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First Tubing Trip This Year
#1
[font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][cool][#0000bf]TubeBabe and I launched our tubes from the Willard Bay launch ramp at the north marina about 7:30 Wednesday. Air temp 37 and water temp two degrees warmer. Got to leave the ice auger home.[/#0000bf]
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[#0000bf]Water clarity is good...a bit green but good visibility. No wind all day. I can deal with that.[/#0000bf]
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[#0000bf]Water depth off the end of the ramp was 2.5 feet. The channel out was 6-8 feet in most spots...as shallow as 5 feet at the lip and as deep as 9 feet between the two channel shorelines. Depth straight out drops to 10 feet within a hundred yards or so of the channel entrance. If you go left you will hit 2' of water fast. If you go north, you may run aground on some shallow gravel bars. I went over some less than 2 feet deep and could see dark spots in some places that looked like gravel just under the surface...two hundred yards off Eagle Beach. I plan to return to those bumps and humps in a couple of weeks to see if some wacky wallies might find them attractive.[/#0000bf]
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[#0000bf]Saw fish on sonar all the way out the channel, but no biters. Threw a bunch of different plastics. Nothing the fish wanted. TubeBabe's sonar battery took a nap so she was fishing blind. But, the catfish gods Smiled upon her and she caught the first fish...a small channel cat. She then proceeded to miss a whole succession of "pop and drop" encounters. No more fish for the whole day. First fish can be a jinx sometimes. Happens to her a lot.[/#0000bf]
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[#0000bf]She caught her first (only) fish right at 8 AM. About 8:30, I was just getting ready to lift my chartreuse jig off the bottom for a new cast and THUMP! I cranked a cold and Confused walleye up off the bottom and was reaching for the net. Bad move. Ol' wallie read the book on disconnection from anglers. She opened her big mouth, gave a couple of side to side head shakes and let me have my little jig back. Mighty thoughty. Looked like it would have been between 4 and 5 pounds. [/#0000bf]
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[#0000bf]I figured there was more where that one came from. Wrongo. Didn't get another hit on plastic all day. Started dragging a minnow around a little later and ended up catching a couple of good eater size kitties. I did get quite a few picky pickups but most of the fish were really cold and slow. Hard to get a hook in them.[/#0000bf]
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[#0000bf]I kicked out as far as 12 feet deep, but did not see many fish on sonar past about 9 feet. Most of the fish and hits we had were actually in shallower water...5 to 7 feet. I suspect the fish are staying shallow to soak up some rays. Water temp climbed to 43 outside and 45 inside the marina by the time we got off the water at 2.[/#0000bf]
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[#0000bf]Beautiful day and lots of birdlife. Had a bald eagle fly over treetop high...and there were no trees. Also saw flights of ibis, ducks, geese, cranes and some big white pelicans.[/#0000bf]
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[#0000bf]For anyone who is interested, the water at the SE corner of the marina is only a little over a foot deep and there were lots of carp rolling and splashing in the warm shallows.[/#0000bf]
[/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=22325;"][Image: image.gif][#000000] DAWN LAUNCH.jpg [/#000000][/url](193 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=22326;"][Image: image.gif][#000000] NORTHBOUND HONKERS.jpg [/#000000][/url](166 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=22327;"][Image: image.gif][#000000] FIRST TUBIN' KITTY 2007.jpg [/#000000][/url](317 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=22328;"][Image: image.gif][#000000] SEEN, NOT CAUGHT.jpg [/#000000][/url](258 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=22329;"][Image: image.gif][#000000] TUBEBABE TUBIN'.jpg [/#000000][/url](343 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=22330;"][Image: image.gif][#000000] TUBEBABE'S SKUNK REPELLENT.jpg [/#000000][/url](329 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=22331;"][Image: image.gif][#000000] TWOFER TD.jpg [/#000000][/url](327 KB) [/size][/black][/font]
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#2
Happened to catch you on the Willard webcam yesterday by chance, looked like you all were having fun and had the pond to yourself, which is always a good thing.

Looks like you got a respectable meal out of the deal.
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#3
[cool][#0000ff]Those lake cams make it possible for all the deskbound working fishermen to watch others out "doing it". Not much chance of privacy in the areas where they have those cameras. Hope I didn't get caught picking my nose on candid camera...or worse.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The cold temperatures and low water conditions combine to keep most boaters off the lake right now. That, and fishing during the week meant that TubeBabe and I WERE the only ones on the lake. That is a rarity. During the summer, and higher water, we would have been racing pylons for PWC and water skiers.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Those three bitty kitties are just right for a meal for us. The cats from Willard Bay average about that size and are great eating. We caught limits of eight easily on most trips last year and we never feel badly about keeping a limit. We often release two or three times as many as we keep. They are very plentiful in there and help keep the skunk away when the wipers are playing hard to get.[/#0000ff]
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#4
[Smile] I was going to ask who did your makeup.

