03-24-2014, 09:28 PM
[#0000FF]I woke up early this morning and checked weather for several potential fishing holes...for the next few days. Looked like today might be the best, weatherwise. And Lincoln Beach got the nod over a couple of other options.
Cruised up to the ramp about 6:30 am. Figured I'd launch in the dark and get around to the walleye condos by daybreak. Figgered wrong. First Jweymouth drives up with his boat...and wants to talk, talk, talk. Got him launched and was finalizing my own launch when UtWalleye drives up with his boat. More yammering. But at least I beat him at the launch ramp...even if he did pass me in the channel going out. He's just lucky I was observing the wakeless speed rule.
Air temp 32 and water temp 46 at launch...warming to 48 at noon...49 inside the channel. Light southerly breeze...as promised. So far, so good. Cranked up the "big motor" (40# electric) and whimpered off to do some fishing.
Saw some fishy marks about halfway to my intended starting spot so I stopped to make a few casts. Got a small white bass then no more hits.
Continued to my spots. Shoulda stood in bed. Nada, zip, zip. No hits, no runs, no fishies. Went through a buncha stuff...plastics, cranks, bait under a bobber, etc. No love.
Moved out into deeper water...continuing to throw a tandem plastic rig. FINALLY...a munch. Felt like a walleye too. And it was. I was already tasting those wunnerful fillets on my plate when the silly fish released my jig unharmed...only about 3 feet from the net. Man, those walleyes are good at that. This one was about 19 to 20 inches...ideal eater size. WAS.
After a few more minutes of fruitless (fishless) casting I made a change in game plans. I put out a small whole white bass on a bait rig and started pitching a tandem small tube jig setup. Figgered I might be able to at least get a few more white bass. Again, I figgered wrong. I got a tap, set the hook and that "white bass" had some shoulders. Not exactly a world class battle but definitely bent my stick and stretched my string...on my light gear. Turned out to be a fat mama walleye...26 inches long and 8.3 #. I woulda normally released her to take care of her baby business but I had already early-released my only other shot at a walleye dinner...and Utah Lake is not hurtin' for big spawning females. So I invited her home.
A few minutes later, after getting the phat female to pose for a couple of pics and crawl in my basket, I noticed the line on my bait rig was slowly spooling off the open bail. I had not seen the hit and wondered if I might be snagged. But when I carefully picked up the rod and pulled the line tight there was some "life" on the end. I flipped the bail and waited for the fish to pull the line tight. Then I sunk the hook home and got to rassle in a 22 inch kitty. Just right to finish up the collection of cat fillets I have been saving for the smoker.
That was the cue for the tin boat tuna fleet to all come around the corner of the boat channel and aim for the silly guy in the float tube. About a half dozen assorted craft whined by me on either side...some almost within reach of a long rod. They were all glaring at me like I was an obstacle to their fishing or something. They all continued down off the orchards...and most of them did not stay put...a lot of moving around. Not a good sign...fishingwise.
The ripples of their passing had hardly died down when the previously soft southerly breeze turned around and started blowing a bit harder...from the north. Typically, that usually shuts of the fishing, at least for me. Maybe it is just a superstition but I have lost count of the trips during which I was catching fish and then went blank after the wind started blowing from the north.
Still, I stuck it out...or fished it out...for about another hour and a half...dragging baits and pitching plastics. Nary another inquiry. I coulda (shoulda) gone home after my catfish.
As I finished loading up my gear in the car I noticed some activity around the fish cleaning station. I thought "Oh goody, they are going to get it open." Again, I figgered wrong. Turns out they are removing the fish cleaning station all together. Instead they will be building a small fast food stand. Now we will be able to buy burgers but the folks who run it will probably not fillet our fish.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]
Cruised up to the ramp about 6:30 am. Figured I'd launch in the dark and get around to the walleye condos by daybreak. Figgered wrong. First Jweymouth drives up with his boat...and wants to talk, talk, talk. Got him launched and was finalizing my own launch when UtWalleye drives up with his boat. More yammering. But at least I beat him at the launch ramp...even if he did pass me in the channel going out. He's just lucky I was observing the wakeless speed rule.
Air temp 32 and water temp 46 at launch...warming to 48 at noon...49 inside the channel. Light southerly breeze...as promised. So far, so good. Cranked up the "big motor" (40# electric) and whimpered off to do some fishing.
Saw some fishy marks about halfway to my intended starting spot so I stopped to make a few casts. Got a small white bass then no more hits.
Continued to my spots. Shoulda stood in bed. Nada, zip, zip. No hits, no runs, no fishies. Went through a buncha stuff...plastics, cranks, bait under a bobber, etc. No love.
Moved out into deeper water...continuing to throw a tandem plastic rig. FINALLY...a munch. Felt like a walleye too. And it was. I was already tasting those wunnerful fillets on my plate when the silly fish released my jig unharmed...only about 3 feet from the net. Man, those walleyes are good at that. This one was about 19 to 20 inches...ideal eater size. WAS.
After a few more minutes of fruitless (fishless) casting I made a change in game plans. I put out a small whole white bass on a bait rig and started pitching a tandem small tube jig setup. Figgered I might be able to at least get a few more white bass. Again, I figgered wrong. I got a tap, set the hook and that "white bass" had some shoulders. Not exactly a world class battle but definitely bent my stick and stretched my string...on my light gear. Turned out to be a fat mama walleye...26 inches long and 8.3 #. I woulda normally released her to take care of her baby business but I had already early-released my only other shot at a walleye dinner...and Utah Lake is not hurtin' for big spawning females. So I invited her home.
A few minutes later, after getting the phat female to pose for a couple of pics and crawl in my basket, I noticed the line on my bait rig was slowly spooling off the open bail. I had not seen the hit and wondered if I might be snagged. But when I carefully picked up the rod and pulled the line tight there was some "life" on the end. I flipped the bail and waited for the fish to pull the line tight. Then I sunk the hook home and got to rassle in a 22 inch kitty. Just right to finish up the collection of cat fillets I have been saving for the smoker.
That was the cue for the tin boat tuna fleet to all come around the corner of the boat channel and aim for the silly guy in the float tube. About a half dozen assorted craft whined by me on either side...some almost within reach of a long rod. They were all glaring at me like I was an obstacle to their fishing or something. They all continued down off the orchards...and most of them did not stay put...a lot of moving around. Not a good sign...fishingwise.
The ripples of their passing had hardly died down when the previously soft southerly breeze turned around and started blowing a bit harder...from the north. Typically, that usually shuts of the fishing, at least for me. Maybe it is just a superstition but I have lost count of the trips during which I was catching fish and then went blank after the wind started blowing from the north.
Still, I stuck it out...or fished it out...for about another hour and a half...dragging baits and pitching plastics. Nary another inquiry. I coulda (shoulda) gone home after my catfish.
As I finished loading up my gear in the car I noticed some activity around the fish cleaning station. I thought "Oh goody, they are going to get it open." Again, I figgered wrong. Turns out they are removing the fish cleaning station all together. Instead they will be building a small fast food stand. Now we will be able to buy burgers but the folks who run it will probably not fillet our fish.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]
