Tubing on Utah Lake Today

[TubeDude]

[cool][font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][#0000ff]TubeBabe and I launched at Lindon about 6:30 AM. Calm and air temp 50. Water clean and 64 degrees. Gettin' there.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Lots of fish on sonar and swirls on the surface everywhere. Most of the activity was from carp. Had several hits/bumps on my tandem tube jig rig as I made casts while kicking across the marina. Probably mostly carp.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Reached the north dike and started out toward the mouth of the harbor...casting in to shore as I moved along. Thought maybe there might be a stray whitie, wallies or largie in the shallows waiting to pounce on my little jigs. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]WHAM. ZING. Major munch and a quick loss of about 10 yards of line off my light reel. Heavy fish. I was thinking carp and was planning to keep one to cut up for bait. Boy, was I disappointed when it turned out to be a four pound kitty. That fish thoroughly beat me up on my light rod for about 10 minutes. When I got it in I observed that it had munched the pink and silver tube. Same lure the cats at Willard Bay seem to like so well.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]First fish in the basket within a half hour of launch. Fished over another hour before adding any more. TubeBabe and I kicked north from the harbor entrance, planning to work the creek inlet for whities and.or walleyes. Neither seemed to be in residence...or agreeable. So, we both started dragging bait. TubeBabe stayed in the shallower water (3-4') and I worked out into about 5 feet. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Both of us continued to throw plastics while dragging a bait on the second rod. The lake was like glass and there were a bajillion carp "clumping" on the surface, in pods of 10 to 100 fish or more...getting ready to swarm the shallows when the water warms another degree or two. I hooked several "dorsal diners" and "tail takers". Impossible to avoid them they were so thick. Most of the ones I hooked tore loose when I tried to horse them in. One ten pounder slurped the jig and was well hooked in the corner of the mouth. I brought it to the net and stuck it in my basket to become bait for future expeditions.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I looked at my watch at 8 AM and announced the time to TubeBabe on the walkie talkies. I reminded her that in times past the bite had started right about 8. Within five minutes, she had a catfish...and within 15 minutes we both had two. I continued up the shoreline a ways and bagged another 4 kitties while TB managed to net only one more.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]At 9:30, a serious southwest breeze came up and made the water kinda bumpy. It also killed the fishing. I had a couple more pop and drops after the breeze came up but no more serious takers. Ditto for TubeBabe.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We dragged bait and threw lures all the way back into the harbor. Nada, Zip, Zilch. It was over. We were off the water before noon. Water temp at that time had risen to 66 and the carp were starting to roll in the shallows next to the shoreline. There were no huge orgies but only twos and threes, rolling here and there. Still, a guy with a bow could walk the shoreline and get some shots.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TubeBabe only scratched 3 cats, but all three were solid 4 pounders. I got six, but only one was over 4, a couple over three and three more that were "Willard cookie cutter" size.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Still, a nice day on the water and we got home early. Time for my nap.[/#0000ff]
[/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=24916;"][#333366] PINK JIG KITTY.jpg [/#333366][/url](260 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=24917;"][#333366] FANCY LIP ORNAMENT.jpg [/#333366][/url](236 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=24918;"][#333366] CARP CLUMP.jpg [/#333366][/url](320 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=24919;"][#333366] BOBBER JIGGER.jpg [/#333366][/url](320 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=24920;"][#333366] LINDON MUSKRAT.jpg [/#333366][/url](268 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=24921;"][#333366] TUBEBABE HEADS IN.jpg [/#333366][/url](336 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=24922;"][#333366] 3 FER DA BABE.jpg [/#333366][/url](400 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=24923;"][#333366] DA DUDE'S HAUL.jpg [/#333366][/url](289 KB) [/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1]Attachments:[/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=24924;"][#333366] DE BAIT.jpg [/#333366][/url](372 KB) [/size][/black][/font]
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[flygoddess]

Wish I was there[] Thanks for the pixs and the report.
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[Frozenover]

Nice, hoping to get out soon.
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[Majja]

FG was jonesing for the chance to hook up with some of those huge Utah Lake Golden trout....[]
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[zonker]

Great report as usual. If I could find a place to catch those catfish I might take up your style of fishing. Wouldn't know where to start finding them, though.

