and I headed south to meet up with Cat_Man at Lincoln Beach. We were already preparing our list of excuses, just in case we got sprayed by skunk.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We drove up to water's edge just after 6 AM. There were lots of carp rolling in just a few inches of water near shore. I hadn't brought my bow but I wanted a couple of carp to replenish my bait supply, so I got out my walleye rod with a plastic jig on it and let TubeBabe get her tube ready by herself. I quickly "force fed" two hefty buglemouths and left them in the cooler while I got my tube ready to launch too.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Cat_Man was not supposed to show up for an hour or so, having taken the morning off work for our long delayed (over two years) meetup. I stayed near the launch area, fishing in close, while TubeBabe worked up toward the inlet of Benjamin Slough. She scored the first channel cat...a 3 pounder.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I finally got a couple of bites but they were "pop and drop". I guessed they were probably bullheads. When I landed one a few minutes later I was proven right. But, I couldn't get a good "runner".[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Cat_Man showed up a few minutes after 7 and kicked on out for our first face-to-face howdy. I handed him some minnows and he moved off toward the area where TubeBabe was fishing. He was only about a hundred yards away when I set the hook on my first channel...a feisty 2.8 pounder. That was right at 8 AM.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I fished shallow and deep, flyline and bobber. I had a couple more light inquiries during the next hour, but finally got another channel, slightly smaller than the first, right at 9 AM. I missed the 10 AM fish because I was saying goodbye to Cat_Man, who had to leave early, and I was not paying attention.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Just as his truck drove off, I had a good runner and set the hook in something with shoulders. Turned out to be a lean and mean spawned out female channel kitty that went 25 inches and weighed 6.5 pounds. That was one of the hardest battles I have ever had from a catfish. She took off on several drag burning runs and would not come off the bottom when I got her close to the tube. I was guessing over 10 pounds before I finally got my first look at her.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TubeBabe had covered a lot of water and still only had the first fish she had caught. Seems to jinx her everytime she catches the first one. But, just as she was getting back to the area I was fishing she put the hook into a brawling 2.5 pounder. That was her last of the day.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I got the last fish of the morning around 11 AM, just as the calm water started to get a ripple from a building north breeze. As is typical down there, the fish shut down when the north breeze comes up. We couldn't get another bite.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Water temps at launch were 68 and warmed to almost 73 when we got off the water about noon. Air temps went from 60 to 90 during the same period.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Love that fish cleaning station. Used my portable electric fillet knife to whip out the fillets from the cats and also to fillet the carp for bait. Really saves a lot of mess at home.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have the catfish fillets in the smoker right now. By morning, they will be just about right to take to the jig making party tomorrow night.[/#0000ff]
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[catman79]

Sounds like a blast good job
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[Flycasting]

Sounds like a fun day. Thanks for the report.
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[ironworker]

awesome report and pictures tubedude.i'm getting closer to making it down to ul for some kitties. maybe in a week. [cool]
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[Theekillerbee]

Nice work again sir Pat. Thanks for the report.
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[Out4Trout]

[cool]NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sounds like that big mama cat gave you a good tow in 'da tube.

Looking foward to that gorilla floatilla next month!!
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[Coldfooter]

Sounds like a fairly productive morning my friend.. Good ta hear you two got into em..

How's bout saving a slab of you know what for you know who!!!
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I got a better idea. Let's go get the fixin's for your own batch. I know a guy who does a pretty fair job with the smoker if you know someone who can catch the kitties.[/#0000ff]
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[Coldfooter]

Hmmmm,, well I know of a feller thats been known to tussel with a kittie or two now and then.. But I wonder if he's overly buzy now tho'?
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[cat_man]

Sure, blame ME for losing a fish! A likely scapegoat. You know everyone sees right through that excuse!! lol [angelic][cool]

It was good to meet you, finally, Pat, even though I've "known" you for quite some time. Sorry I couldn't meet TubeBabe. Although I remained fishless, it sure beat a day at work, that's for sure!!

Here is a picture of a species of fish I never knew existed in Utah Lake! Try taking that sucker on ultralight tackle!!!


Here's a pic of TubeDude doing his thing.



Here's TubeDude with his catch at the time I left.


Thanks again. I look forward to doing more tubing (hopefully soon) and getting my revenge on the kitties.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Hey Kevin, it would be difficult to take that "cowfish" on light tackle. You need a stout rod to cast a hay bale.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Next time we will have to plan some fish catching for you in the program. I know you needed casting practice, but catching is fun too.[/#0000ff]
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[cat_man]

amen to that


Last year, I only hit lincoln twice - a skunk and a couple mudcats and that white bass. This year - skunk on the one time I get out there.

I've practiced casting enough.

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[Stevenator]

Were the carp up close to the harbor or in another location? My carp hunting hole dried up.
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[cat_man]

They were in very shallow (inches) of water on the sandy beach area just south of the jetties.

I drove around on the south jetty of the harbor before leaving, and I saw dozens of carp all over the rocks right against the jetty on the inside of the harbor too.
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[Stevenator]

Thanks for the tip! I'll be there bright and early Saturday morning.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]There are almost always carp in the area to the south of the boat channel. In fact you can walk along that levee and see them right up against the bank for a hundred yards. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We usually launch from the shallows directly east of the bathrooms and covered picnic area. It is very shallow for quite a ways out and the carp were swimming with their backs out of water early in the morning. Easy pickins. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You can shoot carp from there clear around the flooded shallows and brushy areas to the south of there. Best bet, after you spook the ones close, is to wade around the pump house or go up and over that berm and around to the next big cove. The get in there by the thousands when the conditions are right. There is another fence to the south of that which you can go through and find even more shooting.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]After we launched the other day we could hear carp rolling and splashing way back in the flooded reeds for a couple of hours. And, if you watched the surface, with poloroids, you could see singles and doubles cruising all over, just beneath the surface. If I had a bow I could have shot a hundred from my tube.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It looks like this year is a repeat of last year. The weather keeps changing and first cooling and then warming the water. When it warms a few carp hit the beach. Then it cools and others wait for the next warm spell. I shot spawning carp down there clear into July last year.[/#0000ff]
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[Stevenator]

I can't wait to get down there Saturday morning! Thanks for the advice!

Steve
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Supposed to be no wind. GOOD.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you are there at daybreak you will have some shootin'. Let us know how you do.[/#0000ff]
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