08-18-2011, 11:16 PM
[cool][#0000ff]It has been awhile since I paddled around at Lincoln Beach. Figured there had to be something going on and wanted to check on water levels since the runoff slowed down.
WOW. Utah Lake is still higher than it normally is during peak runoff. The south dike is still closed due to high water and waves washing away all the loose material and leaving only a low pile of rocks.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Had to launch from the ramp. Small fish were boiling on the hordes of midges hatching as I was getting ready to launch. There was a loud hum in the air from all the bugs. Thankfully they were not skeeters. Only a couple of those.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Purty sunrise as I was getting ready to launch about 6:30. Air temp 55 and water temp 72. Later warmed to 75 about noon. A bit of a green sheen of algae on the water surface...a flat calm surface.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Cranked up the electric motor to get out of the boat channel and hummed over to the shallow bay to the south of the dikes. Stopped to fish just off the long reed point that comes out across from the pump house. Instant and continuous action. First cast with a tandem tube jig rig scored a feisty white bass. Then a couple more. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Water depth there is usually only about 2 feet deep this time of year but was between 4 to 5 feet under current high water conditions. Tossed out a minnow on my bait rod and hardly had it set in the rod holder before the line popped from the clip and started streaming off the reel. First of many cookie cutter kitties.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I did not ever move very far from my original area. Couldn't even fish with two rods. If I put out a bait and then made a cast with the jigs the bait rod would get whacked. Then I had to reel in the jigs fast and put that rod out of the way while I rassled with another kitty.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]A few times I would put up the bait rod for a few minutes and focus on fishing jigs, spinners or small crank baits. There were no big schools of white bass but enough singles and doubles to keep me busy...and entertained.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I actually had a limit of 8 cats in my basket before 9 am...even after releasing about half of what I netted. Most were hooked in the corner of the mouth and were easily set free...unharmed. Probably caught somewhere between 15 to 20, counting the little kitties that smacked my plastics.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Caught quite a few white bass early and figured I could catch more later. Kept a half dozen or so and then released a few. But after hanging up the bait rods and fishing just for whities I found they had moved...somewhere. No more whities. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The power squadron started showing up about that time and it was getting noisy and busy. Had a heck of a time dodging the waverunner boats as I was trying to make it back inside to the ramp. Couldn't use the ramp because it was wall to wall mega boats. Had to slog out on the gravel.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Short day but fast and fun fishing. Got some more kitty flesh to add to the family fish fry next Sunday.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Another month and the water will be cooling down enough to get the walleyes more active. I plan to test that theory.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
WOW. Utah Lake is still higher than it normally is during peak runoff. The south dike is still closed due to high water and waves washing away all the loose material and leaving only a low pile of rocks.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Had to launch from the ramp. Small fish were boiling on the hordes of midges hatching as I was getting ready to launch. There was a loud hum in the air from all the bugs. Thankfully they were not skeeters. Only a couple of those.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Purty sunrise as I was getting ready to launch about 6:30. Air temp 55 and water temp 72. Later warmed to 75 about noon. A bit of a green sheen of algae on the water surface...a flat calm surface.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Cranked up the electric motor to get out of the boat channel and hummed over to the shallow bay to the south of the dikes. Stopped to fish just off the long reed point that comes out across from the pump house. Instant and continuous action. First cast with a tandem tube jig rig scored a feisty white bass. Then a couple more. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Water depth there is usually only about 2 feet deep this time of year but was between 4 to 5 feet under current high water conditions. Tossed out a minnow on my bait rod and hardly had it set in the rod holder before the line popped from the clip and started streaming off the reel. First of many cookie cutter kitties.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I did not ever move very far from my original area. Couldn't even fish with two rods. If I put out a bait and then made a cast with the jigs the bait rod would get whacked. Then I had to reel in the jigs fast and put that rod out of the way while I rassled with another kitty.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]A few times I would put up the bait rod for a few minutes and focus on fishing jigs, spinners or small crank baits. There were no big schools of white bass but enough singles and doubles to keep me busy...and entertained.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I actually had a limit of 8 cats in my basket before 9 am...even after releasing about half of what I netted. Most were hooked in the corner of the mouth and were easily set free...unharmed. Probably caught somewhere between 15 to 20, counting the little kitties that smacked my plastics.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Caught quite a few white bass early and figured I could catch more later. Kept a half dozen or so and then released a few. But after hanging up the bait rods and fishing just for whities I found they had moved...somewhere. No more whities. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The power squadron started showing up about that time and it was getting noisy and busy. Had a heck of a time dodging the waverunner boats as I was trying to make it back inside to the ramp. Couldn't use the ramp because it was wall to wall mega boats. Had to slog out on the gravel.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Short day but fast and fun fishing. Got some more kitty flesh to add to the family fish fry next Sunday.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Another month and the water will be cooling down enough to get the walleyes more active. I plan to test that theory.[/#0000ff]
[signature]