Sounds like the carp are really going at it where you live. Same thing happening here.

z~
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[Majja]

Z do you remember how to use a rod less than 9ft and a lure that weighs more than 1/64th of an ounce ... hehe[]

But than again put one of those willow's in my hands and i can show you how to make a big mess out of it.

Majja
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[zonker]

Majja,

I do spin fish for steelhead with floats and jigs. Wait! err... on second thought that rod is 10.5 feet long.

I do use a baitcaster also, sometimes. I must admit though, I get very rusty from the long times away from such fishing. I really, really, really like flyfishing. [cool] I suppose if I hung my flyrod out of the tube, dragged a bait on the bottom as TD does, and baited up with carp meat I could approximate his fishing, though. Hmm. Maybe I could tie a carp meat fly... Wait! err... they already have those. They're called "flesh" flies and they're made to imitate strips of rotting salmon. (Yuck!) A little special stink scent from some reconstituted roadkill would probably do it. (No offense intended.)

[cool]z~
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]On most of our western waters, where channel cats take up residence, the water is clear enough for them to become efficient sight feeders. Channel cats then turn into predators that hunt and attack all kinds of prey...crawdads, big aquatic insects and even minnows. In those situations they are easy to fool with feathers and fur. I have caught a lot of cats on flies.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I gotta admit though, that I sometimes "adulterate" a big wooly bugger with some crawdad scent...or a streamer with smelly jelly anchovy or shad scent. Helps them to work better for all warm water fish...bass, walleyes, cats...the works.[/#0000ff]
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[flygoddess]

Question for you, is it the FLYROD, REEL, LINE that makes it fly fishing or is it the FLY! I know people that us all of the above and a regular hook and worm...to me that is bait fishing. I also know thoughs who use a spinning outfit with spinning reel, regular mono and a bubble with a FLY on the end. They are FLY fishing in my book, just like a kastmaster is a spoon, metal head rubber is a jig.

Is it the gear or what you put on the end of your line?
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[Saberfish]

The difference between fooling and feeding fish is a challenge. Then to do it on something that you have created yourself with hook and feathers is very satisfying.

However, under normal conditions, I would hate to compete with someone fishing with bait.

Fishing with your own tied flies is something that you have to experience to enjoy, can't be explained to others.

But don't think that I will not fish with bait. To get walleyes, I would fish with body parts.
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[Majja]

That is a good point FG. Now you have me thinking.
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[macfly55]

I have been told that putting scent on a fly is a good way of masking other scents (human)... and in the past I have used dabs of power bait to spice things up so tp speak...

as far as FLY fishing.. I am trying my best to stay "pure" with fly rod only.. but have used the bubble/bead/swivel/fly rig on a spinning rig in the past.. and my grandson (when he goes out with me) uses that type of rig...

now all I has to do is win the lottery so I can go to Utah to get one to one lessons from a pro.. and learn to float so I open up new doors for myself in this sport....

MacFly [cool]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Over the years I have written several "epistles" on the issue of fishing a fly with something other than a flyrod. There are numerous ways to present a fly by using bubble and fly, a piece of fly line or lead core line...or even by attaching split shots or other kinds of sinkers.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I was one of the innovators and pioneers of fishing flies by the "dropshot" method, on the Provo below Deer Creek, in the early sixties. I since took that method all over the country, fishing flies above a sinker in lakes, rivers, small creeks and even in salt water.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have been challenged several times, while fishing flies on spinning tackle...on waters designated at fly fishing only. On one memorable occasion, fishing on the S. Platte River in Colorado, in the fly fishing only stretch below Cheeseman Dam, I was in danger of being thrashed by an old Orvis Dork who was only about half my size...but who had a huge objection to me fishing sunken flies with my 9' "bubble chucker" flyrod/spin stick. I think part of his objection was that it was late winter and the fish were almost dormant on the bottom of deep holes. He could not even reach the fish with his fairy wand...while I was hooking large rainbows and browns on every deep drift with my weight and flies rig.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As a kid in Idaho, I learned to fish by watching my dad and uncles fishing spinner and worm rigs on their bamboo fly rods and automatic reels. In fact, with the exception on one uncle, I never saw anyone in the family ever throw a fly. Yet, they were proud of their fly rods...even though they were used for nothing more than bait fishing.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have always enjoyed working a fly rod, with flies tied by my own hand. It is even better when I actually catch fish on them. But, since the primary objective is catching fish...not just exercise...I usually try to use whatever method is best for presenting a fly, lure or bait. I ain't no purist.[/#0000ff]
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[zonker]