Those cats looked perfect eating size. Usually the big ole' ugly ones take pretty pictures but don't translate as well to the table.
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#5
[black][size 3]NEXT WEEK TubeDude. I gotta try Willard, but I have no idea what or where you are talking.[/size][/black]
[black][size 3]And did you say WHITE flies?[/size][/black]
[black][size 3]Next week should warm up, but never know here in Utah. But one more HOUR of daylight in the evening half means I might get there a little later (seeings how it will get light later LOL)[/size][/black]
[black][size 3]Got to take the H3 out there and try the Fly Swatter.[cool][/size][/black]
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#6
According to the www.weather.com it is suppose to be in the sixties both mon and tues. I would be up for going either day.
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#7
[black][size 3]WAHOO! that could work! What Flies?!!![/size][/black]
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#8
[cool][#0000ff]Got a tentative trip going with Flycasting for next Tuesday. However, with the cold water who knows whether the fish are ready for flies yet. A couple more weeks of warm weather would be better.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]White or pearl are the best all around colors up there because the gizzard shad (primary forage base) are very whitish/shiny in appearance. Sometimes a strip of blue or black in the fly helps.[/#0000ff]
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#9
[black][size 3]I am thinking TUESDAY. But where do I go? Somebody want to meet me along the way?[/size][/black]
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#10
[cool][#0000ff]I usually give the big ugly ones a smooch and send them back. Those in the five or six pound range are still good if you cut them into finger strips and deep fry them thoroughly. I also prefer the thicker fillets for smoking. I smoke a lot of catfish (but I don't inhale).[/#0000ff]
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#11
I could do that or we could just ride up together. I live off of 5600 W and 3100 S. I am headed past you on the way.
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#12
[cool][#0000ff]Majja knows how to get there. Maybe if he doesn't have Wasatch801 with him he can catch some fish too.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We will probably factor in the change to daylight saving time and plan to hit the water about 8 to 8:30. The earlier the better for walleye action. Late afternoon or evening can be good too, but it is often breezy later in the day.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Any white flies 2" to 3" in length can work...crystal buggers, zonkers, streamers, etc. Slow strip near the bottom. Shallow water...5-7'. Line up accordingly. 5-6 weight rods are plenty for walleyes, but later in the year you might want to upgrade for feisty wipers.[/#0000ff]
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#13
Kevin should be at work so I will be solo on Tuesday. I even have a lagit Kitchen Pass instead of the fake ones I make up from time to time.
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#14
[black][size 3]Majja, I have to play this weekend and I think I have pool play offs starting next week (which is no big deal cause I am usually out the first game LOL) so I will get a hold of you by Monday at the latest, but I definitly wanna go.[/size][/black]
[black][size 3]I have never fish for these critters and never fish this water so the Skunk could definitly be there, but I am game to try.[/size][/black]
[black][size 3]However, I don't usually keep fish and if I do, Tube Dude, can you cook it up FOR ME[Wink][/size][/black]
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#15
That is all right FG. I have not caught anything there since I was a boy. So day fishing is good for me. We get TD to show us how it is done.
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#16
[cool][#0000ff]Hey, what kinda attitude is that. Think positive. Be POSITIVE that you will get skunked.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I am equally positive that we can at least catch something incredibly edible. If you guys want, I will bring the fillet gear and cooking ingredients for a "shore lunch". We will have Flycasting along and he is pretty good at harvesting a few out of that pond too. If our combined forces can't score enough for lunch we should all go fish in the Salt Lake.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]By the way, everybody should plan to bring a walkie talkie, set on channel 7. Easier on the voice and ears than hollering across the lake.[/#0000ff]
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#17
Did someone say Salt???? What time should I be there???

Nice trip and nice nuggets.[cool]
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#18
Sounds good to me. What would you like me to bring salad drinks both and I will do my best to put some meat on the board.
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#19
[cool][#0000ff]You can bring the hot dogs...in case we get the "Joni jinx".[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I fear not. We SHALL score some fillets.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]A bit of salad...tater or green...would be nice. We can bring out own choice of drinkables. Chips or bread for somebody and maybe a cookie or two. That about completes the "balanced diet" thing.[/#0000ff]
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#20
[cool][#0000ff]Bring your tube with the BBQ and entertainment center. We can have a party right out on the lake. No dancing.[/#0000ff]
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