10-14-2004, 12:15 PM
[cool][#0000ff]Man, the temperatures start to drop a little and all the fair weather tubers fold up like a road map. Ain't nobody else dunkin' their tubes or toons in the water these days?
We had a fun excursion here in Utah last week, with about a dozen tubes and toons (and one kayak) hitting Lincoln Beach, on Utah Lake, for a morning of casting and comeraderie. Didn't depopulate the lake much, but we did catch some white bass, cats and one suicidal walleye.
TubeBabe and I are going to be hitting Utah Lake again Friday morning. The water temps are getting down toward the mid fifties now, which usually signals the white bass and walleyes that it is time to move into the area around "the springs", where warmer geothermal water comes into the lake. That congregates them for easier pickin's.
Then, toward the end of the month...actually posponed until November 6...we are having an invitational float tubing "mack attack" on Bear Lake, on the Utah and Idaho border. That is a big, cold lake, known for its plentiful lake trout and cutthroat, as well as a couple of species of whitefish that smack lures well. There is a good liklihood of having snow on the ground for that one. The water will also be cold, although the lake usually does not freeze over in the winter.
Heck, I have float tubed somewhere in Utah every month of the year. Sometimes I have had to crunch my way out through skim ice, around the shoreline, to get out to the fishing. I have dodged big floating ice sheets, both in late fall and early spring. And, I have had some great fishing by positioning my craft to allow casting along the edge of ice cover.
Fishing in the cold requires several things. First, you gotta be a little bit deranged and a lot committed to fishing. Second, you have to dress for the occasion. That means neoprene waders, over a couple of insulating layers. Good wool socks are vital too, but don't jam too much bulk into the same booties and fins you use for fishing in warmer conditions. You will get constriction and your feet will get cold, no matter how many layers of warmth you have added.
Take fishing gloves and use them if your hands get chilled. Also, be sure to wear a warm hat. A lot of body heat can escape through your head, if you aren't properly protected.
Make sure your inflated craft is fully inflated and has a chance to set for awhile before launching. You may have to add some more air, to compensate for the shrinking in the cold. If your craft loses too much volume once you are on the water, you probably have a leak and you need to hit the shore, before you become a candidate for hypothermia.
Above all, don't take unnecessary chances. Skim ice is doable, early in the morning. It us usually gone after the morning sun hits the water for awhile. However, if the temperature is below freezing, and the ice is still forming, leave your craft in your vehicle. You do not want to be "frozen out" while you are out fishing. You can also have problems if there are large chunks of sheet ice floating around in a lake. If the wind changes, those large heavy chunks of ice, even thin ice, can cause you some damage if they push you onto the shore and/or some rocks. At the very least, they can push onto the shoreline you need to use to get out of the water and block your path.
Don't tempt fate, but there is also no need to put away your tubes and 'toons until hard water covers your favorite ponds.
Let's get some reports on the board.
[/#0000ff]
[signature]
We had a fun excursion here in Utah last week, with about a dozen tubes and toons (and one kayak) hitting Lincoln Beach, on Utah Lake, for a morning of casting and comeraderie. Didn't depopulate the lake much, but we did catch some white bass, cats and one suicidal walleye.
TubeBabe and I are going to be hitting Utah Lake again Friday morning. The water temps are getting down toward the mid fifties now, which usually signals the white bass and walleyes that it is time to move into the area around "the springs", where warmer geothermal water comes into the lake. That congregates them for easier pickin's.
Then, toward the end of the month...actually posponed until November 6...we are having an invitational float tubing "mack attack" on Bear Lake, on the Utah and Idaho border. That is a big, cold lake, known for its plentiful lake trout and cutthroat, as well as a couple of species of whitefish that smack lures well. There is a good liklihood of having snow on the ground for that one. The water will also be cold, although the lake usually does not freeze over in the winter.
Heck, I have float tubed somewhere in Utah every month of the year. Sometimes I have had to crunch my way out through skim ice, around the shoreline, to get out to the fishing. I have dodged big floating ice sheets, both in late fall and early spring. And, I have had some great fishing by positioning my craft to allow casting along the edge of ice cover.
Fishing in the cold requires several things. First, you gotta be a little bit deranged and a lot committed to fishing. Second, you have to dress for the occasion. That means neoprene waders, over a couple of insulating layers. Good wool socks are vital too, but don't jam too much bulk into the same booties and fins you use for fishing in warmer conditions. You will get constriction and your feet will get cold, no matter how many layers of warmth you have added.
Take fishing gloves and use them if your hands get chilled. Also, be sure to wear a warm hat. A lot of body heat can escape through your head, if you aren't properly protected.
Make sure your inflated craft is fully inflated and has a chance to set for awhile before launching. You may have to add some more air, to compensate for the shrinking in the cold. If your craft loses too much volume once you are on the water, you probably have a leak and you need to hit the shore, before you become a candidate for hypothermia.
Above all, don't take unnecessary chances. Skim ice is doable, early in the morning. It us usually gone after the morning sun hits the water for awhile. However, if the temperature is below freezing, and the ice is still forming, leave your craft in your vehicle. You do not want to be "frozen out" while you are out fishing. You can also have problems if there are large chunks of sheet ice floating around in a lake. If the wind changes, those large heavy chunks of ice, even thin ice, can cause you some damage if they push you onto the shore and/or some rocks. At the very least, they can push onto the shoreline you need to use to get out of the water and block your path.
Don't tempt fate, but there is also no need to put away your tubes and 'toons until hard water covers your favorite ponds.
Let's get some reports on the board.
[/#0000ff]
[signature]
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