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[#0000ff]I make a big deal out of waiting two or three days after a storm to go fishing. But if I did that this spring I wouldn't get to hit the water until maybe July. Saw another weather window and jumped through it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Launched at Lindon about 7:15 am. Air temp 44 and water temp 57...warming to 59 at late am departure. Water clarity not bad...greenish with some visibility. But water depth in the harbor has dropped a few inches. They must be dumping water at the gates. But I'm sure the runoff will fix that once it gets started.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Made a few unmolested casts with plastics around the rocks at the mouth of the harbor on the way out. Gave up quickly and headed north to an area off the mouth of Battle Creek...instead of my usual route south to the Bubbleup. Afraid Pisco ruined that on his recent trip.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Good choice. First cast...first fish...by 7:35. A feisty 20 something catfish. And then it got better. Never moved very far between the next few fish. Had counted 7 fish by 9 am...1 1/2 hours after I started fishing. And then it got better. Just about doubled that in the next hour and a half and ran out of bait.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I started out with a dozen large chub minnows...5" to 7"...fished whole. And I brought two six-packs of carp strips...total of 12 pieces. Only missed two strikes and lost one of two fish while fighting a double. Otherwise, every bait caught a fish.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]No contest bumper fish today. Biggest was another 27 incher. Got several 24 to 25 inchers. Smallest was a puny 23 incher with "catitude". In the slightly warmer water the kitties are getting rowdier. Fun, fun.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Didn't use fligs too much today. I did get a couple on them, but ran out of bait before I made the ride back in dragging fligs.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Saw two boats go out of the harbor. One went south toward Provo and the other motored over to the reed line...a couple of guys with bobber rigs. Acted like they knew what they were doing. I suspect there are some shallow fish moving toward the reeds. But I'll bet the coming cool spell will delay that.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]On the way back in I cruised over to the mouth of Battle Creek to try for some whities. Nada, zip, zilch. Water depth was only about 2 feet and the water coming in was a few degrees colder than the main lake. But did see some carp rolling around in that area earlier. Also saw quite a few carp clumps on the surface while it was still glassy. Probably doing some speed dating for later in the month.
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Thanks again for a great report and pictures. I'm glad you found I hadn't ruined your spot for today. Quite the contrary, it sound like I might have scared them down your way!
It has been a tough spring for the 3 days rule, but you still find them and catch them!
I suspect the bobber guys did fine since most of our fish on Friday came under bobbers, but it will probably be a different picture this weekend as you said. I'm still glad were adding to the snowpack though.
Keep up the great work. I hope BLK found them today as well.
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[#0000FF]Don't know how much experience you have with fishing the Lindon area. I have fished it since the late 1970s...when it was just a low dirt dike around a small harbor...with a single narrow ramp. Used to be a great spot for casting for walleyes around the dikes several times a year. And there were always white bass and cats aplenty.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Since moving back to Utah in 2004, Lindon has been one of my top three venues on Utah Lake...plus the Knolls and Lincoln Beach. All have a variety of fishing options and usually produce something at almost any time of the year.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]TubeBabe and I used to do very well on the flats off the mouth of Battle Creek. Always caught fish and some of our biggest...of all species. So whenever I launch at Lindon I have to toss a mental coin...north flats or south flats and the bubbleup? The good news is that I usually do pretty well no matter which I choose. And that area does not get hammered quite as hard as some other spots around the lake.
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Another enjoyable report by the fish whisperer. I love to read your successes and know that no matter how the fishing is going TD will prob pull through with something to teach me. When I caught mine the other day I ran through things that were not working and what TD has taught in his writeups and made my change and I no sooner did and got my first bite followed by my first fish. So there is lessons that are being passed on just so you know.
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[#0000FF]Thanks for the kindly comments. It is good to know that my blatherings are not all unappreciated.
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[#0000FF]Hope you and your sons have a really good year.
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Hey Pat that sounds like a fun day, glad you got one more in before the weather sets in again.... How do you like the new rod holder tree by now? Looks pretty cool... Does it seem strong enough to hold up to cat duty? I'm thinking about building a new rod holder for my bank tangling trips... So many times the ground is so hard, I can't get my PVC version pushed into the ground, and my others with a stand on bottom are heavy and awkward to take with me... So I'm looking for a new idea... been kicking around a T-post design, I'd think it will work well, but doesn't reduce the weight problem... just been pushing my luck not having the rods in some sort of holder, when those cats grab ahold they tend to move out quickly and take the rods with them... Had a carp last night almost get away with my rod, but I managed to invite him to be part of my fbs (future bait supply)... Good thing, I was almost out of cut bait... Congrats on a great day and thanks for the report... Later J
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[#0000FF]I really like having a rod holder tree on each side of the tube. There are two rod holders set at different angles...plus the vertical one for rerigging, dealing with fish, etc.
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[#0000FF]I deliberately made it with 1" schedule 40 PVC for strength. Yesterday it really proved how strong it is. At one point I had two big cats hooked at the same time and had to keep first reeling on one rod and then putting it in one of the holders while I worked the other rod. I had the reel drags set fairly tight and when a cat on a rod holder rod took off it really put some torque on the holder. But they both held up well. Only downside was one of the cats managed to shed the hook just before I was ready to introduce it to the net.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Another serious test is when a cantankerous kitty chomps on a flig and boogies. I fish those with a closed bail or a baitcast reel in the locked position. A few cats have just about given me a whiplash when they do the fast getaway. But nothing has bent or broken yet.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]I am attaching a brief pictorial writeup I put together while making the first model. Since then I have lengthened the lower section to raise the holder slightly higher for my tube. See the attached pic.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]It would be very easy to mount one of these either on a boat or on a metal rod for pounding into the shoreline. But for those applications a single rod holder might be more practical.
