# Catfish



## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

I pulled a LOAH and woke up two hours past my alarm time. I think I set it for PM instead of five AM. Anyway, threw together my tubin gear and headed to Utah Lake. I got to my chosen destination after a trip to Walmart for Powerade and bobbers. I got rigged up, gave myself a head rush (amazed I didn't fall over after blowing up a Fishcat using mouth power) and got on the water. It was a warm morning, but the water was pretty cool to the touch. I expected to get bit right away... but wondered if a couple full moon nights might not slow down the bite. I don't know how much weight to put in solunar tables and that. Anyway, the first hour was an exercise in patience... no bites. I had told the wife I'd be home around eleven and got on the water at around 8 so I was planning on a couple hours to fish. Time was short so I started "running and gunning" if there is such a thing in catfishing. I'd flip the bait... wait about five minutes, no bite, move on to the next spot. Anyway, I finally found the magic set of cattails and within about ten minutes, I had hooked two fish. The first one really had some shoulders and actually gave me a bit of a ride around in circles for a few minutes. Good times... I'm almost thinking I caught the same catfish a couple times because I'd let the fish go, get re-rigged and cast back to the same point, just to go for another ride. Anyway in the second hour, I caught four fish. All the cats were big healthy fish and it was fun getting to exercise my back muscles on em. Anyway, I fished around a couple more points and got buzzed by some PWC idiots. I also had some powerboats come and sit on top of me. Nothing like listening to Sir Mixalot and "I like Big Butts" while waiting for the fish to bite. I finally decided I better head home or risk giving up future kitchen passes so I kicked back to the truck, picking up a couple more cats on the way in. The final bite of the day was a fish that took the bobber down, the drag screamed and my line busted... I never saw that fish but I like to think it was a monster. :lol: My first bunch of fish were the best.... easily over five pounds. I was lifting them with my gloved hands and holy crud... those dang fish are strong. Several of the fish simply twisted themselves free... they were so strong I couldn't hold them, even with a pretty firm grip on their face. Anyway, it was a great day to get out and catch some fish, even if it was a shorter trip than I like to take. I got home and my wife wanted to go for a drive... pretty cool. Mirror Lake Hwy is open up past the turnoff for Murdock Basin although there are lots of "road closed" signs along the way. We didn't go all the way to the end this week. I did get a couple good pictures of a Sandhill out in a meadow... didn't seem to mind the onlookers. Here's some pics.

Catfish






















































Sandhill Crane


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## deadicated1 (Mar 17, 2008)

nice report RR!! sounds like a lot of fun. i cant imagine fighting them from a tube. we were getting pulled around in a 16' boat, so a float tube would be sweet. congrats on those fish, and dont be hatin' on sir mixalot :lol:


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

deadicated1 said:


> nice report RR!! sounds like a lot of fun. i cant imagine fighting them from a tube. we were getting pulled around in a 16' boat, so a float tube would be sweet. congrats on those fish, and dont be hatin' on sir mixalot :lol:


It was pretty sweet.... You just kinda lean back and hold on while they take drag... eventually they come up but for the first little bit while they're still green, its hard to tell them how to play. The very first one... I just couldn't get off the bottom. I'd get the bobber up long enough to glimpse orange and then my drag would take off again. I made the decision today after the last fish snapped me off that I need to go to braid to horse them out of the weeds. I would have liked to see that fish. I can't wait to do some night fishing out of my tube. This will be the first time I've ever attempted it so it should be interesting. I'm hoping it results in some bigger fish but I guess I'll see when it happens. I thought some of the boaters were going to fish but they just jacked up the music and bs'ed for a while before screaming away, leaving me bobbing on their wakes.


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Nice. I know that you love tubing Utah Lake for cats, so good for you. It actually looks pretty fun. I might have to try it out. Looks like the fishing is warming up now.


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## BRL1 (Sep 12, 2007)

Sounds like a lot of fun. I think about taking my tube out after cats but then I spend too much time getting in and out of it after too much beer.

I use 40 lb braid on one of my setups but then one of the spots I fish has a lot of wrecked cars that the cats live in.

Great pics.


