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Finally made my first trip of the year after the cats. Timed my arrival at Lincoln with the sun (about 8:30) to avoid frostbite. No other boats when I arrived so I had to blaze a trail through about a half inch of ice in the channel -- no problem. Water temp was 40 degrees at launch and soared to 41 when I left at about 12:30. The lake was dead calm with only a slight breeze when I left. Two or three other boats showed up and headed for the island, probably in search of walleyes.
Slow fishing, but good fishing and I was glad to be there. Had to really search to find fish and when I found a few they were afflicted with lockjaw. Only caught two cats, both cutters. I did not anchor up, dragged baits all day. The two fish I caught were taken on carp minnows, no interest in the white bass cut bait.
The water was a bit murky from the north winds yesterday but it was good to see the water level continuing to climb. Channel depth was about 3+ feet deep, no problems launching. The BS is running very high and is overflowing and flooding the fields for a mile or so to the south.
Slow day but a great day just to be back on the water and knowing that todays small cataholic fix will get better and better as the weather warms. No contest fish today but have plans to fish with Tube Dude on Tuesday so maybe some of his “luck” will rub off on me.
It has begun.
BLK
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Good to see ya made it out and didn't get skunked. I wish the temps and clarity, it should come up quick tho, hopefully tomorrow[  ]
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You did much better than me from the bank my first two trips by 2. Glad you blazed a trail I hope to get mine out soon.
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"The BS is running very high and is overflowing and flooding the fields "
Lynn, ya gotta know I couldn't leave a line like that alone[pirate]. Sounds like something we might hear coming from the North [cool].
For those who don't know, BS stands for Benjamin Slough. I also figured out today that what the northerners refer to as BRBR is the Bear River Bird Refuge; that one has been bothering me for a while now.
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The older I get the more I would rather be considered a good man than a good fisherman.
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Yup, ya got me Craig. Should have known that BS could have another meaning. Most of us southerners know where BS is on Utah Lake... well, al least most of the BS.
Heading out again this a.m. as soon as the sun cooperates. Watch for a biggun to be posted up this afternoon.
BLK
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Good luck. Maybe I'll see you. Since the ice contest ended yesterday I'm really getting the itch to get after the cats. I'll probably be there after it has warmed up but I don't think that is a handicap this time of year.
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[#0000FF]Surprisingly, in years past...when you could still drive all the way out on the south dike...a lot of guys did well during cold water periods by fishing after dark off the end of that dike. The water warms a bit during sunny days and the cats gravitate to the shallows.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]I have launched my tube off the end of that dike in the early months and quite a few times there were anglers who had been fishing all night...and who had some good sized cats on stringers. But once it got lighter the fish seemed to move back out into deeper water.
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I'm glad you found a couple of cutters to play. In the cold water I always imagine every hit is good fish, but I am often wrong. It is still more fun than watching the BS get deeper though.
Wow, ice again. I guess it was colder than I thought.
I hope your next one goes better. I know the general trend is in that direction!
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Another good day at Lincoln. No ice in the launch channel at 8:30, water temp was 42 and warmed to 45 by noon. Fished with Catrat today and we had a good time. The fish count did not increase – only two again – but the size did. Got one well-fed 27 ½ incher that weighed just shy of ten pounds, good enough to enter in the contest.
Met Ben at the launch, always good to gab with him. We talked to him about 10-ish and he had not caught a fish yet but I’m sure he will be posting up a catch report today sometime. Mike (MSM1970) swung by in his flashy Bayliner long enough to say hello before he shot off to his walleye hole at the island. He has those walleyes figured out.
Slow fishing... marked lots of fish on the finder but could not force feed them. Tried cut white bass, carp minnows, and carp slabs – no interest.
It will only get better.
BLK
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Alot of the time I think they have me figured out and know how to stay away from me, Only managed a couple just like you. Good to see out and about.
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That’s still better than I’ve done. I’ve gone for walleye about a dozen times and I’m at zero. They’ve figured to elude me or I plain suck, which I’m going doing for the later. Lol
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Hey BLK nice job getting another kitty on the board in these tough conditions. Not easy getting one but to get a chunk is great. Hope to see you out there one day
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Well, I'm a northern guy, and I know what BS means when in reference to Utah Lake. And I don't mean the stuff that comes out of the bovines back side. [sly]
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"OCD = Obsessive Catfish Disorder "
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Quote:.... I also figured out today that what the northerners refer to as BRBR is the Bear River Bird Refuge; that one has been bothering me for a while now.
Aw now Craig, that's been posted numerous times by several of us that fish that river pretty regular. That's where all the winning Cats come from.........[sly]
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It's okay Forest. I could figure out that the first BR stood for Bear River but the second one had me puzzled. Then I thought maybe you just had stutter fingers from your anticipation and dread at how badly the South was going to beat the North.
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Tough fishing! Fished again today from 8 to 11 and only caught two... again. Water temp 45 to start and hit 48 when I left. Fishing with Tube Dude tomorrow so maybe he will know the secret to catching.
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You know if you'd enter another one of those cats you'd probably put the south in the lead, but then again I guess you guys like to only enter the bigger fish... No worries... Later J
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Thanks, Lynn. I was hoping to get some temperatures and it's good to see that the water is getting up towards 50°. I know there are no magic numbers but the warmer the better I guess at this point. Good to see that you and TD will be going out tomorrow. Pisco and I will give it a try in the evening. I'd sure like to see about a dozen new catfish entries on the board by tomorrow night. I wouldn't even mind your "tough fishing" -- two on the board would be a great start for me. [  ]
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[#0000FF]I'm still waiting for DWR to get back to me. I sent an inquiry about where they stocked the big cats this week.
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Jeff-- Guess I should have taken a pic of either of the fish I caught today. They were both "cutters" Maybe 22-3 inches long. Still, even a short lead for the south would be nice. Tomorrow, for sure.
When I was trapping in Arizona I knew an old Navaho Indian who once told me "You white guys are like coyotes, you all look the same." And so it is with cookie cutter cats, they all look the same and wouldn't hold up very long on the leader board.
Watch for a big one to be posted up tomorrow... unfortunately, not by me.
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