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[#0000FF]As you have discovered, it is a good idea to have some kind of secure rod holder when fishing for big powerful fish. Design is not nearly as important as simplicity of use and strength.[/#0000FF]
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Thanks Pat,
Great write up as usual, I may have to look at updating my quick draws to trees, would be nice to have both angles on each side of the toon.. and I think I need to learn how to use the utility holders, I might have had a couple rods fall over the edge of my toon before while handling fish and such... not that I'd admit it though.. since I've lucked into grabbing them both before they sank into the depths, but the reels might have gotten well soaked in the process... great ideas and well put together, thanks so much for sharing them with us... I imagine when you're fishing in the tube and one nails it, it can really give you a ride, those short lengths of PVC would sure keep it strong and compact... That rotation of the quick draw maybe different to build, I'll have to try it... Thanks again... Jeff
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[#0000FF]If you want, I can make you some of the quick draw holders and you can get them at the get-together. It can be a little tricky if you have not made the ones connecting at the sides before. Much easier for a vertical attachment.
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That's what I was noticing there, they do look like a little more care and finesse will be required... If you wouldn't mind, could I get one from you at the flotilla and then I think I can get the others after I have something to look at... Thanks Pat... Later Jeff
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[#0000FF]Remind me to remember not to forget. And I will bring some.
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Will do thanks. J
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Hey Pat, does this look like it will work. See attached. If so I probably don’t need to bother you for one, but I might see if I can get some more fligs at the get together. Thanks Jeff
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Hat Pat were you a NASA Engineer in your other life?
That is refined to perfection.
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Hey Pat,
Thanks for the PDF how to build rod holders. The ones you made for me broke in pretty short order. I figure they needed to be a bit more beefy. Maybe the 1" is the ticket. I will have to see if I can find the tools to cut and shape like you do.
Thanks for the fish report. Those are some nice cats. I noticed there were no walleyes. Do you catch those in the same area later in the spring?
Jared
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]"Hey Pat, does this look like it will work."[/size][/font]
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[#0000FF]Hey Jeff, that looks pretty good. My only question is whether or not the holder might be so close to the pole that it interferes with grabbing the rod. If that turns out to be a problem you can probably bring it out a few inches with a longer connector between the two PVC fittings.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Already have a couple of other requests to bring my flig stash to the get-together. Have fligs will travel.
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[quote doitall5000]Hat Pat were you a NASA Engineer in your other life?
That is refined to perfection.[/quote]
[#0000FF]Thanks for the kindly comments. But no...not an engineer. Just a semi-creative fisherman who is always messin' with tackle and other stuff to try to make it better. No engineering degree but I have been given the title "Prince of PVC".[/#0000FF]
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[quote chinook]Hey Pat,
Thanks for the PDF how to build rod holders. The ones you made for me broke in pretty short order. I figure they needed to be a bit more beefy. Maybe the 1" is the ticket. I will have to see if I can find the tools to cut and shape like you do.
Thanks for the fish report. Those are some nice cats. I noticed there were no walleyes. Do you catch those in the same area later in the spring?
Jared[/quote]
[#0000ff] Sorry the quick draws did not hold up. The early models work fine for light duty but don't hold up well when tested by big  fish. That's why I have been making stronger models...with wider rear rings...and on bigger PVC pipe. If you have the upright models here is a writeup that will show how to make those...but you can substitute the bigger pipe. You can cut the holder ends with a hacksaw by putting them in a vise. But a small rotary saw works best.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff] Walleyes? I have not done much on them at Utah Lake for the past couple of years. I like to try them during the prespawn...right after iceout...and again post spawn. But I don't fish them at night during the actual spawn.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff] Starting about the first of May, the spawned out wallies really go on the chew. And instead of finding them around the lure-eating rocks you can find them all over the lake. The best places to pitch plastics or chunk crankbaits are usually in the same areas the white bass are schooling up for their spawning ritual. That will be at the mouths of tributaries or along the same rock dikes or rocky shorelines where the walleyes gathered earlier.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff] The post spawn walleyes hit almost anything. I don't catch as many while deliberately targeting them as I do while pitching small plastics or cranks for white bass. But if you can find an area where they are actively feeding you can switch up to larger stuff and catch more. However, the silly white bass will also attack the larger lures you throw for walleyes. What a silly bunch of fish. But fun.[/#0000ff]
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I’ll have to take it out and try it awhile and see if it works. Got it smoothed up a little now so I’m looking forward to putting it in action. If the weather will give us a break.
Thanks for the flig supply, finding they are fashionable lip piercings among the cat kind and a few don’t want to give them back, so I need an updated supply. Gorillas are my favs. Thanks Jeff
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[#0000FF]Gorilla fligs...with their "puny" little 5/0 hooks are so "yesterday". If you really wanna upgrade you should look at the bigger "Kong" fligs. I made them for fishing the biggest baits for the biggest cats. But a few silly sturgeon chasers have found that they work good for those giant prehistoric fish too. Will wonders never sneeze?[/#0000FF]
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