I maintained flyfishing "purity" for many years. For about 25 of them I used nothing but fly rod, fly reel, fly line, tapered leader, and fur and feathers on a hook - for all species. I remember when strike indicators first started to become popular. I resisted them for awhile, constrained by my "flyfishing ethic." When I fished nymphs I did it in the venerable "high stick" method. No "training wheels" for me! In my older years since I've become less concerned about what others think of me I've sought out sport by bending the "rules" whenever it means the difference in catching fish. I would *rather* catch fish with conventional fly fishing gear and flies I tie myself. That's what I enjoy most and I'm comfortable in my own skin. But if I can't catch them that way, well, I'm at least open for other options. For instance, I'll scent a fly when fishing for those species that are less oriented to sight and more to smell. Carp are often found in very cloudy water. If you had to depend on their seeing a fly you'd die of old age before getting a take. Not my idea of a good time. I'd rather catch a fish than get skunked trying to maintain a manmade standard. And since usually for me the fish will be released anyway, what's the difference? An exception to this would be whenever I'm concerned for injuring fish that I want to release. Trout especially tend to take a scented fly deeper into their mouth or throat. So no scent on trout flies - ever - if they will be released. Same with bass. Besides, trout and bass are very sight oriented. I just rub some mud on my underwater flies to get rid of the human stink and then fish.

My willingness to "defect" drives some of my flyfishing friends nuts but, hey, this old dog determines what makes him happy, not some pup who hasn't seen much of life or some yuppie who looks like a billboard for Orvis and Simms looking down his nose at me. (Nothing wrong with those companies. They make good stuff. It's the attitude.)

Fishing for carp is like that. As they say, it's the "dark side." I often am asked, "Are you catching anything?" What should I say? Should I lie? I know what's coming.

"Yeah, I've caught five fish from six to ten pounds. Every one of them has taken me into my backing."

"Wow! Here in this place? That's great. What kind were they?"

"Carp."

"Oh." (Walking away shaking their heads.)

I fish for sport. I determine what is sport for me. I respect others who are different, even if their sport is not the same as mine. As long as they aren't damaging the resource, what difference does it make? If they want to turn up their noses that just leaves more fish for me. I'll let the fish ultimately determine the method but for me I'll always prefer flyfishing. Hooking a large fish on a long rod, line zipping out the guides, deep bend all the way into the cork, screaming reel, flyline disappearing, then backing disappearing. It just doesn't get any better than that IMHO. But I'm learning to be a more versatile fisherman.

Back in my purist years I went out with a fly fishing guide. We were fishing for shad on the Sacramento River. He anchored the boat and whipped out a spinning rod. "What are you doing?" I asked. "This is my fish finder," He replied. He promptly hooked a couple of 4-6 pound shad. "OK, they're here," he said. He then put his spinning rod aside and took out his fly rod. The two of us had a wonderful morning landing over 40 fish each on our fly rods. It was a hoot.