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

Dang Riley, Nice cats from a tube, Looks like a TON of fun. My luck is the waves would kick up as soon as I got out there & it would carry me to the far west side of the lake :shock: Looks like a good day. How much snow was up around the ML highway??


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## heartbeat (Apr 14, 2008)

Nice fish and good to see you enjoying those, any info on what general area you were at? lincoln beach etc?


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

It was on the west shore... fishing off tules and cattail points. The fish mostly came off the random bunches of cattails... not much action around tules by themselves. I haven't ever fished Lincoln Beach but it seems to give up some great cattin as well. I was just using the bobber setup I broke down in the catfish setup topic. LOAH, I've got to get you out there for some catfish and change your record with Utah Lake.  Bryce... I've got a FC4, one of the V-tubes and it has a handy cargo pocket behind the seat that'll hold a sixer quite nicely.  Also holds an ice chest to keep bait cool, fishing nets, kids (just kidding), or whatever else you want to throw back there. You plug the drain holes and it would stay dry... mine as is lets a couple inches of water in but its not that big of a deal. Old cars huh?? You lose much tackle in there? That'd make for a hell of a fight if some big cat wedges himself under the dash and you're trying to yank him out with some braid. :lol: Stevo, up on ML Hwy, there wasn't much snow at all until around MM 20 and then you could tell they'd cleared it recently because of the three foot drifts right on the side of the road. There is water EVERYWHERE up there... all the campgrounds, pulloffs and everything had streams and ponds through all the low spots. On the Murdock Basin road, there looked to be a couple feet still and on the upper cliffs, there was still lots of snow on the North faces and anywhere there was shade.


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## metal_fish (Mar 19, 2008)

Good job! I keep gettin mud cats and have yet to catch a channel this season at Utah Lake.
What depth would you say you were fishing at? Right of the bottom close to shore?
I can not wait to get into some good cat fishing this year! :!:


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

I'd say it was probably six -10 feet. Some areas were pretty shallow and I was kicking the tops of the weeds and other areas were or seemed to be a bit deeper. I was just working the weedlines, casting into little cuts and fishing the outside of points. I seemed to get more action fishing where cattails were sticking out among the tules.... but I've not fished enough this year to know thats a pattern or anything. I had my bait probably 2 1/2 feet under a cigar shaped float so it was about halfway down to the bottom. I never did fish on the bottom so I don't know if that would have helped me get more fish or not. I'd hook up with you and fish the lake sometime if you want... I have a spare V-tube since the wife isn't a fan of carp near her legs... so she doesnt' go very much.


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## mjschijf (Oct 1, 2007)

Hey those are some nice Catfish. Good job! That looks pretty awesome catching them on a tube like that. I've got to try that some time.


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

Its a hoot man... I'm tellin you. Everyone ought to at least try it once. There is nothing to brace yourself against either... so you can kick, row or whatever and it basically comes down to just your forearms, your back (think rowing exercises) and your wrists.... catch a few of the big ones and its almost like you want a break so your arms aren't sore... but they're sore in the best way!! Its more than I can describe in words but the big ones leave the corners of your mouth hurting from grinning so much.


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## lv2fish (Apr 5, 2008)

nice fish. i was out that day in lindon harbor.no luck like yours.gotta love the pontoon.


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## Leaky (Sep 11, 2007)

Once again, tough guy, good job. Wish I was there.  I'm jealous. Did I miss it? Did you mention the bait you used?
Leaky


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

Leaky said:


> Once again, tough guy, good job. Wish I was there.  I'm jealous. Did I miss it? Did you mention the bait you used?
> Leaky


Just carp my friend. I went out to our desert hole and shot some with my bow. Butchered one up, bagged it and took it with me on Sunday. Good times... lots of semi open area for Sparky if you want to go sometime. I wish you'd been there too man... it was a nice cool day, little breeze every once in a while with some fishin to keep me occupied. Missed having the nip after a day on the water. Got your email about the Web... odd about flow fluctuations up there. Still need to try your "secret" on some fatty trout. :wink: But... I'm always up for more catfishing if you can swing a weekend. Your Pelican idea sounds good too... bummer about leaving the state... no more midweek fishing trips. DOH!! 8)


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