z~
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Hey Z, a most excellent treatise on esoterics, ethics and efficiency. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I always enjoy getting involved in discussions with pseudo-intellectual fishing snobs who want to debate "science vs art". Some of these folks get so mired down in the minutia of entomology, stream flows, rod modulus, line and leader composition, etc. that they completely overlook the reasons for getting on the water in the first place...enjoyment.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Probably the funniest conversations I get into with other anglers are the ones regarding the use of sonar as an aid to fishing. There are many folks who hold forth that the use of electronics constitutes an unfair advantage for anglers. It is quickly evident that the people who make this claim are seldom real anglers. They have no concept of how sonar really works and that it is more of a tool to eliminate unfishy water than to actually put a hook into a fish's mouth. Any of us who use sonar know that you "see a lot more fish than you catch". Finding them is no guarantee that you can catch them. It is just the beginning.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]What really makes me laugh out loud are the "Wonderlure" commercials you see on late night TV...or even on Saturday morning fishing programs. They tout high priced lures or systems that are so irresistable to fish that "they are outlawed in some states...and cannot be used in tournaments." Most of them do a better job of catching unsophisticated fishermen than catching fish. The funny part is the people who get upset when they see that stuff, thinking that the local fish populations are doomed.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]To me, the science aspect is continuing to read, watch, listen and share information from all sources, throughout one's lifetime...and to correctly assimilate and compartmentalize this intel into the proper categories...1. Need to Know, 2. Nice for Nice, 3. Nonessential.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The art, in fishing, is being able to tap into your mental database, to correctly determine exactly what pattern and approach is going to work best under the given set of circumstances...and thne to use your natural and developed physical abilities to skillfully make the right presentation.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I really feel sorry for anglers who develop self-imposed restrictions that limit their ultimate enjoyment of all things fishing.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]"Carp tunnel-vision syndrome"?[/#0000ff]
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[zonker]

Great words, TD. And I love your alliteration in the first sentence.

It's nice to get the point that I don't have to wait to ask someone else if it's OK to have fun.

[size 1][#0000ff]"Carp tunnel-vision syndrome"?[/#0000ff] [/size]

Probably.

z~
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[flygoddess]

Zonker, my first trip (and only a this time) with Tube Dude and Tube Babe, was to a lake with bottom dwellers.
I fully intended to get skunked, but to have a good time non the less. Ask TD, I even asked if he had some scent stuff, but alas, I couldn't do it. He did give me some awesome flies to try (which by the way, I did hook a carp at another lake with the purple and flour green)
My salvation that day was the old stand-by nymphs I tied and more the presentation of them that got me the GOLD so to speak.
I do think some take this pure-isum way too far. On another forum, a gentlemen sold all his GRAPHITE rods and his newer reels and is having a bamboo built. Not a bad thing.
He is determined to only use real SILK line (very expensive) and now to only fish wet like his Grandfather. Okay, I get the traditional, but we have come a long ways and for a reason. It is called improvement. I will wait a year and then check in with him...see how it is going and all.
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[zonker]

FG,

I hear what you're saying. I may have mentioned this at some point previous but in the early eighties Dave Whitlock introduced some fly scent and started talking about it on his speaking circuit. L.L. Bean started carrying it (Dr. Juice). The flyfishing community utterly rejected it. Soon it disappeared and Dave stopped talking about it (though I wonder if he ever quit using it.) The peer pressure is there, even for the big talkers. If I'm not mistaken Dave may have been the one to start suggesting rubbing your fly in mud to get rid of the human odors.

I guess I'm hitting a stage of life where I'm weary (maybe too strong a word) of letting others who don't even know me dictate how I fish and have fun. And for what? I don't and won't damage the resource.

I've seen the cane/silk thing, too. It's fine with me if someone enjoys that stuff. A well made cane rod is a treasure, but it adds little to the ability to catch fish and maybe takes from it. Using it to elevate one sportsman/sportswoman over another is just cruddy way of promoting the same things I go fishing to avoid.

I've noticed myself regressing just a little lately. While I rode the high modulus graphite bandwagon from near the beginning nearly to the top, I find now that I'm enjoying the slower, more moderate actions over the super stiffs that require throwing sixty feet of line just to load them. Funny that it took me all that time to realize what I really enjoy. Mrs. zonker says its a product of my age. She's probably right.

All these things said, if you're fishing for carp in cloudy water, fight your conditioning and put on a drop or two of something that smells like the fly you're trying to match. ("Match the smell" maybe.) You'll find you catch more fish.

z~
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